Current project

Not much to report on the gaming front again unfortunately but Kent and I are planning to have a game next Weds all going well. The only gaming news of note is that Poochie and I have decided to go to Panzershrek FOW doubles tourney in Palmerston North in July.

Most of the guys I enjoy playing against in FoW are based in the North Island these days and over much umming and aahhing decided to partner Poochie and go on a road trip with the Regiment- as an honorary member (or is that the only member?) of their southern branch. Haven't played FoW since Day of Days 2014 so no doubt will be a bit rusty but looking forward to catching up with a large number of gaming mates.

Bach Reno project
However, I have been keeping myself busy. After about 15 months of planning I've finally started my major renovation on my old bach. I had to wait till Julie was back working before I started and the council consents took 3 months rather than the 20 working days we'd anticipated so the timeline has been thrown well and truly off track.

The bach is about 60 years old and currently about 60 square metres with two small (under 10 square metre each) bedrtrooms so I decided to add a larger double bedroom for Julie and me. However, the best views are from the carpark area as the bach is nestled down the slope (and so protected from the prevailing winds) so I decided that if I didn't go up as well that in a year or two I'd be kicking myself for not having done so. So in the end I came up with a design that had a lounge and an upstairs bedroom. The addition will bring the bach to about 100 square meters so still quite small- I've become a fan of the small(er) house movement. It is interesting to note that since the 1960s our houses have grown from about 120m2 to more than 205m2, the third biggest in the world!

Anyway I digress. Over the past 8 weeks or so I've spent most of my weekends down at the bach getting involved in my building project- not exactly a grand designs scale project but fun nevertheless.

Easterweekend weekend finally got started- we had to excavate part of the hillside as the build is going to be set back into the hill.

Foundations went in- after a 2 week delay as we'd hit a seam of limestone and council needed to approve changes to the piles- yet more expense.

 As you can see the existing bach is nothing flash (a typvcial old school bach, not a fnacy arse holidfay home), built 60 odd years ago, clad in horrible hardiplank (I'm going to change to ply and batten to tie in to extension). The new lounge and upstairs bedroom is built on the north (sunny) side of the house.

The upper storey is built back into the hillside and sitting on a block wall- which we needed to build.

The ground floor framing goes up.

Indoor/outdoor flow- the existing north wall is removed- this will increase the size of the lounge.

The upstairs is underway

Upstairs framework complete.

Finally,  I get to see the view I've been planning on capturing.

The above photo was taken last Friday- a stunning day. Saturday it pissed down and I spent the day sweeping away water which was coming through under the ply into the existing lounge we'd put up till the interior is enclosed.

I popped down after work last night and yesterday the roof went on and they started wrapping the exterior.

And there we have it to date./ Am off down for the long weekend to do a few bits and pieces but hopefully by next weekend it will be clad