Oh What a Night...

We made it. We opened the doors of the East end Gallery extension at 11 am yesterday. I was so excited. Michael's vision is almost realised. Now all we have left is the final forty-five square metres of Shop 4 to complete the East End Gallery. Which will happen in due course. Once Michael gets his renovating sense of humour back. The building has put him in hospital twice and tried to kill him last month. He needs a break...

The journey started in July 2012. Out of three hundred and ninety square metres, we only have the last quadrant of the last shop to finish. Whoa. I am so in awe of Michael's's achievement. And I adore the building, in spite of the toll she has taken.

She is like the mistress in our marriage. The third person. I accept her, I honour her, I understand her. The building has dictated our lives. Now Michael  is so close to finishing the project, I want to encourage him, support him, just love him. And his efforts.

We worked non-stop up until yesterday morning. Dave the Brave, our electrician, installed the power points into the Gallery late on Wednesday afternoon. I cleaned, vacuumed and revised the catalogue until one o' clock in the morning on Thursday. We opened and I was gobsmacked!

We had a fabulous opening night of the Autumn Exhibition. We had enthusiastic guests, wine, finger foods and impromptu live music. Guy, our handyman, carpenter and international man of mystery arrived with a drum and guitar. Between him and two other guests, the East End Gallery had a jam session that lasted till nearly midnight. How lucky were we.

I'm a little the worse for wear today. But I opened at just after eleven thirty this morning. And we had wall to wall visitors until four o' clock in the afternoon.

So pleased, so proud. See you all tomorrow from eleven o' clock.

WOW! What a night.

The Wall is Finished!

Yesterday I had a glimpse of triumph.The horizontal steel beams that were to provide the support for the corrugated iron dividing wall were installed. With three days to go before we start arranging the artworks, I finally realised that we would make our deadline. That Michael had been right all along. That I will never doubt him again.

Today was the icing on the cake. The tin wall was constructed. The ceiling was touched up. The bits of plaster that had come adrift with the removal of the tin from between shop 3 and shop 4 have been filled and sanded. The plinths are finished. My four red tub chairs that nearly caused me a nervous breakdown in Cannington traffic on Saturday are constructed. The green couch has been cleaned and fitted into the window alcove - its new home.

The Beagle is not enjoying her time at the Gallery as a Work Dog. Tied up out the back, she became even more anxious when she could no long see us once the wall was finished. I rescued her but told her off in no uncertain terms. She had brought imprisonment on herself through her persistent escapology. She gets to go to the building again tomorrow as I won't be here to watch her.Maybe three days of confinement in a row will cause her to rethink her absconding from the House that Rocks.

We are still having artwork delivered. We need all pieces named, priced and delivered by tomorrow afternoon to 116 Vincent Street. Michael is on his own for the day. I am going to the Big Smoke to shop for the opening, pick up a display cabinet, some hessian, cushions for the chairs, barfy burgers and pig's ears (for the Three Stooges) and finishing with a planning meeting for Alex's ATE funding at two thirty. Whew....

Not to mention, Michael's sister and cousin are coming up tomorrow night to stay. Me thinks we'll be putting them to work at the Gallery on Wednesday morning. One absolute lifesaving blast - they are bringing dinner for us all. I am beyond cooking.

Till tomorrow!

The Dynamic Duo completing the wall!

Onward and Upward - Another Day of Renovation

I was really worried about Michael today. He's not old - he's only fifty-nine - but he has a complex medical background we have to monitor on a daily basis. Emphysema, anxiety, reflux, rashes, plantar warts and general wear and tear are testing him. Just about twelve months ago, he nearly died from pneumonia. He has been working with his second in command, Gary, non-stop for nearly two months on the extension of the East End Gallery. Which is supposed to be ready for our Autumn Exhibition this coming Thursday.

I went to the Big Smoke to collect four chairs for the Gallery today. And champagne, trays, plastic wine glasses and serviettes for the opening. I was away most of the day. I arrived back in Heavenly Beverley around three thirty. I saw three groups of visitors through the Gallery before I came home. As I hadn't slept well last night, I put my head down for an hour. Vanessa can attest to my snoring.

I drove to the Gallery at seven. Michael still wasn't home. He and Gary were watching the concrete for the ramp set. They were debating whether to cover the newly set concrete or not. Saturday night in Beverley; they were fearful of drawing the attention of any drunken yobbos. An older guy with an elderly dog tottered past the front door of Shop 4. For some unknown reason, the dog had a boost of sudden energy and trod in the concrete. OMG.

Gary is not well and I could see he was as exhausted as Michael. He went off his nut at the bloke and the dog. That didn't help. Eventually, the bloke apologised, I explained how tired Michael and Gary were and the concrete was smoothed over. Calm was restored.

We've had dinner and Vanessa is currently giving Michael a massage. His joints are seizing with the physical work he is doing. I'm about to call it quits as well.

Tomorrow is another day. The plinths have to be painted and the tin wall started. We are on four days and counting...

watching concrete set

dog footprint invasion

plinths reday for painting.

Back with a Vengeance!

The last week or so has been pretty ordinary and very frustrating. Disputes with banking and telecommunication companies are bound to try the patience of a saint. And I am definitely no saint. Not to mention the Beagle's antics. Yesterday, she reverted to toddler status and decided to bring dog pooh inside - into Sascha and Pip's bed. And she was still seemingly oblivious to the electric collar. Michael tested it on himself to be sure and confirmed that it was on "take that you little cow!" zapping level by nearly giving himself a coronary.

The day did not get off to a good start. I had scalded my left thumb with escaping steam from our Beef Wellington parcels just as I was serving dinner. This troublesome thumb caused me grief all evening. Eventually, copious amounts of vino and pain killers lulled me into the best sleep I've had in weeks. Neither of us woke until eight thirty this morning...

Which was when Michael had arranged to meet our esteemed carpenter, handyman and international acclaimed drummer, Guy, to make plinths for the Gallery.  So, we both hurtled out of bed with no tea or coffee, no food and no drugs. Not a great start to the day.

After Michael left, I went outside. There was evidence of overnight rain. The garden looked green and washed. The back yard was calling me. I hadn't been in my garden for weeks. I decided then and there that ninety minutes of garden therapy was needed.

So I walked and weeded and poked and prodded. Michael had filled Ruby the Beagle's excavation with enough rubble to slow her down. In fact, it had stopped her in her tracks. The day was getting better and better.

I even managed to wash up and clear the debris from yesterday. I was late to the Gallery but I didn't care. My soul was revived by my time in the garden.

So I prepared to vacuum the Gallery. I was interrupted by two visitors - a local lady called Maxine and her friend, Libby, from New South Wales. They admired the Gallery, complimented our efforts, appreciated our history and I gave them the grand tour. Suddenly, I was in love with my life again.

I vacuumed. Colleen Sleer, Beverley photographer and all round gorgeous lady dropped into the Gallery to discuss some framed photos for the Autumn Exhibition. We shared our individual trials and tribulations. And laughed a lot. Sometimes, the insurmountable can seem less daunting when I can laugh out loud with a gem like Colleen.

We bought lunch from the Red Vault Cafe across the road. Now, I was nourished as well. I formed a plan of action. Strolling into the local ANZ branch here in town, I asked Michelle the manager to perform a miracle. And so she did. Within the next two hours, she had opened our business account, organised our cards and hooked us up with Merchant Services in Sydney to get an elusive EFTPOS terminal ordered and hopefully delivered by Thursday. She couldn't promise, but we didn't care. She'd never seen us before in her life and she helped us with our problem. People like Michelle deserve a medal for effort on a Friday afternoon. And her computer system went down as well.

Now, I'm preparing to go home to the House that Rocks. I have more energy than I've had in days. Our darling Vanessa has just arrived to give me a hand at home this weekend.

The best part of this afternoon was the ever so polite e-mails I sent the Bankwest Merchant Services and the Business Team. Their service had not been up to scratch and I told them this. Sometimes, even an ordinary person like me can take great satisfaction in telling a large organisation where to go...!

Our garden at dusk

What I intend to do in our garden at dusk.

Benefits of a Tantrum or Two - But Wait There's More

I am in a queue on the landline trying to set up a business account through our bank. I also have two e-mails pending, waiting for information so I can complete them and send them. One is about window measurements at the East End Gallery for our advertising stickers. My darling husband was supposed to ring back with the measurements about half an hour ago. He hasn't as yet. The other e-mail is to apply for an EFTPOS terminal. For which I need a business account. From the bank...

At least I am doing this from home today. Still in my passion killer. Can't be bothered getting dressed. Yesterday I was in the Big Smoke, trying to sort out a series of stuff ups. Two disasters through the bank and lots through Telstra.

The bank disasters were first - the disappearance of my Dispute Form back in February. Apparently the Northam branch never lodged this form. Which means the $901.43 for sporting apparel, purchased in the UK, that was debited to my Mastercard is still accruing interest! And the Foreign Exchange charge. I stupidly assumed that when I handed the Dispute Form across the counter, it would be sent to the right part of the bank. Wrong!

Second, I have been trying to organise an EFTPOS terminal for the Gallery for weeks. I rang and left a message with the Business Team. Nobody rang me back. I visited a Business Centre, which I thought might deal with stuff like this. No, they don't actually talk to people. Then I sent an e-mail to a bloke through Merchant Services, who didn't e-mail me back.

So yesterday, in the Midland branch, I had a complete meltdown. Suddenly, nothing was too much trouble. My dispute form was lodged, the bloke from Merchant Services rang me this morning and we have been playing e-mail ping pong all day. But, just when I thought all was sorted...it wasn't.

We need a business account. which we don't have. Which nobody told us we needed to have before we could apply for the EFTPOS terminal. Which we can't do at a branch in person as we can't afford to lose half a day in travel and farnarcalling (who remembers the D-Generation?) around before the opening next Thursday. Now trying to get it sorted electronically, with another bloke from the Business Team, but we've really run out of time. Give me strength...

And now to recount my latest dealings at Telstra. Why do people automatically hate Telstra? Saves time! We have been right royally shafted by a series of monumental mistakes. Like the installation of our new home  modem and set up for  Bigpond by a Telstra technician. which we were charged for and never happened. Or having access to the Platinum team (always speaking to an Australian operative) which was part of our bundle. Which never happened. Or the tech support in the Philippines who failed to set up our settings correctly on my laptop so I couldn't send e-mails. Or the same tech support wanting to charge us for the Platinum team access we'd already paid for.

I was in fine form. I bellowed at the poor "meet and greet" attendant at the Telstra shop. I said I'd return in an hour for an appointment and that my problems needed to be fixed. I went and had physio and some fun dry needling into my elbows. Then I went back.

Dan the excellent tech support onsite at Midland Telstra tried to find the root of the problem. He found it. In one little box on our account page was one little word that had caused chaos. Error...someone had screwed up and not checked. He was still working on fixing the account settings when I left. He even gave me his work mobile in case of further emergencies.

I arrived home, shattered, after seven thirty last night. I managed to put some chicken in the oven before I collapsed with a very large glass of vino.

It's twenty past two in the afternoon. I have just received the business account applications from the bank. Another job I have to do. I have sent the e-mail to our web designer with the window measurements for our advertising stickers.

Except I'm going to have a couple of hours off. I'm going to submerge myself in some mindless housework for a while.

At least I'll know what I'm doing!

Stay tuned for the next exciting installment.

The Box has Failed

I should have known better. I was so excited that the fruit box appeared to have enchanted Ruby the Beagle. That maybe we'd found the magic panacea that would discourage her escapology. When repeatedly filling in her excavations hadn't worked. When added rocks, rubble, sticks and stones to her holes hadn't slowed her down. The electric fence and collar work spasmodically and unreliably. Even the highest setting on the collar - "Take That, you Little Cow" - is only a distraction to be endured. The Elizabethan collar slowed her progress down by forcing her to dig deeper and wider under the fence. And then she discovered The Box.

We thought we have found a miracle. That somehow a rectangular fruit and vegetable cardboard box would engage her enough and that she would fall in love with it, negating her need for outside stimulation.What a crock!

We forgot that the Beagle has the attention span of an amoeba. Actually she resembles an amoeba in other ways as well. No brain interface between her nose and her stomach. Total absorption in eating, sleeping and eliminating of waste materials. Except I'm not sure an amoeba then eats its own pooh. I am rather concerned that makes an amoeba smarter than Ruby...

What an original idea for a scientific study! A comparison between an amoeba and Ruby! That would be right up there with my own personal favourite study. That study concluded people in wheelchairs have a lower participation rate in ballroom dancing than able-bodied people. The amount of money spent to confirm this suspected conclusion defies belief.

Needless to say, I am writing this diatribe of defeat because the Beagle escaped again this morning. Directly after consuming her pig's ear, she set off without a wave or a goodbye to greener pastures. Whilst the other stooges were engaging  as our faithful companions, like dogs should, Ruby sneaked off in a cloud of cupboard love.

She arrived home, with the cat (!), just as we were about to leave for the Gallery. We were relieved and furious. Her Elizabethan collar was filthy and stank, her paws were dirty, her tongue was lolling and her ridiculously innocent Beagle smile split her face. She trotted into the house, had an enormous drink of water and collapsed in Sascha and Pip's bunk with a sigh of happiness.

We are beyond words. But at least we'll know where she is for the rest of today.

Never, ever to be trusted!

The Beagle has Landed

Ruby the Beagle has always been somewhat different from other dogs. She has never been a huge fan of exercise, she enjoys lying down, sleeping and doing her rounds along the boundary. At her own pace, of course. Which isn't fast.

She also adores food and eating. With a passion other dogs have for chasing a ball or jumping in a river or romping with their mates. Ruby's obsession for food overrides any semblance of common sense she actually possesses. Ruby in search of food is like watching the Robot out of "Lost in Space", except she doesn't roar "warning Will Robinson!". Her nose bypasses her brain completely en route to her stomach.

Ruby famously escaped from us during our first winter in Heavenly Beverley. We had successfully reduced her girth from a trifle fat to just cuddly, due to a careful reduction of her dinner. On a late afternoon walk, her nose got the better of her and she took off in gay abandon after an irresistible scent. Frankly, we'd never seen her move so fast in her life.

She returned several hours later, long after we'd miserably concluded she'd met a sticky end. We welcomed her like the Prodigal Son. She rewarded our delight by drinking an entire dog bowl of water, spewing spectacularly all over the floor and tottered off to her bed. Needless to say, she was fully recovered by the following morning.

Since then, we thought the fences would contain the Beagle. We were wrong. Several months ago, Ruby began burrowing under our fences, in order to escape to freedom. She was seen everywhere around our end of town. Our friends were asked "who owns the round little Beagle we see trotting down the road"? Ruby's most memorable morning visit was to Guy and Denese's, where she was discovered with her head inside Woody the Cattle Dog's kibble bucket.

After worrying about the prospect of Ruby being shot, poisoned, bitten by a snake or run over, we decided drastic action was called for. So we installed the electric fence with the electric collar. Either Ruby had absolutely no brain or a very high pain tolerance, the "take that, you little cow" zap that was supposed to hit her in the neck had a disappointing effect. She was still excavating under the fence.

A couple of weeks ago, we took her and her disgusting ears to the vets, along with the other dogs. $1200 and an Elizabethan collar later, we returned home, hoping this collar would make it more difficult for her to escape. Or at least slow her down enough for the electric collar's zap to register in her thick skull.

This tactic worked well until we went to Perth for Vanessa's graduation. We asked Lorna to feed the dogs and doctor Ruby's ears. This Lorna did. Except Ruby somehow disposed of the hated Elizabethan collar in our back neighbour's block. We discovered the collar forlornly deserted when we returned home.And retrieved it and returned it to the Beagle's neck.

We were despairing about what to try next. What would slow Ruby down from wanting to leave the property? Then, the miracle presented itself in a most unusual form. Ruby fell in love with a box.

But not just any box. Last Monday we stopped for fruit and vegetable at Hills Fresh in Mundaring. We packed our purchases into a sturdy box. Arriving home, we brought our shopping in and unpacked everything. Then we tossed the box on the floor in our living room..

Ruby hopped in. And lay down. And sighed contentedly. The box has moved from the living room to the laundry to the bathroom. We've added an old towel to the box. Ruby is ecstatic with her box. And she hasn't tried to dig her way out of the property since we brought the box.

We have no idea how long the box will hold Ruby's attention.We are just enjoying the reprieve.

Ruby discovering our saviour, the box.