DOING LIFE

UNEXPECTED SQUATTERS IN FERNRIDGE ESTATE - Saturday, 8 December 2007 None of the residents of Fernridge Estate expected squatters to appear from nowhere on their doorstep … but unfortunately it is a reality and to make matters worse, it is happening right on ‘top’ of the Fourie residence. Here’s a snapshot of our main bedroom, situated upstairs – still in its preliminary stages. As you can see, the vertical blinds are installed, but the curtain rods are awaiting their curtains. Apart from the curtain rods waiting in anticipation, the door’s glass panel is also desperate for its roman blind to be fitted, hence it being covered with a black rubbish bag setting the ‘squatter camp’ ambience at the Fourie residence. At least this measure saves the very closely situated neighbours from witnessing streakers. Michelle, you probably recognise my ‘Forty Something’ teddy bear had been promoted from the Blue Room security guard to the ‘squattish’ bedroom guard. Slowly but surely matters on the relative long snag/to-do list are being ticked off. The Satellite Dish has been installed after about 4 hours of serious cable routing which had to be negotiated from the upstairs balcony to the downstairs lounge. At least I had some DSTV company from Tuesday this week and the evenings were less lonely with Conroy being away for more than a week. After Burgess Plumbers nearly destroyed the cupboard under the washing up basins in the scullery in which the taps were situated for the dishwasher and the washing machine and being showed away from our property by Conroy, a LG technician arrived promptly on Monday and connected the two machines in a flash and very professionally. However, there were still some scullery snags. The plug behind the dishwasher did not work and we still had to use a lead to run both machines. The one cupboard door under the washing-up basins also were not properly attached to its hinges and just fell out of the cupboard. So we still had a one door cupboard. Fortunately the builder, Papachristos is resident in Fernridge Estate and is building one or two more houses in the estate. Papachristos has a very friendly and soft demeanor, and is most helpful. He sent the carpenter who did all the cupboards in the house to come and fix this door in a jiffy. The electrician and his assistant also arrived and fixed the plug behind the dishwasher – so no need for the lead anymore. At least the scullery has become more presentable and workable. He also sent another carpenter who did all the doors in the house to come and fix numerous doors which were not opening and closing properly. We are awaiting the plumber to come and properly set and silicone the wash basins and bath in our en suite as well as install a hand shower at the bath. Telkom had visited our property three times, but no sight of a telephone yet. Firstly, they refused to get into the roof and summonsed us to get an electrician to properly wire telephone cables from the roof to the various points we wanted telephones at. Then they sent out a sub-contractor to do a pre-investigation for pulling wires from the main Telkom station to the manhole at our property. Then a few days later the same sub-contractor arrived to actually start pulling the wires through to our manhole, but came running knocking on our door to show me the ‘huge problem’ they have encountered whilst pulling the wires through. There was a blockage about half way between our manhole and another manhole they are pulling the cables from. The spot where the blockage was, was pinpointed exactly and it was right underneath a resident’s serious landscaped gardens. Telkom once again refused to dig and fix the blockage. I got hold of Papachristos who kindly spoke to the owners of the landscaped garden and asked them to remove their landscaped plants and sleepers so that digging can assume. So to date we are awaiting the landscaping to be removed so that we can get Telkom to come and fix THEIR problem. So it seems like Telkom telephones are becoming a serious expensive luxury which we will only be fortunate to have in the New Year. Perhaps wireless Vodacom routers or IBurst networking could become a cheaper a more viable option than Telkom. I have managed to find a domestic named Rachel who started yesterday. We still need to find each other, but it looks promising. Another Rose, will be hard to come by … Thanks again for all our friends and family who have phoned to hear how we were settling in and unselfishly offered their assistance whenever we needed help. It is was great to hear your voices and know that help is on hand. On the scrapping front, I have managed to create and complete my first layout in my new studio. Unfortunately I cannot reveal this layout – it will be sold in kit form inclusive of a new exclusive Doing Life template at my Scrapping Day at Makaranga. So remember to look out for the ‘Desireable Landscaping’ Kit on 19 January 2008. I still have to purchase a decorative fluorescent light fitting which the electrician has agreed to install in my new studio. The down lighters does not provide sufficient lighting. - Fernridge Squatter Signing Off