After hearing about the death of Gene Wilder this week, the actor who played Willy Wonka in the the original film version of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, it got me thinking about one of Gene's most memorable quotes in the movie: "We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams."
Things are really progressing at the cottage now. Most of the structural work has been done, so things like plaster and painting can begin.
Australian architect Richard Leplastrier, who has a strong appreciation of the Japanese aesthetic, once said that a house is not at its best when first occupied, but only attains its optimal beauty when it is used with love.
This time last year, I was on a sleepy island in Greece in the middle of an eight week holiday with some of my closest cousins. Fast forward a year and most of the girls I travelled with are on holidays again, while I am in debt for the first time in my life, heading into probably the most crucial 6 to 8 weeks of The Sweet Meadow's journey so far.
The tradesmen on site at The Sweet Meadow tell me that locals come up to the fence daily to check out the progress of the renovation.
So, I may as well share a video about what she's currently looking like inside! We now have all the necessary planning and building permits, so it's full steam ahead (pardon the pun, I am surrounded by paddlesteamers in Echuca).
It's been about a month since we received planning approval to commence upgrades to the cottage at 640 High Street Echuca.
To put it bluntly, the space has seen better days. Lots of framework has been built, sections of walls removed, floors cut open, and plumbing and electrical upgrades started.
