Sitting Room

I hosted David and Barbara at the house for three days.  They were visiting from their home in Canberra and were based at Brenda's home.  Barbara and Brenda have known each other since primary school.

Sitting Room

David Working in the Garage

Guest Bed

David, Barbara, Stephen, Brenda at Kailis for Lunch

The visit spurred me on to get the sitting room up and running as planned.  This is the small room next to the dining room that I had hoped to set up with a bed sofa so that it could be converted to a guest room.  Brenda helped me select the sofa and sewed curtains for the swinging doors leading into the room.  Fortunately I had enough bedding stored in the garage - some of it still in its original packaging - that all I had to purchase was a set of double bed fluffy sheets.

The result was very good.  Barbara and David reported that the bed was comfortable and warm, and they each had a reading light on a side table.  There is a good separation between that room and my bed room since they are on opposite corners of the house, and we can make treks to the bathroom during the night without passing in front of each other's room.

Unfortunately there was not enough space in the small room for the antique dresser that I had purchased from my neighbor Linda before she sold up and moved to New Zealand but I was able to find a good home for it in my bed room.

I'm also including a photo of the safe in the garage that I have recommissioned.  The safe originally required both a combination and a key but to this day I have never been able to find the keys to that safe.  Shortly after my return to Australia I was forced to bring in a lock smith to open the safe because I needed to retrieve the deed to May's house, which was urgently required by the executor of her estate.  The lock smith was unable to pick the lock and was forced to drill it out.  I took the entire door of the safe to the locksmith in an attempt to get a replacement lock but he told me that there were no parts available for that model of safe.  Fortunately I can move the latch by using a screw driver once the proper combination has been dialed in, and I consider that good enough.  An additional level of security is the fact that the safe is in one corner of the garage draped with a dirty drop cloth and some boxes and tools on top of it.  So the bad guy would first have to learn that I even have a safe.

Recommissioned Safe

Antique Dresser

The lock smith who drilled out the lock commented that it was a good safe.  In my research for parts I learned that the safe was made in Korea and is fire rated to one of the international standards.  I've confident enough with the safe to have stored my passports in it.