Andrew Jenks, Room 335

I am not normally one that gets really excited about watching a documentary but I saw this doc advertised and thought - I really want to see that. It was filmed back in 2006 but they were showing it on the ABC Channel the other night and I just had to watch. The title was "Andrew Jenks, Room 335" and it was filmed in the US. The doc was about three 19 year old college guys who decided to live for the summer in an aged care facility. What they filmed was humorous but so devastating at the same time. So many of these old people were miserable being there but they didn't want to be a burden to their children. Many of them were just sitting around "waiting to die." These boys that filed the doc did a FANTASTIC job of capturing every aspect of the home and the men and women living there and it was incredible to watch the bonds that they formed with these people. The boys would sit there every night with a group of ladies and watch Jeopardy. They would play Bingo 1 evening a week. They did everything the residents did. I am balling my eyes out by the end when they visited one old lady who was admitted to the hospital and she died a few hours after they visited. She was in a terrible state - really jerky movements and couldn't breath well. One of the boys knelt by her bed and said he wanted to say a prayer for her and it was incredible - the old woman lifted both her hands in the air and clasped them to pray. It was one of the most moving things I have ever witnessed. It was just so sad. I know death is a part of life but it made it very real watching this. If you have the chance to see it - WATCH IT!!!

The tiles are officially finished in the house. I couldn't get a good photo of the ensuite because the painters had already put down their drop cloths and I couldn't get a finished pic yet of the other bathroom because the painters were in the way. I did however get a photo of the kitchen tiles and a couple of the ensuite. Here they are...



Mia is still loving her new trick called walking. She spends most of the day walking from one corner of the house to the other with a big smile on her face. Sometimes she carries things like the phone, a book or the tv remote control but most times she just walks...and walks...and walks...I just LOVE it!!




Some good news about the house! We need to organise the fence which needs to go up between our property and the one next door. The problem is the one next door is up for sale...or so we thought! I called the State Council office to check out legally if they are liable for 1/2 the cost of the fence even though they are selling the block and they said yes. So I called the person selling it (the owner as it was an owner sale) and he said they decided not to sell and are going to build a house and he is happy to pay for 1/2 the fence. We are meeting them out on site on the weekend to discuss quotes/costs etc. Thank goodness! That saves us about $2000 not having to pay for the entire fence ourselves.

Speaking more about the house, the painters should be finished by early next week. The electrician is booked in to do all the final electrical fit-out on 28th July. Then our walk through happens on 5th August and then we make our final payment to the builder and the keys are ours on the 16th!! I am just getting so excited!! There is a lot to do before then. I have been meeting with all kinds of landscapers, concrete contractors, fence contractors etc to organise all that sort of stuff. Crazy times!

Well time to go and do some packing!! Chow for now!