Rain at last!

So the rain has started and the sound of the water falling into the tank was wonderful. Stuart and I were working out there in the rain today, he slashed the higher part of the backyard and then we got to work planting out all our fruit trees - excluding the citrus which we will do when it warms up a little. We ended up using the kanga to carry some extra dirt up there to help build the trees up, so its gone from looking slashed and great, to looking trashed and muddy.
I'm sorry to report that there wasn't really much progress at the house at all this past week. The builder met us on site on Friday and greeted us with 'I'm so embarrassed'. It seems after completing all the bog fill, sanding and getting down some drop sheets the painter was called away to another job - and neglected to tell Glen.
The kitchen guy was supposed to return Wednesday, then Thursday, then Friday - but still hasn't shown. Something weird is going on there. They have put vinyl wrapped panels on the back of my breakfast bar (which I didn't ask for and not sure I want but am waiting to see it set up properly before deciding for sure), and now the kickplate for the breakfast bar which was in place has been removed from the site completely.
Can't remember why the outside concrete didn't get done - the weather until Friday night has been pretty good, but Glen assured me that is booked for Monday.
Our kitchen sink, basins and laundry trough have arrived though, and Glen thinks the plumbers will be installing the spa bath next week too. So painters, joiners, plumbers and concretors are all set for next week - maybe!! I'm glad the plumbers are coming as today watching the rain I saw that a gutter has been put on angled the wrong way, so water was pouring out of it onto the ground rather then going down the downpipe so hopefully that can get fixed too.
The HWS people did return on Friday - the system itself is still not installed but the evacuated tubes are, very  slow installation this one. They keep saying its too wet - even after a couple of weeks of barely no rain at all.
We have finalised our curtain selection and they have been measured and ordered, we've ended up choosing quite a few colours, hope they all look good.

Fruit trees at top corner, planted along top fence in an L shape

The leaky guttering. Wasn't even raining hard when I took this

The evacuated tubes for the SHWS

Time for paint

Our meeting with the builder on Friday morning went quite well. Painting is expected to be started today, and the next lot of kitchen instalment is due on Wednesday. The outside concreting areas will possibly get done on Friday - weather dependant. The fix out man was completing his jobs over the weekend, and we were out there yesterday evening and he was just finishing up. It's quite surprising what a difference skirting and architrave around the windows can make. We are still on schedule for a handover at the end of August.
We went and looked at curtain materials on the weekend but I forgot to take my colour samples with me. We have chosen the brand and type, just not the colour. I will do that on Tuesday when they come out to measure up. We had intended to use some cellular blinds in the living room, but due to the large handles on our windows the blinds can't be recessed, and cellular look pretty ordinary from the side view, so now the living room will be all holland blinds. Probably a good thing as it will save us some money, and they will sit flush against the window surrounds so still help with insulation.
We also went and bought a heap of fruit trees but ran out of time to plant them, so have buried their roots in one of the many dirt piles on the block and will plant them properly on the weekend. We bought 2 types of apples, 2 types of pears, plums, nectarines, oranges and lemons. Can't wait until our little orchard starts producing fruit.