My new tin hat

Last month I at last did a renovation I've been meaning to do for years. Which is to remove my asbestos roof and replace with a tin roof, and get some insulation installed in the ceiling space.

Blue asbestos was mined in WA for many years, and we continue to see the health effects in the form of asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Until the 1980s fibre cement products had asbestos in them and my roof, my fences and possible even my cladding, is not immune. It's fine until it breaks or shatters, and then the fibres can be inhaled, which is how lung damage occurs. So no tradie will drill into it, making it impossible for me to install solar panels or hot water, or replace my TV aerial when it broke 18 months ago.

Asbestos roofing is dull grey, and although in theory it has some insulating properties, it's not much good at reflecting heat. Instead it tends to absorb heat. So after a few hours the house gets quite hot, and after a few hot days and nights in a row it's impossible to live upstairs without the air conditioner on. As I like to live a green life, I'm averse to using the aircon if I can avoid it, but even downstairs gets stuffy after a few days without cool breezes.

We have two asbestos removal companies in the region, both very busy, but I managed to get a quote then worked with a builder to co-ordinate its replacement. I just wanted a simple tin roof, but deciding on a ceiling was more difficult.

The reason I have put the renovation off for so long is that I don't have a ceiling space. Instead I have exposed beams that I'm quite fond of. Working out what sort of ceiling treatment I could get that would look good, provide my roof with the insulation it needed to keep the house cool, and still keep the positive vibe/karma that my house exudes was a source of personal angst. But we came up with a solution that I'm very happy with.




There's something very soothing about my house that everyone who visits notices and comments on. It's not just my personal bias when I talk about my home being my sanctuary, a relaxing place that makes me feel like I'm on holidays. It really does have some sort of positive energy that rubs off on visitors. Even the tradies working on the house were saying how much they loved working there. I'm pretty sure there's some powerful Feng Shui going on.



On Monday the scaffolding went up and on Tuesday Chad and his team removed the roof. The old foil lining/insulation flapped around in the wind overnight, scattering stuff far and wide, but no rain fell though it was forecast for Wednesday. Wednesday they put the tin roof down, whilst some dark storm clouds threatened to the north but only sprinkled a couple of drops.

Thursday they put the roof cap on and made it watertight and began battening the ceiling space, then took a break till Monday, when they finished the battening and began insulating with wool batts. Then the ceiling boards and trim got put on, the electrician returned to fit lights and fans and then it was done. All finished in less than 2 weeks.

The new roof is transformative. When I get home in the afternoon I no longer walk into a hot stuffy space, but an airy comfortable temperature. I'm really pleased with the ceiling treatment and new LED down lights but the electrician needs to return to redo the fan controls because there seems to only be 2 speeds: very fast and "takeoff"! I like the idea of fans slowly moving air, not the noise of an impending tornado disturbing the tranquility!

Next came painting. I'm a bit of a fan of textured matte finishes rather than uniform or shiny painted surfaces. I happen to have a weird aversion to the finish created by a paint roller. I just don't like the look. So I'm painting the ceiling with a good old paintbrush.

For the bedroom I wanted a really rustic look, so have gone for a really slapdash paint job which still exposes some of the wood grain underneath. It's not to everyone's taste I'm sure, but I really like it. I also took the opportunity to paint over my old futon base with a coat of matte white.

The main living area I've gone for a more uniform cover, but there's still a wood grain visible, as well as brush marks. Some friends suggested just sealing the ply but after a week living with that wood I just couldn't stand it.

I've still got half the living area to paint, and it's going to be interesting doing the area above the stairs. Hopefully I'll survive that endeavour!!

Stuff those scales - seven kilo challenge Part 4

Clothes, toiletries, towel.

I don't take a lot of clothing. I'm not very girly and prefer practicality and comfort over style, especially when I travel. If I'm planning on climbing a couple of thousand metres vertically I don't want anything unnecessary in the backpack. Clothes that won't stink after a few hot sweaty days on the trail mean I've pretty well converted to merino tops and high tech pants, with a silk skirt thrown in because it weighs next to nothing. I usually travel with a sarong, but since I'm going to Java, I'll just buy one there.

One item of clothing I've found absolutely necessary is a warm jacket. Icy aircon on buses, summits over 2000mASL, wet windy weather, and we aren't even out of the tropics! My jacket may well spend a lot of time stuffed into the top of my pack, but the times when it's chilly I've been eternally grateful for its presence.

This time I'm taking a padded vest instead of my usual fleece jacket. It will keep my core just as warm, but it doubles as my "get out of jail free" card. Or rather, my seven kilo challenge winning card!

Introducing the Stuffa vest, a cannily designed padded vest that has pockets for storing lots of stuff so you can wear your luggage and beat the weight limit. I chose this vest over some other vests and jackets designed for the same job. It isn't the cheapest option, but I wanted something that was useful beyond just getting me through the airport. The fact that I can substitute out my jacket for the vest, and it looks fine to wear when filled up, means I don't have to look even more like a dorky tourist than I already do. My only gripe is that it weighs more than my fleece jacket, as it isn't filled with down. That would definitely be an improvement on it's current design.

empty vest

The vest really does look OK fully loaded, which for me is a travel towel, sleep sheet, 2 pairs of socks,  knickers,  bikini, 3 shirts, one pair of trousers and some miscellaneous stuff like cables and camera filters. I'll be wearing another shirt and trousers, plus knickers and bra, socks and hiking boots. I can buy plastic sandals or flip-flops in Java at any market, and a sun hat.

loaded vest

I've a natty solution to the fact that my arms just might get a little cold on summits with only a thin long sleeved shirt covering them. Rather than have to pack a full fleece or thermals, I remembered that I have some sleeves that I use for cycling. High tech, light, perfect.

In the pockets of my trousers I'll carry my purse and passport, the hard drives with their cables, my iPhone and the Kindle.

Finally: toiletries. Please, if you don't like getting personal, skip this paragraph. I'm not very girly. No cosmetics, no hairdryers or eyelash curlers, but definitely a pair of tweezers. I carry a toothbrush, 30+SPF face sunscreen, a small tube of toothpaste, deodorant, a hair comb now my hair is longer, a face washer and Diva cup. I usually buy shampoo when I get there but I'm taking some solid shampoo from Lush on this trip - big shout out to Lauren at Never Ending Footsteps for that recommendation. Because I'm the depilating kind I don't need a razor, preferring to pay for a waxing in a salon as it's much cheaper than back home. The Diva cup is a cinch to use, as there's always water on hand in your cubicle to wash it out, but menopause would be even better. I'm also taking a Pstyle, so I can pee standing up. And a tube of heavy duty DEET. There's still malaria in Ujung Kulon National Park. Weight of all the above: 420g

So, where does that get me?

Well it's been really tough, because I've added another filter to my camera gear, and am packing lightweight trekking poles and a water bladder, all extra weight that pushes me over the line. But with filling the vest and trousers I should get by, as long as they don't include my camera bag in the included weight. If so I'm stuffed! The Air Asia site definitely says one main bag weighing 7kg AND a handbag or laptop bag.

Totals at this point:

Backpack packed: 7kg

Camera bag loaded: 2.5kg

Vest loaded: 2.7kg (including vest)

Trousers loaded: 1kg (not including trousers)

The Seven Kg Challenge appears to be done and dusted!!

Only there's another little problem called space............