Decisions and a Busy Weekend

A lot has happened since I last posted an entry. Time and weeks seem to fly.
The crew of two from Kleinschmidt continue to amaze us. They work no matter the weather through bitter cold, sleet and snow, you can absolutely count on them being there putting in full days. We are loving the look. It has slowed down a little as we ran out of the shakes and had to order. When they came in they were the wrong color so they had to be reordered, adding another week. We've learned to accept this kind of thing as it is typical when building.

I didn't get a picture of our very talented painters as they sprayed and rolled on the primer. After we get the trim on and they come back to put on the actual color, I will definitely get a few pictures. They are fun to watch.
Mike has worked finishing the outside cement board trim that frames the siding and helped us make the many decisions that must come together. We have brought home so many samples and dealt with so many businesses. We find things we like at each place and have worked with some very nice people, but there always seems to be details that hold us back from making the final decision. Carpeting is fairly easy, but the vinyl plank is not. Besides the color, the quality, texture and repeat of pattern all come into play. Our kids have been great at offering opinions and suggestions.

Mike has us setting paint chips, cupboard doors, tiles, and flooring in groupings in different light to help. Bob and I work to agree. Up to this point, our shopping has been way too easy and quick, but this flooring stuff has us stumped. We think we got it done to our satisfaction last weekend. Hopefully the numbers come in good. If that doesn't work, I am ready to move to Australia!

Meanwhile our kitchen cupboards came in and we had boxes stacked everywhere. The bad weather raged on and our grandchildren had a snow day break from school. We happened to think the three oldest might want to help and gave them a call. For little more than pizza and cookies the boys put in a full day's work helping us unpack cabinets and break down boxes. They also helped us carry in boxes of fireplace rocks so Bob could start laying out the stone for the fireplace.

Along with the store bought rocks that are made for covering fireplaces, we wanted to incorporate rocks we have picked up on our travels. Luke then had the idea that we let each of our 7 grandchildren pick a favorite rock and put their name on the back. Their names wouldn't be seen as it's on the back of the rock that is the part cemented in. But forever more, when they look at our fireplace, they will see their own rock.

We laughed that our two granddaughters picked pinkish heart shaped stones. And, Blake noticed that if we turned two of  our stones in a certain way it made a fish. That formation became the middle of the top row of stones. Brad came over on the weekend and helped us sort, balance color and place the stones. I was part of the team but mostly the picture taker. Our fireplace is rustic and very unique to us. We love it! Now to finish the sides and hearth and then fill in all of the spaces with mortar. 

Our nephew, David, who helped us purchase our cupboards came over two evenings and started the process of installing our kitchen, bathroom and laundry room cupboards. Then he came back Saturday and Sunday and worked until the job was as finished as it could be until we get our appliances. He worked on cupboards while we worked on the fireplace. It was a great weekend of progress!

As we start a new week, Bob, the master carpenter who has helped off and on, took a week off from his other job and is back to assist Mike in putting up trim and installing our interior doors. 

Rain, mud, snow and damp, coldness are just becoming part of our lives. Thank God for lots of good family, friends, our cozy cottage and fun relaxing dinner dates. It keeps us going!

Feel the Warmth

A short time ago we were sweltering with heat and in less than a week we went from mid 80s to freezing. We sure skipped the nice moderate temperatures of Fall and have been most happy that we had air conditioning and then heat capabilities in our trailer. We have gone through several propane tanks heating our little trailer as we have had our share of rain and gray and cold, but we're still making progress on the house. No Indian Summer this year, but we have warmth in our house!

The fireplace is installed and now ready for the stone work. Bob loved that it was suggested to build a small fire to burn for a while to get the toxins out. He was on that right away and Barney was fascinated.

Meanwhile, we were able to turn on the furnace and our whole house, though echoy, became warm and cozy. This was good as it helps dry the plaster too.

The father, son and daughter crew showed up to do the mudding once the drywall was done and are putting the last coat on today. It takes three coats. Then the dusty sanding will begin. It is fun to watch them work as the two men work on stilts and their hands just fly as they scoop and smooth. They surely know what they are doing.

Mike and Bob finished the cement board framing the outside to get ready for the siding. It really looks nice as it frames our front windows. The weather seemed to get worse with dropping temperatures and rain, but the siders from Kleinsmidt turned up ready to work. This is exciting and we love it!

We just heard that our kitchen cupboards have been shipped and are on their way. And, on Saturday, we drove to Farmington Hills near Detroit to pick out the granite for our countertops. There are five different lots of our top choice, Fantasy Brown, all with slight variations.The slabs of stone were beautiful and the warehouse was fascinating with all of the huge colorful options. We were told that our granite comes from India.

As we kept a close eye on the weather forecasts, we saw snow and below freezing temperatures moving in a little sooner than we thought. I could no longer put off our move to our friend's very sweet cottage about a quarter of a mile down the road. Brian came over and helped as we packed up the trailer and gave it a good cleaning. I was amazed at all that little trailer held. The process took two days and we settled in in the nick of time as we woke up to snow our first morning.

Once again, we are blessed to have such wonderful friends. I can fret and get nerved up, but everything always seems to work out. The message here - Keep the Faith!

Insulation and Drywall

So much for the sun being out. It has been cold and rainy for several days. Our sandy lot is a pile of mud and moving into our friend's cozy guest house is starting to become a must. We just hate to give up as it's so nice to be there in the morning to keep an eye on things. Also, once we move it will be harder keeping tabs on Barney and our cat, Minnie, will have to become an indoor cat.

This week has been very productive. Siding never happened and we aren't quite ready, but insulation was put in and drywall is in progress.

Watching the insulation process with the very nice crew was fascinating. First they spayed a liquid which turned to foam and puffed up and hardened. That went around all of the seams and pipes.

The next day they blew in cellulose between the studs. It was instantly warmer and quieter in the house and it defined the rooms. It really helped us get a feel for how the finished house will eventually look. Luckily, we love it!

Friday a big truck with a lift delivered the drywall. They popped out an upstairs window to get the big sheets of drywall up there.

They needed time for the insulation to dry well and then Dennis and his crew were quickly at it part of Saturday and Sunday. They worked fast with rock music blaring and lots of laughs. They're great guys that surely know what they are doing. Makes us smile!

Next week they will continue to drywall and then the crew comes in to do the finish mud. Mike and Bob will continue with the fireplace that now has cedar corbels and is ready for the mantel. Then they can start the stone work.

A new finish carpenter is supposed to join in and master carpenter, Bob, continues to work part time. Hopefully then can soon finish the cement board trim on the exterior and the siding can be started. We're getting there. We're trying to learn patience. It's hard, but we realize we are blessed to have such a problem. Onward and upward!

A Quick Update

 In one week, we went from hot summer weather in the high 80s to late fall weather with lows in the 30s. So much for getting to use our cute little deck. Thank goodness for air conditioning and heat in our cozy little tin can. We'll stay on site as long as we can, but with highs in the low 40s coming up this week, our friend's little guest house is starting to sound like a good idea.

This last week, Bob and Mike got the fireplace in and ready for stone. They boxed in and insulated the chimney. I was not at all a happy camper watching them up on top of the ladder and on the steeply slanted roof in high winds. The term "Senior Citizen" has no meaning to them! Bob got a piece of my mind when it was over and I told Linda on Mike! I do not want a new house on my own!

I was glad Chad was there to help watch them and assist.

Work continued on the cement board around the base and middle of the house. The bottom is done and they got a good start on the middle. Brad came over to help for a while.

When the cement board is done they'll be ready for the siding which should start this Thursday. 

They also worked on attic openings and finish work inside to get ready for the insulators that are due to come this Wednesday. They were booked once but had to be cancelled as we weren't quite ready. Then, once the insulation is dry in about a week, Dennis is ready with his crew to start dry walling. 

Meanwhile, David turned in our order for cupboards and vanities this morning. I am getting excited!

This next week should bring some good progress so hopefully I can post again soon. The sun is out and it's cold, but life is good!

A Taste of Home

Finally our plumber showed up and we were impressed with his speed and percision. Our son Chad,  who is also our electrician, continued to work while Mike and Bob got things ready to put in our fireplace. Our grandson, Blake, is proudly pointing out our very first plug!

 

Meanwhile we worked hard with a lot of thought to finalize our cabinet & vanity order as there was so much to consider. Mike and our nephew, David, spent a lot of time with us and it all ended with happy satisfaction. I am excited.

The big news of the week is that Bob finally lost his patience with the Brooklyn Water Works as they kept putting us off to hook up our sewer. He went over in person and let them know how unhappy he was. After over four weeks, that afternoon, one of the supervisors came out to survey the situation. The next day it was hooked up. Bob's brother, Butch, dug the necessary trench for the power, and our son Chad wired it. Mike got the land graded before rain moved in. It rained hard all day Saturday keeping us from moving from VanWagnen's to our land, but by Sunday afternoon the ground was ready. It had been a great stay (three months) with our incredibly gracious neighbors. It was so perfectly convenient. We will never be able to thank VanWagnen's enough. But finally, home sounds pretty darn good.

We had bought some old dock pieces to use temporarily earlier in the summer. We never got around to putting those in and Bob decided they would make a good deck for our trailer. It helps as it is so sandy which tracks in and makes our floor gritty. We had fun setting everything up with a little table and chairs to give us some outdoor living space. I caught a great sale at Shopko and added some mini mums and candles. What a lift!!

It was sweet to be there for our first night and we had coffee on our deck in the morning. We are home!

Monday Bob and Mike started work on the cement board that goes around the bottom of the house and between the two floors to frame the siding. They cut and painted and got a start with the help of a master finish carpenter, Bob, who is now going to work with us part time.

Cold weather is about to move in, but this morning, in my sweats, with coffee in hand, I got a lovely picture of a wonderful sunrise. This is the sky over our trailer.

Ahhh! Makes my heart happy!

Hurry Up and Wait

Things seem to fly and many workers are here and then it all stops. The framing crew finished and the heating and cooling crew continued to work. Mike and Bob used this time going from one end to the other cleaning things up and tweaking each area to perfection. Here is our new furnace.

It was a good productive time, but not a lot of visible progress for pictures. Meanwhile we are into our fourth week of waiting for the Water Works Agency to come out and finish the work necessary for our sewer hook up. We have water and electric all set and just need this last thing and we'd be able to move our trailer to our own land. Increasingly, impatiently, for now, we continue to sit on our dear friend's driveway. They reassure us that we are not in their way, but it will feel good to eventually squat on our own land.

Our son Chad, is our electrician and he was able to start wiring with the assistance of Bob and our nephew, Matt.

There were lots of decisions to make, but Chad guided us with good advice.

Bob also got our basement windows in giving us some light down there. We are amazed with how much room we have. We don't have plans to actually finish off any of it yet, but we will have lots of room for shelving and space for the grandkids to play.

Our neighbors, the Andersons, gave us a nice old refrigerator that we will eventually put right at the bottom of the stairs for drinks and extra storage.

Our future living room has turned into a work area which has worked well because of occasional rain and the hot sun.

Our screened in porch now has a real floor and all of our entry porches have stairs.

And, our kitchen window which will sit over our sink, finally came in. It has a lovely view of the woods across the drive.

We are most happy with the way the house is taking shape. It is very hard to stay patient as we plug along, hurrying as needed and waiting when necessary. It is truly an experience!