Goodbye road

For some time I have asked myself the question... "why did I put the word 'road ' in my blog title"?  LOL I'm not living on the road!  Though perhaps when I started this blog, I felt like I was. I was spending a lot of time going to and from. Also,perhaps since there was no house, I felt more connected to the road.  Regardless,...June 26 will be our 1 year move in anniversary. Time to remove 'road'!   I could have just removed it from the header and left the address alone, ...but blogger has this wonderful export feature, and I wanted it gone altogether.  So now if you would like to visit, you can find me at: Fadleyliving.blogspot.com

Grass!

Grass! Grass that needs mowing! After living with red dirt and weeds all last summer, mowing the lawn here on Fadley for the first time was a fun experience. No doubt, by the end of the season I will be ready to put the mower away, but for now I'm thankful for grass to mow.

Building project officially comes to an end

On Wednesday March 24th our final inspection was conducted, and an occupancy permit issued.Finally, we were able to take down this case with the building permit inside! It has stood at the end of our lane for 18 months!  Our building project has officially come to an end!

Spring Activity

With spring around the corner, and cooperative warm weather, the railing around the porch, and at the steps went up on March 9. We are now awaiting our final, and the 'official' end to our building project. The railing needs to be painted,(black),but I'm waiting for warmer weather to do that. It's warm enough to paint,(above 50 degrees), but I'm waiting for even warmer weather, since it's metal.

Meanwhile:

I have Spring fever. The warm weather and the outdoors beckon me. Time to plant!

But look at the dirt I have to work with. Red clay dirt! It's requiring lots of conditioning and amending!

My spring bulbs look sparse and puny by most standards, but this time last year there was

nothing but weeds and red clay dirt. I am thankful for the few spring bulbs I was able to plant last fall!

Also ~ since moving in last June, D and I have been empty nesters. Two days before the official start of spring that came to an end.

This past Friday, we moved  L, our middle daughter, in with us. She has gone to college, intern shipped, and worked out of the area for a number of years. But on Monday, she starts a job as a Registered Clinical Dietitian at a area nursing home. She will be staying with us for an undetermined amount of time.  Our empty basement -storage-, bedroom and closets are no longer empty! But I'm not complaining.  It just makes our house feel more like a home.

A review of the past year

Much has happened since I last posted! At the time of my last post, I was busy with painting the house, and lots of last minute details, ~then life in general. Blogging took a back seat,and I wasn't even sure about continuing this blog. But decided I couldn't give it up.

Here is a review of the past year:

All the necessary details were completed before we could move in. We were  able to move in on June 26,2009.  But without a final.

The one big glitch with our building project was the porch floor. The plan was for a stamped basket weave concrete floor, but it was a blotched job. What do you do with a blotched concrete job!?

After months of debate, the answer was concrete pavers.

Finally!  The 2nd week of November we were able to have the grass sown.

And some landscaping!

Then:

Christmas! 

And~ one snow after another from December through February! There were those times when this tractor was the only vehicle able to make it up and down the hill.

One thing led to another, resulting in the need for a railing around the porch.

This railing needs to be installed before we can get our final.But the cold  winter weather  was uncooperative!  Till...  almost spring ~ and another post.

Wood Framing arouond Windows and Doors

Much has been happening since I last posted. The hardwood floors are now in place - (complete,- except for sanding and a finish which will be one of the last things). The tile man has been in the process of laying tile in the bathrooms, and laundry/utility room. He has completed most of the work, except for the half bath, and grouting the laundry room. I have been busy priming wood trim, and baseboards -(my excuse for not posting). I managed to get most of it primed before they started putting it up. It is definitely much easier to prime before it goes up! The building crew,in just a few work days, has made good progress trimming the windows and doors, and putting down baseboard. I am now in the process of puttying nail holes on the wood trim they have put up,(getting it ready to sand and paint). Also, tomorrow I start painting doors. Hopefully I will be able to paint them before they go up!

Painting and Floors

L's bedroom. On Monday Feb. 23rd the sealer was sprayed on the ceilings. Then on Tuesday touch up on the drywall was completed. Finally on Wednesday, Feb 25th I started painting! That is, I started painting the ceilings, and putting the prime coat on the walls. A professional painter came on Thursday and painted the ceiling in the foyer, and started on the larger main floor ceilings. He also primed the foyer walls. He returned on Saturday and finished the living room ceiling. Finally on Saturday March 14th I finished all the painting I can do for now. It has been 2-1/2 weeks of painting ceilings, and priming walls- closets and all! Other work happening on the house during this time include the installing of garage doors on Thursday February 26th, and on Friday, March 13th the builders started putting down hardwood flooring.

House now has heat

The drywall work was completed, but it was too cold in the house to put the sealer on the ceiling, and the cold windy weather has not been cooperating. As of today, after various steps taken throughout the week, the house now has heat. Hopefully, the sealer can be put on Monday, and begin painting Tuesday.

Roof and siding work completed

February 9th,2009: Today the builders finished putting up the hardi plank siding, and the metal roof was completed. The exterior work on the house is almost finished. Inside, the drywall received it's second coat of joint compound.

Friday, February 6,2009: Today the drywall was completed and "muddied". Wow, so much accomplished with a few days of work, and what a difference it makes. Progress is also being made on the porch roof.

Drywall!

Wednesday February 4th,2009: Today, 3 teams of 2 guys each started putting up drywall. With so many workers, a lot of progress was made. It's my understanding that drywall is the half way point of a house construction. So, now we are only half way there. Also, the builders worked on the porch roof and trim, in spite of a cold and windy day on the hill.

Insulation of House

On Monday, January 26,2009:Insulation work began with the placing of batting where they are unable to blow in 'cellulose' insulation. On Tuesday, there was snow,ice, and no work on site. By Wednesday afternoon the weather cleared, and insulation of the house resumed with blowing in of 'cellulose'. (Cellulose is what I call it, but I'm not sure what the proper term is. It is a very interesting process of blowing this wet substance on the walls, and then using a machine to level it off even with the wall studs). Today, January 29, good progress is being made on the insulation. Also, today the builders worked on outside trim; and work on the metal roof resumed.

Chimney completed

The weather did not cooperate! But, finally on Thursday, January,22nd,the brick layers were able to resume work, and the chimney was completed on Saturday, January 24th. Also, good progress has been made on the roof. The roof installers worked in spite of the cold windy weather. They completed all they were able to,-(waiting on the chimney completion; and now waiting til the hardi plank siding above the garage is in place, before returning to complete the roof). Since Thursday, the builders have been on site, working on various things, like trim and siding,filling gravel in for the porch floor, and digging ditches for the electric and water lines to the house.

Roof started

Today January 12, 2009: The brick layers were able to continue work on the Chimney. Almost finished! Possibly, one full day of work will complete it. Will the weather cooperate? Also, today the metal roof started going on.

Building update

Brick work has been on and off, depending on weather. On Monday, January 6,they finished the front of the house.and worked on the Chimney,putting in the vent. There was no brick work on Tuesday and Wednesday due to rain. Tuesday,Jan.7, Electricians finished roughing in. Today, Thursday, January 8th, the brick layers worked on the Chimney,while the builders worked on framing for the porch roof. Building inspector on site today.

House building project continues

I haven't posted in a while, but there has been steady progress on the house.Christmas break, this past Thursday and Friday, were the only days without activity. The brick layers were able to lay brick December 18th and 19th,then the weather turned cold, and all brick work came to a halt. Monday, December 29th, a nice sunny day, brick work resumed. The electricians have been making steady progress in spite of the cold weather. The builders have been working on trim under the roof, and hardi plank siding on the bay window area. Today, the brick layers and electricians were working on site. Another nice sunny day.

Steady progress

I haven't posted in awhile, but work on the house has steadily continued. Brick work has been on and off, depending on the weather. They even worked this past Saturday! They have finished the back of the house.And now working on the front part of the house. Almost done! On Monday the electricians started their work. Monday, the tub in the master bath was delivered, and today framed around. Today, the builders started putting hardi-plank siding on. (It will go on odd areas of the house, instead of brick).

Monday, Dec.8th: In spite of the freezing cold, builders worked at putting soffit trim in place, and placing durock cement board in the bathrooms and laundry room. No brick work today! Tuesday, Dec. 9th: Brick work resumed. Laying brick on the back side of garage, and some on east side of house. Builders finished putting down durock cement board on the upstairs bathroom floor. Also, still working on soffit trim.

Slow and steady progress

Friday, December 5,2008: No brick work for past 2 days due to cold weather. Builder and crew worked on soffit trim. (the trim under the roof). Applying it is a slow and tedious process. The plumbers have also made steady progress these past 2 days. Today, the builders started putting down durock cement board in the bathrooms. I met with a flooring rep. on site today. He took some measurements,which will help me in making choices. A little early for floors, but I would rather not have last minute decision making. However, it will be mostly hardwood.

Busy day at work site

Wednesday, December 3,2008: Another busy day with lots of activity at the building site. Brick work continued on the east side of the house. Builders worked on basic framing of the wrap around porch, and soffit trim (under roof) on back of house, where the brick work is finished. Work with plumbing continued today, also.