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.