I haven’t done a Monday blog in a while. Today it was full speed ahead. The electrician (aka Sparky) from Hays Electric came to put in more lights, fans and appliances. And I was anxious to check out the progress when I got home from work.
Now remember I said that I was furnishing the house with a medieval/victorian/eclectic theme? In the following photos you will see what I mean. The medieval will come a little bit later.
I fell in love with this small fixture with its etched glass and rough bronze. This is in the breakfast-nookThis is a small light under the staircase bar. I wanted something a little subtle as it may be used as a back light for TV watchingThis is a fixture over the kitchen sink with the panoramic windows. This was a a polished silver. It was a hard one to pick because I wanted it to blend but not really be a focus in the kitchen.Fan in the living room.Fan in the study.
More to come tomorrow, or at least in a few days. Can’t really promise tomorrow as I have been so busy with work and packing and other commitments.
This journey is coming to a close really fast now. Landscaping will have to wait until spring as will some of the exterior painting. So I may have a few days to relax after moving, or maybe not.
I really appreciate everyone reading my blog. It has been a kind of therapy along with a motivating factor to keep me positive and on track. To be able to look back and see where we started and where we have come up to now. It has been through hard work and getting out there even when we were tired and didn’t want to do anything, that this is coming together. Taking almost every extra penny and putting it into the house and keeping the dream alive.
Dreams are powerful, but the power only comes if you are willing to do the work toward that ultimate goal. This can be applied to everything in your life, not just building your dream home. My son’s dream is to be a nurse. It is only going to happen with hard work and keeping the goal in focus. He just has to believe that he can do it and it will happen.
I have spent about 8 hours on Saturday and 8 hours on Sunday just working on the posts. It is boring and tedious work sanding, filling with Bondo, sanding some more, filling some more…… ugh. Working on two this past week, and there is just no way of speeding along the process. I broke the palm sander. I know, I know if I get near anything mechanical it breaks. On this, the rubber pad came off so I had Lynn check to see if he could order a new one, but they are discontinued. Only had it 20 years, what’s with things nowadays? I can make it work for now, just have to treat it gently.
On a lighter note, I got a new big-wheel trimmer. Sears had them on sale as it is the end of the season so I had to have it. It was $80 off, so, hopefully, if I can ever get done with the posts, I will trim up some of this weedy mess around the place. I am truly embarrassed at the way things look around her. Even with Lynn being sick in the past, he has always been able to keep the pastures mowed so it at least looked inhabited, instead of abandoned. Can’t stand it, as it is driving me crazy. I’ll take a picture next week (of the weed wacker). It sure is purty.
Update on the house. We have a few plumbing changes that we need done. Smith Insulation is installing insulation with a vapor barrier. The ceiling and attics and under the house are left to do. Sheet-rock will be delivered tomorrow. It is going fast and I am starting to picture it actually getting done. S & K Construction has been awesome along with their subcontractors Grassi Refrigeration & HVAC; Hays Electric; Alden Plumbing; and Smith Insulation. I couldn’t be more impressed. They are very professional and are getting it done. Those are the ones that have been onsite and working on the house so far.
O’Conner’s Mr. Carpet out of College Place will be doing the floors and installation. I took pictures of the samples and will show some of the on this post. Probuild will be doing the doors and trim and stairs. They will instal a spindle rail stair system with fluted and rosette window and door trim. Oh, I can’t wait. I am clapping my hands together. Just imagine a kid on Christmas morning and you will know how I feel. There will definitely be pictures as it progresses. As for now, here are some photos of the flooring samples:
This is the laminate flooring. It is various size rough-hewn boards, distressed to mimic real wood floors
This will be in the in the entry, dining, breakfast nook, kitchen and family room.
This is the carpet that will be in the rest of the house. It looks brown in this photo, but is actually an olive green color
The one in the corner. It will be in the entire upstairs except the baths and it will be in the study and master bedroom.
This is laminate vinyl for the baths where there is the chance of more water
I really like this vinyl planking. It has such a beautiful wood look to it without all the maintenance.
Living room and stair runner carpet. This is in the classic Victorian style. It will only be in this one room.
This a focus carpet that will be in the living room and as a runner up the staircase. It’s busy, but will look wonderful in the Victorian house.
So tell me what do you think? Can’t wait to show it all to you done, and actually live in it. I don’t know what the finish date it, but I’m hoping before Thanksgiving as Lynn’s daughter is coming from California. She will be our first guest. How exciting. I forgot to ask if she can paint? Just kidding Diana. 🙂
Took the day off to do some much needed chores. Meeting with another flooring provider to get estimates. Spent a couple of hours going over the house plans and selecting carpet, laminate, vinyl planking, tile, and granite. The only thing lacking was a bigger budget. Wanted to take it all home with me. Having to pare down so many needs to a set budget, is trying.
One of the things that you have to do in selecting these items is visualize how it will all fit together. I have had almost 20 years to visualize what I wanted, but never had the chance to look at samples. Just never thought I was going to get to this stage. It is quite overwhelming, in a good way. On many of the things we are going to have to take the cheaper option and replace with something a little better later.
I came home and picked up the dear husband (DH) and went grocery shopping so that I would have the weekend to finish painting the cedar shakes. I am estimating that we will need approximately 170 to finish the one bay and then complete the other bay.
Remember the beautiful stain glass windows that Sallie made for me. They will be putting the second window in and I can’t wait to see it. I will search my gallery and post it.
Beautiful Stain Glass windows for the two gables made by Artisan Glass.
At 6 o’clock this morning I heard the heavy fork lift coming down the drive and yesterday the construction trailer was brought on site. It’s really happening. Paint me a happy girl 🙂
Saturday
Cut (with a scroll saw), sanded, primed, trimmed and painted cedar shakes and am only half-way done. I will be done tomorrow. Ive got a fan blowing on them to help them dry. They will be ready for the construction guys on Monday. Yeah, they are coming. It became almost a reality when I signed the construction contracts on Thursday. More of a reality when I came up the driveway and saw the construction trailer parked there and then it really hit when I saw the large forklift drive up around 6 a.m. Friday. That is why the big rush to get my (little bitty) part of the job finished so they have the shakes ready for Monday morning. I will be doing all the painting (except the foyer – just looking up that high give me vertigo), on the outside and then moving into the inside. And, yes that means that I get to rent the lift again. 🙂 But that is further down the line. One thing at a time.
Meet S&K Mountain Construction. They came very highly recommended and they (I’ve only met two) have come to help make our dream house a reality.
They have the “can do” attitude and that is what you want to hear. I am a little embarrassed by the novice carpentry they will be trying to adapt to, and the way it really should have been done. I’m afraid the “not being square,” will probably the best part of our construction. Now for the fork lift: Now that is a fork lift!!!
Any red-blooded man would love to drive that little jewel.
More news to come this week. I will try not to overwhelm you with my excitement. We could actually move in this year. Oh yeah, and I will be putting our little house on the market, so if you know of anyone that would be interested in a 100 year-old 3 bedroom 2 bath on an acre of land, send them my way.
Decided to hit the ground running this week. Had a lot of stops for estimates and passed out a few sets of plans. Have gone to 2 flooring companies. Asked for a revised cabinet estimate. Sent an email to the contractor that we are interested in working with, asking to expand the initial estimate to include more work that I know Lynn is not well enough to do.
This has been a difficult decision for Lynn and myself. It has brought to the forefront Lynn’s limitations. That is something that is very hard for a proud man, like Lynn, to face. I’m hoping that he can look past that and see that in going this route, he will get to actually live in our Dream Home.
I tasked him with gathering all the documentations that will be needed by the bank. He had gathered it all together and gave it to me last night. Wahoo that is one thing I can check off the list.
Decisions, decisions. I have seen so many styles of doors, cabinets, laminate flooring, carpeting, faucets, tubs, toilets, smoke alarms and a multitude of other little things that I can’t imagine.
The thing that is scaring me to death is whether I will qualify for the mortgage through the bank. Cross your fingers and say some little prayers for us.
As much as I want to get this project done, taking on a large mortgage is a little daunting. I will be smart about it and if it is out of our planned budget, we will continue as we have been doing.
In the meantime I will continue to do clean-up work inside, cut and paint more cedar shakes, work on the posts and do a little painting. Oh, and there are fences to be mended, a dog to groom, not to mention all the domestic duties (I hate doing) and flower beds to be weeded. Ho hum, stay tuned for another update later this week.
15yearsandcountingdream 