Progress!

This week brought lots of progress on the house. Our first full week here, made for lots of time for clean-up. There was so much debris, we didn't know where to start. Since our last visit 6 weeks ago, we've had sheetrock, wiring, ductwork, insulation, trim and cabinets, brick, stone, hardy-board(outside trim) and roofing installed. All of this debris was just piled everywhere. We were given a backhoe and a dumpster for debris, and a dumptruck for rock and brick. We started last Tuesday with work and have worked every day but Wednesday. 

The first picture is of Hannah by a sample of a closet door. The doors are alder. I told her she better not ever slam one of these doors. They are h-ea-v-y. Tomorrow I pick the stain for them, the cabinets, the crown and rest of the trim.  

We saw twisted brick columns on a house about 8 years ago, and we fell in love with them. We had our draftsman draw them in on our back porch. We have two. I watched the Mexican guy create them and I just stood there with my mouth open. It is a work of art. The guy didn't even stop to think about what he was doing...he just did it like he made a spiral column every day. The humbling thing is that I could've given birth to him. Bahahahha. Our sub-contractors are the best. I know.

This is the backyard. Anyone want to mow?

Carl, going over the cabinets in the kitchen making sure everything got done right. Only one thing got missed. Above his head is a double door cabinet, that is suppose to be open. That is where my tv goes that I'm saving for. Since you can't see the tv from the kitchen, i wanted a special spot for a tv in the Kitchen. The electrician missed the wiring and the cable guy missed the cable outlet, so the cabinet guy thought we just wanted a cabinet. It will be fixed. :)These are the arched columns from the last post that separate the eating area from the family room. In the last post they were just arched, and now they are panelled. The same panels will border the fireplace on each side and all the way up (I think). I love the column. I had them in my foyer in my last house here in Oklahoma, so I carried that idea with me to this house. That's the good thing about moving around alot, when you get to that last spot, you can combine all the stuff that you gathered from all the houses you ever lived in. The completed window seat in my scrapbook room. I can't wait to get my sewing machine out and fill that window seat full of big fat pillows and lay there and read one day about 2 years from now when I'm unpacked, ha ha!

The Stairs are framed up with maple and ready for staining. I picked the railing out last Thursday. I don't have the energy to scan a picture of it, so you'll just have to be surprised. It's wrought iron though, and bronze/black color. The newel post is big and fat with no curve. I just wanted a straight one at the end. This picture was last Thursday, and today, all of the stone is done except above the entryway (because they ran out of small stone). Our builder said that he ordered 36 TONS of stone alone for our house, not counting the brick. I hope it makes it more tornado proof! Of course, that's more stone chips to pick up, and at this point, my sides and arms are feeling it.

Carl looking at the front door. Turns out my front doors did come in afterall, they fitted them, then took them out because there was so much glass in them, that they were afraid the masonary guys would break them with stone or brick, so never fear, those ugly doors are just temporary doors. Above the doors, on the original plans, there was a huge half circle, rainbow looking transom window that we took off, and now we have a big empty space of stone, so we are contemplating a piece of ironwork above the door, if we can find a piece big enough. We might have to have a piece made. Anyone local know of someone who does such a thing? We did pick a hanging light, which we are going to anchor with fishing line (100lb test) to the walls around it, to keep the wind from blowing it against the stone. Those of you reading this who don't live here, dont' get that, but the guy across the street had a ceiling fan on his porch, and well...the wind blew it off. Yeah, seriously.

This is the back, all that's left is bricking Hannah's balcony and putting up the railing. I've posted a couple of pictures on facebook off that balcony. I don't think Hananh will be the only one enjoying it. After a day of work, we go up and sit on it and look out at the 5 acres and just thank God that we are here and we are back and that it's ours. Not many people get to actually do what they've always wanted to do, and we are getting to do that. I am so thankful for that. With every drop of sweat and every load of brick I am thankful for this.