What's First is Last

Originally, the barn was going to be the first thing built so it could store construction tools and materials during the snowy winter. But a too wet fall along with an initial poor site plan put the barn on hold till spring. And then some other unplanned interruptions further delayed getting it built. So, now, just in time for

winter, the barn is going up.

Belly up to the bar

A beautiful 'bar' height counter was made by the cabinet maker, Bruce Simpson, and installed late last week. It looks substantial enough to take on a bottle of wine or two, or some mugs of coffee or beer, or whatever else you wish to serve. Some high bar stools will need to be acquired.

Now we're cookin'!

The stove, dishwasher and fridge arrived last Tuesday. And the maple butcher block just needs a couple of coats of mineral oil before the kitchen is good to go. We're practically ready to cook.

Yard Work

Anything Grows Landscaping has been busy grading, raking, seeding, mulching and laying stone paths.

Teal Zeal

The painter thought he got the wrong color when he opened the can of Teal Zeal to paint the powder room and so he didn't paint it...until I quizzed him as to 'why?' a few days ago. Guess he just didn't believe I wanted a room that color. I assured him it was the right color and to go ahead and paint it. So now we have a very teal blue powder room. There will be an old fashioned mirror picked out to go under the light fixture.

Counter tops

The counter tops have arrived and have mostly been installed. The kitchen island is all maple butcher block that is still covered in cardboard. I've only heard negatives about choosing white laminate counters. But I've had them for 25 years, love the 'color"..is white a color? and the fact that a little bleach easily takes care of any stains.

Stonewalled

"Anything Grows" has begun work on the front stone wall for the house, as well as the steps that will lead from the driveway to the house. By the end of the week there may be grass seed planted and some perennials for the

start of a garden.

Under Contract

We've signed a Purchase and Sales agreement for our house on Butler Drive, so this morning I happily pulled up the For Sale sign. It's been a great home for 24 years so it wasn't easy to put the house on the market, but the new family makes me feel really good about the sale.

Cabinets or Cupboards?

Bruce Simpson, whose shop designed and built the kitchen cabinets, installed them today. Maybe they are cupboards? Anyway...they are beautiful, natural cherry. I'm debating about what sort of hardware to put on them. I don't want anything to detract from them. Countertops will be white f ormica, the island will be maple butcher block, appliances are stainless. Those blue tabs you see in the photo are just little pull tabs so you can get them open until the hardware is put on. I am open to suggestions!

Our New Dining Room Table

These cherry logs, from the cherry tree that had to be taken down at the end of the driveway so that we had clear vision onto the road, will be made into 6/4 boards at Lathrops saw mill. After they are kiln dried Don will make a new dining room table. It will be a long and broad farmhouse table, with plenty of room for you to join us!

Showing you the doors

The interior doors are all going to be natural fir, four panel doors with oiled bronze hardware. These doors are on a closet in a downstairs room.

Bathroom cabinets

The bathroom cabinets and shelves for the master bath have arrived and are being installed.

Septic system update

John Scott, the excavator, is making fast work of the septic system. There will be a nice little sledding hill or mini-ski jump off the south side of the mound system.

Gravity hasn't failed us yet

Despite pressures to build a septic system using the 'new fangled' pumps and tanks, Don has insisted on going with a gravity run septic. There are no pumps to fail, power outages to endure, or yearly inspection contracts to sign with our Prespy Mound system. What does seem absurd is to have to import fill when you've already got 42 acres of dirt. But, finally, this week the waste water (aka septic system) will be installed. It too is required for the COO.

Bottom Floor

The basement, which is really a hybrid of a second floor and a basement, is getting it's engineered, quarter swan, floor. It's a floating floor that 'floats' on a pad over the concrete floor and radiant floor heating, rather than being nailed down. It is a darker, wider plank floor than the upstairs birch.