Progress Update...

There is nothing like the first bite of fall to add some pressure to timelines...  October has proven to be quite busy!

On Monday, October 17th Bup successfully connected the new baseboard and got the heat working!  Not a moment too soon, especially with those 40 degree nights.  The comment around the house was, "it's just like Papoose Pond", but that gets old after a weekend...

The shed is finally roofed!

The new kitchen slider went in on Tuesday.  I love it!  We will not miss the old one little bit.

The other big news is that we had the plumbing inspection for the vent and the roughed in fixtures so that is all set.  Now we have to do the wiring and the tiling and the walls and then a door and then the final inspection...

And Mick showed up and did some window juggling...  We had replaced the one window in the front bedroom, but when we ripped the wall out we realized that there actually used to be two windows.  So we decided to move that window over and put in the second one.  It looks so much better.  He also started replacing the siding on the front and it looks really nice.  It's primed and I was thinking of painting it white, but I really like the contrast between the tan and the white trim and the green door...

Here are some pictures to catch you up...

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Guess who is back...

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Guess who is back... Okay it's not the same one because that one is DEAD... Can you guess yet?

It's definitely fall at our house.  Some people tell fall by the chill in the air or the trees that start to turn color.  We can tell it is fall because once again there is a squirrel running around loose in the house.  It doesn't help that our bedroom wall is ripped apart and the chimney hole is a great big squirrel elevator.  Of course you might be wondering why we waited until now to address the problem.  The answer to that is complicated and comes down to priorities and distractions.  It might even involve a larger-than-normal sized shed.

Anyway, the other morning Jack said he saw something run up the wall.  The cat was acting rather strange and sure enough there was a beady-eyed rodent running through Cassie and Jack's room, bouncing off the windows as it looked for a way out.  It ran into Rory's room and according to the cat was under the bunk bed.  I started pulling drawers out and it darted out and ran circles around my bare feet (yes I was screaming) and then ran across the hall and back up the wall.

Unfortunately I don't think the cat or my screaming was enough of a deterrent.  The next afternoon Jack watched as it came down the squirrel shaft (aka where the chimney was) and ate part of an apple.  He yelled and chased it away only to have it come back a few hours later and snag the entire apple.  Sigh.

I am sure we have not seen the last of him.

Attack of the killer tomatoes...

Things are calming down now, but for a while there we were flooded with vegetables...

Despite two floods, the garden has triumphed with a bumper crop of squash and tomatoes.  I have canned salsa, made two pots of tomato sauce and still we are overwhelmed with the red fruit.  Not to mention that we eat squash at almost every meal (besides breakfast)...  So please feel free to stop by and share in the bounty.  If you find random veggies showing up on your doorstep -- it wasn't me!!!

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Our first egg.

While we were in Maine for the weekend, the ducks started laying eggs.  Jack had a huge grin on his face when he came in from his morning duck chores carrying the two orbs.  We have been getting almost an egg a day, but we are still not sure which one of the two female ducks is laying it.

They made a little nest in the corner of the duck house and lay the egg sometime after they go to bed for the night.  Jack insisted we cook them up and have a "taste test".  So I hard boiled some chicken and duck eggs and guess what...you can't tell them apart - well, at least we couldn't.  Our duck eggs are small (the mallard?) and were harder to peel, but otherwise it seems an egg is an egg...

Happy Anniversary - one year...

Well it's been ONE YEAR since we packed up and moved all our belongings and embarked upon our old farmhouse restoration project.  I really don't feel like we have accomplished all that much, maybe because nothing feels "done"...  It is encouraging when friends visit and they say they can't believe how much we've done... I am usually tempted to hook them up to a polygraph...

Here is the LIST of our (work in) progress...

1. Managed installation of new septic system on sellers dime.  Chased contractor around in fall and in spring (seeding).  Contractor reneged on loaming and seeding leach field.  Chased lawyers around.  Finally got remaining $ to finish project.  Timeline:  Sept 2010 - Sept 2011.  Lesson Learned:  Avoid septic escrow holdbacks at all costs!  If you find yourself in that situation insist that your lawyer hold funds (this really saved us).  Finally, never go with the cheapest bidder.  Unfortunately we were stuck with the sellers choice...


2. Installed gutters to try and redirect water from basement.  Helped somewhat (tip of the dampness iceberg down there)


3. Installed new windows in living room and dining room


4. Rebuilt wall under beam.  Still waiting for pocket doors and T to sheetrock.


5. Hired contractor to jack up basement and rebuild stairs.  He showed up twice.  Chased contractor via phone and in-person.  He sheepishly apologized but never finished job.  Gave up and T finished the supports.  Had another carpenter rebuild stairs.  They are now level.  Yea!


6. Removed one squirrel, one possum, one snake and lots of mice.


7. Gutted front living room - removed gas stove that was never fully vented.  Updated wiring.  Soundproofed ceiling.  Rebuilt back wall.  Living room is partially blue-boarded.


8. Gutted hallway.  Removed lots of mouse debris (poop, skeletons, pee).  Re-insulated and rewired.


9. Installed two new windows in hallway - much more light coming in.


10. Paid neighbor to remove pine tree in front of house.  Paid landscaper to put in walkway and fill, loam and seed front lawn.


11. Framed up area for half-bath under stairs.  Pulled plumbing permit.  Working on pipes in basement.  Should be roughed in soon.  Thanks Dad!


12. Disconnected baseboard from areas that are gutted.  Bought new baseboard to install.  Need blue boarding done first...


13. T got distracted by building a massive shed.  That needs roof and doors/windows, but it is coming along...


14. Removed defunct second chimney from the attic down to basement.  Gutted exterior wall.  Bought new slider in April...still waiting for it to be delivered...


15. Dug out sump pump area in basement so the pump is lower than the floor.


16. T put in at least three concrete footing to replace undersized or non-existent supports


17. Hired neighbor to dig footings for front bay window supports, tame back jungle and plow area for garden.


18. Gutted front bedroom wall in anticipation of 2 new windows being installed...still waiting for them to be put in...


19. Gutted exterior wall in downstairs office/study.  Replaced ugly window with more appropriate sized one to match others in house.  T needs to knock down that chimney so we can rewire and insulate that room.


20. Hired contractor to replace the front siding with Hardy Board.  Contractor having intense personal issues and does not show up to work.  Waiting about a year to finish front windows and five months on siding.  Lesson learned:  do not mix friendship and business.


21. Put cover on well!!!


22. Cut up dead tree by stream


23. Took time out to build a duck house and predator proof cage and raise four baby ducklings into adults.

It looks like it is going to be another cold winter folks!  As of right now there are only three rooms in the entire house that are untouched.  So much for one room at a time... although we are focusing on doors, windows and insulation.

Our goal this year was cleaning up the front of the house.  I don't know if we are going to make this due to circumstances out of our control (aka mia contractor), but we are still hopeful...  It has been a busy year!

Man builds shed...

I really lobbied hard to buy a shed this summer.  I found a company with free delivery and set-up, add water and instant shed!, but the man wanted to build his own.  I guess the opportunity to build something new from the ground up instead of demolishing years of filth and rodent remains was just too tempting...
Needless to say, the "little" project has been on-going since June.  Our good friend Dave (we shall call him Mr. Sr. Design Engineer) has been assisting T with the project.  Between the two of them they have done quite well with a pile of boards and some rough scribbles on a napkin that went through the wash.  What you wanted a shed plan?
Name the structure...poll This is absolutely a back yard shed. 33.33% (1 votes) Major man cave 66.67% (2 votes) He's moving out - that's a cottage 0% (0 votes)

"I thought it would be more like Lincoln Logs"

Hmmm...isn't it a little big?  

Two men, one nail gun.

The emerging post and beam structure

Contemplating where to put the beer fridge...

Submerged...

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Hurricane Irene has struck.  Our little stream has become a lake.  The ducks have been out swimming all morning.  We are not sure if the culvert is blocked or if the volume of the water is just overpowering it.

T's nursery raised bed frame floated away.  He put cement blocks on the sandbox (mudbox!) to keep that from floating away.  Unfortunately the water is so high it is pouring through the garden and making a waterfall.  The tomatoes are floating away...  Someone is very unhappy.

Oh and we will not talk about the basement...