Raising the Roof...

You can't stop progress, right? Although it can be slow at times. It is a real joy to see the walls, roof and plywood go up. It's a real defining moment in remodeling and renovation. The chance to actually walk through the rooms and "feel" the spaces is exciting. The house is much bigger than we thought it would be. We could move the whole extended family in!

We spoke with several other well drilling companies and they all said that aquifers can change direction over time and "sounding" the well is not a good idea, since it is so close to the house. Sadly, I think our best bet is to fill it in and use it as a cistern or close it up all together. I hate to lose the history and cover up all the hard work that was put into making this well. But safety is the number one concern. I will take as many pictures as I can, for the display in the front of the house.

Additionally, Morgan and Teddy found an intact Coca-Cola bottle and the framers found a whiskey bottle with its cork, in the walls. Those are some of the few intact relics we have found. Again, exciting for me... a true dirt-digger at heart.

We put our current house on the market this last week and have been downsizing our household contents to show how big the house really is - I just didn't realize I had that much junk. I guess I have no room to talk next time "Horders" comes on tv.

Next week they should finish up the plywood on the roof and walls and the windows should come in. Fernando and Jeremia should also be done with the storm cellar. It has been one big mess. It was built two feet too far to the south and didn't line up with the stairwell, so we have had to move some block, pour additional concrete and hope like heck it works. Keep your fingers crossed.

No, we are not storm victims...

But it does look like it. It would be an understatement to say that we have had a few setbacks and "challenges" lately. Between the rain and foundation miscalculations costing us a pretty penny, we are inching our way into living in a tent and eating Ramen noodles until our children are out of college. Maybe the neighbors will take pity on us and let us move in. I wonder if anyone has been voted OUT of the Historic Preservation Commission? I am sure we are close nominees.

I always wanted a swimming pool, although I imagined one with sparkling blue water and not necessarily under my soon-to-be kitchen. I guess beggars can't be choosers. By the way, that is about 6 feet of water in that abyss called a storm shelter. I am sure the geese next door would love it!

My poor husband is fit to be tied. He is like a tom-cat scratching at the door to be let out. He wants (and needs) to be at the construction site, but we have to bring home the bacon at our full-time jobs. With all that, I have become dependent on Starbucks' Caramel Mochiato (skinny, of course).

The framers have been hard at work, but they keep getting held up by the rain and issues brought on by previous subs. Teddy almost had a stroke when he heard that the vintage materials from our house (such as the tongue and groove wall and ceiling boards) had been torn off and thrown in the dumpster. Thank goodness Fernando and Fat Boy were there to fish them out of the dumpster and save the framers from losing vital organs and bodily parts. It would not have been pretty.

Hopefully we will have a short rain on Saturday and some sunshine Sunday through Wednesday. We need a break.... SOON.