Christmas 2008

Christmas Day has finally come- and is almost gone! A lot has changed since last year when I watched the full moon rise up over the far horizon on Christmas Eve. Back them there was no foundation, and I had a fire going right in the middle of where the living room now stands.

This week I attended Tim's funeral. It seems everyone thought as highly of him as I did.

It doesn't seem real yet that he won't be here to finish the house with us. Mike and I met yesterday to try and help us both get a sense of how we will get the house completed by the end of the loan period. The bank graciously extended the interim construction period through the middle of April, and we will need every day of it.

The guys are working hard to do what they can. I know it is hard for them. They have started putting up the car siding on the ceilings. It looks really good.

The stone work is going very slowly- it is exacting work. They still haven't completed the two front walls, but at least they have made it to the roof line. It is also going to cost more than expected. No surprise there.

This week Tracy and I saw a big ol' tom turkey crossing FM 203, then walk into a pasture and cross paths with a deer. On the same trip out we saw two bobcats cross paths right at the bottom of the hill on 2012. Yesterday I saw a road runner. The animals are very active lately.

We are heading to Mom and Dad's tomorrow morning for a late Christmas gathering. Should be a full house. Can't wait to break out the Scrabble dictionary I bought for the whole family and play a game or two.

A Sad Day in the Village

One of my favorite people I have met in the last several years has died unexpectedly. Tim Collins, my Big Hill construction foreman, died Sunday evening. He was delightful company, kind and soft spoken, and a hard and steady worker. He loved his wife, Janice, and his four children.

He was Mike's very dependable right hand man, and the other guys on Mike's crew, including Tim's brother, Robert, really looked up to him. We will all miss him so much.

Tim built so much of my home with his own hands. He was genuinely excited about the whole project and looked forward to seeing the completed results. We will most certainly toast him when the house becomes a home.

Stone Walls Going Up!

I was right ! The new trailer was for the stone crew. The guys set up on Monday and started cutting and laying stone on Tuesday. They worked on Saturday as well, and I have about 5 feet of the front walls wrapped in stone. It is beautiful!! I was nervous that I had chosen too many colors and types of stone, but they all blend together perfectly and complement the green house color very nicely. What a relief.

I do think it will take 8-10 more weeks for them to complete there job unless things speed up as they get into the groove of the stones- which may well happen, Johnny says.

No further work on the deck this week, thought Mike says to go ahead and plan the deck party for December 14. That means I will have deck flooring- no rails, no stairs. So I can only invite responsible people with good balance...if that's you come on out next Sunday afternoon. Bring your own chair! And a snack. And a drink. I am keeping it simple, baby!

Cabinets are still being sanded. Alonzo says it should only take a couple more days, except for the kitchen cabinets. They will have to get to them on a day when the masons aren't working.

I meet with Wes tomorrow to talk about a loan extension. It's been nine months since we started the project, and Mike says we need about three more months- hopefully less. I hope so, too. That's cutting it close to bluebonnet season.

Last Monday I was out just before sunset and walked out to the back deck area and startled two does and two fawns who were munching on brush in my back yard. They came right back up and walked along the edge of the ridge grazing. Every once in a while they would look up to see if I was still there, but were essentially nonplussed by my presence. Cool. Hope it stays that way.