Sprint to the Finish

What a fun weekend I had! My sisters Mary and Rebecca, along with Karen, Devra and little Ellis and Ava, and later, Tracy, came down for a Tempus Fugit meeting. Rebecca laughs at me every time I call it a "meeting". This one consisted of wine "tasting" (meaning drinking) , reading original poetry about spring, and playing word games. I haven't laughed that hard in a while. Mary earned her Big Hill villiage title as official photographer of the home owner. She said there weren't any photos of me on my own blog, so she took several.

Ah, finally! Respite from the wind. It has been blowing steadily for the last two weeks. Sometimes with rain, sometimes with dust, but always blowing. Tonight I came out after work and burned one of the many piles Tracy and I have accumulated during the dry and windy spell. I suppose a small dent is better than no dent- in this case.

Boy, the local rock veneer around the foundation is just flying up. Those rock guys are the best. They work hard and are cheerful every time we visit. And they do a fantastic job. If I had the funds I could keep them busy long after the house is done- building the gate entry, steps and walls on the slope, fire pits. Patience...

Speaking of, I was reading the results of a personality test I took a few years ago that they were trying out at work on some of us “old timers”, to use for new hires. They wanted to see if it seemed accurate, since they knew us well. Mine said I was driven, self motivated, high achieving, needed little supervision (and in fact did not like it). Also that I was extremely impatient and could be very stubborn. Well I never…..could deny it. Both sadly true. I have learned a lot about both through the process of home building.

Drexel, the cabinet maker, is going to come out and help us in the last stretch. David has not been able to work full time, and time is tight. There aren’t many “big” things left. The bamboo floors have been ordered, the ipe to complete the deck is on site, as are all the light and plumbing fixtures. The rest of the tile came in last Friday and Glenn will finish it all this week. We’ve got to pour a bit of concrete for the front entry and pool equipment- and do the last bits for the hot tub (yea!). We have three weeks until the loan is due, with a couple of weeks after to get the appraisal and closing accomplished. Tight as the jeans I wore in high school!

It has been too, too long since I have been able to enjoy Big Hill like I am right now. Sometimes I get so task and goal oriented that I forget to breathe! Right now I am sitting on a juniper log watching the fire die down. The moon is shining overhead along with a growing sky of stars. The lights of town are twinkling through the valley. There is one bird that is singing out an intermittent call. That, the popping from the fire and the clicks of my keyboard all the sounds I hear right now. What a perfect way to end the day.

One Month to Go? Really?

Although I rebutted my friend Tonya that we could finish in one month and not two as she proposed, I am having my usual doubts. I need to be prepared to have an appraiser out no later than the last week in April, and that is looking pretty darn close.

I saw Tonya in down town Glen Rose last night during Girls Night Out, which takes place every third Saturday. It is big fun and getting better. Tracy and I went down to my neighbor Barb's salon, and I got to sing with Barb and a group of blue grass musicians. Then we headed to Story Time, a new book store that has a nice outdoor area where they have live music. The singer is also a hair cutter in Glen Rose. He is really good, and I want to sing with him sometime- will have to work on that after I am done, done, done! with the construction mania.

I wasn't able to mark as many things off my TO DO list as I had hoped this week. David didn't work with us this week- he was working on a family project. We missed him. I missed him.

Mike's guys finished filling in the hot tub area deck. They worked with Johnny's guys, mixing 3 bags of Quikrete and taking it through the house in a wheel barrel to slowly fill up both deck levels. It was a LOT of work, but the only way to do it without bringing out the big $750 pipe truck again. So wheel barreling it was. And I have another thing I can check off the list!

Johnny's guys also made big progress on the flagstone. They only have the front entry area to do on the inside and, of course, the hot tub area. To finish that they will have to do some of the foundation rock veneer as well- something I hadn't counted on having to do (meaning pay for) before the other HAVE TO things on my list. I trust it will all work out.

The concrete counter tops are complete, and I think they are beautiful. The tile guy, Glenn, didn't start this week to give the counter counter tops time to cure, so he will get to work on Monday. Hopefully we'll also get the ipe for the deck completion done- and hopefully will have David back to lead that project.

Someone is out there nearly every day, and I can see the end of the proverbial tunnel. I just hope I get to the end of it before the loan is due. Again.

BURN BAN LIFTED....AGAIN!

These bothersome bans have been on again, off again. This one ran out and was not renewed, thanks to a healthy serving of springtime rain. The vista is slowly greening up, and the sounds of birds are increasing. I am more than ready for the full bloom of colors.

The concrete counter top guys poured all the counter tops this week and took off the forms. As soon as the concrete is cured, they will clean and seal. I like the look already, but know I will like it even more when they are not covered in the ever present layer of fine rock dust. By the time the house is completed, the whole thing will need to be wiped down- inside and out. That will be one big dusting job.

Johnny and his guys are speeding through the flagstone. We decided to add it in the garage entry hall and the front foyer areas. It seemed a natural way to protect the bamboo floors from the great Texas outdoors. I can't wait to see it cleaned and sealed (a theme, right?) and see all the beautiful colors in the rock come out.

The form for the master deck and hot tub is ready for pouring. Mike asked if I was willing to cut down the Ma and Pa trees off the side of the hot tub so he could get the concrete truck back there. I just couldn't do it, so he will be hauling wheel barrel loads of concrete through the house.

My brother Mike came out this weekend to see the place while he was in town with Beth to get senior portraits done for Beth's daughter Annie (Krista took them). He likes the sky deck.

35 days left before April 21. Lots to do. Speaking of, I am off to make my final choice for door hardware. Woohoo!

42 Days!!!

Wowzer. Time is flying- as usual. The dry stack is done, done, done! That is, until I get ready to have the driveway entry columns built. Pretty far down on my list, but I will keep the remaining chop on hold until the time is right.

Today there was a bevy of activity on Big Hill. The concrete counter top team was at work building forms for the concrete to be poured in. I brought all the sinks and faucets out and communicated where everything should be placed to Steve, the project manager.

Johnny and his guys are busy laying down the flagstone flooring. Man oh man, it goes so much faster than the dry stack! Heck, everything probably does.

David built basic shelving in all the closets. My friend Devra is going to help me in the master with some additional stainless steel shelving so I can be uber organized like she is!

I am meeting the sound system guy, Frank, tomorrow afternoon to get a better handle on how much I want/can do right away.

Rebecca and little Ava spent Sunday night with me. We did a lot of free stuff- went to the Dino World gift shop, visited the Fossil Rim overlook, played in the park across the river. Tracy came down Sunday as well, and we visited with Linda and Karen at Big Hill. When we drove up, Ava said to no one in particular, "Oh man, I don't like this place..." Hopefully she will like it more once I have TV and a hot tub. Thankfully, I already like it!

Alllmost Done with the Dry Stack

I was gone all week for work and got back to find that the wall was completed - and even cleaned. The colors of the rocks are vibrant. It made such a difference. Frank was finishing up the stair landing column. on Saturday This week I expect they will complete the two columns by the front door walls.

The painting is moving along. The darker green was going up in the living room in Saturday. I like as much as I thought I would.

David was gone this week so no further trim work to report.

I will meet with the concrete counter top guys this week. Mike already had them out to look at the project and get a bid. The hardest thing is getting across how simple of a counter top I want. Everyone wants to make things fancy.

The flagstone rocks are on site- but they aren't the depth I ordered. I asked for 1 1/2 to 2 inches, and most of them are 1/2 to 1 inch. Mike is asking Johnny if they will work.

The metal roofing is all in place. I will add the gutter system later. And then the rain collection system.

Today was 50 days until April 21. I am taking my folks to Florida the last two weeks of May, so I really would like to have the closing all settled prior to May 14. Fifty days will fly like the Texas wind.