Good morning everyone,
The shingles are on! On Friday, Bob and I left to get our taxes done about 9:15 when we got back about 3:00 all the shingles were on. We counted 8 guys as we were leaving and they really worked hard, we have a big roof. It looks great! Windows and then siding and we have a weathered in home and the detail work will begin.
Someone asked how we went to the foundation when only the back of the house was really burned? Well it was a home that had been around for over 100 years. As we took down walls, we saw other walls that needed to come down. Bob wanted 2x6 studs put in versus what is called 2x4's but is really 1 & 3/4 by 3 & 3/4 on a good day. He knew we needed more strength than that for the size of our home. Bob has become known as the king of over building. It is his nature to build for strength and the long term, so we are building a home that one of the guys said, "if a tornado comes, the house is so strong it will go in one unit, it will not break apart." The contractors just laugh and say, 'Bob you don't need that, but it will make a really strong house."
We have settled on the layout of the bathrooms. The way we did it was to lay out on graph paper the size of the rooms and then cut out shapes for the things that needed to go in there and then we just kept moving them until they fit. When they fit and looked good we knew we had it figured out.
Not sure if I have mentioned this, we added a room. The house was one story over the kitchen and sun room, which is now our large kitchen, so we added a room on the second floor for Bob. It will be his space for his office and clothes and whatever he wants. It's a large room. We have 26 windows in the house. That is a lot of windows, but it is a large home. Having the roof on really speaks to that we will be back in there in a few months, the home is being rebuilt, bigger, better and even more beautiful than before. That is a joyous thing.
A couple of weeks ago, a lady with a very large truck with a large trailer hitch backed into me and tore up my driver side back fender. The damage was $3,098 worth (Her insurance sent the check). I went to CarMax to see what my car was worth and was told $3,000. I said wow, I will get it fixed. He said don't bother unless you intend to drive it a long time, because even after it is fixed it will only be worth $3,000 to $3,500. That threw me. I was fretting over what to do, and then thought, "I don't need to do this, I need to know that I am guided, guarded, directed and protected in all ways and in this specific instance to be drawn to my perfect car. I did some looking at a Lincoln or Cadillac or some other luxury car because that is what I thought I wanted. When I sold the house last year I had put aside some money for a car and now it seemed time to spend it. In the process of looking I remembered driving a Prius two years ago in California and just loving it. Long story short - I am now the proud owner of a 2008 Prius. I feel very green. It is fun to drive and averages 40 - 50 miles per gallon. I just never know where I am being led, but I know it is always for my benefit and fun.
If you are curious about details, please ask me questions. I sit down and can't think what people would really want to know.
Go out and have a wonderful day!
Rev. Carolyn
Monday, March 29, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
March 10, 2010
Good morning,
They have begun to put the walls up. The first step is the plywood on the outside of the studs. This is the basis for the siding. With the walls roughed in, then work on the roof can begin. Yesterday morning all we had were sheets of plywood on maybe 1/3 of the downstairs, by late afternoon, it was 2/3 and some Tyvek had gone up as well. They really move. Work was done on the foundation last week so we feel good that our 100 year old foundation will hold our brand new house.
I'm not used to the seasons changing so quickly. We have had weeks of cold weather and in just 3 days of sun, we have flowers in our yard and all the stores are putting out their Spring gardening things. Living in Houston, I said for years I would love to live where you had the changing of the seasons. I just didn't realize how dramatic the change can be.
The decision that is upper most in my thoughts is how do we lay out the downstairs and master bathrooms. We've talked to several people but really don't have a plan. I will be talking to more folks over the next few days.
I will let you know when the roof is on. Something that is running around in my head is I would like for folks to have the opportunity to bless the house. Years ago I heard of a couple who were redoing several walls in their home, and their friends came over and put written blessings into the walls. Little pieces of paper or even writing words on the studs themselves. Not sure how that looks, but I like the idea that the very walls of my home will carry words of blessing. We'll see how that unfolds.
Create a day you enjoy!
Rev. Carolyn
They have begun to put the walls up. The first step is the plywood on the outside of the studs. This is the basis for the siding. With the walls roughed in, then work on the roof can begin. Yesterday morning all we had were sheets of plywood on maybe 1/3 of the downstairs, by late afternoon, it was 2/3 and some Tyvek had gone up as well. They really move. Work was done on the foundation last week so we feel good that our 100 year old foundation will hold our brand new house.
I'm not used to the seasons changing so quickly. We have had weeks of cold weather and in just 3 days of sun, we have flowers in our yard and all the stores are putting out their Spring gardening things. Living in Houston, I said for years I would love to live where you had the changing of the seasons. I just didn't realize how dramatic the change can be.
The decision that is upper most in my thoughts is how do we lay out the downstairs and master bathrooms. We've talked to several people but really don't have a plan. I will be talking to more folks over the next few days.
I will let you know when the roof is on. Something that is running around in my head is I would like for folks to have the opportunity to bless the house. Years ago I heard of a couple who were redoing several walls in their home, and their friends came over and put written blessings into the walls. Little pieces of paper or even writing words on the studs themselves. Not sure how that looks, but I like the idea that the very walls of my home will carry words of blessing. We'll see how that unfolds.
Create a day you enjoy!
Rev. Carolyn
Monday, March 1, 2010
March 1 - Update
Hello,
Yes it has been a while. How are all of you this morning. I'm a little frustrated. This computer keeps doing things I don't want it to do. Carolyn, slow up and take it one step at a time. This needs to be my mantra. Those of who were there on Sunday, does that sound like a quack? I think so.
Tracy did make it and we had a great week. I worked her really hard, but we got so much done. We added to the database from Replacement Resource so we can update values, ages and descriptions. We also set it up to be easy to track when we submit and when we receive reimbursement. It is a great tool now. All I have to do is use it. I will. I will. I am trusting the process!
What keeps me so busy is making decisions on the house. This is fun and simply a lot. Have you considered all the choices about hard wood floors such as which way they should run, are they the same throughout the house, etc. etc. The kitchen is going to be awesome. And it can be a thousand different ways. Hardwood floors or tile, how big are the windows, how high the cabinets, what color is anything, etc. etc. Where do you buy your supplies, can you save money, do you want to on this particular item. Enough of that. YOu get the idea. If you find a really good bargain on something you think I need, let me know.
On Saturday, Rick and Tom took us on our own private home tour to the homes of two of their friends. Wow what fun and it was so beneficial. We will now have a corner stove. It looks great, gives good usage of space and keeps the kitchen cabinets from looking so boxy. It will also be a great improvement on my preparation triangle, stove, sink, and refrigerator. Every time we look at something we get more clarity around what we do want. This is a spiritual principle. Things that show us what we don't want are just as important as the things we fall in love with. The window in this rental home has helped to define what we want in our new house - a large clear few window.
It will be a totally new house on a 100 year old foundation. If you have not driven by lately, it can be a shock. All the walls both inside and out are basically gone. New walls are going up. I just looked out the window and the last of the walls is gone. We have fireplaces and new studs, that's it. At the rate they are going we may have a roof by the end of the week. Right now the house has great natural light and a very 'airy' feel.
Tracy and I flew out on the same Sunday, her to go home, and me to go to Denver for the Gathering. It was a good week and showed me how tired I was. I slept 9 and 10 hour nights every night and a couple of times took naps as well. I am doing really well, and there is a lot more, what is the word, activity - stress- energy in my days now. And whatever I call it, it is tiring at times.
We meet with the contractors once a week for a long discussion and we talk several times a week. As Bob says they are moving so fast, we have to peddle hard to keep up. Now that's good, it means the job is getting done, and it means we have to keep moving. Bob is missing his naps.
It is all good. If I can figure out how, I will add pictures to my posting.
Go out and make it a great day,
Much love,
Rev. Carolyn
Yes it has been a while. How are all of you this morning. I'm a little frustrated. This computer keeps doing things I don't want it to do. Carolyn, slow up and take it one step at a time. This needs to be my mantra. Those of who were there on Sunday, does that sound like a quack? I think so.
Tracy did make it and we had a great week. I worked her really hard, but we got so much done. We added to the database from Replacement Resource so we can update values, ages and descriptions. We also set it up to be easy to track when we submit and when we receive reimbursement. It is a great tool now. All I have to do is use it. I will. I will. I am trusting the process!
What keeps me so busy is making decisions on the house. This is fun and simply a lot. Have you considered all the choices about hard wood floors such as which way they should run, are they the same throughout the house, etc. etc. The kitchen is going to be awesome. And it can be a thousand different ways. Hardwood floors or tile, how big are the windows, how high the cabinets, what color is anything, etc. etc. Where do you buy your supplies, can you save money, do you want to on this particular item. Enough of that. YOu get the idea. If you find a really good bargain on something you think I need, let me know.
On Saturday, Rick and Tom took us on our own private home tour to the homes of two of their friends. Wow what fun and it was so beneficial. We will now have a corner stove. It looks great, gives good usage of space and keeps the kitchen cabinets from looking so boxy. It will also be a great improvement on my preparation triangle, stove, sink, and refrigerator. Every time we look at something we get more clarity around what we do want. This is a spiritual principle. Things that show us what we don't want are just as important as the things we fall in love with. The window in this rental home has helped to define what we want in our new house - a large clear few window.
It will be a totally new house on a 100 year old foundation. If you have not driven by lately, it can be a shock. All the walls both inside and out are basically gone. New walls are going up. I just looked out the window and the last of the walls is gone. We have fireplaces and new studs, that's it. At the rate they are going we may have a roof by the end of the week. Right now the house has great natural light and a very 'airy' feel.
Tracy and I flew out on the same Sunday, her to go home, and me to go to Denver for the Gathering. It was a good week and showed me how tired I was. I slept 9 and 10 hour nights every night and a couple of times took naps as well. I am doing really well, and there is a lot more, what is the word, activity - stress- energy in my days now. And whatever I call it, it is tiring at times.
We meet with the contractors once a week for a long discussion and we talk several times a week. As Bob says they are moving so fast, we have to peddle hard to keep up. Now that's good, it means the job is getting done, and it means we have to keep moving. Bob is missing his naps.
It is all good. If I can figure out how, I will add pictures to my posting.
Go out and make it a great day,
Much love,
Rev. Carolyn
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