Fireplace

Here's the fireplace. I love it. The tiles are metallic/rusty ceramic and incredibly cheap. $5 apiece. I really like the mantel too. Very simple. I showed them my grandparents/parents mantle and they duplicated it. Gee, which way do you spell mantle?

M.F.H.

House with snow

Here's the house in the snow. I know I need to show lots of interior photos, but they just don't look like much when the room is empty. I'll try to take some shots with our furniture in now - before things start to get messy. Right now boxes are stacked all over.

M.F.H.

Ice and snow

Here's a few photos from the ice day. These photos just don't do it justice. Maybe if they were larger. It was gorgeous.

M.F.H.

Moving Day

Finally, the day has arrived. We were to move on Tues, but there was an ice storm. No school. No work - which we've never been closed for a day since I've been here for 24 years. Actually, in town streets were ok, but we stayed in and spent the day packing and baking and relaxing. School was delayed the next morning too.

Today, the movers arrived at 8:45 and had the house loaded in the truck by 10:30. I had everything organized and ready for them - 3 extra days gained me a lot of organizing and more boxes packed. They had to take apart the bunk bed and the day bed. Then they only had to drive 2 miles up the street to our new house. They had everything unloaded there by 12:15.

It's kind of giddy to think we'll be living there now. Exciting to rearrange the furniture and get everything in it's new place. I'm looking forward to deciding where everything will go in the kitchen.

Right now the cat is playing with little bits of trash left on the floor. Nibbles stayed shut in the bathroom and when I let him out he was not too happy to see everything gone. He really hates the new house - because it's new and because it was empty. So I hope he'll also be excited to explore our old furniture in a new location. Right now he is having fun hopping around. And I'm doing load after load of bed linens. Kids each have a laundry basket full of clean clothes to move over and a lot of their clothes went over in their dresser drawers.

After the movers left, I drove over to the Y and walked around on their trails. The ice still remains on the trees, though today it is melting more. I've never seen ice remain 4 days. Every tree and bush is gorgeous and the town has been like a fairyland this week. First thing in the morning, everything is frosty white. When the sun comes out, everything glistens and at night, the
street lights turn all the trees white. I've taken lots of photos and I'll post some.

M.F.H.

Moving Soon

Hadn't realized how long it's been since I've written, but people tell me they are actually checking the blog, so I guess I'm overdue to add more photos.

I didn't record at all Frank coming up to help me paint. We painted or touched up 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, the living/kitchen and the front room. I'd probably only have less than half that done without his help. I still have some touch up to do. And still deciding colors for some rooms.

House is basically done except for fireplace mantel which should be this week. And for some reason, kitchen people have not installed glass inserts in cabinet doors for 3 weeks! And I'm missing 1 countertop in laundry and hooks in mudroom. Garage needs to be emptied of workmen's stuff. I have to clean basement. They swept it out, but it's dirty. So I hope to clean this weekend before I can install and fill shelves in basement and garage.

Sarah is having her delayed birthday/slumber party this Sat. night at the new house. We don't need furniture for that.

Next I have to check with work and call the movers and set a date to move. I've been delaying because I need to empty so many cabinets (china) and bookshelves. But once the date is set, I'll go into overdrive and get it done.

Christmas presents to buy and wrap, Christmas cards to write and send, Christmas concerts and parties to attend. . . And it snowed last night. So I promise more photos soon.

M.F.H.

Finally, photos!

Here's some photos of the exterior and the kitchen cabinets that were installed yesterday. As far as flooring, they did the underlayment for the Duratile.

M.F.H.

The Siding is Done!

Finally, siding finished yesterday, just ahead of rain. I think it's taken 8 weeks. Now I'll be able to post a photo of the house. They also did the grading of the lot, which I was afraid would have been postponed by the rain, but he got it done. It rained and poured half the day and evening, so I'm hoping that by the weekend, the weather turns nice and it will be easy to dig up plants. So this weekend, I'm either planting or painting.

They also hung alot of the ceiling fixtures. The fans in the girls' bedrooms are huge. They didn't look that big in the stores. L will not be able to have a draped 4 poster bed for certain. Woodwork is still going up and 2 doors are hung. I have to do some touch up on the painting we've done, so we may not get much more painting done this weekend. Flooring is to start Mon with the Durastone and fireplace. Kitchen cabinets were to have started yesterday, but didn't, but I imagine they'll be in by the weekend.

Lots happening and its exciting finally, after a long wait.

M.F.H.

Drywall and painting done

Heard last night that the painting of the drywall is done. It's all done in white - alabaster. Or as the contractor kept mistakenly saying - albatross!

I have to stop out and see it this afternoon. I can start painting now, but will be out of town this weekend. With Dad sick, I don't know how much painting I'll get done. Which will all work out. Kids are still uncertain what color they want their rooms and I think once they see the carpet in, it will help them decide. So we'll see if I can get living/kitchen, master bed and bath painted.

Week #6 for siding and it's still not done. It's been muddy and rainy, so guys are working at another house instead. Today or tomorrow they are suppose to pour driveway and sidewalk and front porch. So then siding should finish. And landscape can start, if I can get ahole of the guy. And if I can buy some trees at the place that's going out of business.

Flooring's ready to order. Cabinets are ordered, but not handles. Doors ordered, but not knobs. Still have some lighting to buy. It will be so exciting to see cabinets go in and flooring. But no picutres to post. Do you really want to see empty all white rooms?

M.F.H.

Siding, drywall, formica, bannisters, doors

A lot going on at the moment. I understand the siders have finally started on the final wall, the front of the house. It seems like they started a month ago.

On Mon. the ceilings will be finished and they'll start doing the walls.

I spent the day out of town comparing backsplash tile samples to formica and meganite samples,

Then I went and talked to the stained glass shop.

Then stopped at the door/bannister company where I picked out doors, newell posts, bannisters, ballisters, door knobs and even saw some cabinet knobs I like. Fortunately for me, I like plain and simple and that's usually the cheapest and often what they have in stock. Their stock doorknobs and handles are very nice.

When the kids get home from school, will go out and look at the house. Haven't been there since Tues. Seemed like not much is happening.

I also talked yesterday to the mortgage people and to EDJones and figured out the financials.

And I have the name of the landscaper to call. So lots to do and I especially need to add some photos.

M.F.H.

Drywall

Started drywall on Mon. and it is almost done. The family was working when we stopped by at 5:30 and were probably going to stay until it was done. Lots of the floors already have red paper down, so I imagine next week, they will finish it.

Meanwhile, the siding continues. They are half way done with the third side, after 2 weeks. Most everything else seems to be going so fast. The main thing I notice is how dusty, dirty everything is. Windows, fireplace, everything will have to be cleaned when the drywall is done.

Last Sun. we were invited to a neighborhood picnic. That was nice. Got to meet most everyone and everyone was friendly. The kids knew more people than they realized. And I knew a fair amount of people too.

Sorry there haven't been more photos. I'm waiting for the siding to be done. And white drywall just doesn't photograph well. All I'd be showing you would be empty white walls. By Oct. there should be lots of photos as the kitchen and flooring go in.

I' m on vacation next week. Trying to get things completed around the current house, but I'm coming to realize that there is no way I can get this house on the market before we move. And I'm not sure how well it will sell over the winter. Perhaps best to put it on the market in March any way. And then I can always move more plants in the spring. This week will help me decide what I will be doing.

M.F.H.

Fireplace

It's been rainy and damp all week and we didn't notice anything going on at the house. Stopped by this morning and the garage door is on, the fireplace is installed, siding is piled in the garage. They've done a lot of interior insulating - E's bedroom ceiling, around all the air vents. By the end of August, the house should really start looking like a house.

Still can't believe we're going to be living there. I've been accomplishing things bit by bit around the current house. New bathroom floor, toilet and vent. My neighbor installed new quarter round - which the bathroom hasn't had in 17 years. Still a few more things to do, but none of it very expensive. Mostly what we have to do is clean and declutter.

M.F.H.

Plumbing, electricity and vents

Plumbing is done. Shower/baths in. Plumbing is done with pex plastic pipe. I haven't gotten to talk to electrician yet and need to do that. Floors vents are going in. Still no doors or siding yet. It has been incredibly hot and muggy for weeks. Really miserable to work outside.

Returned some lighting I bought and found 1 more fan. Am having a hard time finding something for the dining table and entry. But still have a bit of time to look.

M.F.H.

Roof, shingles and windows

Shingles are on - Estate Gray. Pella vinyl windows and sliding door is in. Village green siding is on order and so is front door. Also other exterior doors, I assume. Talked with plumber Wed. night and picked out faucets and shower fittings and kitchen sink and only went about $160 over my plumbing budget. Then met with plumber and wife (they work as a team) and chose where to place exterior faucets - decided on 3, rather than 2 - that was $60 of my over budget.

The plumbing is pex tubing, so there are red and blue tubes running through the structure. I'm curious to see where they all merge in the basement.

Now wish the doors would arrive, so that the house could be enclosed. The new windows are nice! Quite happy with them and that the panes are only on the top half.

Spent over an hour with A. at the flooring store. We'd already picked out carpet and the Durastone for the entry/laundry/bath (American Slate Arizona Rust). Will likely go ahead and get Wilsonart laminate in Black Cherry for the downstairs - just exactly what I have in the kitchen now. I like it, so why not use it again, or something very similar. Also picked out a white marble with some light gray streaks in it (American Slate White Cool White) Durastone for the 2 upstairs baths. The whole main floor will be either laminate or Durastone. I'd considered carpet in the family room, but I think all hard floors on the main floor is the best choice. I'd do them throughout the whole house if I could afford it. SO MUCH EASIER to clean.

What remains is countertops and island top - which I think I will do with solid surface. I like one called Mega-something. Meganite? They have tons of lovely granite looks and a gorgeous translucent blue which isn't on their website.

Yes, I'm splurging on the kitchen and flooring and exterior lighting, but buying poor quality or buying something other than what I want just doesn't make sense. There's no way I'm going to have a kitchen that is less nice than the one I currently have. And I've learned that I'll never to satisfied if I settle for what's available. I may as well wait for what I really like.

M.F.H.

Finally photos

Here's the house when it's one story.

Here's the 2nd floor added.

E & L posing in the upper window. You can see how big the windows are. L decided she didn't want the front bedroom. Windows too big. By taking the back bedroom, she'll gain more wall space and a bigger closet and a nicer view. M was willing to trade.

Here's the rear of the house. Joe was right. The kitchen window is smaller than the bedroom one above it. The wooden box on the right is the fireplace. You can get an idea how high the deck would be off the ground.

This is the east side. They haven't cut the opening for the kitchen window above the cabinets. You can see how big the basement window is: 6 ft. But it is the only window in the basement.

Second story

The second story was added last week. This week the roof trusses are laying in the yard, but may not go up until next week. The crew has another house they are working on and CK is on vacation.

Some of our friends have stopped out to have a look and they are all enthusiastic.

It is exciting to walk through the rooms and get an idea of their size. Like walking through a floor plan that has become 3-D. The windows are huge.

I've been buying light fixtures. Some at Lowe's. Was at Home Depot last Sat. and left my wallet there. Just realized it last night, so drove up today and picked it up. Took off work. Kids went swimming with babysitter. Pool closed early because of ballet tonight so good thing I could pick them up early.

Found things I liked at both stores. Also lots of ideas for pocket doors. I think I will order the outdoor lights at Target. I haven't seen anything I like locally.

Now am working at chosing siding and shingles. Everyone has a different opinion. Will probably go with gray, as no one but me seems to like green and the larger green sample that arrived today seems very light.

Will post photos when I can find the time.

M.F.H.

Rain, rain, rain

As soon as they finished the floor and exterior walls, it started raining. Huge downpour on Wed, with another hard rain overnight. Then rain again on Thurs and Fri and it's been cloudy and cool all day today, Sat.

CK says he's tried all kinds of things to keep the rain off the flooring, etc. and he says nothing really works well, so they just let it rain and let things dry out.
2nd floor lumber is supposed to arrive Mon., so we'll see how soon they can get the house enclosed and how much it continues to rain. Why did I know this was going to happen?

We have not been out to the site since Tues and on Thurs I knew it was too muddy to
even easily get to the house. So I don't know what things look like or how much water
is in the basement - probably not much as it would have to go in the one basement window or through the cutout for the stairs. We'll take a look at it this weekend.

Went over the lighting diagram again with CK and made a list of what fixtures I need to purchase, so A, if you can go shopping the week of July 4th sometime, we can take a look and see what's available and what will work. We can also look at towel racks and discuss faucets.

M.F.H.

More on exterior colors

These photos don't look so good. I don't know if I mis-set something on L's camera, but it isn't dealing well with the lines of the siding and roofs. (rooves?)

CK was over yesterday with actual samples. We narrowed it down to either Victorian gray (a medium gray) with a blue roof or Village green (a medium mossy green) with
a light brown roof called Amber. L does not like the green - so the choice may be
gray w/ blue. Or I could go with an off-white with blue, but the windows wouldn't stand out then and with the nice insets that will be in the center of the front windows, I think it would be nice to have the window noticeable.

The gray house pictured in the previous entry is directly across from my house and is a bit darker than I would probably do, but it doesn't look dark in the photo. As I said before, I do like the whitish house, but you can compare it to the beige house and see what I mean about the windows standing out.

M.F.H.

Siding colors

When I find the time on Sat. I hope to add the siding colors I like best. The homes in the subdivision are mostly beige - light, medium and dark. The nice thing about beige is that it makes the white window frames and trim stand out. Bad thing - too many beige houses. There are also white, off white, light yellow. I like the off white, but then I worry that the trim doesn't stand out, or maybe it doesn't have to. I also like the green, but I haven't seen a 2 story house in green, so it's hard for me to envision it. And if I do off white, then what color do I choose for the fake stone around the front door - off white? I wouldn't want something darker. And maybe fake limestone would like fine with off white. So once I get the photos on line, tell me what you think.

Roof color - I do like a white house with a blue roof. Again, I don't know if a blue roof is acceptable to the developer - all houses there now are shades of brown if I remember correctly.

The house I like best is the off white with the blue door. How would it look with a blue roof?

I have tried out colors at sights that let you do so, but the colors look too garish. I can't manage to combine colors that look good together.

M.F.H.

Walls today

Most of the exterior walls were up today. Yesterday when we went over they were finishing the main floor. Exciting to see the plan come to life. Now if I can get some photos to load.

M.F.H.

More kitchen

The island will be 3 x 6. I like a waterfall edge for the countertops. I really like the wrap under edge, but D says that's an extra $4/ft. If I use a waterfall edge on the island, it can only be for 2 sides, or I could have a square or beveled edge for the island that would be all 4 sides. I'm also considering that I really like a solid surface called Meganite, but it costs 4 times what Formica costs. I possibly could use it just for the island.

Formica isn't just smooth and flat and matte any more. They are trying to make it look more like stone. Some of it has texture or is more shiny. I don't really like them and they cost more.

I brought home samples of knobs and handles. I like brushed nickel the best. I think I can find some handles I like. In fact, they have the knob I now have in my bathroom, so I will probably use it in my new bathroom. The problem lies with what combination of knob/handle to use in the kitchen. All knobs? All handles? Knobs on top? Handles only on drawers/knobs on cabinets. A., I will need your experience and advice.

M.F.H.

Kitchen update

Spent over an hour with D, the kitchen guy, so here are more details.

I've decided to go with the Aristokraft cabinets. The upgraded drawers seem pretty identical with the more expensive brand. They are dovetailed, they will fully extend and they will self-close (one you give them a push, if E can even do that). The big
difference is in the cabinet doors. Instead of a thick, solid piece of plain wood, they will be (I don't know the word for it) a frame with an inset panel of wood. They will match the frame with glass door of the upper cabinets and they will be ok. And they will be much more within my budget. I'm trying very hard to stay within the cabinet budget because I know I'm going to go over in lighting and tiling and flooring.

The taller cabinets will be 1 ft. from the ceiling. The lower cabinets will be 2 ft from the ceiling. To make the taller cabinets taller would mean to stack another on top and those are pre-made in specific widths, so that would be difficult to do, So it looks like the cabinets will not extend to the ceiling.

The molding at the top is pretty simple and I have a drawing of it, when I find time to post it. It's called Shaker; it's very plain and actually, I think it would look good stained a color.

M.F.H.

Shopping for ceiling fans

Either because I bought property or signed a loan, I've received a lot of junk mail. One was a 10% coupon from Lowe's up to $500. So I thought, I've got to buy the stuff anyway, may as well get some discount.

Ceiling full of fans at the store. Of course the kids are attracted to the multi-colored ones and the ornate Victorian, but when I explained they were going to have white ceilings in their bedrooms, why not pick out a fan that wouldn't stand out, they quickly decided on a good fan, M&E both picking the same one. L did not come with us. I found one I thought would be ok for my room, but it was special order and I just wanted to buy things that day. I may go back and order it.

So I thought, ok, let's look at outdoor lights. CK had told me to get big ones for each side of the garage door so they won't be
lost in that large wall. Well, they had really big ones that looked like they hung from hooks, but they really were attached to the wall in the back and they had lots of little ones I liked, So I picked a craftsman style that turned out to be discountinued. There wasn't anything else I liked, so I went to look at bathroom lights.

And I wasn't really sure what to get there, so I did find one track type light for the hallway that I like, but will have to see if it will work there.

A few days later I had a chance to look at Menard's. I didn't like anything there. So that leaves Home Depot, or finding something on line or in another city or settling for what's available. Which seems to be the story of my life. It seems to take me
years to find exactly what I like, but I don't think I can go without lights for that long.

M.F.H.

Basement completed

Basement was completed Wed. Looks good. They've filled in around most of the wall. 2nd payment is due. Framing is to start Mon. Framers are from CR as all the local people are working on tornado damage. Next I will have to decide on siding and shingles and I keep saying I'm going to take photos of houses I like and see what you all think... Maybe I can get to that this weekend.

I have figured out how to load photos from another computer, so I did load some to show the "hole."

I will tell you about my shopping trip to Lowe's another day. Shopping is going to be difficult.

M.F.H.

Walls

Yesterday they poured the footings. Today they poured the walls. Both days we've gone out after work and looked and missed all the action. When school is done, we should get a chance to see some people working. It's raining tonight. House seems higher up off the st. than I expected. I was also disappointed to see that the walls will be fake brick. CK had told me he thought they would be smooth concrete, but I guess it just depended on which company he could get to do the work. Sigh.

Still, very exciting that it is happening. Met some of our neighbors tonight. I talked with the man across the st. and a bunch of kids stopped by. And my kids were trying to find out if there were any kids their ages.

I still can't upload photos to here or to yahoogroups. I can do it from another computer, so if any of you have an idea why it once worked and now it doesn't, let me know. L has been taking a bunch of photos, so some day I'll post them.

M.F.H.

Photos

I've tried twice now to upload photos of the hole in the ground and it doesn't want to work. It looks like a square hole dug in clay; not as deep as I expected, but then they will backfill the big piles of clay back around it.

Today I make my first of 5 payments on the house.

M.F.H.

Hole

Very exciting to have things actually starting. We stopped out before school to see the lot staked out and the claw or whatever the digger is called there, ready to go. Came back after work to see the hole completed. I guess I should have run out over lunch time, but we missed seeing any of the work done.

Now I need to buy the insurance tomorrow and make the first construction payment. Ah, yes, spend money. Also got to see a few of our neighbors tonight. The family to the west side of us is Asian. The neighbors were all checking us out too. L said the people across the st. came out to water their flowers.

Our new address will be 3315.

It will likely be next week before the pour concrete, but possibly the end of this week.

M.F.H.

They Start Digging Tomorrow

The lot is staked out today. We may run by and take a look. They are supposed to start digging tomorrow, but not sure when basement will be poured. Appartently, basement co. has let someone in the line ahead of us; they took on a new customer before they did the work of their long term customer - my contractor. So today he let them know how unhappy he is and it may get done this week.

M.F.H.

Floor plans: upstairs

Floor plans: main

If anyone wants me to email them my original jpegs, just let me know. Maybe you can enlarge them on your computer.

M.F.H.

Floor plans: basement

I'm afraid these floor plans aren't going to be very viewable. Don't strain your eyes too much. I should have scanned them before I folded them. I made these smaller copies to mail to the developer to make sure the house is acceptable under the
covenants. I'm sure it is, but I don't want any complaints.

The basement is going to be unfinished. The window in the NE corner will be 3? x 6. Still not sure where all utilities will enter the house. I'm satisfied with where the future bathroom/bedroom could go.

M.F.H.

Kitchen - Take 2

I think the kitchen transom is a good idea. All the range hood vents I've seen that are freestanding are at least $500. And putting a window on just one side of the stove just doesn't look right.

Kitchen cabinets- I don't know that I'm going to have any pull out lower shelves. We also just throw dry trash in the cabinet wastebasket. All garbage goes in a bowl and out to the compost. And I recycle glass, metal and plastic, so a lot of thing get washed up rather than thrown away. The pantry to the side of the refrig is supposed to have 5 pull out shelves and I think I will keep those.

D, the kitchen guy, is going to price me 3 different arrangements in the kitchen. He's going to do a cheaper line - the same one he suggested for the bathroom - Aristokraft with upgraded drawers. He says they sell a lot of it and it's what he's putting in his new house. Also Decora using York which is a door style with a simple frame around the door. The style I picked out which is plain - costs more because the door is one slab of glued together wood rather than a pieced door.

I'm still going with the glass upper doors and the island and a tile backsplash. I can live without the solid countertop, but not the other things. I should get those next Wed.

M.F.H.

Balanced windows

Yes, I do think the kitchen transom balances the windows on that side of the house. Kind of reminds me of a yearbook page layout - cantilevered. I think all 4 sides of the house look pretty good. The windows could line up slightly better, but I don't know how to do it, so this is good enough.

M.F.H.

Transoms

Whew, I was worried how you'd react to the transoms. The one in the master bedroom will open like an awning and I thought that was a good solution to getting some western light and still leaving plenty of choses as to where the bed could go.

The transom in the master bath is 8" acrylic block. It will be above the bath/shower. There will also be a row of acrylic block in the wall between the bath and bedroom. That's CK's concession to you wanting a glass wall between the bedroom and bath. CK is trying to talk me into a solid bathroom door - he says it will be open almost all the time, but I do want glass. I think I saw the same Home Depot glass door that you did. I tried to look it up on line at their site, but they must not be selling them on line or in the local store. I'll have to take the ad in with me.

He is also going to put pocket doors between the kitchen and front room but he wants them to be solid. Again, says they'll be open all the time, but I still want glass. I'll have to see what glass doors I can find and the price.

I also think it would be nice to have a glass door between the 2 halves of the girls' bathroom. Again, he wants solid. We'll see.

I signed the contract on Thurs., but he says all things are changeable - as long as I tell him my decision before it's been ordered or installed.

M.F.H.

Elevations

Here are the elevations of the house. I wish I could get them laid on the scanner straight. They're a bit crooked.

Joe, I'm sure you are not going to like the 'transoms,' but I like them. Things are still be changed! I had CK make the changes to the upstairs bathroom and hallway and the first thing L said when she looked at it was - 'now I have to walk all around the stairs in my towel to get to my room.'

M.F.H.

Surveying

I got to hold the surveying stick while we looked at the lay of the lot. Always wanted to do that. Amazing how many things have to be decided. Where to site the house, how steep the driveway, how much to raise the level of the backyard. Lots of pros and
cons if the house should go towards the east or west side of the lot. So right now, it's going to be 8 ft from the west edge and
(66-44+8) 14 ft. from the east side. The lot is 66 x 120. My backyard will be a bit bigger than what I have now, but not hugely bigger. I still think I can use a walking mower. With the garage 8 ft from the west edge, that still leaves the family room behind the garage 16 ft from the west edge. The yard slopes to the rear, but doesn't drop off like the 2 lots to the east. I don't think anyone will be building to the west of me for awhile. The lot really narrows in the rear.

M.F.H.

Contract and siting

Signed the contract yesterday and the foundation work is to begin on or before May 15, with a finishing date of Nov. 15. CK says it usually takes 4 months to build a house, so I'd like to think it would be done before Nov., but it should definitely be
done by then. I'm supposed to go with him to the lot today and decide where to place the house. I'm thinking that I will put it on the west side of the lot (the garage side) which will leave 18 ft. on the east side. I could plant a row of trees. Though, I suppose the trees would be better on the west side of the house. Hmmmmm. I'm headed out to the lot now.

M.F.H.

Plants

I plan to sign the contract with CK this week. He dropped off the electrical and final floor plans to me yesterday morning and I haven't had time to look at them. The electrical is a whole post in itself as there are tons of switches, outlets and recessed ceiling lights. More on that another day.

The house is contracted to begin by May 15 and end Nov 15. I asked if I could move any plants and he said I could stick them in the ground somewhere and move them in the spring. They probably would not be able to seed the lawn until spring. So I am wondering if you wanted any of my plants this summer/fall, Annette? I might give away some to friends too. I supposed I shall move what I can, but I'd like to put my house on the market in Sept/Oct. Maybe catch a buyer that wasn't happy with what was available during the summer. I'd have to have a proviso they couldn't take possession until late Nov. and probably another that we need a 24 hr. warning to show the house.

Got up early and took a walk with M. Then we were at church by 11:30 as she had to serve, then spent 1-2:30 getting dance photos done. Came home and turned around and took L down for her 1 1/2 hrs. there. She has to be in 3 group photos. Did some laundry, but not much else accomplished today. I am so tired. Am making a sausage strata for supper.

I'll try to post more drawings in the next few days. I'm on vacation most of the week, so have tons I want to do.
M.F.H.

Kitchen ideas

The new layout of the kitchen is basically what I now have. I marked 'E's on the cabinets that are 'extra' to what I know have. Though it is hard to judge if the new 2 cabinets are double my current cabinets or just 1 1/2 times larger. Plus I had a 4th
page I seem to have lost. It is of the island - which has 3 wide drawers on top of each other and a waste basket cabinet with a
drawer above it. And if I add more space to the left to take the kitchen to the sliding back door, I will have even more cabinets.

D, the designer, priced the kitchen using Dynasty 'Villa' by Omega. I think Omega also makes Decora. Not sure. The total price for the kitchen, 3 bathroom and laundry consoles and cabinets comes to: $14,776.70 The contractors allowance for all that, which also includes mirrors and towel bars and installation comes to $11,500. So I need to cut about $3,000. Hmmmm.
Advice?

I think I can do without the pre-made pantry to the right of the refrig. I was wondering about putting a regular counter there to sit the microwave on, or even making it into a small desk area. Or the contractor could build me a pantry with a regular door. What do you think of the transom window over the stove? How about moving the window to the right of the refrig? I don't know yet how that would look from the outside of the house. I was also think about doing away with upper cabinets on the sink wall, except that would be the best cabinets to store glasses in. So I was thinking of less upper cabinets. Also perhaps some open shelves for display - not too much because they just will be dusty. Also, it looks to me that none of the cabinets - high or low go up to the ceiling. So I would have lots of display space up there.

D said Villa was the only style that had the plain front. Out of zillions of door styles, only 2 are plain! Perhaps I could look at cheaper brand of cabinets. But don't want too cheap. Already he priced the bathrooms with a cheaper line. I would also like
someplace to the left of the sink to sit or hang a tv, so maybe kids will eat in kitchen for breakfast and snacks.

M.F.H.

New kitchen 3

New kitchen 2

3 Designs for new kitchen

Kitchen 2

Kitchen 1

Here are 2 views of my current kitchen. I want the new kitchen to look very similar to the current one.
M.F.H.

Lot, slant

From the house on the right you can see how the rear of the lot slants down. My lot is more like the lot on the left. You can't see it, but they have an egress window in their basement.

M.F.H.

Lot, view to the right

This is the new house the developer is just finishing. It is 2 wide lots (68 ft. each) away from us to the east. I know these photos aren't very informative.

When I next get some time, I want to photograph some home exteriors and see what colors you like. Also, I'll scan the plans and see if they view well.

We had a beautiful day. Went on a picnic. Rode scooters around the park. Worked in the yard. Went for an evening walk. And I did 7 loads of wash - the last one I still have to hang up tonight!

M.H.

Lot, view to the left

If you are standing in the st. looking at the house, this house is to the left or west. There is a narrow lot in between us. It could be a long time before people build around us. Who knows? Right now the developer has 4 houses for sale, 1 they are just finishing and 3 they have had for sale for 2 or more years. Plus there are 3 other houses for sale on the st.

M.H.

Lot, looking to rear

Hmmm, I'm having trouble loading more than 1 image, so I guess it's one at a time.

This is the view from the st. to the rear of the lot. The lot ends where the tall, light weeds are. The trees are quite a ways from us and some day there may be houses behind us.

M.H.

Why Red Stick House?

Obviously, I wanted to talk about our house without identifying where we live. Also I like the typical child's stick house drawing. Though I don't think our house will be red.

Also, it is a lot easier to type than to find the time to scan things and take and add photos, but I hope to get around to that.

The closing was very painless. I kept thinking, 'spending this much money shouldn't be so painless!' Closing costs came to less than $500, but I get to close again when the construction is done.

I was talking to a regular patron where I work and he was telling me I could save so much money by being my own contractor! I can't imagine that. First I don't know anything about building a house and I don't have time to do it. I can't imagine spending all day at work on the phone to workmen. Plus coordinating them all or even hiring the best ones at the best price that a contractor would be able to do. Obviously if they want to work for him again, they have to show up when expected and do a good job.

I am supposed to see 2-3 kitchen layout from the kitchen guy on Tues.

M.H.

Closing

Today I close on the lot and the construction loan. Woke up to snow this morning.

Yesterday I met with the lawyer. She is the mother of one of L's friends and I've known her since dance started. EDJones wired
the needed money into my account yesterday. The Easter break delayed things, but it looks like all will work out. I can see that parenting, and/or adopting has made me confident that all will work out.Or else I just don't have much time to worry.

On Mon. night I spent an hr. with CK, the contractor, going over changes that Joe suggested. Joe spent most of his Easter vacation planning and redrawing my house plans. I can understand why CK suggested things as he did, but Joe simplified things and made them more - what's the word symmetrical or right angled. More straight lines that run through the house. So we are going with a modified Joe plan (CK has to make a little more hallway room outside M's bedroom.) I still hate losing the window in the master bath, but CK was fine with the idea of frosted doors. He still doesn't like pocket doors! So we shall see.

I will try to get copies of the plans posted and photos of the lot (really exciting, ha) and mail the specifications to some of you.

M.H.