June’s House

 May added quite a bit to the exterior in the completed brick. Selecting brick from a sample, viewing on a computer, and hoping the actual selection would be our vision didn’t escape our thoughts. Continued rain in May delayed the process as it ended being the wettest May since 1950. However we were happy that our worries disappeared behind the stormy clouds.

We are anxious to see the porta potty and mountain of dirt to disappear also!

Selecting siding from a sample was our second stress. Since our house will be in a neighborhood we (I) didn’t want to be a copy of those surrounding it. The selection was Sand from ABC Supply. With the first few panels on one end the color seems to be a winner! Now if the weather and installation will proceed this week it would be a perfect beginning to June!

 The inside work was a bit daunting as the new inspector had some changes he deemed necessary due to new regulations. I am not so sure our builder is happy at this point. One huge $$$ issue is that the entire unfinished basement ceiling requires drywall. We didn’t expect this as the basement level will be utilized for storage of lawn equipment and storage bins. Due to this change we have talked of letting them mud and sand it and we will paint the ceiling and apply waterproofing to the walls ourselves. This space will take on a light and bright space for sure.

 The application of insulation is giving a first glance of room size. Of course, it is only applied to the outside walls so a portion is still a pattern of 2x4 studs.

 A peek into the study makes us excited to enjoy the view of East Tennessee’s mountains.

I

 

Patience is a constant prayer as June has arrived. We won’t drop by this week so we are hoping for completed siding and dry walled spaces!

Jeanne

New House Progress April

April arrived with dreams of progress. And it happened. In the blink of an eye, the waiting to see the actual house frame finally became a reality.

With a break in the rainy weather the basement was blocked and poured. 

Trusses expanded our abnormal rectangular home. I had no idea the width or depth of the actual frame until standing beside it.

Several days of sunny weather seemed to allow framing of the main floor. We traveled to Florida for a few days and were astonished at the vision coming into focus.

Amazing and brave crew to create an actual building!

The roofline is steep. And high. And a long way to the ground.

It has been time to select the first decor items--roof shingles, brick, and siding.

Walking through the inside gave a chance to envision the finished rooms.

It is no doubt that we will have lots of light streaming into all areas.

The view from the front door spans the dining room, family room, kitchen, and nook.

A large screened in porch will encompass the back of the house. Mountain views from not only the front but the back of 151!

It is happening. We are about ten weeks from finished we hope. Now it is time to get our current home ready to go on the market in a month or two!

House Building Patience

I know house building can be stressful. Others say it takes much longer than expected. But I never realized how much patience my scheduled self would need.

We closed on the construction loan in early January, assuming that the excavation would begin soon. The weather was amazingly (is that a word?) good for wintertime in Tennessee. But, our builder was struggling with a kidney stone and then the surveyor was taking a vacation. Then the rain began. It rained and rained and rained for days on end.

February 1st gave a first glimpse of the excavation of our forever home. Two days the weather cooperated! A tiny part of the needed work since the house will have a basement which means a lot of moving of dirt.

Three weeks later the rain stopped again (no snow--just days and days of flooding rain) and the excavation continued to the point that the footers could be dug. OK! My patience has been tested but surely things will move quickly now.

When the footers were poured it finally began to have a shape. It definitely isn't a simple rectangle. The plan is a lot of corners which probably adds to the cost of building our forever home.

The rain returned. And the blocks couldn't be delivered because of well it is rainy and wet. The above picture shows the mountain of dirt that has been removed. The lot is on a slight hill which adds to the difficulty of heavy equipment accessing the site.

Rock was spread on the basement floor which will allow the cinder blocks to be placed for placement at a later time. Later. Later.

Finally four good days of sunshine arrived. Driving over to the site I was sure the block would be delivered as the ground was dry. I was greeted by the power pole that had been installed earlier in the day. But, no blocks. What? It is supposed to rain again tomorrow.

It rained and was dreary the next morning. Since we have family that lives in the neighborhood we were informed that our block was being delivered. The surprise of our short building experience was that they were delivered on a day that we had not deemed possible.

The weather has turned cold with snow showers and brisk winds.

The block crew worked all day yesterday in the freezing cold with an even colder wind. About a third of the block have been laid. Today it is a bit too cold so the builder said they will be back at it tomorrow.

I am drinking a cup of coffee in my patience mug beside my patience tray.

Another half day of nice enough weather produced a bit more of the foundation block. With snow and rain predicted again I will just have to endure.

Maybe I will develop a bit more of much needed faith that this house will be built before fall.

A New Beginning

Week 1

The first steps have been taken. Contractor is on board and the bank "stuff" for a construction loan is in place. We are building a house. The time seems to be right if we plan to make a change. We are empty resters so a four bedroom isn't needed. 

We purchased the lot in November. For the idea of downsizing on square footage the lot didn't seem to follow that rule. It is larger than our present residence. 

The view from our lot is vast. The back of the house faces country side views. I don't expect this view to change in our lifetime. The lot is on a slight hill so the top of the hill is probably where our screened in porch and breakfast nook will be residing.

The subdivision is a one way in--one way out. We will living on a short side road so the traffic should be minimal. The driveway will be cut in the hill to allow for a side entrance to the garage. In my opinion it will make the house look a bit larger across the front and also gives an easier exit to the street.

Ah--the view from the front of the house is what drew us to this lot. We have neighbors but by looking straight over their houses we have the view of the mountains. These mountains are looking toward North Carolina. The house plan will have a small front porch which I plan to do a little time on porch sitting!

Time spent looking for a house plan was dreadful! I knew we were downsizing. Our goals were to have a one level home but still allow us to have the individual spaces we desired. This one almost was perfect. We will make a few changes. (Excuse the way I reversed the plan and added labeling. For example, the front porch isn't really supposed to be crooked!) Speaking of the front porch--it will be enlarged to go across the front to the garage wall.

Our steps to the basement will be completely eliminated from the current spot and will be placed in the garage. This will allow a hallway access to the kitchen and master bedroom side of the house. Also, the laundry room will only have access from the garage entrance. The contractor will close off the doorway to the living room and insulate the laundry room to hide noise from the washer and dryer. (Who wants the laundry room off the living area?)

Today there is snow on the ground but the contractor plans to file for the permits to begin the build. I am anxious to see some progress! We have met with him to select the placement on the lot. He will stake off the house in the next couple of days so we can OK it. The previous owner of the lot lives next door and they have some awesome landscaping. Some of it will be saved and will provide us with privacy between our garage entrance and their house.

For now I have the time to purge, pack, and downsize 39 years of accumulations!

Guess I should have some blogging to do since our life is changing.

Time To Downsize

 

It has been home for 37 years. Our four bedroom split foyer has served our family well. Through babies and teenagers and empty nesters this little house has been our home. We have lived most of our married life in these walls. Our sons have only known this as their home from birth.

But...the steps have become a nuisance. One knee replacement and bones that tend to creak and ache seem to call out for a different location. And so the next season of our life will be a one level three bedroom.

We are moving about ten miles from one end of our county to another. We found a lot with a view of the mountains. It is in a subdivison that will allow for daily walks of a much more level stroll. So, we are beginning the process of having a house built. I never dreamed this would be our next step. I had decided that we would stay in our present home forever. After all, we have spent the last few years updating and maintaining the decor into present day expectations.

To say this is a daunting task is an understatement. I am terribly OCD about being in control. The first step was to find a house plan that would satisfy the space we desire and offer the open concept. I spent hours combing through online plans and would think I found THE one.

The common link was the desire to have a dining room and a kitchen nook. I gravitated toward a kitchen that opened into the great room and split bedrooms. These were top contenders. But the desire to truly downsize became a nagging thought in my mind. These three were very similar. We do want a basement in order to use as storage for lawn equipment and storage bins. I truly want an empty garage except for vehicles. 

But in the end, a different plan is the one that seemed to satisfy our needs the best. It offers a large screened in porch which we really desire. And it also has a small study off the foyer. I envision that area as a small sitting area/library.

We have had to make several small changes in order to allow access to the basement for stairs. And the plan will be mirror imaged due to the layout of the lot. But I am anxious to get this project started.

We can have a view of the country side as we have our morning coffee.

And a view of amazing sunsets over the mountains to the south.

This is the place that will become our forever home.

Las Vegas Memories

I never knew what to expect before our first visit to Vegas. The scenery is breath taking. A much different view than the hills and mountains of Tennessee.

Our most recent visit was two weeks before the sadness that has engulfed the city. The tragedy of lives lost because of evil.  The American flag hangs among the beautiful garden of the Bellagio. A silent reminder that we live in a free society. Free to enjoy a vacation. Free to enjoy a few days away from home. Free to listen to performers.

Since we have visited a couple of times a year Vegas has become a familiar city. It welcomes our family because we have favorite places to dine, play a few machines, walk and enjoy.

Flights seem to arrive every few minutes. Expectations are high and filled with excitement.

Will the act of violence forever change our precious memories? How can we forget the many families whose lives are forever changed?

We can only pray that safety will return.  Beauty will replace nightmares.

Thanks for the good times for my family.

Prayers for those who will remember horror.