We're Goofing Off

We spent a lot of time this week cleaning all of the windows on the inside. This takes longer than usual because you have to scrub off the varnish left from finishing the wood trim. Lots and lots of detail. Sometimes it feels like we are looking cross-eyed at the end of your nose, trying to get the goo out of the corners of the glass. And trying to figure out if the dirt is on the outside or the inside. This requires the use of Goof Off (a fantastic product!) and lots of elbow grease. I think we will probably have to buy a gallon of it. The general contractor gets to do the outside-ha!


As they say...the devil is in the detail. Now we understand what our masonry guy was faced with.














We are so close we can feel the move-in date coming up. There are many little details being handled. Painting, lighting, wood trim detail, carpet, and knob installation.

But it's like being on a diet and trying to lose those last few pounds. That final 1% is really taking a long time.

We are pretty sure the move will happen in February. What wraps up this next week will help us decide on the date. Luckily, our landlords are flexible.
We lit the fireplace this week. Whatta know? It worked.
This is the TV room. The color is called Bordeaux. Wish we had a better photo.
Gary's Office/Study.

We are also working on some drainage and other contract issues. Interesting times. Something to think about when you set a goal.. When you fall behind at the beginning of a project, it gives you more time to catch up. That is the positive, can do approach.... or .... Learn from your mistakes early on and fire everyone and start over.

I'm soooooo glad I took my foot of the brake

This is Downtown Jacksonville. Come on down and we will show you a good time.

Did you know that since 1928 there has only been 40 times that at least 3 inches of snow have fallen on the valley floor? A bit more at our place.

It is similar to Portland, though when it snows, people hibernate. There were almost no cars on the streets. We did see a couple of motorcycles but the first day with no bicyclists.


Where are all the contractors? I don't even see any footprints. So much for our move in date. I thought people in Portland used to come up with some great excuses for not coming to work.

These guys are something else down here. " I can't make it up the hill." My kid wants to play in the snow. I am still at Les Schab trying to buy some tires. I broke my tire chains. My wife was feeling amorous. I had to help my neighbor who slid into the ditch. I got a bloody nose. I lost my car keys. I thought work was cancelled today because school was out. I couldn't find my car because it was covered with snow. AAA never came when I called. I thought the world had ended when I saw this white stuff coming down. I have got poison oak in my mouth. I thought Mt Mcgloughlin had blown. I ran into a skunk. I moved to Florida. It's too cold. My dog wouldn't go outside to pee". Okay maybe some of those are okay.

Oh well, at least we have some peace and quiet.
Maybe I will have a lawn when the snow goes away. What do you know, they really did lock the door yesterday.

Hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!!










"Keep your foot off the brakes"
No, I'm not in Australia. Some people do really drive on this side of the road. I would like to know who built this road. It sucks. It all slopes the wrong way. Big white almost bit the dust today after 117,520 miles. 11 years with her sitting on these soft leather seats. Michelle had to get out of the car before she took this shot. We were headed for the ditch a couple of times and almost over the cliff. We must be living right. She had had enough.

After that she asked me if I wanted her to get out and take pictures. She almost got her wish. I was headed for another ditch with Big White doing one of those spin moves on me again. Of course Michelle was changing the battery in the camera so she says. After the spin move I look in my rear view when Big white comes to a stop and I see M hobbling down the road. Now what could be safer. Walking on ice or doing a spin move with Big White with G at the wheel. So much for her runnig for a while. She pulled that big muscle in her hip or maybe a tendon. Our nurse friends can probably give her the diagnosis. It better be quick because I don't want a grumpy bunny. Whatever, she is in a lot of pain. I even had to do the kiddy pooper. I got some big credits for that. (Big poop and a lot of it ) Her pear racing days may be over this year. She is laying on a bucket of ice right now.


I am looking for my hose. I think a contractor stole it. Yesterday it was on my patio. Today it is gone. Maybe the snow ate it.













Our partially finished hardwood floors.






















Wow. What a sight. More credits earned here but she has earned them with all the surgeries I have had.

Voodoo Frog

Guess who the voodoo frog represents? Compliments of our neighbor and his kids. They were getting tired of him.

This charming little character is our new mascot. You can squeeze him to relieve stress. His eyes light up and he is fun to kick around. He likes to harass Gunnar and Karl.









We saw this guy on our neighbors property today. A bobcat's body is about two feet long, and its tail is approximately four to eight inches long, which is where the name comes from. A bobcat's weight range is between thirteen and twenty three pounds. Our cat, Gunnar weighs about 20 lbs and this guy was bigger (and leaner).







We haven't posted many pictures lately so here are some updates. The concrete is in and we finally installed the decorative hardware on our garage doors.

(click on image to enlarge)





There is still a lot of work going on inside the house. This is the master bedroom which serves as a staging area for the finish carpenter. Gary even got in the action this weekend and finalized some drawer inserts for Michelle's kitchen. He says he needs more tools now.


The front door has the final finish on the inside. The outside still needs work.
The TV room cabinets are almost done.


Gary's study.
After a vast amount of issues the bathtub is finally installed. Gary went out to check on what was going on last Tuesday. There was a lot of activity in the Master Bathroom. Amazing, they were actually installing the bathtub. At first glance it looked really nice, then Gary noticed that the bathtub was backwards. They tried to talk him out of changing it because it is SO HEAVY. (470lbs) Another hour and it would have been fully plumbed. Rule #1 to homeowner, never leave town during the building process.
"We told you three times IT GOES THE OTHER WAY!!!!" He wanted to drop it on their heads. Are you sensing any fustration...?

The utility room.
Guest bath. Slate and limestone.
The kitchen is coming together nicely. We still need to install the dishwasher and frig. The walls need painting and all the cabinets need knobs, roughly 155 for the entire house - if you are counting.

Do you know how many knob choices there are out there? You don't want to know.

The Limo Man

(is taking his nap. He had a late night New Years Eve)