OMG!!!!

It has been a very trying time.  Just thought I'd say we are alive and struggling to have some semblance of a home for Memorial Day weekend.  This project won't be nearly finished, likely there will be no appliances in place or toilets working until late Friday afternoon.  Needless to say, Mother will stay in a hotel.  It is what it is and hopefully the family will be comfortable enough for meals and gathering.  Some of the floor will be wood, some will be sealed concrete.   It's not pretty!

This is the update for now.   I'll feel more like a lengthy msg. and pictures next week.

Trying to Breathe

Were it not for the challenge of trying to get a livable house by May 28th, we'd be fine.  Well, having to pack up again isn't that swell either.



Our flooring, albiet covered plaster dust, and the gray/green color of our bedroom walls.  Fireplace ready to receive a granite covering.







View from the entry looking into the dining room (sort of)

Looking from the kitchen toward Stan's office/guest space (the other side of the pocket door) and my desk space

 The new retaining wall.  Citrus and herbs planted above, rose bushes (my first, ever!) below on the right at about the center of the photo.








Some of the succulents and cactus transplanted into the yard.  The two above pics are of backyard.   I won't show you pics of the trees cause they look like lost little things sitting on top of rocks.  I can't say enough good things about our gardeners and how hard they've worked.










So above are the accomplishments for the week - drywall completion, tons of yard work, painting of all the ceilings and priming of all the walls.  This coming week the "finish carpenter" will install all the doors and do whatever else a f.c. does, except not the molding just yet.  The electrician will finish up everything except the switch plates and I don't know what else is in store.  More yard work......

Oh yes...I do know,  the cabinets come in!!  On the 17th the granite templates are made, the painting is continued, the flooring will start progressing and hopefully our windows and front door will also be installed.  The bad news...it takes the granite people two weeks to complete fabrication (cutting of the pieces to match the template and polishing).  Granite (at least the kitchen and guest bathroom) will be installed on the 28th.  Mom and family arrive on the 28th.  No cooktop, no sinks in working order!  The next day, a Saturday, if the plumber is willing, we may get those things.  I'm creating a menu for Friday night that involves a BBQ, plastic plates (maybe I'll spring for Melamine) and a large trash can.  Other bad news....Stan tried plugging in our magnificent refrigerator today (in the garage where it lives) so we could use it for the next two weeks.  It doesn't work!!

The good news - we'll take a little vacation to Ashland, OR beginning Wednesday which should relieve stress nicely.  When we return we'll move into the bedroom/bathroom/closet of our house and I am just so happy at the prospect of living there, I don't care how many rooms we'll have.

I'm trying to breathe, Stan is exhausted and we're both sore.  Other than that it has been a great week :-)

Can It Be May?

No pictures this week.  You'll just have to believe me when I say our bedroom has been painted, the concrete floor is prepped for wood, most of the walls (in the house) have been finished and are awaiting paint and the backyard is coming together.  I have to go away more often, things move swiftly in my absence.

This week saw the planting of trees on our mountain of granite and the building of a retaining wall out of concrete blocks.  Today we shopped for herbs and roses.  Our gardeners come Monday to finish working on the drip system and plant.  We're putting in a Meyer Lemon, a Mexican Lime and a Cara Cara Orange with the herbs underneath.  We'll also put the roses in and work on planting all the succulents we shlepped from Cambria.  Last Sunday I stepped up on the lower part of the back slope (to place the pots of succulents for planting) when what should I meet passing by - a King snake!   In my mind it was at least 10 feet long, Stan says it was 3 1/2' at the most.  I uttered a mumble and then said "Mother of God" which I'm convinced never crossed my lips (or mind) before this chance meeting.  While Stan finished whatever it was he was doing, I sat in the car completely stunned.  I don't know if I can ever get up on that hill again.  I'm not cut out for this kind of stuff.  Lizards are one thing, snakes.....not a chance I'll adjust and while Stan was the usual Mr. Calm & Collected, I didn't see him smiling either.

Next week there will be pictures and more progress to report.  We are two weeks away from moving back in, four from Mom's birthday (OMG!).  Everyone seems intent on making this happen.  All the lights and plumbing fixtures are in the garage, the tile has been ordered, flooring and cabinets come in at the end of next week (I think).

More soon..........