We've renamed the blog and moved it to http://oceanstatehome.blogspot.com/
The new name reflects the next chapters in the building of our home.
Thanks for reading and see you on the new site!
The Impatient Home Builder
My blog about building our home in RI and other musings as they happen.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Short Weather Break
Front Porch Completed
The Columns Frame the Front Door Nicely
We'll need to Bring in Top Soil When the Weather is Warmer
Columns have been added to the side Porch
Side Porch with Mahogany Deck
The weather
took a break long enough to have the front and side porches worked on. Columns
were added and the mahogany decking was put on. Combined they give it a really nice
look. The steps are sort of left hanging in the air but it gives us a good idea
of where the final grade (top soil) will be. That will have to wait for warmer weather though.
The weather
with its ups and downs makes for slow outside work. This cold just seems to bring frustration with it. But I know things will start moving again.
Friday, January 17, 2014
Eye of Winter
Need Mud?
The Yard is Now One Big Mud Pile
The Stone Wall base is under the Black Plastic Wrap. This helps
to keep the Water Out so that it won't collect and Freeze under the Base
The New Side Patio will be Going Above It
The Weather has Taken a Break Long Enough to Start the Side Porch
Porch from the Kitchen Window
We'll need to Bring in more Gravel for the Side Patio to Raise the Grade
Night Shot (Best I could do) of the Wood Ready to Go up
for the Back Deck
If you’ve
ever been in a hurricane and you have had the eye pass over you, you get to see
the most amazing thing. The winds stop and the fury turns to calm and the
clouds open up to an amazing (and
welcomed) blue sky. It looks like a perfect afternoon. Of course that is until
the other side of the storm hits.
I’m feeling
like that with this winter. We’ve had days of single digit temps causing pipes to freeze and where it
actually hurt to go outside along with a snow storm that
dumped a foot of snow. Roads have had black ice in the morning making the drive
to work interesting.
Until this week.
Temps have been as high as the 50’s and other than some rain here and there turning
everything to foot deep mud, it’s been pretty nice. I think it must be the Eye
of Winter. And while I’m sure the other side of winter is coming, the builders
are taking advantage of the better weather and are working on the porches and
back deck. The mason is back on site too. I’m not sure how long this weather is
going to last, but unlike normal where we complain about the weather, we’re not
doing any of that. Now if could I just get the sun to stay out later so I could
get some after work pictures…
Enjoy your
weekend.
Go Patriots!
Sunday, January 5, 2014
The Elves Have Returned from the North Pole
If you look closely you can see the drawing for the
Front Door Trim
And the Trim Work is Up
Side View of the Front Door
Wainscoating Going Up in the Dining Room
Door Trim, Wainscoating & a Column That
Really adds to it All. When we saw it in the Drawings
we knew it would look great. And it is.
Transom Window over the door to the Kitchen
Mullions will be Added
The Stair Trim has Begun
0 Degree Weather and Plenty of Snow
I think it's Going to be awhile before the Outside Masonry Work
Starts Up Again
So I’m
pretty sure now that Christmas is over it’s safe to say that the elves have
been relieved of their toy making duties and have now returned to work at our
house. Thank you Santa.
Truthfully,
it has nothing to do with Santa. Or the subs. It’s all about proper scheduling.
And if the backroom doesn’t get it right and schedule the subs properly then
the work doesn’t happen. Plain and simple.
Speaking of
subs, we’re fortunate that we have true craftsmen doing the interior work.
Finish work is not easy. Corners must be mitered correctly. Doors must close correctly
and everything must fit together perfectly. This is what everyone sees and when
it’s not right, most, maybe not all, but most will notice. And that’s what they
leave with. We know when we have visitors they’ll see the fine workmanship of
the carpenters who are putting the finish trim work in our house. We hope they
like what they see. We do so far.
Enjoy your
week.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year from our Home to Your Home
Had a visit from a Red Tail Hawk
That was Playing with It's Food
It used It's wing to block Escape
Only about 15' Away from Me
A little Wild Life Video
Note the really steady camera action and ya, that
was me whistling. It didn't care.
A Visit to Newport for Dinner
New Fangled Christmas Tree Stand
2" PVC Pipe stuck in a Hole in a work stand
Happy New
Year!
I was on vacation
last week which happened to coincide with another week of no contractors on
site. While most would attribute it to the holidays (or lousy scheduling), I’m
wondering if they knew I was on vacation and with my propensity to ask about
the why’s and how’s of their work they beat feet to other locations. I tried to
make the best of it.
With winter
less than 10 days old I’m already feeling cooped up. So I told my better half
that I was going to do some work outside over at the other house. She looked at
me with that look of “What could he
possibly be doing outside in 20 degree temperatures? But he’s driving me crazy…”
“Ok, have fun!”
I thought I
would go fill in a hole that needed filling with the material that was stacked
next to it. The same material that had been soaked with rain, turned to mud and
then subjected to 20 degree temperatures. I figured I could use my heavy steel
pry bar to break it up. Ya, no. A couple of hard bangs on the frozen dirt that had
the cold steel vibrating through my gloves into my hands told me that wasn’t
happening. It’s funny how you can so quickly change your mind from what you
thought was a really good idea to thinking that was a really stupid idea. So I
figured checking the mail was going to be something else I could do.
When walking
to the mailbox out front something caught the corner of my eye. Holy gadzooks (my better half made me change what I wrote originally). It
was a big Red Tail Hawk and it was only about ten feet away from me. Now most
birds fly away as soon as you get within viewing distance but not this one. It
wasn’t concerned at all with me because it obviously had not listened to its
mother growing up and was playing with its food. Not being sure how protective it
could be of whatever it was playing with and having grown up watching Mutual of
Omaha’s Wild Animal Kingdom (back when we only had three TV stations), I knew
its talons could make quick work of my face. So I backed off a bit and watched.
I have to admit it was pretty cool watching this large bird play around with
something in the grass and completely ignore me. I watched for about ten
minutes and then decided to move off in case it got bored with the small thing
it was toying with and started looking for something bigger to play with…
2013 is now
a memory. Outside of an economy that is still in the doldrums and a do nothing
congress, it was a good year for me personally and I’m thankful for any
blessings that came my way large or small. I hope the New Year brings an even
better year for all of us.
2014 is
starting out with today’s Pro Jo (Providence Journal) headline reading “Region
Braces for up to 10 inches of snow” I’ve gotta go brace. Whatever that is. I
think it means get more coffee.
Enjoy your
day.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Christmas Eve
Barrington, RI Congregational Church
Built in 1806 using timbers from the
Orginal Church built in 1711.
Children's Christmas Eve Service
If you look closely you can see the old doors on the pews.
The doors kept the heat in the pew space when the families brought
small coal burners with them to stay warm.
Christmas Eve with our First Tree
Merry Christmas to All!
Sunday, December 22, 2013
The Christmas Lull
In 2011 We started with this
Thought we were Going to Do This
Had this happen in between
Now we have this in Lull Land
Christmas Cookies
My better
half made some Christmas cookies with plans to bring them into work and give
them to friends. I had other plans for them.
Shortly
after making them she asked “Who has been eating the Christmas cookies?” What?
We’re not supposed to eat them? Crap.
Now truly, my contribution when invited to
help making them was putting boobs on one of the snowmen (women?) after which I
was told that my help was no longer needed. I thought it would be funny. The
funny part was she wasn’t amused. Much.
So with there
only being two of us I did what I had to about the missing cookies. I said, “You
know, someone has been drinking my beer too. I wonder if the same person that
ate the cookies is the same one that’s drinking my beer?” I pretty sure she
didn’t buy that…
Back to the
house.
Twas a few
nights before Christmas and all of the contractors have headed for the hills.
The house work has come to a complete stop.
It wouldn’t
be so bad if it hadn’t come to a complete stop a few weeks ago. Much of it is
due to scheduling conflicts. Some of it due to the Holidays. We had a good
meeting yesterday with the builder to go over a few items that we had concerns
about including the apparent stop work that was only missing the picket signs.
They have a sub that needs to wrap up a few things outside in order for the
house to move forward. Fortunately, our Project Manager, Joe, is on top of this
and we have a commitment to ramp back up next week at the start of the New Year.
In the meantime I’m going to have to drink a lot of Christmas Cheer to feel
better about this lull.
This will
make our third Christmas owning the property, paying mortgages and trying to make
something out of it. It’s been frustrating but we know 2014 will be “The” year.
In
celebration of our two year anniversary of owning the property, I invite you to
read one of my older blogs. It will make you laugh and like a Christmas Carol,
it is the Ghost of Christmases to come.
Enjoy your
weekend
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