Finally, an update

So much for updating the blog as soon as I got back from Europe. Thanks for the gentle reminder, Connie, that I needed to get with the program. 

I thought we had the doors settled before I left, but there was a misunderstanding with the lumber company. Kim and I discussed the problem several times while I was gone and finally decided to go with two of the exterior doors that weren't my first choice, and wait until I got back to decide on the entry door. There was a good bit of rain and a really bad storm while I was gone, putting the framer about 2 1/2 weeks behind.

Below are some pics Kim took while I was gone.

First week of April: 

green board going on - garage side view

sunrise from back of house

back porch and silt fence

 Week of April 10th:

things were moving along pretty good until...

the hail storm hit!!!

it hit so fast Kim didn't have time to get my car in the barn

hail on the porch

and in the drive

and inside the new house

all over the inside

it punched through the cornice

this all had to be removed and replaced

what a mess!

leaves on the ground and porch instead of on the trees

getting the roof decking on

roofing material arrived

all the green board is on now

back porch

synthetic felt going on

Week of April 17th: 

returning unused lumber

transoms in living area

fireplace workings

fireplace

we had almost 4" of rain the day I came home from Europe

daily clean-up after the crew leaves

scaffolding for second story siding - you can see the holes in the cornice

window from outside

kitchen windows from inside

living area windows

porch ceiling v-groove

Hardi shake going up

picking up nails

gables and trim on the back

back of the house with roofer laying down felt

fish scale going up

 Week of April 24th:

the GC (Kim) is at work with the framers

fish scale and dentil trim is up on the front - absolutely love, love, love the corbels Kim built

saw this eagle when I was walking out to the mailbox - he is wounded and couldn't fly away but hopped off when he saw me

and there is the GC working with the framers again

back porch ceiling

we have stairs - yea!!! no more climbing up the ladder

more siding is on

trimming the dormer windows

we had a visitor (rat snake) on the front porch this morning (4/26)

taking him to another habitat more suitable than our front porch

the chimney cap is on

Remember all the nice neat stacks of lumber that were delivered? This is what it looks like now.

siding on the front is done

almost done on the garage side

the electrician started the wiring yesterday (4/28)

can lights in the ceiling

and a nice big spot for drawers under the staircase

still need the shake shingles on this side of the house and the back porch

There were lots of changes while I was gone and many more over the past 12 days since I've been home. We finally got the front door ordered and will have a dummy door to put in on Monday (May 2nd). The framer is supposed to be finished on Wednesday (May 4th). The electrician started wiring yesterday and the plumber, painter, stone mason and HVAC guys are all lined up for the next couple of weeks. I'm currently trying to decide on paint colors for the exterior. There will be 4 colors - one for the fish scale, one for the shake shingle, one for the trim (all in shades of gray) and a final color (blue) for the porch ceiling.

That's all for today.