Slow Progress

The guys are working on the covered porch, still. It is taking a long time. I think we are behind schedule. The pipe is here for the water main, but I don't know when the ditch will be dug.

We are putting skylights in the covered porch so that the downstairs is well lite with natural light. I think it will work well.

More Cow Bell

Here is the house to date. The guys are in the progress of putting the porch on.

It was a beautiful, hot, sunny day! The XC team went to the beach to stay a little cool. The beach was windy, but still nice and better to work out on then hot black top. According to my sister, the temperature meter at Sid's read 90 degrees this afternoon. Nice! I loved it, others did not share my enthusiasm.

When I was out at the property this evening taking pictures of the progress I heard cows. There was a lot of mooing. I couldn't see them, but I could hear them. I don't know what they were upset about, maybe the heat. Beach cows should be happy for warm weather. They are usually stuck in the rain.

The supports for the porch were poured today. The porch will wrap around the front and east side of the house.Adam has joined the house labor group after school. They will be working on the porch tomorrow.

Pictures speak louder than words

I have a ton of pictures to share. Len and the boys have been working like crazy these last few weeks. It is really starting to look like a house.

Len has spread out all the sand and soil with this excavator. We have great soil, but it smells like cow sh*t.

I painted outside trim boards today. It was hot and sunny. The boards dried very quickly.

The guys have been sheeting the roof today. This is the south side of the house. I think Len got a sun burn.

The roof is very high. It is within code for our area, of course, but just barely.

This is the front of the house so far. The next step is to sheet the garage roof and start on the wrap around porch.

Bonus Room

The roof tresses are being put up this week. The bonus room above the garage is inside the tresses. It is nice and big. It will be a great space for a workout room. We just have to hall my treadmill up the stairs.

Len and The Don in the bonus room.

View of the garage and bonus room from the west.

The bonus room. There will be a window in the far west wall.

Going Up

Len and the boys have made big progress this weekend.

Framing and sheeting of the outside walls of the upper level.

Len working hard. (Note the Tums on the work bench.)

Mike in the septic tank.

Kings of the hill!

View from the top

We got the floor on for the second story. Yippy! I can see where my soaking tub is going to be. I sat in my imaginary tub and admired the view. Very nice. This new development also makes the downstairs look closer to being livable. The "great room" is GREAT. The study is a little smaller than I had hoped. The kitchen dinning room area will be wonderful. I love all my windows.

This is the stair well with the entry way below. We climbed up with a ladder, getting down was a little tricky.

Mom and I swept out the lower level today. Len, Jeff, and the Don have been working like crazy. They worked until dark last night and they are all out there again tonight.

Dust and Cows

I spent Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at Teenaway Creek Cross-Country Camp. This is a camp run by Ernie (IHS 93) and wife Tori, who are both head coaches at large schools. Only two Ilwaco kids participated, but it was fun. The camp is in Cle Elm, out by Ellensburg. As a nice surprise, Mike, my elusive brother, showed up. I hadn't seen him sense Christmas and it was nice to catch up. It was EXTREMELY warm and dusty in the middle of the sate. The flys were awful, but the sun was wonderful!

Yesterday, Mom, Heidi, Owen, and I went to the Clatsop County Fair! We had a great time. We saw horses, goats, sheep, cows, bunnies, chickens, llamas, ducks, arts and crafts, a fire truck, and tractors. It was all you could want in a fair. Owen loved the cows and we sat to watch the 4-H kids show their cows for a little while. The horse barns reminded me of my 4-H days. I have many good memories of the tiny little Pacific County Fair with Lucky Charm and Babe. It is funny how everything changes and nothing changes at the same time. The kids had cell phones, but the horse stalls and western outfits and decorations all looked just like the 80's ones I remember. Sigh, memory lane. Heidi and I had elephant ears, yum, and I took Owie down the big slide. There was a GIGANTIC mule (no shitting) in the parking lot with a officer on him directing traffic. A good time was had by all.

Update on the house: We are waiting for the tresses for the upper floor to be installed so we can frame the upstairs.