Week 17

It is getting closer! Every week we can see us getting closer to move in and yet there are so many little things that need to happen before that. This week some of those things got done.

Last week we made a Grand Forks run and got a half ton load of things for the house. One of them was a door for the entry from the garage to the house. Top picture on the right shows the door installed. We also bought things like sinks, taps, door knobs, etc, etc. Cal and crew finished up a bunch of things before moving on to another job this week. Top left shows the window wells we had made by a local fellow, and they got installed this week. Bottom right shows the screen door for our screen porch. Think that is enough to keep the bugs out? Bottom left shows the step onto the front porch, and they also covered the posts with Hardie siding and now I need to paint it.

Inside the house again, the cabinets arrived and installation got underway. I am really excited to see the kitchen take shape, and am waiting for the day when I can start cooking and baking in a full sized kitchen again, and this one will be full sized.

I won't show you too many views, I will wait till the counter tops, and appliances are in. Check back next week.

In the basement, the drywall is done and ready for taping and mudding, and there was also some pine wainscotting put up in the big room. The hardwood flooring is almost done, and some of the trim is on on the doors and windows. Things are moving along, soon we will have to start shopping for things to fill the house.

Week 16

Another week has come and gone, and we are getting closer to moving in, but we haven't set a date for it yet. Things seem to change a lot every week, but yet when we look at all the little details that need doing before move in there are LOTS of things left to do. We are looking forward to it though, the RV seems to be getting a little small. Will I miss it when we move into the house? I don't think so, and yet it has been a good place to have---temporarily.

This past week, they finished up the siding around the bow window and so siding is complete. The second picture top, shows the spray in insulation being applied on the joists. We also had the eavestroughs installed one morning, took all of about 2 hours and the job was done, but now when it rains, we don't get leaked on when we go onto the porch. And they also put pine up on the ceiling of the screen porch.

Inside the house there was a transformation on the floors. We hired a friend to come in and install the hardwood and he worked hard all week and got most of it done. There is some more work in our bedroom, and some in the entrance to do yet, but it looks great. Even the grandkids thought so and already were dancing around on it one day.

We also finally found some linoleum that we liked , bought it and it was installed in the entrance, mudroom, and powder room, sewing room and our ensuite bathroom. We are also quite happy with it even though it got decided on in a hurry. It just felt right.

and of course, there was still farming to do, and the combining continued and we got all the wheat and oats finished this week, just minutes before the rain came on Friday.

More week 15

There was some more deck construction on the south side deck, and it is mostly done, except maybe for a bit of railing.

The siding was finished up as much as could be done on the south and east sides of the house. We needed to pick up some more white trim boards and we did that on Friday, so now they should be able to finish that up.

Siding on the front of the house is now complete.

There was also some more work done in the basement, hanging more drywall, and building some bulkheads. The hardwood flooring had to wait because the wood was too dry and so needed to sit and climatize a while longer. Hopefully this week we can get to putting it down. That's all for now, got to get to work.

Week 15

A quick rundown of this past week's happenings in the house. The interior doors got hung and I gave them a coat of paint.

We picked up some trim boards and they also got a coat of paint before they are put up.

The platform and stair in the garage, and entrance into the house was built and put in place.

The hot tub was lowered into it's spot after some more under the scenes work was completed.

Relish

I did it! I made relish in my little RV kitchen! Homemade relish is a staple at our house, not that we can't eat the bought stuff, but the homemade stuff is so much better, and so I wanted to make some again after the fire got my supply. At times I looked at the cucumbers in my garden and at my little kitchen and wondered, "What was I thinking?" Amber offered me the use of her kitchen and I thought I would take her up on it, but as I got into things, I figured I could manage here. And I did!

Yesterday I finally went into the garden to pick the cukes that I had been ignoring, and there were plenty, just the right size for making relish. Time to get to work. I washed the cukes, and then I phoned a friend to see if I could borrow her Braun machine and grinder again for the task. No problem there. Next I had to go to Morris and get some supplies. I needed to get these things anyway, so I might as well do it now. Let's see, I needed a large pot, some big bowls, and a colander. Luckily, I could find all I needed at Home Hardware. I had bought jars earlier on in anticipation of this event. Back at home I got to work again, getting my onions and peppers out of the garden, cutting all the veggies up, and grinding them, so that they could sit overnight for the flavors to blend.

This morning, I got to work and washed my jars, strained the veggies, and got out my new pot to start the brine cooking. The pot pretty much took up the whole stove, but it seemed to work, and soon the smell of relish filled the air.

It is just past 9:00 AM and the relish is done, and sitting on the table cooling, and I am hearing the snaps telling me that the jars are sealed. I love that sound! and I feel like I have accomplished something. Most times it is just a routine thing that I do in summer, but this time it was more of a challenge. I probably will make a couple more batches now that I know it is possible in a small RV kitchen and next year, I should be able to work in a beautiful new kitchen, with lots of space. I am learning to appreciate the "ordinary" things that I tended to take so for granted, and I think this relish will taste particularly good!!

First Meal in the New House

It was time to have the kids over for lunch again. Something we had been missing. Sunday lunch often happened at our place and Hailey and Jayda like to come in our car. It hasn't happened much this summer and we were all missing it. It was time. Plus it was Erik's birthday. But where should we eat, it was very hot outside, and not enough room in the RV , so the next choice was the new house. Of course, there was lots of room there, and it was even pretty cool. We set up a couple of tables in the living room, (the actual dining room was full of paint cans and supplies, and boxes of hardwood), got out the paper plates and cups, and I made chicken and potatoes on the BBQ, we had fresh cukes from the garden for a salad, some corn, bread, and a birthday dessert that Amber brought, and it was GOOD!

The welcoming committee!

Setting up and getting everyone settled while I finished the preparations back at the RV.

Enjoying the meal and the conversation.

The birthday boy blowing out his candle while his girls watch. It was a yummy dessert too!

It was a good time and the first of many Sunday lunches at our place again. I am so looking forward to some of those normal things again. And when the play room is done, the kids and I can go and play, like we used to, while the others cleaned up and visited. I think the kids and grandkids are waiting for some of that normal too. The downside of it all was that Kristy, Graham and Norah couldn't join us today. We would have had room !

Week 14

A short work week--for some-- but still much done again. The siding install made good progress this week, and we are quite enjoying the look of our home as it emerges with color.

There have been some rain days lately, and so there has been drywall put up in the basement and it is looking more closed in but we can get a feel for the rooms.

Inside, there was color showing up as well. It was painting time and Kerry and I took it on ourselves to paint. We mostly enjoy painting and it was some sweat we could put into the house, and sweat we did! But we made good progress and by the end of the week everything on the main floor was painted twice except for the stairwell and the living room. We also had some help from a few others, Thanks Amber, Andrew and Karen.

And more electrical work. The electricians spent 2 days and did some more wiring . In the utility room in the basement, where a couple of days ago there was just a tangle of wires, now they are neatly wired into the panel. A panel was put up in the garage as well. Then there were some potlights put in, and plug-ins and switch covers in places. We now have a couple of live plugins and working lights. We purchased hardwood for the floors, and doors for the interior and are trying to decide on linoleum for a couple of rooms. And at the end of the week, it was time to get back to harvesting, and we finished combining the winter wheat, and I picked all the apples off the tree before the birds got to taste them all, but I ignored the garden because I didn't really have time to pick anything or take care of it anyway.

More week 13

Also happening this week, was work on the deck on the south side of the house, out of the dining room. This one connects up with the screen porch. They needed to start this one so that they could get the siding done right.

This may simply look like a ceiling, but it is a primed ceiling. The taping, mudding and sanding got done by supper time Thursday, and so we started wiping dust off the walls, and on Friday and Saturday we primed ceilings.

Then on Saturday afternoon, before attending a wedding in the city, we went to Home Depot and bought ourselves some more work. We bought about 30 pails of paint, but I am excited to see color coming into the house, even though it will be a lot of work. We are looking forward to something we can do ourselves.

And then I went into the garden and saw more work in progress. I picked my first cucumbers, and also a bunch of apples off the tree in the garden. Relish and apple pie coming up. Wonder how I will manage to make relish in the RV?

Week 13

Another busy, hot , sticky week, but good progress once again.

Finishing up the soffit and fascia on the house.

There was lots of siding and trim put on.

We went to Grand Forks one day and picked up the garage doors we had ordered and before long they were installed.

as were the garage door openers. NO we can't use them yet, the installation is not quite finished, and we have to get a few more parts.