We are now host to the first illness of the new house. Poor Cooper.. came home today with fever and aches and lack of appetite and then threw up and fell asleep.. oink, oink….
We’ll post pictures if you like…. ; )
We have spent weekend II in the new house. We find it hard to go over to the old house. The old house has rapidly declined into an abandoned state.. it smells stale and unloved. It is dusty and cold. It is an old friend, and deserves better, but for now, bright and shiny gets all the attention.
All the wonderful old familiar things that make the home are now in the new house. We celebrated our first birthday in the new house with the birthday boy’s pancake request.
I am really loving the new appliances.. so far the only thing I don’t like is that the oven timer issues one short beep, and a few minutes later, one more. Which, when I am far away doing something else means I smell burned roast in my future. Must. be. disciplined.
People are still hungry in the new house…that didn’t change, and it has been fun to cook for them.
With the help of true friends.. the sort that show up on a rainy Sunday to help move the last MASSIVE furniture through the mud without a dent or scratch or broken glass… Nana’s hutch and all the much loved family treasures are back in their old familiar places.
The pitch of the old roof didn’t exactly match the pitch of the new roof.. but this solid bookcase is lovely and familiar, and we know it will hold all the favorite children’s classics.
But there have been some changes. The old baking cupboard, that served us well for many years as an extra work surface in the kitchen, and housed all the baking spices and ingredients… is now obsolete. It has no space in the shiny kitchen. But it will have new life upstairs as a computer work station.
And then there is the hutch. When the man about the place and I moved to North Carolina, we moved into a townhouse which would be our temporary home while he went to grad school and I worked with middle schoolers (last time ever.. high school all the way…) We shared a love for old things and found the local fair grounds had an ongoing flea market/antique/junk stall thingy going on the weekends. We went, because we needed something to set our $12 TV on. We found a couple of small pieces we have used for years… and we found this.
An antique step back hutch from a Virginia farmhouse. We bought it.. and that was the last time we saw it put together in its almost 9 foot glory. The top came off the bottom, and we used the 2 pieces separately while we lived in the townhouse… and when we looked for our more permanent home, we hoped for tall ceilings. But house number one did not have them. Then when we contemplated the move to house 2, the one we have just abandoned, I could not believe we went down in ceiling height even more.. 7 ft ceilings do not a step-back hutch accommodate. But instead of selling it off, we moved the behemoth around in various positions over the years.. until today. For the first time since the day we bought it, it now stands reunited in all its glory..holy cow, the thing is tall. But for all its heaviness and cumbersome, weighty ways…it is still perfect. And now together, ready to be loved again.
Sigh. Life feels complete and wonderful at this moment.
There was a first birthday celebration:
And the first wisdom teeth have been pulled:
There is still alot of work to do.. but the wind can blow, the cold rain can fall.. we have a snug place to call home surrounded by all the pieces of our family’s history.
We have lived here 13 years, but our perspective just changed. We now look out to the pond. And the new life of herons and mallards out our dining room window, and the deer around the house, make looking out the windows an adventure.
We began the move on Friday.. dining table and chairs, and beds. We had the Morris’s over so that Chris could help with an Eagle project. So pizza and an extra pair of hands allowed us to sleep in our new home on Friday night.
Our new back view… looking at the house and old barn from across the pond.
We move in the table, and the middle son decides it is time to get homework out of the way.
The middle son’s new room.. he did the locker himself… and hopes to get a new futon cover for the holidays in a red color.
The youngest has a new loft bed…he is enjoying it very much.
The new dining space. We had “company” to dinner Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We tried out all the appliances.. popcorn in the microwave, a roasted chicken ala convection, and loads of laundry… washed and dried. And we discovered that our new dishwasher and dryer “sing” when they are done, and then shut themselves off. How very pleasant and efficient of them.
The new bedroom arrangement… who gets what drawer and where should things go.. all still under negotiation.
And the tub got used for a late Saturday night soak… to get off the dust of the old house, and warm up tired muscles.
We are not done.. the adventure is still just begun. New vistas….
New sunsets…
Old chores done new ways…
But so much fun to make this new place the old home place.
they are all getting in the way of my posting, which is irritating the man about the place. He wants me to let everyone know that the county says we can move in, the builder says we can move in.. and after the final paint touch-up, clean-up tomorrow by the crew, we may very well move in.
Well, at least some pillows, blankets, cereal bowls, favorite stuffed animals, and the pond plants.. we had our first frosty spell, so we pulled out some pond plants to overwinter in our new laundry room..
If you hear any whooping and hollering tomorrow afternoon… it will be one of the five of us.. or all of us all at once.. because we are thrilled.
Apparently, the man about the place wants me to update the list…. so here goes….
1. Hook up electricity
2. Hook up sewer.
3. Install microwave.
4. Hook up stove and fridge
5. Downstairs light fixtures. ( This is to be done by the man about the place.. fan in living room and our bedroom.. he better get to it if he wants me to cross this off the list. 
)
6. Outdoor light fixtures.
7. Final sheetrock sanding of marriage walls.
8. Tile bathroom.
9. Tile entry and dining area.
10. Carpet install.
11. Doors installed upstairs.
12. Trim upstairs.
13. Doors upstairs.
14. Trim out attic stairs.
15. Bathroom counter.
16. Finish painting – the upper bathroom was done, and the second coat went on the dining/kitchen… but there is some final touch up painting and column/front door.. to be done Wed.
17. Trim paint.
18. Porch columns
19. Front window fix – this is on order.. currently arriving at end of month
20. Final inspections.
21. Leak at back door.
22. Knob on cabinets.
23. Closing – appraisal done, now just waiting for paperwork.
24. Move in – as soon as builder gives us go ahead.
25. Paint downstairs hall
26. Paint upstairs common room.
27. Paint Zach’s room
28. Paint stairwell
29. Put down bamboo.
30. Dishwasher install
31. Light in stairwell
32. Installed stair rail
33.Installed upstairs toilet
34. Installed upstairs bathroom mirror
35. caulked and trimmed out sink
36. Floor in my office
37. Paint boys bathroom
We have the official Certificate of Occupancy. We are soooo close.
Eli grew 2 feet taller when he heard the news, and there was much rejoicing.
The porch columns look lovely.. they need a coat of paint, but then they are done.
The porch got a thourough cleaning for the appraisal today.
And, the weekend work really looks lovely…
My pretty office floor....thanks Zack and Chris.
Cooper chose the color "Tulip" for their bathroom, and big brothers let him. It is not quite as bright a yellow as this pic suggests.. but lovely.
Another upstairs bathroom picture.
Eli's super smooth bamboo floor... Eli, Chris and Cooper worked very hard on this.
And the best part of my day... knobs on my cabinets.. I LURVE these... who knew they would make me so happy.
So… there is a ditch to be filled for the water lines.. now that it is appropriately deep and has been approved. There is some paint work to touch up, a few knobs to install in the upper bath. A few minor punch list items. A check to write to the builder, and some bank paperwork to sign.
Happy 2 month birthday House… we may be moving in later this week!
We are all very, very tired.
Checked off the list:
Floor in my office.. lovely cherry finished oak ..done, thanks to Chris and Zack
Bamboo floor in Eli’s room and closet and hall… very lovely, and Eli did much of his own work, with Cooper as runner and fetcher, and dad as brawn and brain and organization.
Touched up laundry paint, second coat on kitchen/dining room, and painted boys bathroom… mom.
And even the builders were here, building the top part of the columns.
So, some final inspection bits tomorrow, a bank appraisal, a punch list to forward.. and hopefully we are close.
Sorry no pictures, but have I mentioned we are tired? But Chris was anxious I should update. And Eli and Cooper think it is unjust we cannot just move in now.
Stay tuned.
Today, columns were done on the outside of the house. Chris laid the flooring in my office, and I painted the kids bathroom, and touched up/finished painting in the kitchen and laundry.
Progress is being made on the CO…extra insulation and smallish things to get done for that. All the attic access doors have been gasketed and insulated.
There is some white paint to touch up. And maybe some touch up in the bathroom when it dries.. but I will do that tomorrow. Now it is time to wash dishes and clothes and clean up the old house.. just because it always needs doing. I will be glad to be down to one house!
1. Hook up electricity
2. Hook up sewer.
3. Install microwave.
4. Hook up stove and fridge
5. Downstairs light fixtures.
6. Outdoor light fixtures.
7. Final sheetrock sanding of marriage walls.
8. Tile bathroom.
9. Tile entry and dining area.
10. Carpet install.
11. Doors installed upstairs.
12. Trim upstairs.
13. Doors upstairs.
14. Trim out attic stairs.
15. Bathroom counter.
16. Finish painting.
17. Trim paint.
18. Porch columns
19. Front window fix
20. Final inspections.
21. Leak at back door.
22. Knob on cabinets.
23. Closing.
24. Move in.
25. Paint downstairs hall
26. Paint upstairs common room.
27. Paint Zach’s room
28. Paint stairwell
29. Put down bamboo.
30. Dishwasher install
31. Light in stairwell
32. Installed stair rail
33.Installed upstairs toilet
34. Installed upstairs bathroom mirror
35. caulked and trimmed out sink
Yes, the finish line is in sight… but still, it seems so eternally far away. Today, lots of things got done. And I think we are on schedule for closing with the bank.
The backyard...everything buried finally, and smoothed out.
All the outside lights have been installed...
Nice and bright to welcome you home.
Kitchen pendants hung over the island.
Stove hooked up and working... convection and standard in one!
Dishwasher is working.. they ran water through it today. And someone used the master toilet for the first time.
Fridge is plugged in, but still needs its water hose.
But this really makes it feel real... carpet.. downstairs, nutmeg, upstairs, cornflower.
It feels so lovely under the feet...
The boys upstairs common room...
Guest room...
1. Hook up electricity
2. Hook up sewer.
3. Install microwave.
4. Hook up stove and fridge
5. Downstairs light fixtures.
6. Outdoor light fixtures.
7. Final sheetrock sanding of marriage walls.
8. Tile bathroom.
9. Tile entry and dining area.
10. Carpet install.
11. Doors installed upstairs.
12. Trim upstairs.
13. Doors upstairs.
14. Trim out attic stairs.
15. Bathroom counter.
16. Finish painting.
17. Trim paint.
18. Porch columns
19. Front window fix
20. Final inspections.
21. Leak at back door.
22. Knob on cabinets.
23. Closing.
24. Move in.
25. Paint downstairs hall
26. Paint upstairs common room.
27. Paint Zach’s room
28. Paint stairwell
29. Put down bamboo.
30. Dishwasher install
31. Light in stairwell
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