2/2/11 Basking in mud

driveway - yuck!

more windows to come...and a door!

cathedral ceiling in Great Room

insulation in shop

While the rest of you are shivering in the latest blast of cold, snow and ice,...we're basking in a realative balmy 60-something today. But - we're mired in mud!  It seems like the entire month of January was one rainy day after another.  Good thing the house is dried in and we can work mostly indoors.  OK - I call it "dried in" but I'm not sure if that's official.  The good news is that the shop is zipping right along.  Wired, plumbed, heat and a/c in, and as of this week, insulated.  Today, the garage door went up and tomorrow, the door knobs and locks will be in.  So, as far as insurance is concerned, it's lockable.  We'll be able to store building supplies inside and feel like they are relatively secure.  After we put up plywood on the inside walls and ceiling, Tommy will be ready to set up his shop toys.  The front room of the shop is ready to finish too but will be a bit more sophisticated...textured 1-11 plywood walls (rough paneling) with wood plank ceiling and floor.  Still pretty rustic.  Can lights are in, and it's wired for ceiling fans.  The shop porch is ready for 3 lights and 2 fans.  Oh - and did I say that the shop is finished on the outside?  Vinyl siding (alas, bricks for the shop weren't in the budget) is up and trimmed out.

So - where does that leave the house?  Well, all the windows arrived this week and the first two are up.  Todd's been working on wiring this week, mostly putting up can lights.  Does it seem excessive that there will be about 75 cans in the house?  Nice to have an electrician in the family!  We met with the cabinet maker last week and are finalizing the kitchen layout.  Looks like the cabinets will be hickory wood - very pretty.  But that led to the need to order the appliances so we're sure everything fits.  Sears thanked us for buying french-door refrigerator, double oven stove, dishwasher, microwave/vent, upright freezer, and a secondary fridge for the shop.  Whew!  Doing all of those in stainless steel.  Ordered the vanity for the guest bath as well as a Mexican talavera vessel sink.  Lots and lots of decisions and choices yet to come, but all in all, it's coming along.  Hopefully the pictures will fill in where where my words don't.  Wish you all were here to see the progress!