Long Overdue

It has been ages since I posted. So what excitement can I report?

The most important news on the home front is that the gutters are finally back on the house, so repairs to the roof after the big "tree" falling are finally complete. It only took four months and four days to get it back together again. Who would have ever though it would take so long? Eric was infinitely patient with them, but they still took their time.

Out weather has been like a ping pong tournament. One week warm, next week cold. We have set records for warmth, and unseasonable temperatures. The men that know (???do they really know??) say that next week we will be normal. Whatever that is? I see banners outside houses proclaiming "Let it Snow", but really do not know if we will have any this year or not. I know the plants are very confused, I still have petunias on the front porch that are alive.

This weekend, on Saturday, I am going on an Appreciation Day field trip with other volunteers from Meadow Farm. We are going to Chippokes Plantation. This is the same place Eric and I visited 2 winters ago for their Christmas Outdoor Sale. The Plantation has a very large museum, so this will be part of out itinerary for the day. Lunch is going to be in Surry. It should be a great time, and the weather is supposed to be "mild" according to the guys in the know.

Street Tree

Today our street became a boulevard of trees. We anticipated the arrival of the trees as we had plenty of clues. One, they planted trees the next block up recently, and secondly, the Utility companies were out in force yesterday marking utility lines. So, not only do we have a lovely Elm tree (a Bosque elm for inquiring minds), we also have lovely multi-colored lines all over everywhere. Internet research states that this tree is well suited for street plantings, poor soil, and the other less than optimal climate characteristics found here. So, hopefully, in a few years, we'll have a lovely tree to look at.

Inside, the warranty work finally began to "right" the "wrongs" on our end of year checklist. Biggest was the master closet door that opened into the closet. I am so happy, I can now open the closet door and see everything! If nothing else gets fixed, I'll still be happy with this improvement. They also sent a yard crew that dug up the ruts in the side and front. Some were caused by Eagle, and some by the tree men, but none the less, we will have new sod soon and maybe things will be more level. They haven't touched the back yard yet, but at least this is progress.

We are anticipating rain this weekend, so it will be good for the tree and the sod. Just the right foot for them to start on.

Mom and Dad will be celebrating their 61st Wedding anniversary this Friday. Brian and family, and Russell and family, their two grandsons will be in Lufkin to help them party! I am sure with two little girls, both under 3 it will be lots of fun. They will no doubt enjoy having both the grandsons, their wives and 2 of their great-grand children with them. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad .... I may have to wish it to you again tomorrow and the next day .... but why not start early!

Some things are accomplished

As you know, are carpet is installed. If you run on over to the house blog, there is a short movie showing the attic room as it looked on Monday night.

Since then, we have started bringing up things from out of the garage ..... Don't ask how many times Eric has done this! We are putting away things as we sort thought them again, discard, and repack. We have all the books upstairs now, and all of the decorations for the house for any and all seasons. I found my US flag again, so some things are appearing that had been "relocated"! At least maybe for Veterans Day we will be able to fly our large USA flag.

Eric has been putting up shelving, and as this is the third set of this stuff we have bought, he is getting pretty quick at it. The installation is easy, once you get the upper track in place. He measured before the men put up the sheetrock, so he would know where each and every stud upstairs is. Clever no?

We are setting up a small play area for the kids, their kitchen, and all the assorted food, trains, blocks and things that are best set up in a larger space will relocate up there. We'll leave books, play-dough and "quiet" activities like games and puzzles downstairs. I am going to scout around for some kind of shelving for their things.

Our weather is really pretty. It is warm again, and just perfect. The rain we received has greened up the lawn, and it looks like some of the top dressing we did will actually help. Time will tell on it. We were told when we bought seed for the grass to wait and put it down just before the first snowfall. Something about it getting good soil contact and moisture. Sounds good in theory anyway.

The man from Eagle who was to begin our warranty work didn't show up today. He said he might be delayed due to an illness in his family, so we will just have to wait a bit more. We have plenty going on with getting the garage straight again, so it really doesn't matter if he comes right now or not.

Finally Friday!

In more ways than one, this has been a very busy week. Monday the tree came down, and everyday since then, the sheet rock guys have been diligently working upstairs, with a goal of today as the finish line. I have to admit, neither Eric nor I thought they would finish up. Remarkably, they have shown us to be wrong. I'll post pictures on the House Blog of the different stages of the week.

Also, Monday morning early yard tractors were back, roaring up and down the street aerating the yards. Regrettably, Wednesday in a fit of computer file cleaning I wiped out those pictures, but then, you have all seen a tractor before, right? All the little plugs of dirt are everywhere, and I suggested we go rake them up and use them for fill! Not!! After the tree removal their caterpillar tractor (you saw it in the movie) left more ruts to contend with. The delivery of sheetrock had made a few too. So today, in a lull in the action Eric went to Southern States and bought bags of tops soil and seed. We'll tackle that this next week some time. As I was saying, the yard crew came by, luckily after the tree crew had left.

After the guys left this afternoon we went up to sweep and vacuum. There are still bits of mud (the white stuff they use to float seams) on the floor that we will have to scrape. On Monday they are going to come back to touch up, so at some point in the weekend we will go do the blue tape mark system of showing where the missed spots are. We'll mark on the floor, don't want to take any chances of pulling off paint. They didn't paint the doors, but then we assumed they would and it was never really discussed. Not a big deal, we can handle that.

We also have to go and shop for floor covering sometime this weekend. We thought we had decided on wood, but after listening to them clump around the last two weeks we have decided carpet will be a better option.

So, I am now going to go sit on the porch and have a celebration margarita. Pictures will be up soon, I promise.

Chainsaw!! Tree goes boom .....

Got a Tree down, then Call - Call Tree Service

At last the troops arrived to take down the tree. Mr. Mack Call himself came, apparently he doesn't go out on the job much anymore, as he is almost retired. He supervised from the sidelines while 4 guys did the heavy work. One on the roof, two to hand carry the logs and limbs to the front yard and chipper, and one who ran the catapiller which lifted the tree. It's always interesting to me to see the physics involved in machinery and moving something as large as this tree was. They did a great job, even raked and cleaned the yard, and it was a relief to see everything gone. I missed the final cuts where then the tree righted itself down in the wetland (I was dispatched to look for tarps at Becky's house) but all that remains of the tree is a stump cut low to the ground, even the root ball settled back unto the ground. We saved a large piece of the base of the tree for a scratching post for Silly (who has already given it a 4 paws up) and a small piece that I hope can be used for a spindle whorl. I'll have a movie of the action later this week for those of you sho love the sound of chainsaws.

It's Labor Day - so we'll do it ourselves

We're taking things into our own hands today. Still waiting for the tree man, but then after all, it is a holiday! We were a bit concerned about wind causing branches to scratch the big windows, so today Eric cut the offending branches away. Because of this we also got a better look at the damage. I climbed a ladder and took a few shots and movies, more for insurance than anything. The boards exposed are above the gutter, normally covered my siding and shingles.

And here is "THE TREE"

Sheet rock and Sheets of rain!

Yes, I am up and awake at 5 in the morning. What's worse is I have been awake since 4. Once in a great while I have these insomniac mornings, and have found it's better to just get up. Silly is with me, purring away, so at least she is not running wildly and loudly meowing through the house thinking it is time to go outside. She is all rilled up because it is raining and she can't sit out and watch the world go by.

I can hear a steady rain outside, and checking the local forecast, I see that Ernesto has considerably weakened. Our inland winds should be below 30 MPH and that's not bad. North Carolina is taking the punch out of the storm for us, though the governor has declared a state-of-emergency, as flooding will be probable and the national guard can better respond. Since downtown areas flood in light rain, the 6-8 inches they expect could cause some big problems.

Did you all enjoy yesterday's sheet rock movie? I hope you found it entertaining! I was glad it was not Eric having to heft those sheets (or me on the other end of one of them.) The guy upstairs catching the pieces was doing a pretty good job too. He's the main contractor, his son was the small guy taking the sheets off of the trailer and handing them up to the two helpers who hefted and sailed them through the open window. Here's a view from upstairs. Today they should be back to start putting the 65 sheets up!

Moving Ashore - At Last A Home On Land!

Moving Ashore - At Last A Home On Land! Today we have a new look!