HAPPY NEW YEAR from THE ADVENTURES AT CAMP DUNMOVIN'

A LOT has changed since my last Blog.  The last time we left off we had no Walls up yet (just the studs) and we were (im)patiently waiting for the Plumbing Inspector to come and give his approval so we COULD MOVE ON.  Providing we passed inspection this time ...

Bob and Sean working on some finishing touches.

Water Test !  Water on the floor was a good thing (so I was told).  It means the Pressure test worked and all SHOULD be set for when the Inspector runs his test.  So now we wait again for his arrival.  Weeks of preparing and stressing and in less than 10 minutes total in the house we hear that ...

We Passed!!

And so ... we could now proceed with finishing all the sheetrock ~ ceiling and walls.  First piece of sheetrock on the ceiling now installed.

And then things started to move a LOT faster . . .

Bob and Ernie (our Supervisor :) working on the sheetrock

 Ooops! An outlet got covered and had to be found behind the sheetrock!

The sheet-rocking, mudding and taping was definitely a Family and Friends event ...

 

Bob                                                               Glen

Sean

Sean and his friend Chase mixing the 'mud' for taping

Ryan was in there somewhere too ~ filling screw holes ~ just missed getting a photo  :(

And then the Texture went on.

All set for the paint.  We went White. I had colors picked out but we haven't settled on cabinets yet (Hickory or painted) so I decided to just go with white walls for now.  This way we can just get in and wall colors can be changed later.  I am so not a white wall person that it looks very strange to me.

Glen sprayed 2 coats on everything and Bob came and put the third coat on for us. (So much for one coat paint)  Last coat went on Dec. 30th.  Just in time to celebrate 3 birthdays and New Years Eve at the house.  I think our little abode is going to be very popular with family and friends ...  

 Sean and Bobs birthday on the 31st

(had to improvise ... didn't get one of Bob with the cake!  :(

Papa's birthday on the 1st

TV set up so the gang can watch the Ball Drop for New Years Eve.

Oh yes ... The Kids and Grandkids brought sleeping bags and an air mattress so they could spend New Years Eve there while Glen and I were vanquished back to the apartment.  What is wrong with that picture?!

Time for a little reprieve for everyone.  We've had a lot of help (and a lot of snow ~ very late coming for this area) so it was time for everyone to have a little fun ...

   

 

        

            Katie                    

Uh oh . . . time out from the fun to try and thaw out frozen pipes.  Someone used the outside faucet and then closed it up so the water was unable to drain and so it froze.  Fortunately Glen got it thawed and I doubt it happens again.  :)  (No, it wasn't me!)

 Jessi trying to snow board. ooops!

And then, when you leave your boyfriend Chris's now wet Carharts (work overalls) in the car overnight in single digit temperatures, this is what you get ...

FROZEN!

         Chris gallantly took them to the local laundromat (on New Years Day) and unfroze and dried them for her!

               Meanwhile, the kitchen sink managed to get installed amidst all the frivolity  :)

I Love it!

But the rest of the appliances (Oven, Refrigerator, Washer, Dryer, bathroom sink, interior lights)  are still languishing on the back patio (mostly) under tarps, waiting to be rescued.

Hopefully, now that the walls are up and painted, the Electricians will be back this week to finish putting in the rest of the switches, outlets and the lights that we have.

Next weekend ... Floors!

Then the shower.

Then the trim.

And somewhere in there we will be moving in.  

In the meantime, We Wish You a Very Happy New Year 

and 

All the Best in 2015.

Glen and Charleen

P.S.  O.K. Geri . . . was this enough pictures?!  :)

WHO WERE WE KIDDING . . . ?

Ourselves of course. 

At some point we thought we just might have our new house 'somewhat livable'  by the end of October.  Well, tomorrow, October will be saying Good Morning to us and we are not even close to where we had hoped to be. The antics of the Construction Company (and a few others) literally put us two months behind where we thought we would be by now.  I guess this isn't all that uncommon when building your own home and you have to rely on others for a major portion of the work.   I still find it sad though that when People give their word it is not quite what it used to be.

But  . . . first things things first!  As soon as the patio was in my 2 Blue Strawberry pots came out of the clutter in the yard and onto the patio.  A little sad looking right now but at least they have a home and will look lots better next Spring!

The electricians arrived 2 weeks ago and installed the electrical panel.  But . . . we are still on temporary power.  :/  That means all lights, tools, garage light, and the lights, etc. in the RV are all running off an extension cord (or two!).  Not what you would call an ideal situation.  Definitely no toaster and microwave at the same time!  Actually, it doesn't even take that at times to lose power.  We have these mystery power-outs in the RV, usually when it's dark, and then Glen has to make these treks across the yard over piles of rocks, lumber and mounds of dirt with just a flashlight to find that somehow the cord has worked itself loose from the temporary panel on the temporary pole . . .  Good news is that the electrician called today and said they will be there either tomorrow or Thursday.  Fingers are crossed.  We can't go any further with the walls until the wiring is done.   

Finally found a different Plumbing/Heating Co. who came (expediently) and gave us a bid to install the gas pipes for our Fireplace, Stove and Furnace (and water tank and BBQ . . . :) AND . . . as of yesterday all the pipes have been installed, Inspector came today, and now we are all ready to be hooked up.  One of my neighbors (Flossie, my 90 year old neighbor!)  called me and said that the Utility  Co. was there today tearing up the street and sidewalk :/ to run the natural gas to our house.  We are actually making real progress!

  

Interior walls are now all studded in. The lumber on the floor is in the kitchen.  Behind the orange chair is the bedroom  :)

That's our granddaughter Katie taking a break up in what is to be the attic.

And here are the boys  ~ not quite sure what they are all doing here!  :)

The floor in the Attic space is now in.  It's a small area over the two bathrooms which will have 8' walls.  The rest of the house will have  12' walls and open ceilings.

When done, we are aiming for a 'Rustic~Industrial feel to the house.  This is an Old door (one of several) we resurrected from a yard sale.  As you can see it needs a little TLC but we do have plans for its use.  :)  You can barely see it, but there is a line across the bottom 6" or so that it is about to be cut off.  We will definitely show you the finished results.  :)

Pull down stairs to the attic installed!  'Our Supervisor' (Ernie) had several real good suggestions helping with installation.  Every job should have an Ernie.  Besides being a great help to Glen he is a wealth of information on the history of the area.  Just one of the many nice people we have met since making the decision to move here.  When we mentioned to the owner of the Heating Co. that we have met so many nice people since being up in this area, he said 'Get used to it'.  That's just how they are here'.  

How can you not smile about that . . .

til next time

Charleen