IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE MUCH . . . BUT, WE ARE GETTING CLOSER!

Plumbing, plumbing, and then more plumbing.  Seems to be the general theme this past few weeks.  The P's ... Plumbing, PVC, Pex, P-traps.  Sounds totally boring doesn't it. (My apologies to all the 'real' plumbers out there).  But, that is what is has been all about.  That red tubing above is Pex for the hot water lines.  Below you can also see the Blue for the cold water.

I wish I could make this more exciting but there is only so much you can do with water lines ...  :/

Of course, we do have Glen doing some contortions trying to get holes drilled through the beams to be able to run the lines ...

And then there is our grandson Ryan who came up for the weekend to help his Papa (note tape measure hanging off his belt :)  He now knows how to drill a perfect 1" hole through a 2 x 4 (amongst other necessary life lessons).  Even though he is laughing on the job at the moment, I will say that when it comes to working, there is no grass that grows under this little guys feet.  He is eager to learn and a hard little worker.  

AND YES, WE HAVE A WORKING TOILET!!  and, for privacy . . .

Remind me NOT to hire whoever this Interior Designer is when the house is finally done!!  ?? (I think I just fired myself off the job!)  :/

Of course, the toilet will have to come out when the Inspector comes back to run a 'Pressure Test' and check the Plumbing installation.  Nothing can be hooked up.  Seems counter-productive to me, but then what do I know.  I never even heard of Pex until a few weeks ago.

Besides the Plumbing, we did make a major leap forward this week when son-in-law Bob came up and finished putting all the insulation up in the ceiling.  Our neighbor, Ernie, (the Supervisor :) came over and helped him.  He was a major help as this is a 14' ceiling and he saved Bob a lot of steps on and off the scaffolding.  He was able to hand up to Bob the pieces of installation.

YES, I said pieces.  The curse of the company that built the shell of the house is still with us. :/  I guess the norm in the industry is to run the beams in the ceiling every 16".  Therefore, insulation comes in 15 1/2" wide rolls.  I don't know what the magic secret is, but you are suppose to just put it up there between the beams AND IT STAYS. :)  But, when Glen went to put the first roll up it fell back down on his head.  Seems this company put the beams every 19 1/2 " or 20 1/2" or 20".  Whatever the flavor of the moment was.  The roof has to hold a 70 Lb. snowload - this will, even with their wacky measurements so they are in the clear.  BUT, it obviously really messes up the installation of the insulation.  Now, the only way to get the insulation to stay up there is to cut it up into little pieces that fit whatever the space is between the beams.  MUCH more time and labor involved.

That should be a smooth line of insulation ...  :/

For some reason we wound up with one roll of white insulation.  Evidently Bob and Ernie needed some stress relief after a day and a half of cutting, itching, scratching and hanging.  When I came up to bring them lunch this is what I saw . . .

'G' for Glen ~ who will now forever be immortalized in the ceiling of our new home. There is even a period after the G (I couldn't get it in the photo).  Perfectionists to the end!  :)

And, just so you don't think we got off easy (??) this time, there was a little snaffu when drilling for the water lines.  FORTUNATELY, these particular electrical wires were NOT hooked up and live yet.  Otherwise, that 'immortalization' of Glen might have had a lot more significance ! :/

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

LET'S ROCK AND ROLL !!

Well . . . Rock anyway.  :)  And we literally have tons of them! You might remember,  I mentioned that this area is called Boulder Canyon . . .

So . . . I thought, if you can't fight them, use them.  There are soooo many that I just figured I might as well make my own Riverbed which, when done, will 'flow' across the front of the house and all the way down one side.  This is the start of it here.  As late in the season as it is, I was lucky to be able to still get a few plants in so it didn't look completely naked.  Next Spring the plan is to get more plants and ground cover in.  Our Sidewalks, (below) are on the City's schedule to be replaced in the next year or so ...  :)

There is so much that has gone on this last month that I'm not sure where to start.  I really need to write more often so each Blog is not a book in itself.  :/  Reminder to self:  Procrastination ALWAYS catches up to you.

How's this for a Step ladder!  That's a 14' ladder.  I 'might' get up on it but I'd probably never get down! :/  The Electric is in!  A few trials and tribulations, (like not hearing before a weekend if the inspection passed the previous Tuesday, so we could move forward with the insulation. You are not allowed to cover ANY of the wiring before an o.k. on the inspection).  In the scheme of things though, that becomes minor compared to some of the other shenanigans we've had to deal with.  The electricians will be back to hang the lights and finish the rest off once the ceiling and walls are in.

That's my son, John, making some temporary steps for me to get up and down to the RV.  Could have really used them at the beginning of the season but we've learned, you take the help whenever you can get it! 

The Kitchen Island is in!  Sides to be finished with Beadboard ~ but, how do you like the Top?  That's the top from our 'Solid Oak' Dining room table.   (Don't cringe ... it turns out o.k.)  We actually have two tables, this one, and a Beautiful Round table made of Parawood. (Also called Rubberwood.  Parawood is from Southeast Asia and these trees are where latex and natural rubber come from :).  Both tables have had various uses in various rooms around our home.  Since we are downsizing we had to make the decision as to which one stayed.  We decided to keep the round table because, without its leaves, it takes up less space.  So, yup, decided to take the top from our Oak table and turn it into the top for the island.   My girlfriend and I found this table in an Antique store in Cashmere, Washington.  (They have the best Antique stores there.)  The tag said the table was Oak.  The top was Oak, the legs were Oak, and the underneath was Oak.  It was Oak.  It was Oak UNTIL we cut out the hole for the sink.  Then we found out that it was just a veneer over press-board on the top AND a veneer underneath.  Who would have thought there would be a veneer on the underside?  Well, it certainly made it look like it was solid Oak.  :/  Needless to say, we didn't feel nearly as guilty cutting in to our tabletop once we realized it wasn't the solid oak we thought it was!  But, it still looks pretty!  :)

Plumbing is in!

Gas Fireplace installed!  Gas Water heater installed!  

BUT THEN, YOU KNEW IT ALL WOULDN'T BE THAT EASY . . .  

The gas company came, dug up the street, ran gas to our house, patched up the street, put the gas meter in, and then they lock it until the State Inspector says all is o.k.   Meanwhile, the Heating Company came and installed our inside gas lines so we would be able to use our gas fireplace, gas hot water heater, gas stove, gas barbque, etc., etc.  Then they called for the Inspection so the meter could be unlocked.  

What we didn't know was that the State Gas Inspector was also the State Plumbing Inspector.

When I came a few days after the inspection was suppose to have taken place the meter was still locked.  AND, ... the plumbing (?) was Red Tagged.  Where did the plumbing guy come from??  I called the Heating Company who told me they didn't know why the meter was still locked ~ they passed inspection, and they didn't know anything about the Plumbing (even though they would have had to let this person in because they had the key.  How does that work?)  But, I was told they would check and call me back in  a few minutes.  No call back.  Called again.  No call back.  Its now after 5 on a Friday night.  I called their personal number (What can I say. . . it's that New York thing again  :/  )  Still no resolution though.  Would have to get back to me.  Glen calls the personal number the next day (See... he's learning!) and is now told that the State Heating Inspector is also the State Plumbing Inspector and, of course, while he was there inspecting the gas lines, he also inspected the Plumbing.

He didn't like the Plumbing.  His Red Tag comments were not very nice. :(  They led us to believe that we were going to have to tear up our concrete flooring and concrete patio and redo all the lines. All we could envision was money and time flying away laughing as they went.  Glen was not able to get a hold of him until Monday.  The weekend, to say the least, was complete Stress.  The phone conversation on Monday did not go much better.  (You know, some people should just not talk on the phone.  It is not their friend.  This person is one of them.)  He would be up Tuesday and go over everything in person.  Glen had to take that night off from work so he would be there in the a.m.  

Tuesday morning did not go as bad as expected.  Much better one on one.  No, we wouldn't have to tear up the concrete.  He could make us but he wasn't going to. : /  But, we would have to dig up across the whole backyard and partially down the driveway.  Forty-two inches deep  (the city of Mullan Water District only requires 36 inches ?)  There goes the two truckloads of gravel we paid to have hauled in so we wouldn't have all mud out there this winter :(  But, water line is now changed and comes in through the bathroom floor instead of the kitchen floor. A few other minor 'violations' on the inside, easily correctable are scheduled to be worked on next weekend.  What the heck, it's just time and money.  

 So . . . back comes Scott and his backhoe and the digging begins.

  

Of course it rained and everything turned to mud and required 3 changes of clothes for the day.

But, we got the 42" and that part passed inspection.

I did get a few more Boulders for the 'River' out of the deal though . . . 

(these can only be moved with a backhoe so not quite sure how this is going to work . . .  :/  )

  

Oh yes, the lock on the gas meter . . .   Seems that won't get unlocked until after ALL of the insulation is done, ALL of the sheetrock is up, and AT LEAST one coat of paint is on the walls.  Evidently the state doesn't allow the gas to be on while you are working on the place.  (No one we've talked to seems to have heard of that rule before . . .)  So the heat we thought we would have while we worked on the place is isn't going to exist. (29 degrees last night)  When we questioned the reasoning behind that we were just told to get an electric heater. :/  Now, call me silly, but I would think that a company that installs gas lines, gas furnaces, gas water heaters, gas fireplaces (need I go on?) in new and existing construction, would have known that.  And, call me even sillier, but I would have thought that they just might have mentioned that to us before we went to all the time and expense to install these items at this point in time when we probably won't be able to use them for several months.  Just thinkin' out-loud here mind you.

You know, even when it rains, water or otherwise, there is still a beauty to life that can't be ignored.

til next time . . .

Charleen

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

YOU KNOW THAT WE COULDN'T MAKE THIS ALL UP . . . DON'T YOU . . .?

It is now to the point where our neighbors just shake their heads.  What can you say?  I am sure to the outside world this has had to be pretty funny.  In fact, just yesterday in our travels (more on that further on down) I saw a sign in a little shop that said  "Our family is Gods favorite sitcom."  I'm afraid I'm going to have to beg to differ.  I think his favorite sitcom is right here in Mullan, Idaho and we are living it.  What else could this be?!  I will have to say . . . both of us have had to maintain a sense of humor about all of this (OK, some days thats been darn near impossible BUT we have persevered!)  

So, the leak got fixed.  That was a major worry but Glen was at it first thing the following weekend and it is now as it should be.  

Last we left, the fellows were here working and the promise was that their part would be done by the end of that week.  Phone calls were being returned, we were being kept in the loop, and the fellows were here busy bee-ing it away.  As you can see from the photo below, they did accomplish quite a bit.  But remember, this is just the shell.  It's a 2 week job (supposedly).  Photo below is 8 weeks into the job.  So . . . was the job completed by the end of the week . . .

NOT.   It's a little hard to see in this photo but there is a rough, unfinished edge on the left hand side of the roof.  They ran out of roofing with just inches to go. Yup.  See the seam at the very top of the roof?  That is suppose to have a felt like sealer up underneath it to prevent wind from whipping water back up under neath the seam.  We saw the rolls of felt laying on the pile of building supplies for weeks but 'somehow' it disappeared  (not on to our roof) when the job was done.  Seems like whoever was responsible for putting it on, forgot it.  Then, so we might not notice, evidently took it home with him.  Guess they didn't count on Glen climbing up on the roof to check things out.  : /   What you also can't see is that 2 of the 3 doors are hung crooked.   And on the right hand corner of the house (Behind the huge pile of garbage they are (still) suppose to come remove, the whole corner trim is missing.  

So they worked for 3 days straight (I think that's a record) and then we sat (again) for a week and a half.  Meanwhile, the inside looked like this so we were at least able to start framing the inside walls (well . . . they are the inside outside walls if you get what I mean . . .

Raising a wall . . .

That's Ernie, our neighbor helping Glen raise one of the walls (bathroom to be exact).  That's usually my job but I deferred to Ernie this time.  :)  We affectionately call him the Supervisor because he usually comes over to check things out when there is any action going on.   We have another neighbor, Richard, who calls himself the 'Wanna be Supervisor'  :)  Quite honestly, if both of these guys weren't retired and were on the job, the house probably would have been up weeks ago!

We also continued with projects on the outside.  The property came with an old patio and sidewalk ~ remains of the once used to be home that was there.  The patio got more than it's fair share of use this summer with all of our company but we knew it was going to have to go.  It was just in the wrong place for our new home.  We weren't going to tackle removing it until next year but, because we had to dig out so much to get the ground level for the house, we decided to take it out now before winter came and it becomes a big issue next Spring with Snow melt, etc.  (You can see the unfinished edge on the house in this photo)

Back came Scott with his excavator and there went the patio . . .

(it's close to the house, but not as close as it looks ~ the perspective is off. :)  

And the sidewalk . . .  

All in one piece!  

He operates this equipment like my Grandmother picked up a teacup.  Delicately and with such precision it is amazing.

He broke the patio up into smaller pieces (still big, but smaller . . . :) and hopefully you should see how we will be using those pieces later on in the Blog).  But . . . since we have no front stoop we decided to re-use the walk for that purpose.  So he took the walk around the block to the front of the house . . .

This is my husbands sense of humor. : /  As you can see, the ground isn't even level (and it's worse than it even looks!)  The walk is just haphazardly sitting on a pile of rocks and dirt at the moment.  But . . . we have a front stoop!  (Heaven help me please . . .)

Speaking of rocks . . . this was dug up from the Driveway.  Again, a reminder as to why this area is called Boulder Canyon.

Look at the excavator and this will give you an idea of the size of this thing.  It will become part of the landscaping when we are all done.  That's mostly because we don't know what else to do with it!

The Tuesday after Labor Day we were told (again) that the crew would be showing up to tie up all the loose ends and FINISH THEIR PART OF THE JOB.  The cement Crew was also going to show up to put in the Patio thus finishing THEIR PART OF THE JOB.  The Electrician was to show up to connect us to 'real' electricity and get us off 'temporary power'.  The Rock company was going to 'try' and show up to deliver a load of gravel. The plumber was to show up to give us an estimate on hooking us up to the natural gas lines.  The 'Garbage Crew' was to show up and remove all the metal scraps, wood, plastic, etc. etc. left over from the job.  The City Inspector was suppose to show up to sign off on the outer part of the house.

Tuesday was going to be a busy day!

So let's see . . . 

No work crew showed up.

No plumber showed up.

No Rock Company showed up.

No Garbage crew showed up.

The Electrician showed up but he just showed up.  Work re-scheduled for the following week.

The Cement Truck showed up but the cement crew was off on another job (they forgot all about us) so the cement couldn't be poured.  The cement truck left. Someone got to eat 5 1/2 yds of cement and guaranteed it's not going to be us!)

The City Inspector showed up!!

(I told you . . . we couldn't make this up if we tried. )

The rock delivery showed up the next day.

The plumber still hasn't shown up so needless to say he's out of the picture and two new companies are re-scheduled.

The garbage crew still hasn't shown up.

The electrician was to show up today and when I went to check earlier there was a ladder set up inside.  Just the ladder.  ?

The work 'crew' was whittled down to one (1) fellow.  He came out Wednesday night at 5:00 after he finished working on another job.  He was sent alone because he is a Dallas Cowboys fan and the rest of the crew are Seattle Seahawk fans and there was a Seattle game on they wanted to watch.  He got to tie up all the loose ends himself  (Up on the roof, adding the felt trim in the dark, etc)  Three hours to finish what it took them a week and a half to get someone here to do.  I think they may have a time management issue here.

The Cement Crew AND the cement truck all showed up together yesterday (a week later).  The patio is now in and it looks great!  Despite the fact that they forgot us last week I would recommend their work anytime.  They really do a great job.  We've already gotten many compliments on the interior floor they did.

Besides . . . what's one week when the rest of the two-week project is already 9 weeks behind?

We decided to take a much needed break and we gave ourselves two days off from Glens 7 day 'vacation'.  We decided that at this point we are so far behind where we hoped to be that 2 days wasn't going to make much of a difference.  We left Friday morning and headed up to Whitefish, Montana.  We started to go there a year ago for a weeks vacation but our RV brakes went out on us and since it was Labor Day weekend no one was open and available to fix them.  We cancelled our vacation and hobbled home. (Truth)  I have never been there and have always wanted to see the area.  It was a lot of driving for 2 days but it was a great break.  Absolutely beautiful country!  

The Cabinet Mountains

A little action on the tracks in Plains, Montana

The absolute best Pizza we have both had in years at the Glacier Grill and Pizza Restaurant in Coram, Montana.  Hands down.

Thompson Pass, Idaho

Someones long ago dreams

A little basement creativity in Ant Flats, Montana

It looks like a blob of cement but it's actually a smoothly formed rock probably from one of the many Glaciers that came through this area

Home again and full moon over the campfire.  :)

Next weekend it's back to the Lumberyard for more wood so we can start framing the interior interior walls!  :)

See you soon!

Charleen

WHAT'S A 70 FOOT STRAW SNAKE DOING IN THE YARD?!!

I drove up the road expecting to see maybe a roof . . . No such luck.  Instead, I saw this 70 foot straw snake wrapped around two sides of the house.   Workers weren't there so no one could figure out what it was suppose to be for.  We (the 'neighborhood' :) thought maybe it was for water run-off when they eventually poured the flooring but that wasn't it.  Seems that it was just there to protect the neighbors yard and the street from dirt getting thrown in those directions.  Considerate, but that happened to be sum total of the work done on the house that whole week. I'm being nice and biting my tongue at the moment. . .

So . . . once again the concrete flooring was promised last Monday and Monday came and went and phone calls were made, messages left, and phone calls weren't returned.  Glen's hair, which can't get much grayer, was turning even more ghostly before my very eyes.  

Tuesday I said "Do you mind if I call today?"  Up to this point Glen had done most of the calling and talking  with the Project Manager and the fellow that is the Crew Boss.  While my husband can make his point when he wants to without any problem, he is also not a 'Rock the boat' kind of guy.  (that is, unless he and I are on real water, in a real boat, and then he thinks its hilarious to rock the boat and watch me panic . . . or fall in . . which has happened . . . : /  Some boys just don't grow up.  :)   Anyway, he more or less said "Have at it."

You know, there are definitely some advantages to growing up in New York.  One of them is being 'gifted' at birth with New York Attitude.  (There are people that would argue that point I'm sure). While I've been out West now most of my life, there are some things that just stick with you.  That is one of them.  Fortunately, I haven't had to call upon it in a very long time, but I did on Tuesday.  So I made my call, hoping that I would actually get to talk to someone and that NY wouldn't fail me!  :)  

I did get to speak to the person I needed to, I didn't have to leave a message, and I had the opportunity to make my point(s), (yes, I was polite but New York was with me the whole way! :)  I received an apology for the delays, (I said that we would take responsibility for 2 weeks of the delay due to the leveling issue but then the other 5 weeks was on them.), I received a promise phone calls would be returned (and they have been), that the crew would be there the next day to continue working (they were), concrete would be poured Friday, (it was) and their part of the job would be done by the end of this week (still remains to be seen but they were there today working away!)  Who knows if the phone call was worth anything or the timing was just in sync with when all of this was going to happen anyway.  I'll take New York . . .  :)

So . . . for two weeks we sat like this . . .

and then in two days we went to this . . . 

Leveling for concrete and the roof going on . . .

Gravel being delivered to go under the concrete . . .

 

Concrete being delivered and spread . . .

Concrete poured, plastic up for rain protection (and from kitty cats too!) . . .

You are looking at plumbing for the main bathroom on the left and the Kitchen Island on the right.  Looks small doesn't it . . .   : /  Hubby and I have since laid out the chalk lines for all the rooms.  Well, he did.  I just held on to one end of the line where I was told to go stand.  :)  I have to say, that between my drawings ('the plans') for the house (rooms, walls, Kitchen island, etc.) and Glens laying out of same, we wound up only 1 inch (!) apart on measurements for the entire house.  Not too bad!  

That's Glen down in the hole . . . 

A lot of progress was made today BUT we hit another glitch. (It's Monday  . . . why would we expect otherwise!)  We received our water bill for the property and quickly realized something was wrong.  Way too much water had been used since the last billing.  Glen immediately had this sinking feeling that this wasn't going to be good.  He was almost sure it was a leak in the underground pipes 'somewhere'.

 Water pipes go in all directions including under the newly poured concrete.  Glen thought that it was probably not under the concrete but until he could dig a few holes he couldn't be positive.  He dug in three different places and found nothing.  Long story short, he called a new Mullan friend who has an excavator, and he came over and dug down deeper where Glen thought (hoped) the problem might be.   So . . . remember a while back when one of the workers hit our newly laid water pipes with an auger?  Glen thought he had fixed the damage, but the auger must have grabbed hold and twisted the pipe, breaking it in a second spot he didn't see.  So, the culprit was found, but it will have to wait until this coming weekend to be repaired.  A thing called 'work' is taking precedence.  But . . . at least it's fixable!

 :)  

See you soon!