new (old) pictures

AJ here. Long time, no post! Those pictures that were once lost have now been found, and even though they're almost two months old, they're just too cute not to post. And you can see how much we've enjoyed our warm weather picnics at the house. It's amazing how much you can enjoy a house when it's not even livable yet! We've picnicked on the screen porch, and you can see our view, and the spot under the porch that Dad has talked about filling with dirt (behind the concrete wall), and has been one of Collin's favorite places to play. This is during Mimi and Pop's visit, when he pulverized his thumb. Millie is my dog, and is now, along with her brother Boss (Jeff's dog), the first inhabitant of Ton Tenga (Dad built them a pen by the barn). Enjoy!

new (old) pictures 2

Inspection hurdles finished

Today we finished the plumbing, electrical and HVAC inspections --- finally!

The security system should be installed in the next couple days and insulation will go in early next week.

The underground LP gas tank was delivered today, so we will have to rent a track hoe to bury the tank sometime next week. Once the sheetrock is delivered, we will pour the slab for the garage and front porch.

The backfill dirt around the 12' foundation wall has settled during the rain last week, so I will have to get the skid steer (Bobcat) again and haul more dirt (probably Saturday if the rain holds off).

Here's some pics from Thanksgiving at Mimi and Pop's.

Not much evidence of progress

One of the workers were supposed to install the tile on the porch while we were in NC this past week, but he was ill. He only did the hardie board under that goes on the treated wood and under the tile. This shot and the next one show a bit of the beautiful colors around our house.

Looking down toward the barn.

Work is proceeding on the HVAC.

Cows

Here are some photos of my cows.

some evidence of work

Here's a couple shots of some work going on. We have passed the electrical inspection, and we will have the plumbing inspection this week. Hopefully insulation will begin by the end of this week and sheetrock before Thanksgiving.

Contrasting fall colors

Hey, thanks JH for the contrasting fall colors! One of the things that I missed the most about living in West Africa those years was the change of seasons -- especially fall. You have to be into earth tones to really enjoy the same desert colors all year long!

Here's the way the house looks now. There is not much physical evidence of progress right now. I will make another post to give a couple shots.


Mom insisted that I post a photo of me on the blog. This is my best side. The GA fall colors are the highlight of this shot. You can see our road coming up to the house. I am pointing the a tree that is dying in the top. We lost five trees in front of the house from the drought and stress from the septic system excavation. It is not too bad, though because they blocked part of the beautiful view.

Fall Colors

We hear that some people like to visit North Carolina in the fall to see the leaves, but we don't need to go that far for autumn beauty. Check out the striking colors on the scrub brush, notice how the brown of the sand really highlights the brownish-green color of the leaves.

for AJ

AJ, here's a shot of the grass that is coming up in front of the house, and a shot that I took in the fire pit. Thought you might enjoy these.

Fall colors

Some of our friends from here in Rome are going into North Carolina to look at leaves, but it is already very pretty here with colors appearing daily in the woods. I tried out the new little Sony camera today and here's some fall color shots.

Exterior painting completed

The painters finished the exterior painting this afternoon.


The waterline was run from the well to the house. The photo shows the water holding tank hooked up by the well. When the sheetrock arrives we will start the garage and the tank will eventually go in the garage.

Little pumpkin

East End

Sorry about the dark photos. We have been in Pine Mountain for a couple days and we just returned to Rome at dusk. Exterior painting should be completed tomorrow except for the doors and columns (have not installed yet). You can see the remaining area to be painted on the east end of the house. I have not taken many photos of the east end -- that's our bedroom on the main floor.

Staining the deck still needs to be done.

Inside: more water line work and putting in vent hoses for bath exhaust fans.

Tomorrow I am taking off work and helping to dig trenches and install waterlines.

Dirt color

We asked for the color of "dirt" and we got it.
It was very late this afternoon when I took these photos, so they are a bit dark. You can see from the screened porch side that below the deck has not yet been painted. There are only two guys doing the painting, so it will take 4-5 more days.

Inside, more water pipes and HVAC are going in. It seems very slow right now, but we have to remember that we have only been building for three months.

Ponds, Bobcat, more pics

This Bobcat skidder belongs to WinShape and I did not know we had one until this week. I used it today moving dirt to backfill on the east side of the house. I am not able to get my tractor on that side, and I had quite a time gettin the Bobcat down there. All morning the groud was wet and the first attempt proved to be a challenge. I started down the hill without a load of dirt to test the traction-- there was none. After spinning for several minutes, I wound up after 20 minutes at the bottom of the hill below the house stuck--three times. Anyhow, I worked all day and finished back filling the excavation hold on the east side.


For the first time since March, we have had some rain water in our silt pond and pasture pond. the pasture pond has maintained a steady level (2 feet low) from the spring water flowing into the pond.

Stabilizing the bank

Pop was helping unload these railroad ties when he almost lost his thumb. Allison and I worked on building a terrace with the ties to help stabilize the bank in front of the house and to help prevent eroison.

Finally, some pics

Electrical is 95%+ finished.

The two electrical panels are in the west mechanical room (remember that the two mechanical rooms are connected to each other by a long hall spanning the entire length of the one foot thick basement wall).

There is a hot water heater in each of the mechanical rooms, and additionally two air handlers are in those rooms -- one for the basement and one for the main floor. The air handler for the loft is in the east "future" bedroom off the loft.


These can lights are over the bar (front two and cooktop (against the wall).

This photo is from the "silt" pond below the house. Notice the paint. The main floor is painted, but the basement is not yet painted.

Cellulose, fiberglass or foam?

The wonderful rain this week has been a blessing -- period. Incredibily, grass seed that I planted in March is now coming up!! Of course it is in patches and not the way I sowed it. We have runoff rain in our pond for the first time in months -- glad we have a spring or it would have long ago been dry.

HVAC work going on. Bathroom vents in. Hot water tanks purchased and sitting on platforms in mechanical room in the basement. Water pipes being installed this week. Electical panels mounted on outside. Painters still have not worked on exterior since Wednesday of last week.

We are working on estimates for insulation and sheetrock. Anyone out there have some advice on insulation please let me know. Cellulose, Fiberglass or foam?

Hope to buy a camera tomorrow and post some pics this weekend.

no pics/rain

I still don't have another digital camera. Allison took several pics over the weekend, but unfortunately she lost the pics before we were able to publish any of them.

We have been receiving precious rain for the past several days, so the painters have not worked on the exterior since last Wednesday. Work is still going on inside on electricity and HVAC. Interior water lines work has started today.

I hope to get a camera soon and get more pictures on the blog.

Thanks for visiting family and friends.

No camera

Sorry I have not posted this week. I have misplaced our camera. I am afraid that someone took it from my pick up at a ball game on Monday night. My fault for not locking the truck.
Electrical work is 95% done. They are running telephone and TV lines today. Painters have finished caulking and started painting, but we had showers yesterday and last night so they have not worked since Wednesday.

We are getting bids for shutters, gutters, and sheetrock. HVAC should go full steam next week.

Hope to get a post with pics this weekend. Off to Pine Mountain for IMPACT 360 barn dance--- yes, I can dance!