Finally!

With Barb gone to Arizona for over a week now my life has changed. Oh, the basic schedule is the same…. Get up somewhere between 4 and 5am, go hunting…work on the porch (and a few other things)… go hunting again then supper and bed. Except I have two dogs to care for and I have to scrounge up my own food. My main goal for the week is to have two dogs here when Barb gets home. Preferably the same two dogs that were here when she left!

I created a list of things I wanted to get done while Barb was gone. Besides working on the porch roof, I wanted to install outside lights under the porch, do some trim around the doors, finish taping/mudding the bathroom and get it primed, ready for painting.

Meanwhile, while I am working my @ss off here I keep getting pictures from Barb, Jessica and the grandkids who enjoying fun in the sun down in Arizona.

They are spending their days hiking the Saguaro National Park, visiting Kartchner Caverns, eating ice cream and spending lazy days at the pool. 

Kendall (Baby K) and Barb at Saguaro NP

Kendall, Dylan and Barb 

Barb and Jessica conquering a hill

Oh yeah, and they went out to eat constantly!

And ice cream!

And pool side drinks

Meanwhile I am toiling away here at the jobsite. Barb left a week ago last Thursday and when I went to the store this past Thursday I realized it was the first time I left the property since she left! Oh wait, I take that back, I did go to Kevin and Cheryl's on Sunday for supper and to watch Yellowstone. (Thanks guys!) But besides that I did not go anywhere. I did not even go to burger night on Wednesday, life without Barb is just not the same!

I was able to get quite a bit done though. I finished taping, mudding and sanding the main floor bathroom. I even got it primed! Don't tell Barb though as it is a surprise for when she gets home tomorrow. I am not afraid that she will read this as I think she only reads the blog when I ask her to proof read it. 

I could have painted it too as we had some leftover paint from one of the bedrooms but I was not born yesterday, as a matter of fact it has been just over 21,500 "yesterdays" since I was born. I am leaving the paint color decisions to the CDM (Chief Decision Maker) of the house. 

Bathroom ready for paint!

It turned out really nice and the mirror in the picture is the one Barb made the frame for, it fits in perfectly! We are waiting for bids on the glass for the shower. That will really finish it off. 

And FINALLY, I got the porch roof done! A good two weeks behind schedule but weather delays (mostly wind), and issues with my knee prevented me from working on it as much as I thought I would. 

It turned out great and really transforms our big rectangular house into something else. Something with a little more character. 

I also installed a security system that included a water sensor, temperature sensor and a couple of cameras. As many of you homeowner travelers know there is a certain level of anxiety every time you leave your house wondering if everything is alright. Now I can look in and see what is going on at home when we are away. Even when I am deer hunting, I can see what the dogs are up to while we are away!

Apparently this is what Dakota does while I am gone. Not sure where Zoey is. I could have talked to them but did not want to scare the deer or them!

What am I going to do now that that big project is done? Sit back and relax? I wish! Now that the porch roof is on I can finally finish the siding on the two corners at the end of the porch that have hips. Then I have the corner trim. We have all the door and window trim done inside but have yet to start the base trim. Then there is the scratch coat on the 135 or so feet of the house that is going to get stone on it. Once that is done then comes the stone. So as you can see there is no rest for the wicked. We will work on the trim on the inside but the scratch coat is weather dependent, ideally you want the temperature over 40 for 24 hours after doing the scratch coat. Not sure we are going to see that for a couple of months. 

As far as deer hunting goes, I am seeing lots of deer. Just not TBO. I actually have never seen him, I don't know if he even exists but he does in my imagination and that is what keeps driving me to get out there!