Here I was thinking I did not have a lot to post about this week. Then I looked at the photos on my phone. I generally let my photos remind me and guide me on my posts as often I forget what we did in a given week.
Like helping Kevin put the decking on the ceiling for his covered porch. It seems like weeks ago, but it was within the past week.
Or putting the steel corners on the house. Now that the porch ceiling is done on our house, I can finally put the steel corners on. There were actually 4 corner sections; two above the porch and two below the porch. Here are before and after picture of two of them. Small differences, but significant to us.
This step as literally been 6 years in the making since we purchased this property in April of '17. Two more major steps and I think we can call the house done! We are so close I am even starting a blog post detailing our build from start to finish. I doubt that we can post this until later this summer when the stone is finally done but at least we are close enough that I can think about it!
One day, Barb and I went shed hunting as it seems all the elk and deer have finally shed their antlers. We found two nice elk sheds!
She hung out for a bit and wandered off. We have not seen her since.
The big news of the week is that our son Forrest, his wife Somer and daughter Lily (and two dogs and a cat) arrived for a visit! As you may recall, they sold their house in January and have been full timing ever since! Somer took a 13-week travel job at a hospital in Grants Pass and this trip to our house was their first big adventure!
Chloe has gotten very big since we saw her just over a year ago. She is now a whooping 7lbs! Jack, now 9 is his normal chill self, seems to have taken over Zoey's bed.
They arrived Thursday and brought the cold weather with them. Since they have arrived, I don't think it has gotten over 35 degrees. But we are managing to have fun regardless. On our first full day here, Forrest and I went shed hunting. We found two whitetail sheds and some old cars buried deep in the forest. One has to wonder how they got there. Someone must have lived there sometime in the past.
The next day we took Lily to the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs. Since she is homeschooled, we have to incorporate schooling into our daily schedule. Besides her regular school work, there are so many educational things in this area to expose her to.
Forrest also has a 3D printer we have been playing with. The first thing he made when he got here was replacement closet brackets for their rig. Every one of their rod holders had broken on the way here. These ones are not only much stronger, only cost pennies to make!
Must be nice to see the light at the end of the tunnel on your home. Knowing you guys I’m sure there’s another project on the horizon. Always nice to get some quality family time…enjoy!
ReplyDeleteWell, that light did not include the grain bin gazebo so you are right, there is another project on the horizon!
DeleteI can't believe that your house is nearly done. It seems like only yesterday we were there dumping our trailer as you were fixing your plumbing and then seeing you get a face full of our sewer gas. That was awesome. Will you be able to slow down and relax some or will you start on the guest bunk house so that we can stay for months at a time. I need to know so I can make plans. Love the blog.
ReplyDeleteWe have already talked about the possibility of a guest house and the answer is "no" we are not going to build one. Good friends and family can stay in the house. Visitors like you can bring your own camper or stay in town at a motel.
DeleteLike your own son and family?
DeleteThey are welcome to stay anywhere and as long as they want.
DeleteWhat a wonderful adventure your son and his family has undertaken. They have wonderful examples in you both to be sure! Enjoy your time together!
ReplyDeleteThis is actually their 2nd time fulltiming. They did it for 2 years starting in 2016 before settling in Oregon. Now they are looking for their next home and are having an adventure while doing so!
DeleteI love your porch. We had deer wander thru our yard in GA before we fenced it in, but they never came to the front door…so cool! What a great experience for Lily to have such fun and interesting places to visit with her grandparents and call it school.
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feelings about home schooling, it is not for everyone, but Forrest and Somer do a great job at keeping her socialized with other kids her age. She is a really good kid and it seems to be working out for her and them.
DeleteHow wonderful your family came to visit. It's always nice when you can see the end coming for your build.
ReplyDeletePart of me just wants to stay home this summer and finish everything. Another part of me wants to get out on more adventures knowing there will always be time to finish the work later.
DeleteI'm jealous that your home is almost 'done', we've lived in this house for nearly 40 years and it'll never be 'done', just maintained. Great to have the family come for a visit.
ReplyDeleteWe are making this house as maintenance free as possible. Steel and stone as much as we can. No yard to maintain, no garden. We still want to travel and not have the stress of work back home weighing us down. We are not to that point yet but hope to be by the end of the year!
DeleteI am so happy for you! Antlers! I found just one small one.
ReplyDeleteThey are a treasure when you find one. Think about it, you have to be in a place where the antler just happened to fall off. What are the odds of that?!?!
DeleteWonderful post and enjoyed looking at the work on your house and all these fun photos. Great that you had a visit from your family. I was thinking that Lily is having a perfect education, a real adventure too. If I had it all over again, I might think along these lines. Good for them! Enjoy the time with your family.
ReplyDeleteThose corners on the house make a big difference!
ReplyDeleteSo nice to have the company and go fun places. Enjoy every day! :)
We think it makes a big difference as well, but it is such a minor thing it is easy for take it for granted in the big scheme of things.
DeleteI too have always used my photos to write blog posts. I think that's wonderful that your son and family get to hang out with you guys for a while. We love our time with our kids and granddaughter.
ReplyDeleteWe don't get to see them very often but when we do, it is generally for weeks at a time so we make the most of it!
DeleteEnjoy that special time with your family.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ruth, we don't get to see them very often so we try to make the most of it when we do!
DeleteNice sheds! It’s those finishing touches wrap it all up nicely. What a fuzzy deer! Have fun with the fam!!
ReplyDeleteWe are going to go out sometime today with everyone to look for some more sheds. It is a great way to get out, get some exercise and see some unique country.
DeleteMan, those upper level windows make my back hurt. Kind of like the conduit trench across my gravel driveway makes your back hurt. Glad our homes are about done so we can compare our aches and pains from our recliners!
ReplyDeleteYou know all too well how much those windows weigh. So glad those days are behind us!
DeleteEnjoy your family time & really cool how your son & his family are managing their adventure.That 3D printer & the brackets are very impressive- going to have to look into one- thank you.Your metal corners look great & your home is stunning so your’s & Barb’s time will be freed up somewhat,lol.All the best.
ReplyDeleteThe 3D printer is very intriguing. You can get one relatively cheaply, I think Forrest got his for about $300. There is quite the learning curve though.
DeleteIt has been a pretty busy time since your last post. Enjoy the family time! Finishing the house will be bittersweet but I am certain you will find other things to occupy your time and talents. As to the guest house idea, I suggest Dino bring a number of tarps along after the gazebo is built, as I’m guessing it will pretty much do the trick, solid roof, bbq/fireplace, just needs some walls.
ReplyDeleteDeb
Don't encourage Dino, next thing you know he will invite his other homeless friends and I will have a homeless encampment right here in our backyard!
DeleteI imagine you felt your heart flutter a little after seeing how nice the steel corner trims looked when you got them up, clean lines are so soothing. Those sheds are cool, now you can make your own custom knife hilts, (right after you forge the blades, haha). Enjoy the family time, it's wonderful when you can get it.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I watched Forged in Fire, I thought I wanted to do that. The more I watched, the more my elbows hurt just watching them pound those hammers. No thanks, I will buy my knives.
DeleteYour house is amazing ... and what a great location. Now you can start your "summer" house! LOL I see what you mean by the Poodle. If only I had half that much energy!! You are definitely right about NO lawn. It's WAY too much work! Can't wait to see the gazebo. Some day I may just have to come see it in person!
ReplyDeleteUnlike Dino, you are welcome any time! I was telling Barb, that I wished we had the energy of that poodle. Her response was "Do you really want me running around all day like that?"
DeleteMy hat is off to Forest and Somer to commit to raising their daughter Lilly themselves and NOT let the state (especially Oregon) raise her. And what a WORLD Lilly is exposed to out in the real world. I sure hope they use the resources of Public Libraries. If they get a few library cards from large library systems that offer a lot of online resources, they can continue to use those resources after they leave the area. With her being a Traveling Nurse, it should be very easy to get a Library Card even though they won't have a permanent address...an RV Park would be their permanent address, and the medical facility she is employed at can provide proof of residency in order to get a card "IF" the library is a stickler about it.
ReplyDeleteI think this is year 3 they have home schooled her. They have talked about public libraries but not in great detail. I will ask them and let them know about your suggestions. Thanks!
DeleteThere are MANY online resources which Libraries purchase and make available to their Library Patrons. Many libraries will have a home school resources guide which will include online resources that they provide. Maybe a visit to the Rapid City Public Library while they are in the area might be worthwhile....might give them an idea of what is available.
DeleteI talked to him about it this morning, as of right now they are not members of any library, but they are going to look into it now!
DeleteNice to have your son and family come for a visit. Isn't technology something.. being able to just print your own closet brackets!
ReplyDeleteWe have never been exposed to 3D printing before, there is so many things one can do!
DeleteYou've been so productive. Well done! And how wonderful to have that family time! (Thanks, too, for stopping by today!)
ReplyDeleteThe work never seems to end but it's getting there!
DeleteYour porch is so awesome! The corners do complete the look. Can't wait to see the post on the whole project. Nice to have family come to visit and bring their house! I guess I'll accept the photos of the granddogs as a replacement for Dakota and Zoey. You didn't think I would notice did you!? Haha! Enjoy the family!
ReplyDeleteI knew you would notice but Jack and Chloe are just so cute I could not help myself!
DeleteLooking forward to seeing that blog about the building of you home from start to finish probably not as much as you are looking forward to being able to write it though...lol
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to have your son and family visiting. What an adventure they are on especially your granddaughter. Enjoy....enjoy...enjoy!
With our summer trip planned, the end seems a long way off. Maybe August/September? I only have a week with the kids but Barb will have a bit longer. We are making the most of it while we can!
DeleteI just love the color of your siding - it really is stunning. How fun to have the "end" in sight after all your hard work. Even more fun to have the family there for a nice long visit. Kids homeschooled on the road have such a grand opportunity for hands-on experiences!
ReplyDeleteWe fell in love with this color when we saw it on a house down the road. So much so we stopped and asked them what color it was and where they ordered it from.
DeleteShed hunting...that stumped me. I'm thinking one day a deer will come in the house, grab a beer and watch football with you. MN drifters had me laughing out loud. Have fun with the family. What an awesome life for your granddaughter.
ReplyDeleteFunny. When I asked our daughter in law, Somer if she wanted to go shed hunting, her response was "I don't want to kill anything"!
Deleteyou may not have flowers, but a deer on the front porch makes up for flowers. shed hunting...hmmm, i had no idea!!! i thought, they have those at home depot and it would not be hard to just pick one out. but after i thought about it, i figured you would just build one. anywho, you got me on that one!!
ReplyDeleteit's good to be done with the house BUT are we ever really done?? i am looking forward to the progress pictures!!
Maybe that's why we do not have flowers, the deer would just eat them. I did find a flower when we were out int he National Forest the other day. I will try to remember to include it in this weeks post.
DeleteOh my, what a fun,happy and positive post. You and your son are making memories. Be sure to take tons of photos. You got me thinking that it might be nice to drop by for a visit either heading south or coming back. Contessa
ReplyDelete