Whew!

We have been very busy shuttling back and forth from Poplar Ridge lately. I have been out every day since last Wednesday when the appliances arrived. Unfortunately I have forgotten the camera on most of the trips! Our electrical inspection went well, so we should be able to hook up to power very soon!

Monday evening, we went up to meet with the builder to discuss the kitchen case work, and choose our cabinet style. It ends up that by purchasing the separate cooktop and wall ovens, we are needing more cabinets...over $3000 more! I've always heard that the kitchens and baths suck up the money, but I never expected the extreme! By a gracious coincidence, the builder realized that he had priced the kitchen with solid surface counter-tops, and we have decided to go with high quality laminate, so that will save us a bit. We are getting oak cabinets, in a stain to match the flooring. This is similar to the style and color we chose.

The builder stopped by today with carpet and tile samples. He brought more tile samples with him than in all of the Lowe's store we visited on Saturday! We drove out after lunch to put some winter clothes in storage and check the new placement of the vacuum kick plate in the kitchen. (We asked them to move it from next to the kitchen sink, to the end of the breakfast bar to make it accessible to both kitchen and dining room.)

I have been looking on line for light fixtures, but it is a bit overwhelming...there are literally thousands of choices! I have tried to narrow it down by choosing Energy Saver models, but still haven't found just the right thing!

In the meantime, the roofers are due out yet this week. In order to be completely ready for the shingles, the porch roof is on, and the chimney is up.

In addition, the porch roof over the front door is on...looks really nice! It mimics the prow out front.

Today, they are putting in the insulation in the ceilings and the walls. The drywallers are scheduled for Monday.

Our New Toy

I made it up to Poplar Ridge almost every day this past week, so I don't have much new to report. The BIG news is that on Friday, after nearly a year of looking, hubby finally found a tractor that comes close to meeting all of his requirements.

It is a 1996 Massey Ferguson, with only 500-some hours on it. It came with the front end loader and brush hog. The important thing is that it is 4 Wheel Drive, in order to navigate our hill. It isn't beautiful, but meant to be our "starter" tractor.

The vacuum guys finished up their preliminary work on Thursday. They will be back after drywall and painting to put in the unit and hoses.

The builders have most of the duct work in, and started working on the porch eaves and breezeway. Next week is the week of inspections, as we are expecting to begin drywalling a week from tomorrow.

The well man should be up soon to put in the holding tank, and to hook up the water from the well.

We have had several other visitors to the building site in the past couple of days: Raccoons...

And cows!

We made a very unsuccessful shopping trip to Lowe's on Saturday. Our list was long: light fixtures, kitchen counters, bathroom tiles and paint. We came home with one light fixture, only 20 more or so to go! The choices are overwhelming, and sometimes, as was the case with the tiles, too limited. Perhaps we will try again next weekend, but get a babysitter first!

Take #2

It is a glorious day!

The sun is shining after 4 days of rain, and everything is green again, from the tiny new leaves on trees to the lawns that folks have been out mowing. (Guess what? Hubby is NOT sad to miss the lawn mowing action this Spring!)

I am finally getting around to doing my new kitchen appliances post. The delivery truck actually made it to Poplar Ridge yesterday AM. The 2 men from Sears, in their shiny black shoes, and starched blue uniforms obviously felt out of their comfort zone out in our neck of the woods. The driveway was muddy, and they used the excuse that they were afraid they would get the truck stuck to park in the lower drive instead of up by the house. Our builders were good enough to take the appliances by forklift to the garage and unload them there so that the Sears guys could keep their shoes clean. Our double convection ovens, refrigerator and dishwasher were delivered, but somehow the range hood was not.

After several phone calls, the hood was located back at the outlet store. Instead of suffering through yet another delivery attempt, we will go pick it up this weekend!

I baked the builders a 5 Flavor Pound Cake for going above and beyond the call of duty.

Five Flavor Pound Cake

1 c softened, unsalted butter
1/2 c shortening
3 c sugar

5 eggs
3 1/4 c flour
1/2 t baking powder
1 tsp salt

1 c milk

1 t vanilla extract

1 t lemon extract

1 t rum extract

1 t coconut extract

Cream butter and shortening, gradually add sugar, beating well on med. speed.
Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
Combine dry ingredients. Combine milk and flavorings.
Add dry ingredients to butter mixture a quarter at a time, alternate with milk mixture, beating after each addition.
Pour batter into a greased and floured 10" tube or bundt pan, or 2 loaf pans.
Bake at 325* for 90 minutes (bundt) or 70 minutes (loaves).
Cool cake in pan for 10 min, then remove to wire rack. Spoon over and brush sides with glaze while still warm.

GLAZE: Combine 1/2 c sugar and 1/3 c water in small saucepan and bring to a boil, then add 1/2 t almond extract.


The Central Vacuum guys are at the house today. They are putting in the "plumbing" for a 50' hose on both floors which will retract back into the pipes when not in use. They will also put in a kick plate in the kitchen, which allows you to kick open a door with your toe, and sweep crumbs into it with a broom. There will also be a hookup in the garage for a 30' hose. They will install the unit and hoses right before we move in.

The builders have been working on the furnace & AC duct work.

I think the intestines in the girls' rooms are falling out!

They also put the decking on. They used special fasteners so that there are no nails showing on the surface.

Drywallers are due to come out a week from Monday. But first the builders have to put all this insulation that is stacked in the Master Bedroom into the ceilings!

Bits & Pieces

Our trip to Poplar Ridge this week was mostly for a fishing trip. I fished around in the garage for a couple of hours, looking for summer clothes and shoes, cotton sheets, suitcases, arm swim bands, speaker wire, etc. I was mostly successful, although I couldn't find my summer clothes, and in the process found several boxes of china on their sides, or under stacks of books...oops!

Our doors are here. The front doors are all wrapped up so I can't see what they look like. These are the 2 sets of french doors, the inside side is showing, which will be finished wood. The outsides of all the doors are forest green.

They have been preparing this week to pour the patios on the West side of the house and on the South side under the deck. This photo is taken from the South-West corner of the house, looking toward the garage. One area of fill, on the right front of the photo has settled a bit. The other hole, in front of the garage, will be all concrete. This is to reinforce it for the stone fireplace we hope to build there at some point.

The deck is also framed out. It will be an interesting shape to mirror the roof prow. This shot is from the Great Room.

I didn't realize that I cut off half the roof of the house in this shot.

We are looking at decking samples. We are using composite decking because I am tired of staining the deck every summer...I don't want to do it ever again! We are the most interested in the 2 samples on the right.

I have been pondering how to decorate the tray ceilings in the Master Bedroom and the Study. I found these ceiling tiles, and a paint technique that looks like copper that I really like!

The concrete truck is supposed to come on Tuesday morning, so we try to be there for that. I guess the builder is planning to work on plumbing and duct work for the next couple of weeks. Once the duct work is in, the central vacuum guy will come out to do his bit...they are estimating the 9th or 10th for that. The tubs and showers are to arrive this week. I can hardly wait each trip to see what is new!