FYI and Wild flowers

If you feel you've missed some previous posts - once you get to the bottom of the page you can click "older posts" and it will take you back to the previous page of notes and pictures. I'm going to end today's posts with some very pretty wild flowers. There is an orange Mountain Lily, a purple Lupin and a red Indian Paintbrush.

Foundation Walls

Rebar and wall frames are going up. Concrete will be poured into the frames for the basement walls on Monday.

Conduits in a box with zip line

Wall #3

Wall #2

Wall #1

retaining walls for the PUD

Rich and I spent the past couple of days building the stone walls behind 3 of the Power Districts junction boxes. These were "needed" to hold back any dirt that may slough off the banks. I think "they" just wanted to give us more work and see if we were any good at building walls. Rich and I also used a generator and a shop vac to suck zipline through the 9 sections of conduit so the power district could pull the line through. Oh yes, the 9 sections equals a mile in length. Fun day!!!!! Muscles are sore and it is time for a drink or two.

It's official: Washington Residents

Rich and I registered our vehicles today and got our Washington state Driver's Licenses. There's no turning back now! Notice I'm still a McCain/Palin Fan as well as a WVU Mountaineer and Ithaca College.

Concrete

Yesterday, Tuesday May 27th, concrete was poured into the footings for the first stage of the foundation.

They used this big boom to get it into the hole.

Monday May 25th, 2009

Rich and I installed a locked cable gate today. We've already had some uninvited guests on the mountain. Two of our pine trees that were taken down were sawed up and hauled away the other night. We were saving those for our outdoor fire pit. Of course, I was not a happy person. I am ready to spend the night up there with some weaponry!! Instead of No Trespassing, Rich wanted to put up a sign that said, "Beware: Crazy Blond Woman, Packing Heat!"
On a lighter note, we have been having a great time. We are visiting old friends and yes, meeting new ones. Work around my mom's never seems to end as today we opened her pool and it was quite a job. We are staying very busy which is good. This is our last week of "rest." Rich will start back to work on June 1st and I will too. I will be working in a dental office in Wenatchee on Mondays and some Tuesdays. I'm very excited to take on a new adventure.

Foundation Footings are ready for concrete

More Graduation Pictures

Friday May 22, 2009

Rich had a slight set back on his drive across the USA. On Tuesday, late afternoon, his fuel pump started to give out. He limped into North Platte, Nebraska and found a FORD dealer to work on the Focus. They were able to put on a new pump, so he was off again yesterday, but a day behind. Last night he was in Sheridan, Wyoming so he made good time. Today, he will be visiting the Battle of Little Bighorn Monument in Montana. Gail and I toured it also, but the weather was cold, rainy and snowy that day so no walking tour for us. Rich will probably spend 3+ hours there. A lot to see at this monument: walking tour, driving tour and a great visitor center. He hopes to make Missoula, Montana tonight. I hope he eats dinner at the MacKenzie River Pizza Co. and enjoys the MacKenzie River Amber beer. It was awesome. Better yet, I hope he buys some and brings it with him. It will be great with the Memorial Day BBQ and pool opening at my mom's.

Rich at Teepee and the top of the Arch

Mississippi Rising

Monday May 18, 2009

Rich and I left this morning from Terre Haute, Indiana and drove to St. Louis. We arrived early enough before my flight to do a little sight seeing. We went downtown to see the Arch and tour the museum "Lewis and Clark, Gateway to the West". It is really great. I am posting pictures from inside the museum, the Arch, and the flooding Mississippi River. The police were actually closing flood gates so people couldn't drive down to the water front. The boardwalk area is completely under water.

Digging the Foundation

Digging the Foundation

I also made a trip up the mountain today to check on the construction progress. I was wrong! They are still digging the hole. The following pictures show some different views of the digging.

Tuesday May 19, 2009

Our shipment of belongings arrived today at my mom's house. I flew in last night and arrived in Wenatchee around 11:30pm. The movers arrived this morning at 8:00am. It was a very long day, but what great two guys we had unloading and storing at my mom's house. Pictures show how they stored it for us.

Sunday May 17th

Left Washington, PA. this morning. Drove to Dayton, Ohio and had lunch with Bill and Jeanette Rudy, Navy friends. Then, drove through Indiana and spending the night in Terre Haute. Time for a good rest.

Saturday May 16th

On the Road Again!!!! Rich and I left early for Morgantown, WV. Andrew's Graduation Day from West Virginia University. GO MOUNTAINEERS! I just love football!

We enjoyed the ceremony and celebration of the graduates of the Engineering College, took Andrew out for dinner and then, ice cream cake and Champagne with the Spoerkes. I hope I spelled that right as they might check this blog.

catching up

On Saturday, May 9th, I flew back to Fairfax, Va. Had a very nice Mother's Day with Rich and talked to both our boys, Andrew and Nik. Tuesday, May 11th, the packer came and started in on our belongings. And we also had our storage items shuttled back to the TH. Moving is very stressful, but this day was even more so with a "packer guy" who was very rude and didn't communicate well along with having quite an attitude. Wednesday, the driver and his crew showed up and they were fantastic. The driver even reported the packer guy to the company as he was rude to them also. Oh well, that is in the past now.
Saw our "dinner group" one last time before leaving the area on Friday night. A great meal and lots of laughs. We know we'll stay in touch with them all. Great, great people. Thank you Rosenbergs, Bowlings and Pennocks for your friendship.

starting to dig May 4, 2009

The driveway has been cut in and Mike is starting to dig the foundation. I have included pictures showing the work. Picturesi nclude the stacked trees that came down and the dirt piled high. Tomorrow there will probably be a big hole for the basement.

Today, May 5th, I worked in a dental office in Leavenworth filling in for another hygienist. It was a lot of fun. Worked with two gals I went to high school with and saw several people from the church I am attending. Leavenworth Community Methodist Church - I grew up in this church. This is definitely small town and I love it. Everyone has been so welcoming.

I know Leavenworth is a Bavarian Town!! but today is my sister Kathryn's, birthday. So, we went for Mexican at Los Comparos to celebrate her birthday and drink Margaritas. AND now I'm trying to load pictures on my blog.

Pictures will be loaded by 2 at a time.

May 4,2009

The road is now complete. New pictures show the road, last power transformer box and the view with all the wild flowers.

projects on Mom's house

carport clean out and basement shower demolition

Saturday May 2, 2009

I have been here for 3 weeks now and we are finally going to make some progress on the house. The gravel placement on the road is now complete. The excavator will start digging the hole for the foundation on Monday. I will take pictures and post them on Monday night.
The weather here has started getting sunny and warm, around 70 degrees. Washington state had a long winter and wet spring this year. Eastern Washington generally has very nice spring weather.
Since I have been here, my mom and I have purged and cleaned every closet and storage area in her house. We even had fun cleaning and had lots of laughs at some of the strange stuff we found. Lots of childhood memories also.
This past week, I did some demolition work. The shower stall in my mom's basement was one of those 3 sided metal jobs. I tore that out (I love demolition!) and when Rich gets here, we will install a new shower. My mom has a full daylight basement where Rich and I will stay. Mainly so we don't tread on her too much. Our personal shipment from Virginia will be stored in her rec room. I told you we purged before moving to the TH.
Plan to see pictures on Monday. KT