Finishing the Basement

Last week the drywall was installed in the basement. This week it will get sprayed and the painter will get the walls and ceilings painted. The carpenter arrives the following week to do all the trim and doors. Then, the painter returns to paint all the millwork. Last thing will be the carpet install. I hope this gets all you people who want to visit starting your travel preparations. May will be the start of our warmer weather and the perfect evenings to sit on the porches enjoying wine, whiskey or whatever and the incredible views. Stay up late to enjoy the massive sky full of stars. I can't wait, so I'll probably be sitting out there by April.
We have also ordered our cabinets to finish off Rich's study and our master closet. Yes, we are getting there.

Puppy Pictures

More Puppy Pictures & some Deer

Winter again, I knew it.

It was just starting to dry out up here. The road to down to the gravel, we were starting to move dirt around. The 50 degree days with sunshine were so enjoyable. Then, yesterday it snowed all day and we received about 4 inches of heavy wet snow. It is a slush zone here now. Oh well, it is still February. I am thinking another snow storm around the first of March. We still need the snow in the mountains for water this summer. Won't be an issue for you east coasters.

My Days Off??!!

Since I only work at my hygiene job 2 days a week, I have people who ask me, "What do you do on the other days?" Well, I'm not sitting around eating bon bons and watching TV! This is a construction site albeit we are done constructing. Rich and I seem to spend a lot of time hauling gravel and spreading it as well as digging trenches throught the mud and dirt to allow the water to drain off.
Now with the two puppies there is no time to relax at all, it seems. They are up and ready to go out around 6:30 am (we are crate training right now.) But they don't seem to follow any kind of pattern at all. Much to my dismay! I think I have them figured out and then I head out to the garage to check on them and one or both of them have already "pottied." Doggone it. They love to run wild and play up here, but we can't leave them alone due to the possibility of coyotes hanging around. We try to wear them out and they take a morning nap. I'm looking forward to the days when they are big enough to run around unsupervised.

Lewis and Clark

We adopted two yellow lab mix puppies from the animal shelter. We named them Lewis and Clark for the explorers of the WEST. The director of the shelter attends our church and told us about them. Yesterday, they had their first vet appt. via the shelter. The adoption fee includes their vaccinations, spay/neuter and micro chip. They are so cute and fun to have around. Rich and I decided quite some time ago that it would be a good idea to have a couple of large dogs around to deter unwanted visitors and wild animals. Last week we had 3 large coyotes pass through the property quite close to the house. We hope that having more action and noise will keep them away. They are outside only dogs and live in an apple bin in the garage right now. The mulch bed I prepared yesterday is their new bathroom and they already know where it is.

Spring? Really?

It has been absolutely beautiful here. The day temps are around 50, clear and sunny. The nights are still a bit chilly, in the lower 30's. The snow is almost gone and the fruit trees down in the valley are starting to show some color. We will get used to this weather and start enjoy the spring season and then, WHAM, one big snow storm could end it all.
Yesterday was spent mostly outside with gravel to haul and I also made one large mulch bed. More on this later. I also got my first tractor driving lesson. That was fun. Being this is a post construction site, there is more muddy clay than I want to deal with. We really can't do too much with the land around the house until it firms up. But we are prepared with our rubber water changing boots. They are really cool.