On the home stretch...

Here is where we are at now... new lights have been put on the front of the house - including the light pole.  Also - amazing - nothing laying around - it is actually cleaned up (at least in the front)! The garage is basically done, and there is a new power vent installed on the roof - which needs to be wired next week and we had them take down the dish from dish network...
What is left?  for them... the storm doors on the house, a little bit of caulking around two windows on the house,  and a new garage window... and for us, to paint the garage one of these weekends....  It has been a long summer of home improvements... mom and I are done for a while.

Soffits and a New light

Today a new light, and soffits... they are slowly but surely making progress...  The soffits really make the house come together...

After 25 hours... my classroom is ready to go!

 Wow - after 25 hours of working - Mom and I got my classroom together for students.  It is not perfect, and I still need to tweak it - but I think it looks pretty good! (Thank you Derek, Pam, Cooper, Allie, and Devin for helping me move!) The glassware cabinet - mom and I washed every single beaker and flask in it!  Whew - that's how dirty it was... but now it is all organized and ready for student use!
After day #1 - I like the classroom, but there are a few things I need to figure out and get used to - like my voice echoing when I am up at my smart board, how to hand out and collect papers, if I should space out the desks more, etc.  It will get figured out in time.  Do you notice the new teacher in town?  She's pretty cute - isn't she?!?

Paint Paint and more Paint

 Happy Friday!  Mom and I painted the cement part of the house... and you can see how much better it looks!  A million times better!  We are thinking about giving it a second coat on Sunday because it has been so long since it has been done.  The paint was mixed to exactly match the siding, which is really awesome - so if I see a flaw in the siding, I can use the paint brush to cover it.  Loren and his crew only were here for 1/2 day, so they did not make much progress.  They built the porch soffit and secured the railings.  Tony and Steve from River Creek came to lift out the concrete by the shed - what a huge hole!  But their little skid loader just lifted it right out!  It was amazing to watch.   Those guys are amazing - Mom and I really enjoy seeing them.   But, two casualties, the bush by the shed door went with the slab of concrete, and look at our lawn!  Oh my... but I talked to Tony about building a ramp up to the shed door, like the side of the house by our obnoxious neighbor.  He said he would help fix the grass then, whenever that will be.  I will need to brainstorm a temporary ramp to get the lawnmower out of the shed... our grass in places does need cutting this weekend.  So, now it is a waiting game until next week.  I am thinking by the end of next week it will be pretty much done.  Oh - and by the way, the garage is still standing - but just to be sure, my car is on the street for at least one more night.  Have a great labor day weekend!

Siding is on! Garage is off!

 Well, the house siding is basically done.  They cased the doors so they will never have to be painted again.  Soffits are being put in tomorrow.  My goal is to get the basement painted this weekend - as you can see, the colors do not match.  I hope we have great weather.  The garage, well, that is another story.  Loren, our contractor, noticed how bowed the garage wall is, you know the one that caved in way back when.  So, his idea is to brace the wall inside the garage by running 2 x 4's diagonally from the sides to hold it up.  Also, the cement slab in front of the shed door, Loren and his worker Cody tried to sledge hammer it out, but it must be about 8 inches deep.  It was so hot today that I told them to stop ( I was scared they were going to hurt themselves)  - so I called our landscaper Tony to bring the skid loader by tomorrow to try to lift it out.  But, I am really nervous that they will push too hard to get it out and oops - there goes the wall.  Needless to say, my car is safer on the street tonight, tomorrow, and for the near future until I know the garage is safe.  But, if it does cave in, it better do it good so insurance will build us a new one.... Boy, that would be a dream... I would make it 2 1/2 stalls, peak ceiling, a really nice storage area in the shed, inside steps, boy, would that be nice!  But, back to my story about the shed wall, they want to put a board behind the slab to even it out with the siding.  On the alley side of the garage - look at the boards dad used... they look familiar - were there some leftover boards in the shed at one time? - and did they say "Clark?"  I wonder if they will need to be replaced?  Also, the window is being removed... Loren said it is shot, and it will take about two weeks to get another one.  I told them to skip the window to keep the project moving along.  Mom and I are SOOOOOO ready to have this over with... nothing will ever be the same.  Bushes smashed... plastic and siding pieces in the grass, garbage everywhere, scratches on the pavers....  And when or if you come to visit - make sure you wear shoes - there are soooo many nails laying around.