House update

It's been a slow and sometimes painful last 6 months when I think about the house. When I think about Baines, on the other hand, the last six months were amazing and have whizzed by without any signs of slowing. Between Thanksgiving, my broken foot, Christmas, the new year, property taxes, vet visits and the never ending rain it has been difficult to find the time and money to work on the house. Also, I'm at a point with the construction where I just can't move forward without someones help. The Ridge beams and roof rafters and just too big and heavy to do it alone. My Father has been here almost every weekend to help with the anything and everything and I've also had to call on my Brother and some additional friend to help lift the beams that are just too much for my Dad and I alone. The 22 foot 2x10 rafters we must use are really a three person job but my Dad and I have worked out a process that has started to flow with just the two of us.

I know some of the pictures posted to this entry have been seen before but I thought I'd post a "last six months" visual report on what we've done and where we are at. A lot of people continue to ask me when I think this will all be done and I honestly have no idea. I keep saying another two years but I'm just saying that because it sounds very far off and gives people the idea that it will not be anytime soon. McCall does not get home from work until 7:30 at night and I usually get home around 5 to 6. Before Baines was born I could use the few remaining hours after work to get a few things done but now I'm watching Baines and my working weekdays are gone. With only weekends available and a very tight budget, two years is starting to sound very optimistic.

Six Months ago when Baines was born we were just getting ready to sheet the floors of the front and back additions. Since then we have framed & sheeted the walls of the back (larger addition), hung the celling joists, ridge beams and roof rafters and moved/upgraded our service line/panel. This weekend we plan on sheeting the roof of the back addition that we've gotten done so far so that it will be a little more weather proof. Once we've completed that, our existing roof will need to come off so we can continue the new roof over the house and to the front addition.