Summer Visits

Dear Family and Friends,

It has been a great summer. Marsha and I have been working at Harmony House, the retail store of the Brevard Music Center. The music season has just closed, and we have volunteered to be in charge of Harmony House next year. So far, the one thing I am sure of is that I do not understand what people will buy. I believe my high school Latin teacher would say, "De gustibus non disputandem est."

Bev and Doug Jackson came while the music center was going. We ate on the porch, saw beautiful native bonsai at the NC Arboretum, and went to the Enigma Variations at BMC. All those Conard musicals seem like so much fun when you are looking back at them.

Mike Fadzewicz, Conard math teacher, came next. Mike likes to be active- it was unclear who was running whom ragged, but we had fun. We introduced Mike to Walter Kluge, our blackpowder riflery friend. We went ziplining at Earthshine. Mike filled us in on all the current Conard teaching tidbits. He really left us pining for the fjords, if you catch my drift... nudge, nudge, wink, wink!

Josh, Jess, and Connor came, and we spent a week at YMCA Camp Greenville. Riflery, archery, horseback riding, swimming, rock climbing, square dancing, canoeing, great food, Goosebumps reading... there was no end to the good times. We met the Warrens in Waynesville for a day, Jess and Josh explored Brevard's nightlife (surprisingly extensive), we went to the Asheville Fun Zone, and did some gem mining. It was plain good family fun!

We hope to see you soon. Remember, we have four distinct, but mild, seasons. Fall foliage is coming up.

Love,

Emmett and Marsha

What's been going on?

Dear Family and Friends,

We've been planting, topsoiling, and mulching. We've been warning signing, gating, and camera-ing, due to our break-in. Mostly, we've been waiting for you. When are you coming? Marsha is teaching a course at Blue Ridge Community College. Em got his first audiobook job. Cosmo got his teeth cleaned for the first time in 15 years. Jess and Connor came up from Florida for Grandma's birthday. It was great to see them. Marta and Kate came to visit, and we had a wonderful time. Now, we are ready for you. Hope to see you this summer.

Love,

Em and Marsha

Christmas 2008 & MLK 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

We are settling in to our new home. Boxes are gone (almost). Things are hanging on walls (almost). Despite a colder than usual winter, things in Brevard are great.

We went to Florida at Christmas to see Jess and Connor. Josh was 2 days late because Portland OR does not do snow very well, but we had a wonderful time. The best part was Josh teaching Connor how to ride his two-wheel bike. Independence! Adventure!

Josh came back to NC, becoming the 1st official family member to stay at Brigadoon. He tested the various beds and showers, proclaiming them fit for family / friend service. It was a real treat to watch Standing In the Shadow of Motown with my bass-playing son in our new home theatre.

Martin Luther King Day brought Peg and Mark. We had our first fancy meal- Peg's shrimp scampi, tested the "Man Fridge" downstairs, as Mark proclaimed it, and enjoyed fires in the fireplace and sitting with good conversation.

The house works, so all we need is you. C'mon down, y'all.

Oh, There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays

Dear Family and Friends.

We've been in for 2.5 weeks. The boxes are unpacked, stored, or at the dump. We've put our first hole in the wall for a picture, had our first fire, and even our first party- a thank you to the wonderful people who we have met in Brevard lo these 2 years.

Now, as promised, is what will be the last of The Construction Blog. After this, we hope that it will be blog, part 2- "The doors are always open, the neighbors pay a call, and Father John, before he's gone, will bless the house and all." To make the house a home, we need to share it with you. Looking forward to seeing you on the blog in the near future.

Meanwhile, all our love and good thoughts to you.

Emmett and Marsha

We Be Jammin'!!!

Dear Family and Friends,

We have water! We have heat and AC! We have phone! We have permanent electricity! We have landscaping! We even have a view! Most significantly, we have a MOVING DATE! Anything that we haven't moved goes on Wednesday, November 26.

The guest beds are in, fresh and new! Now that we have hot water, we can clean, and start bringing boxes up. We hope to see you soon.

Since our last blog, Jack and Marjorie have come for a wonderful visit, and we went to Florida to celebrate Halloween with Jess and Connor in their new apartment. Except for Cosmo running away every chance he gets, things are great.

Take care.

Love,

Emmett and Marsha

Three Weeks and Counting

Dear Family and Friends,

We are almost there. Upstairs trim is stained and coated with 4 zillion coats of polyurethane, and we are just waiting for final coats on the walls. Appliances are in, the plumbing is in- but not tested with water yet, the countertops are in, the heating and air are in, the electrical is 90% done. If the Power Company ever gets here, we can hook up the house- they represent our first delay in 15 months, so we can't complain. Shoji screens, backsplashes, surround sound, screened porches- with screening! It is happening.

We are looking forward to moving in mid-November. Y'all come see us, hear?

Love,

Emmett and Marsha

Closer and closer and closer

Dear Family and Friends,

It's getting closer! Upstairs trim is mostly stained, waiting for polyurethane. Hardwood stairs are installed- and beautiful- waiting for stain. I installed shelves in the master closet and the pantry, and in Marsha's study closet. It ain't California Closets, but the price tag reflected that, too. I've been painting my workshop cabinets for the garage, just waiting to put them in.

This week- Duke Power should trench electricity to the house, countertops should be installed, I will get the bubinga island top out of our basement, and the painters may do the final coat upstairs. The foundation is ready to get stuccoed, and then we can do final grading and planting. Then, plumbers and electricians and Certificate of Occupancy, Oh My!

We are realizing that we have to get ready to pack up and move. We hope that you are making your plans to visit, as well.

Love,

Emmett and Marsha