A Main Floor

It has just been a week since the last post. The downstairs walls are framed. The sheathing is on and protected with Tyvek. The floor trusses are in, so we have a ceiling downstairs and a place to walk on the main level. Framing for the main floor was delivered today, and main floor walls are going up. You can look out the living room window (framing) and the french doors (framing) and see the view. It is exciting!

Take care,

Emmett and Marsha

1st Day of Wood

Brian, our framer, has started to construct the downstairs rooms- two guest bedrooms, two baths, and a media room. His crew is 5-8 people, so things have started quickly. The Warrens (Peg & Mark) and the Crasses (Evan, Marta, and Kate) arrived on Martin Luther King Day Weekend for a snap inspection- snap because of our cold snap- teens and snow.

Stage One Complete

Dear Family and Friends,

Welcome to 2008. This week marks new beginnings for us on the house. The time of concrete is over... we're going "Into The Woods"! Lumber arrives on Tuesday- honest-to-goodness 2X6's and plywood and trusses and stuff. We will mark this change with a new blog format next time- hopefully one where I can put comments next to images, for better clarity.

These pictures include Christmas at Josh's in Portland, OR. Josh, Heather, and Justin fed 26 people at their home at Christmas - a sit-down dinner of the most amazing roast beef I have ever eaten!

Connor came to visit Grandma and Ampa after Christmas. We had a pottery class, went to the Asheville Fun Zone, and the WNC Nature Center.

In terms of building, the downstairs slab is poured! The guest bedrooms and baths now have a floor! Nicky, our concrete man, is unbelieveably meticulous. The final coat of concrete is as smooth as glass- literally. You will be pleased when you stretch out on the media room floor- it won't be undulating.

It scares me to say this, but we may be rethinking our Labor Day in Brevard concept. We may be lucky to hit Christmas, 2008 at the rate we are going. However, that continues to be OK, because we are loving our life at the moment. Subliminal message- if you are thinking of visiting, you don't have to wait until the house is done. That might be a while. Our little rental house is comfy, and we are slowly learning to be Southern hospitable. Graciousness is still beyond us, but we can do hospitable.

Love to all,

Emmett and Marsha