| The Process Cont. Page 27 |
| December 30, 2008 Day 1205 |
With Christmas over and hopefully a reprieve from any major snow storms, work on the Carriage House is back on
it's way. Sunday David delivered the garage doors and today I started to paint them. Right at this moment I am
waiting for the first coat to dry enough so that I can turn them over and paint the other side. Normally I would have
another project going at the same time as to not waste time, however it is vacation week for the kids and one
project at a time is all I can muster when I have two teenagers and their friends running around the house.
Julien is hard at work running the truces for the second floor of the Carriage House and starting to cut the rafters
for the roof. The first floor is 11 feet high and then the roof will pitch at a 12/12 pitch from there. It will give us at
least a 12 x 24 room with a minimum of 6 foot high ceiling and the southwest side of the roof will have a gable cut
into it as well to give more room and natural light. At his current rate I would expect to see the building weather tight
by next Tuesday. Although the New Year's holiday might slow that estimate down a bit.
All the doors and windows are now on the property as the last one arrived today.
Sunday Pattie and I went shopping for a light to put on the outside front of the Carriage House. We had a tough
time finding what we wanted but stumbled across a Kichler light in the clearance section at Lowes. It was huge had
some of the basic characteristics as the front lights and we liked it. So we bought it the cost was only $30!!! We
figured even if it ends up that we do not like it ,we can afford not to use it.
it's way. Sunday David delivered the garage doors and today I started to paint them. Right at this moment I am
waiting for the first coat to dry enough so that I can turn them over and paint the other side. Normally I would have
another project going at the same time as to not waste time, however it is vacation week for the kids and one
project at a time is all I can muster when I have two teenagers and their friends running around the house.
Julien is hard at work running the truces for the second floor of the Carriage House and starting to cut the rafters
for the roof. The first floor is 11 feet high and then the roof will pitch at a 12/12 pitch from there. It will give us at
least a 12 x 24 room with a minimum of 6 foot high ceiling and the southwest side of the roof will have a gable cut
into it as well to give more room and natural light. At his current rate I would expect to see the building weather tight
by next Tuesday. Although the New Year's holiday might slow that estimate down a bit.
All the doors and windows are now on the property as the last one arrived today.
Sunday Pattie and I went shopping for a light to put on the outside front of the Carriage House. We had a tough
time finding what we wanted but stumbled across a Kichler light in the clearance section at Lowes. It was huge had
some of the basic characteristics as the front lights and we liked it. So we bought it the cost was only $30!!! We
figured even if it ends up that we do not like it ,we can afford not to use it.
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| January 1, 2009 Day 1206 |
By the standards set over the previous years, 2008 was not a hugely busy year at Cross Point Farm but nether the
less we did accomplish a fair amount of work in 366 days (leap year).
January started the year as it always does and I was busy painting the trim work on the first floor as well as painting
the hallway for the third time. I had Pattie painting most of the hallway as I was happy with the first color! But I must
admit I love the new color, since I picked it out. We also finally ended the fireplace surround saga as the marble
arrived the third time unbroken and the correct color.
February and March were probably the least productive months of the year as I worked slowly on refinishing
interior doors and installing trim work on the second floor.
April arrived with some very nice spring weather and the work on our stone patio started. I continued on the trim
work on the second floor and refinishing interior doors.
When May arrived, we were able to see our completed stone patio. I also refinished my final interior door and
finished painting the master suite trim work. As well as the most of the trim work in the second floor hallway.
On June 1st we had our Open House with over 70 guest and we had a great time enjoying the almost finished
project.
I finally bought my tractor and I was outside playing tractor boy every free minute I could find. Although I did make
myself find time to build the skirting for under the farmers porch.
Summer was upon us as July arrived and with it came a lot of rain. I was able to work between the storms and start
reclaiming the old cattle road along our property line and was very pleased with the newly rebuilt stonewalls and
open area, although my neighbor was not as appreciative.
August arrived and I was still working on the cattle road and making plans for Phase Two. Scott installed our new
railings on the front steps of our house, which added just one more tweak to the front of the house.
With fall in the air September found us saying hello to Phase Two with our official ground breaking ceremonies and
saying a sad goodbye to our ailing Chestnut tree. I was still working on the trim work as I was able to finish the
Media room with the exception of painting.
October took over for September and Julien arrived with his bigger tractor and dug out the footings and cement
slab area and then poured the cement. I continued to work on various projects throughout the house.
In November we installed the built ins in the dinning room. I spent several days painting them in an effort to have
them ready for Thanksgiving. I also spent many days in November refinishing the banister.
In December I had worked my way up the banister to the start of the third floor with stain and varnish and by the
end of December I had the entire railing stained. Leaving the job of varnishing it for 2009.
Julien finally arrived and started to frame our Carriage house and breezeway and on December 31st the last day of
the year he had started to frame the roof.
As mentioned in the beginning, 2008 was not as busy of a year as the previous two years, but we did travel a good
distance in our journey to restore this old home. We also set up a good amount of projects for me to accomplish in
2009. We will have the obvious, the addition to finish and the banister to finish and I also hope to get to a little bit of
landscaping started. As we venture into the fourth month of our fourth year of the project I wonder if we will ever
truly finish renovating Cross Point Farm. Hopefully not what would I have to do if we finished?
less we did accomplish a fair amount of work in 366 days (leap year).
January started the year as it always does and I was busy painting the trim work on the first floor as well as painting
the hallway for the third time. I had Pattie painting most of the hallway as I was happy with the first color! But I must
admit I love the new color, since I picked it out. We also finally ended the fireplace surround saga as the marble
arrived the third time unbroken and the correct color.
February and March were probably the least productive months of the year as I worked slowly on refinishing
interior doors and installing trim work on the second floor.
April arrived with some very nice spring weather and the work on our stone patio started. I continued on the trim
work on the second floor and refinishing interior doors.
When May arrived, we were able to see our completed stone patio. I also refinished my final interior door and
finished painting the master suite trim work. As well as the most of the trim work in the second floor hallway.
On June 1st we had our Open House with over 70 guest and we had a great time enjoying the almost finished
project.
I finally bought my tractor and I was outside playing tractor boy every free minute I could find. Although I did make
myself find time to build the skirting for under the farmers porch.
Summer was upon us as July arrived and with it came a lot of rain. I was able to work between the storms and start
reclaiming the old cattle road along our property line and was very pleased with the newly rebuilt stonewalls and
open area, although my neighbor was not as appreciative.
August arrived and I was still working on the cattle road and making plans for Phase Two. Scott installed our new
railings on the front steps of our house, which added just one more tweak to the front of the house.
With fall in the air September found us saying hello to Phase Two with our official ground breaking ceremonies and
saying a sad goodbye to our ailing Chestnut tree. I was still working on the trim work as I was able to finish the
Media room with the exception of painting.
October took over for September and Julien arrived with his bigger tractor and dug out the footings and cement
slab area and then poured the cement. I continued to work on various projects throughout the house.
In November we installed the built ins in the dinning room. I spent several days painting them in an effort to have
them ready for Thanksgiving. I also spent many days in November refinishing the banister.
In December I had worked my way up the banister to the start of the third floor with stain and varnish and by the
end of December I had the entire railing stained. Leaving the job of varnishing it for 2009.
Julien finally arrived and started to frame our Carriage house and breezeway and on December 31st the last day of
the year he had started to frame the roof.
As mentioned in the beginning, 2008 was not as busy of a year as the previous two years, but we did travel a good
distance in our journey to restore this old home. We also set up a good amount of projects for me to accomplish in
2009. We will have the obvious, the addition to finish and the banister to finish and I also hope to get to a little bit of
landscaping started. As we venture into the fourth month of our fourth year of the project I wonder if we will ever
truly finish renovating Cross Point Farm. Hopefully not what would I have to do if we finished?
| January 22, 2009 Day 1227 |
It has been tough going with the weather this month. We have had three snow storms, the last storm bringing over
12 inches and we had a cold snap for three straight days when it never got above 5 degrees and as cold as 28
below zero one night. This put a delay on the building the process. This week, after the snow clean up on Monday,
it has been relatively calm. This has allowed them to finish the roof and install the new cupola and weather vane. I
hope to have pictures soon as it is dark when I go to work in the morning and dark when I get home at night so this
only allows me Sunday and Tuesdays for pictures. Last Sunday we were getting hit with the 12 inches of snow and
this Tuesday I was out of town on business.
The garage doors are scheduled to go in on Saturday and then we will start to see the place start to take shape on
the appearance.
12 inches and we had a cold snap for three straight days when it never got above 5 degrees and as cold as 28
below zero one night. This put a delay on the building the process. This week, after the snow clean up on Monday,
it has been relatively calm. This has allowed them to finish the roof and install the new cupola and weather vane. I
hope to have pictures soon as it is dark when I go to work in the morning and dark when I get home at night so this
only allows me Sunday and Tuesdays for pictures. Last Sunday we were getting hit with the 12 inches of snow and
this Tuesday I was out of town on business.
The garage doors are scheduled to go in on Saturday and then we will start to see the place start to take shape on
the appearance.
| January 27, 2009 Day 1232 |
The garage door installers did not arrive until Sunday. They called Friday night to tell me this, so at least they
called. We were away for most of the weekend anyways so it did not matter when they went in. Actually it was better
that I was there on Sunday to answer a few questions etc anyways. I like the doors the only problem I have with
them is that the quarter round they used on the outside of the glass is smaller in some places than the molding
they used on the inside of the glass and therefore you can see white. It makes it look like I did a lousy job painting
because the white shows around the black. I talked to him about it and he said he would talk to the company but I
am sure nothing will come of it. I will just have to do some inventive painting to hide it.
Julien and his guys did not show up on Monday so we continue to be slowly moving along on this project. I guess at
this point where we are already half way through winter it really does not matter. It will just make it that much
warmer for when I start working in there myself.
It has not been above 15 degrees since Friday and today (Tuesday) is not suppose to be any warmer either, but
on the bright side they are expecting another 6 to 10 inches of snow for Wednesday. So if I was a betting man I
would say we will not see anyone here working on the place until perhaps Thursday at the earliest.
called. We were away for most of the weekend anyways so it did not matter when they went in. Actually it was better
that I was there on Sunday to answer a few questions etc anyways. I like the doors the only problem I have with
them is that the quarter round they used on the outside of the glass is smaller in some places than the molding
they used on the inside of the glass and therefore you can see white. It makes it look like I did a lousy job painting
because the white shows around the black. I talked to him about it and he said he would talk to the company but I
am sure nothing will come of it. I will just have to do some inventive painting to hide it.
Julien and his guys did not show up on Monday so we continue to be slowly moving along on this project. I guess at
this point where we are already half way through winter it really does not matter. It will just make it that much
warmer for when I start working in there myself.
It has not been above 15 degrees since Friday and today (Tuesday) is not suppose to be any warmer either, but
on the bright side they are expecting another 6 to 10 inches of snow for Wednesday. So if I was a betting man I
would say we will not see anyone here working on the place until perhaps Thursday at the earliest.
| The new weather vane is up and the doors are in ! |
| February 3, 2009 Day 1239 or 3 years and 143 Days |
talking about more snow today, so the workers finally showed back up at the job site on Monday. They continued
to work on the landing and the stairs and also installed the final exterior door. So now the building is weather tight.
What they have left to do is finish the stairway, finish the sheathing on the wall between the garage and the
breezeway install that doorway and cut through the house into my music library and install that door. I keep saying
they should be done by the end of the week, but I am not even going to utter those words this week as I have said
that for three weeks now. I have decided they can take their time as most of winter has past and I need some time
to come up with the rest of the money for them anyways.
Today now that I am over my second severe cold of the season (unusual for me) I am going to resume work on
the stairway leading to the third floor. I hope to get a large portion of this project done today so that I too can start
to say I will be finished by the end of the week... some day.
to work on the landing and the stairs and also installed the final exterior door. So now the building is weather tight.
What they have left to do is finish the stairway, finish the sheathing on the wall between the garage and the
breezeway install that doorway and cut through the house into my music library and install that door. I keep saying
they should be done by the end of the week, but I am not even going to utter those words this week as I have said
that for three weeks now. I have decided they can take their time as most of winter has past and I need some time
to come up with the rest of the money for them anyways.
Today now that I am over my second severe cold of the season (unusual for me) I am going to resume work on
the stairway leading to the third floor. I hope to get a large portion of this project done today so that I too can start
to say I will be finished by the end of the week... some day.