bed and rug

Brad wanted to provide a little surprise for me. We spent last night in Greensboro in order to attend a wedding reception for Brad's nephew Jay Barth and his wife Jessica. They got married back in the spring. The party was really nice! Eddie and Kelly went with us. When we got back from Greensboro today, Brad had asked Eddie if he would help move the bedroom rug and our bed from Peakland Place to Hanshill, and set it up, as a little surprise for me. Well they moved the items but we discovered that our rug is too large to fit into the master bedroom. So we need to have it cut down to fit the room.

So the surprise didn't quite work out. But the good news is that there are two fewer items that movers will need to move on moving day! That date is still to be determined --- I'll start working on that tomorrow.

Yard graded and seeded

Now that the floors are finished, and rosin paper has been put down to cover the floors while we move in, the house is ready to receive belongings. So now every time I go I take SOMETHING --- today I took many blankets and put them into the new hall blanket chest. I've also been shopping for a few small items like dish towels and potholders.

Well two exciting things happened today. The yard was graded and seeded, and the screens were installed in the house. I have several photos of the yard. We are just hoping that Hurricane Irene doesn't produce a drenching downpour that washes all the seed away.

 Two workmen are washing the windows in the sunroom in this next picture.

 And this captures a mundane but still exciting thing ---- with the bobcat machine that was here to do the yard work, they pushed out the ugly tree stump that has been in the circle the last few years ---- the tree fell down about 5 years ago --- or more? It's nice that it is gone!

The builder had placed a big bag of grass seed on a shelf in the hutch/sideboard on the eating porch. I had cleaned it a couple of days ago, but noticed that mouse droppings were appearing overnight each night. Well, mystery solved: they were eating the grass seed! Now the seed is gone and three traps have been set, so hopefully we will soon be rid of them.

Things are going well

I don't have any photos today, just a brief report. The last treatment of the floors was done yesterday, and we are to stay out of the house for several days. We were able to peek through the windows from the eating and drinking porches to view the floors. They look just how I wanted ---- no longer any sheen. They have a satin finish. I can't wait to experience them firsthand, not through a window, but bottom line, they turned out great.

Brad and I went through things that we had stored in the garage at the beginning of construction and found a few things to discard, so we made a trip to the city dump. We also picked lots of okra and some tomatoes.
I will do more work on the porch furniture tomorrow ---- wiping with ammonia water, after spraying to kill bugs (specifically spiders). We've done about half so I hope to complete that job.

I finally made a selection for bar stools and ordered them. Here's a photo --- guess I had one after all. The cherry and black should look nice in the kitchen.

Yesterday I made a decision on knobs for the cabinet in the master bathroom. They are similar to the knobs in the kitchen, but instead of being "blackened pewter," they are "antique nickel" --- not as much black in them.

And we have really good news: we have a signed contract to sell our house. We just need to get through having the house inspected sometime this week and then it will be official. Sept. 16 is their target move-in date so we need to be cleared out by then ----- that was four weeks from yesterday. We are so grateful for this development.

appliances finished!

So, everyone, the black appliances are here. Some of you were strongly advocating stainless steel, instead of black. I hope you are not majorly disappointed. We are happy with the black. The filmy paper has been left on the microwave, because the installation is not 100% complete. The vent pipe that goes through the top cabinet and then out the exterior wall ---- well, it has not yet been installed. Once the venting is finished, the clear plastic paper will be removed.

 Here Brad is testing the water faucet and I'm admiring the black dishwasher.

 The vanity top/sink piece has been installed in the guest bath. There is a hole in the wall just below the light fixture, where repairs are being done. It has been spackled but not re-painted. Anyway, this bathroom looks nice! Can't wait to have children visiting who will use this new bathroom! The cabinet matches those in the kitchen.

I can't believe we are almost finished. It will be weird not sharing day-by-day photos of construction changes. 

appliances on the premises

All appliances have arrived. The refrigerator has been hooked up, except for the icemaker. But Brad is ready to put a ceremonial six-pack in as the first item to be refrigerated. Maybe tomorrow.

 The microwave is mostly installed, but the vent pipe that connects from the top is not present. The range and dishwasher are waiting for installation. Brad is excited that the cooktop has a large (5th) burner in the middle that comes with a pancake griddle. How many ways can a man plan for his grandchildren??  (Actually I am sure we have just begun to scratch the surface on that question.) I asked the builder to change the color of the electrical outlets in the backsplash from dark brown to something light, which turned out to be "almond. They look much better.

 Here's a nice touch we didn't necessarily anticipate. The guy who installed the backsplash coordinated the height from the behind-the-stove area to the one corner. Once again, a beautiful job was done by a craftsman who does great work. You get a better feeling for it in the second photo.

 And I cannot overlook reporting on Brad's work this weekend. He cleaned and painted the floors on the two porches --- eating porch and drinking porch. I hope we will have the usual family gathering on Labor Day weekend --- the porches will be the same as always. Just the rest of the house will be different. We hope to move the porch furniture into place in the next day or two, despite the fact that Brad returns to work tomorrow (students return a week later).

Brad re-connected the "stadium light" today. That's the floodlight installed high in a tree to illuminate the parking area. This involved digging a new line across the yard and driveway and some coordination with the electrician who has done all the work on the house.

washer & dryer day

Most of the appliances were delivered this afternoon. But only the washer and dryer were actually installed. All of the kitchen appliances will be installed next week. They are just standing in the kitchen. We have to have someone with particular skills to hook up the gas cooktop, gas-powered hot water heater, and gas-powered heat  pump back-up system.

The brushed nickel faucets were installed on the master vanity.

 Here's the vanity-top sink in the guest bathroom. It looks really nice. Now we just need a mirror --- in fact we need mirrors in all the bathrooms.

 And here are the washer and dryer. I had thought there would be room for a shelf to hold the detergent and bleach, but Brad pointed out they can be stored in the original hall linen closet.

plumbing fixtures and backsplash

Just want to show you more progress!  Here the faucet fixtures have been installed in the master bath. The water should be turned on in a couple of days and then we could take a shower!

 I showed this sink yesterday, in the first floor half-bath. It's a Kohler Memoirs brand. I wanted to choose something that reflected the 1920s. Still need a mirror and towel rods.

 And here's the fancy toilet to match the sink.

 Here's the guest bathroom. The tub faucet shows and the handle for turning on hot and cold, but the shower head is out of view. Note that the toilet is also installed in this bathroom.

 The tile backsplash is completed and grouted. I'm just holding up the under-cabinet light fixture that has not been re-attached.

 It will be so wonderful to live here! (Do I look a little like Mama in this next shot? --- at least in my expression, if not actual appearance)

 Close-up of tile and granite.

I thought that we had finished making choices about various items in the house but we've come to a whole 'nother set of decisions --- about the design/style of towel rods and  toilet paper holders! And we need bar stools for the kitchen and a screen door for the kitchen exit facing the cabin. So my anxiety continues!

Thank you to Anne and Meg for coming out today to see the current status. It is special to have you two expressing support for my design choices and being cheerleaders for our project. I am sure there are things you would have done differently. It is a top goal of ours for the renovation to honor Mama and Daddy in particular, as well as all those who have loved Hanshill in the past. We so hope it is true to our heritage and that it would have been pleasing to our ancestors.

countertops!

Granite countertops installed. The photos just do not do them justice. They are gorgeous.

 There will be tile backsplash between the two levels of granite in the photo below.

Backsplash is partially done.



Here are some shots of the master bathroom and the quartz countertop. We still have not decided on knobs for this cabinet.

 We need to buy the toilet seats.

 This is an attempt to show the difference in color between the interior stain and the exterior stain.

 Here's the pedestal sink in the half bath. If you happen to enlarge the photo, you might think the faucet handles are gold in color ...... NOT! They are brushed nickel. It's just a bad reflection.

rods and cranks

The builders were onsite Saturday and worked on finishing touches. One item was to install the permanent cranks for the casement windows, and the permanent locking mechanisms. These had been kept off during the installation and painting process, to protect and preserve them.

 Another thing done this weekend was the installation of hanging rods in the closets.

 Much time was spent on finishing wood trim. Here's an example: the baseboard and shoe molding was done in the kitchen, now that the cabinets are in place. This trim still needs to be stained to match everything else in the house. Stay tuned!

oops on the soapstone

Well, we will not be having Virginia-mined soapstone in the house at Hanshill.

Yesterday afternoon, about 3:45 we received a phone call from the granite fabricating business we chose. We had taken them a beautiful piece of Virginia, Alberene, soapstone and they were going to cut it to fit our master bathroom vanity. This coming Monday, August 8, is the date that our granite countertops (kitchen) and the soapstone are supposed to be installed. As the professional was cutting the soapstone, the last task in getting our order ready, all of a sudden it shattered and splintered into many small pieces. Apparently, he encountered a fault that was not visible. The granite shop has worked with Alberene soapstone many times and has NEVER had a piece break in their 6 years in business.

When we got the call the granite business owner was pretty desperate sounding. He had tried to call the soapstone plant and was ready to drive up right away to acquire a replacement piece. Only there was not a replacement piece to be found that would be the color we had chosen, and large enough. The actual warehouse, where many soapstone slabs are stored, had closed and would not be opened until Monday. So the poor guy at the granite shop was in a funk. After listening to him a bit, and taking it all in, I started asking him about other options. I knew that Monday was our installation date. And I also knew, and know, that we want to settle the construction loan and move in before the end of the month, and we do not need any construction delays. So we needed a solution that would not jeopardize the Monday completion date. So that kinduv ruled out getting another piece of soapstone. Instead I started asking him questions about alternatives that would be available from the stock on hand at the granite place.

Wow, I'm rambling!! Anyway, we drove out there Friday afternoon. We asked about using a piece of the kitchen granite to replace the soapstone. The part that we were not using had been purchased by another client. Besides, the kitchen granite is light in color, and we had anticipated that the soapstone would be dark, so we had chosen a white sink to contrast with the soapstone, so we were still hoping for a darker-colored vanity top, that also would look good with the chimney-stone wall. So we looked at remnants that were sitting in the yard at the granite place. We found a couple of options, and finally settled on one. It would be of least inconvenience to the poor guys at the granite place if we chose one of their remnants, and yet is very pretty and will look good at Hanshill. So, aside from not having a piece of soapstone mined in Virginia, which was a topic I had discussed with Daddy and a goal of mine, all is fine. We will still have a beautiful master bathroom vanity top that will look great with the stone chimney wall. Pictures will come very soon! I can't wait!!!!!

getting close

Here's just a quick entry to let you know we are still here and waiting for the big transformation next week. That's when the granite and soapstone countertops will be installed, plus the toilets and sinks, and appliances. After that it will all be coming together quickly. This week exterior painting has finished, and all the windows have been washed. Here the puppy Bailey, who belongs to Eddie and Kelly, is communicating with the guy washing the windows --- the shot is in the master bedroom and he is standing on a ladder.

 All the junk has been removed from the hearth (but not the mantel).

 Addition painting is finished! Plus the windows have been cleaned.

 There's the ladder I had mentioned on the end of the house. Charles and his assistant are having lunch.

The window pane dividers have been painted. The shutters on the end of the house have been put back up. Nina is showing a tiny bit of belly.