Pole Barn Part II

I need to back up for a tiny bit.....BEFORE we even got the pole barn, we had to clear the spot where it was going to go.  As I told you, we changed our mind several times, but when we finally figured it out, it felt right. Clearing the spot was quite a feat.

It had to be dug out so many inches, then gravel had to be delivered, then it had to be leveled, and we can do that ourselves.

 And on the morning that they came to build the pole barn, it was VERY foggy out.  We've had quite a few foggy days.  I've heard that's an indication as to how much snow we are going to have.  Bummer.

 

After the outside was up, we had to get bids for the floor to be done.  The same company that puts up the poles and walls, do not do the floor.  After getting bids for cement, and picking a company to do the work, the cement trucks started rolling!

 That's our neighbor.  Dave asked him to keep an eye on things while he is at work.

 Oh my gosh...look how close that truck is to our new barn!

 

There were three trucks in all,

 and it took the guys two days to finish the cement part of the job.

I'm still trying to figure out why we paid them for sealing the floor!

 This is the job they did.

Oh well......I'm just going to take pictures of butterflies......

pretty little butterflies.....

 posing for the camera.....

playing in the mud......

mud that is all around the pole barn......

 

because this is what construction does to a yard. 

Cindy

Pole Barn - Part I

 I know...it's been awhile....well....let's just say I got an attitude!

About this pole barn.

 And the amount of time it is taking to get 'er done!  Jeeeeeeesh.......

It took us months to figure out where we were going to put it.  Even after the grass was killed for the NEXT to the LAST location.  I gently talked to my Shug about changing the location one more time!  But it's a perfect location and it looks great.....and the pole barn is almost finished now, and my 'tude is gone.....so I'll show you what's been goin' on.....SINCE MID-JULY!

 My favorite pole barn picture thus far!

 (rawwwwwrrrrrrrrr-is it hot in here?)

 A friend of mine said she would totally watch a reality show where people are building their own home!

 I told her that would be a GREAT IDEA!  Then she said, "it's not too late." Insinuating that we have plenty left to do, which is true, to which I said, "now you just pissed me off all over again!"  She laughed.

So, as you can see, we hired a pole barn to be built. 

Not so fast there Bobbaluey!  (I used to say that as a kid. I have no idea if everyone says that or if it's a neighborhood thing.)

"Hiring a pole barn to be built" has a different meaning to a girl than it does to a boy. 
When a boy says we are going to "hire it done." He means we are hiring anything done that he cannot do himself.  Of course, this is not said aloud. Most things are not said aloud with boys.  They think it's common knowledge.

When a girl says, "only if we hire it done" she means the whole shit-n-caboodle!  E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!  Enough said....Everything MEANS E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!  Like No means NO! 

Alright, back to the pole barn.
So, it's a fact of life, that some people will cut corners when doing a job.  example: the cement floor in our garage does not have plastic below it.  Hence, on humid days it can get a bit slick.

So, Dave laid down plastic sheeting before "hiring" the concrete to be done.

 Then we waited....for two weeks....just to get a concrete person out here to give us an estimate.  Concrete must be a good business to be in right now.

  I know there aren't any doors, "he can put those on himself."

 This bay....below....it's mine.  I requested a bay.

 I have no idea what I'll do with it yet but I want it.

 I want it walled off too. 

 When/if I get a potting shed, I may relinquish the bay.  

But for now, I want it.  

Why the hell not?

 Our neighbor said, "why are you getting a red pole barn, everyone else around here has earth tones."  

"Because I like red...that's why."

Said I...a girl....saying it like a guy!

 Cindy

Grand Banquet Hall - drywall

 

So, the Grand Banquet Hall is finished....for now....We went from this mess....

to wiring....insulating....see the little white line below the windows.....that's where the OSB meets...we caulked that to help with air leakage.  I actually did that part.  It's kind of like icing a cake, only bigger!  We did it on the ceiling too, as you can see.  Remember when I was insulating the attic a post or two back?  That's above this room.  This room has several windows and a door that leads to the outside.  The house is on a hill, and it's windy quite often on this hill.  So, sealing the room off from the elements is a primary concern.  I sound all official like, don't I? 

We put the drywall up, just to get a feel for the room.  We did not finish it as we plan on hiring it done.

 Now I thought I'd show you what Dave found on the side of the road in the trash, while he was driving home from a foot Dr. appt!

It's VERY heavy.  Probably original to the house it came out of.  We're pretty sure it's brass.  And it is beautiful!  We wanted a chandelier in the foyer!  Remember Dave is an electrician so he can rewire it.  It's just hanging there temporarily because we wanted to see how it would look.  I can't believe it's the perfect size for this area.

And we actually have some of those dangly crystal things around here that I bought at a garage sale a few years ago. 

It will be perfect!

Cindy

Porch finished!

Another porch project we finished was the ceiling of the lower porch on the "two story" end of the house.

We put these bead-board style ceiling pieces up....they just slide into each other.

Dave had them all cut to size and ready to slide in.

Problem was, we ran out of pieces and had to order more!

I think the porches look great and I cannot wait to move upstairs and sit on them!

Maybe you'll join me for sweet tea or lemonade!

Cindy Bee

Main Porch Steps & Trellises

Last year, at this time, we were constructing the porches.  You can see details in July of 2013.

There were a few details that we did not finish before winter hit.  One was steps leading to the yard on the main porch.  Dave made some steps in an empty room in the house, then the neighbor and I carried them outside to the front of the porch.  They were heavy!

Then Dave put the nuts and bolts in them and did all of the he-man strengthening type stuff so they will hold everyone that walks up and down them.  The hand rails were a bit of a problem.  You couldn't put them straight down...slanted like...because they would hit the steps.  It had to do with the width of the steps. 

Just like construction.....over-time....over-budget.

So Dave did some engineering and brought the handrails straight out for the first step, then slanted them down for the next two.  They look great.  Whenever you use treated wood, which is what you usually use on an outdoor project, you should wait at least a few weeks to paint it. 

This porch is now fini'!

When Dave finished the steps,

he decided we needed a couple of trellises on either side of the windows.  Something...to tie it all together out front.

 

 

He painted the trellises when I painted the steps,  and at some point we will add some landscaping.  It's too hot and dry right now.

 

More porch stuff coming later.....

Cindy

Door on upstairs balcony

 The month of June was a little more ambitious.  Dave had his cast switched to this boot, and could move around a little more.

And we still had a storm door that needed to be put on one of our entrances.

He sat in this chair for several hours while putting the door on....

then I came up to take a break with him and BAM!!!!

He got stung on the finger by a wasp!!!  See the little paper nest under the armrest on the chair.  Yup, the same chair he sat in working on the door.  

Poor guy!

Cindy Bee

Achilles Tendon Surgery

Hi everyone!  I suppose I'm a little past due for some updates on this blog.  Let me explain....

Dave had Achilles Tendon surgery on May 6.   He was sent home with a tube in his leg to keep it numb, and a sling he wore around his neck that held a plastic bag full of medicine.  And he had a plaster cast on his leg for three weeks.

 After three days he took tube out of his leg.....ewwwww.....it was long.....and after three weeks, he went back to the Dr. and came home with a different type of "boot" on his foot.  Today is July 14 and he is still off of work from this surgery.  But he is walking pretty good now, just has a slight limp, and things are moving along.  This is pretty much all we got done for the entire month of May.

 We stopped at a garage sale across from his Mom's Assisted Living facility and bought this mirror to go above our bathroom vanity for $10.00!  It even has beveled glass!

  And I insulated part of the attic while he cut the insulation.  It was something he could do by sitting or standing still. 

 I laid all of this in one direction,

 then started rolling it in the other direction. 

 So the insulation in the attic has an R value of 50.  I know you are impressed that I know about insulation R values!

I'm downloading lots of pictures now, and I hope to get caught up on this blog in the next week or two.

Cindy