Update on the Dogpatch

So when we last left the story of building in the rainiest season on record in Vermont, we still didn't have a roof. Well, that was this week's work...


Downstairs starts to dry out and make for a good breakroom...

John and Seth are working together well and haven't killed each other yet ;-)




Finally, upstairs gets roofed and the bedrooms begin to take shape...


Windows come on Monday so it was time to frame in the home for our wall of windows -- this great room is indeed going to be GREAT!!!


When Seth and I were at the property working yesterday, we got to hea rthe rain and hail bounce off our new roof! Nice change from having everything pour inside. Starting to look like a home. We're VERY psyched!

Not a barn, but a raising

From crete to walls

This week's updates include pouring cement, standing walls and dogs helping out.

Here's where my bed will be in just a few months...

First floor walls start to come together...



Stoli helps out around the job site by attracting all the deer flies away from the crew.


And after a hard day's work at the property, Jordy curls himself up for some doggy dreaming.

House update: $18k in one weekend edition

So what have we been up to? How about spending $18,000 in one weekend!!??!! Yup, to take advantage of Vermont's tax-free weekend, we bought all of our windows and appliances this weekend.

Other exciting news -- the slab is poured. We have foundation. On to the framing! Seth and I were up there today putting the last foamboard insulation piecs around the foundation base and marking out windows and beam locations so they can start framing tomorrow.

Some visuals to go along with where we are at...

The well line goes in to the foundation:
Two views of our bomb shelter -- I mean, bunker basement:

First floor before the pour, with the radiant tubes:
Our view
Where our poop will go when we flush
Meanwhile, back at the ranch.... Magee North goes into full bloom. The rockwall deck garden is particularly beautiful this year.

Site work underway!

So this week we began the daunting, exciting and terrifying job of building our new home. Started on Monday with clearing and digging a hole. Thursday we were milling things up on site. By Friday we wrapped up loan stuff with the bank and on Saturday they hauled away our extra wood. We pour teh foundation walls on Monday!

The future front yard...
Our hole in the ground...
View from our hole in the ground to the southeast...
Our log pile AFTER we milled up about as much as you see here...
Seth and our future posts and beams...
What can I say? The man's got some WOOD!
A farewell to the remaining 2/3rds we didn't need to mill up...
All those years of playing with Lincoln Logs pays off...
This was the second completely loaded double trailer of logs we sold off.

Now, on to foundation walls, drilling a well and framing!

My new hybrid!

Driving down to town today I averaged 80 miles per gallon!! (Ok, it dropped to 46 mpg on the uphill way home, but still....)


With gas prices the way they are, I stand to save OVER $1500 in gas between now and the end of the year!!

Override Douglas's Campaign Finance Veto!

Jim Douglas said himself that he doesn't care about the facts -- that this reform would help make our elections MORE competitive, not less. Hear for yourself:

Gruesome Seth carnage and adorable Jordy

Two very different things, indeed. First, the cute stuff...



And loving his daddy...



And now for the carnage. WARNING -- not for the faint of heart. The left-overs of Seth's fingers after they got sucked into the stone grinder at work tuning skis on Wednesday...

Video of Jordy and Lucy at play

Some video of the two little ones at play.

More from the pack

And here I thought Stoli was going to be grumpy...the boys are getting along just fine.

Who says we only like dogs? Here's a visitor of a different kind, whooo was perched in the yard yesterday afternoon.

Our Best Xmas Gift

With mom...

With Dad...


With his new beggin' buddy Bailey at the kitchen's edge...


Catching some midday sunshine nappies...


And just lounging around with the pack.