Windows!

I was away from home for the majority of the last two weeks, with just a few days on the island in between two really wonderful trips.  One trip was a field trip to NYC with my two eighth grade students and my colleague, and one was a trip to Wisconsin to celebrate my sister's upcoming wedding.  It was so much fun to travel and visit new and familiar places.  But it was just as exciting to return home!  It was absolutely wonderful to see Jason and get reconnected.  I missed him so much while I was away!  Second to seeing Jason was seeing all of the work that he accomplished on the house while I was away.  He finished the bedroom roof completely--pretty nice, huh?  And he finished installing all but one first floor window (that window can't be installed until the wall insulation is finished).  Wow, what a difference it makes!  Here is the view of the front bedroom windows. 

Here is the front entrance. 

Here is the big beautiful window in the living room!  I love it! 

Looking through the big window to the backyard.  The light we are now getting in the house is just amazing.  It is going to be so sweet to live here!

Bedroom Roof!

Jason has been very busy over the past few weeks working on the our bedroom roof. 
First he needed to finish the porch to support the long overhang from the roof.  Once that was finished he began filling the roof cavity with insulation.

Here is a shot from the top of the roof looking down over the porch overhang and into the insulation cavity.  14 inches of cellulose should keep us warm, right? 

Finally, with porch and insulation finished, roofing could begin!

Up and Downstairs

We now have basement stairs! 

Isn't that nice?  Running up and down them is pretty fun.

To build the upstairs stairs, Jason needed to build the wall separating our stairwell from our downstairs bathroom. 

Here is the wall framed. 

And here is the wall being covered.  Our interior walls will be covered with planed and pickled spruce boards.  These have been planed, but not yet pickled. 

The darker part of the wall isn't planed because you won't be able to see it from the first floor.  Here you can see the framing for the upstairs stairs! 

Jason also framed the wall that will house the basement door and the cleaning supplies closet.  It's great to see the first floor taking shape!

Looking downstairs.

This is the view of the stairs and the wall framing from the front entry looking into the living room.

Here are the stairs from the second floor looking down to the basement. 

In other exciting news on the house front....

Our chandelier arrived over the weekend!  This will go over our dining room table.  I have always loved pretty chandeliers, but I didn't originally think that we would put one in the new house.  Then I saw this and there was no going back!  I think this will be very beautiful in our wood and clay house!

Photo Credit

Photo Credit

I know, I know! It's hard to imagine how it will all go together over the next several months, especially considering that this is what my dining room looks like currently.....

but we will get there!

Tubbies!

We have bathtubs!

In the backyard waiting to be moved inside.

Jason and Jim

And Cory.

Here comes the first one.  This one will go upstairs.  

Rope attached, ready to be hoisted upstairs.

Here she goes!

And now the unit for the master bathroom on the first floor.  

Isn't that pretty?

Now we're ready to move in!

A Long Walk in February

This walk had a mission.  The mission was simple:  find some beautiful rocks.  Good thing I live just a few moments from a rocky beach!

It was an extraordinary day.  The sun was shining brightly and the wind was barely reaching this side of the island. 

It didn't take too long for me to pick out a few of the prettiest rocks.

And then I just sat and bathed in the warmth of the sun. 

After walking along the beach, I decided to head for the marsh. 

Winter is the best time to see the marsh.  Because everything is frozen, you can walk around easily and see views that are sometimes more difficult to get to. 

The wind and the current pushed the water this way and that, making tiny ripples. 

It is a rare gift to have a Monday off from school work, housework--all kinds of work to walk around the island.  I am so grateful.