March 2013 Panels, More Clearing, Master Closet and Garage

Finally, the items I have completed this month.

With the soft top soil just delivered and some rain, these prints appeared one morning.  After help from James (son) and Edwin (brother), I believe these are from the coyote I saw previously.  Not a good feeling to know he is coming so close to the house.

There was a local auction of farm equipment and I had to wait it out till almost the end but by then there weren't many people still around and I won the bid for 30 panels for $50 ea.  I had been quoted $280 each to have portable panels built by my fence guy so it was a great deal.

I negotiated to have this local rancher haul them to my house for $100.  Turned out that Handy and Cat were very nice people and we enjoyed our visit.

At the house laying up against my new fence.

Just a reminder of how the front yard looked when I began this project over a year ago.

Now isn't that a lot better?  If you look closely, you can see the fence at the perimeter of the front yard.

This is looking toward the new parking area.

Still the front yard but you can see the fence at the very front of the yard.

Side of house with the fence visible.

I also worked on the mess still in the garage.  The peg board will help keep tools organized but I need to find something better than those hooks which come out every time I remove something.  The workbench has also proven very useful.

New shelves and tables will take some of stuff out of the boxes.  I still want to make a lumber hanger on top of the garage door since I have plenty of room and some good left-over lumber to be saved for other projects.

The Master Closet is finally finished and wasn't very hard.  I designed and sent off for the components on the internet.  I was pleased with the quality and fit.

It was a little challenging to make sure the components fit around the window.  But they fit perfectly.

I had put the double rod in a couple of months ago but now I can put in another shelf above the top rod.  Maybe later.

I also added a safe that I bolted to the studs.  The blouses cover it up so it isn't so obvious.

LARRY

I am finally caught up but I still have more projects.

-+

FEBRUARY 2013  CLEARING BRUSH, BUILDING FENCE AND TOP SOIL

The fence guys really worked hard getting the metal posts down into the rocky hollow ground....many rocks.  They told me they have named this rocky type of real estate  "KINNEY ROCK".  So whenever they describe a job with the same rocky attributes, they just have to say KINNEY ROCK and that is all that needs to be said.  I am not sure I like my name associated with such problems!

Many of the holes had to be chiseled out with a pneumatic drive.  At least we know these posts are in to stay.

Many brush piles from clearing cedar and cutting down brush and trees and rock piles had to be moved from the area that will be inside the cattle fence.

This bobcat with the grabber teeth does an efficient job of dispensing with the piles.

At the same time top soil was spread around the house.  It took three large 18 week dump trucks with about 120 cubic yards of soil.  It makes a big difference in the look of the house.

This is off the back porch.

So many large rocks were dug up for the septic field so I decided to use some in the landscape around the house.  This one was about 12 ft across and I wasn't sure the bobcat would be able to lift it....no problem!

Back to cutting the tops of the fence posts to accept the welded top rail.

Letting the concrete setup on the posts.  Guy with bobcat backed into the corner post and knocked it loose from the just poured concrete.  Luckily, he told me right away and I had the fence guy come back to reset the loose post...

Top rail cut on site.

Ready for the welded wire.

One more thing that was fixed.  Some of the decorative scrolls had broken off while laying on the ground in the previous five years.  I found some scrolls locally that almost matched but I screwed them on instead of welded as had been previously done.  I then repainted both sides and reset a couple of the top caps.  I found a break in the weld of about 12 inches that I will have the fence guys repair.

December 2012  Tile and Oven Re-install 

After deciding the spotted floor would just not work, the tilemen were called back and were able to install the entire house in a week.  One good thing was I was able to get some close out tile that normally cost $4.99/ sq ft for $1.00/ sq ft.  Plus, the supplier just threw in all the rest of the same tile at no cost which was about 800 sq ft of tile.

The guys brought the correct oven and took the wrong one away.

Good work and I love the oven...very fast and consistent heat. They had to redo some of the work done with the connections by the other guys for the wrong stove but no charge to me. 

December 2012 Glass Install, Walks, LP Tank and Parking Lot

More progress on the outside and inside...

The glass guys came back to install the window over the tub after the broken tile was fixed.

Notice, also the wall under the mini-split is now fixed and repainted.

LP gas tank installation...much easier than I expected it to be.  Not a large tank since it will only have to support the gas dryer and the gas wall oven.  This amount of gas should last me a year or longer if I can get my clothesline installed to hang the sheets outside.

Picture a little out of sequence since the apron for the garage and walks are already built in this picture.

Checking for leaks

The walks and apron for the garage ....

Didn't want straight lines so I used the garden hose to set the edges.

Two different paths come together at the front door.  One comes from the garage apron and one comes from the yet to be built parking area.

The rainwater collection pipes run under the apron.  The small pipe is the supply water going into the garage to the filters and pump.

Front entrance.  Notice...no step...just smooth transition onto front porch.

Had to wait a day for the cement to set up then they came back and sprayed off the top of the cement to expose the aggregate.

I just love it and it blends beautifully with the rest of the drive which is crushed stone.

After the walks were in we started on the parking lot.

This was the area where the parking lot was to be built with the pink marked trees to be taken out.

The guys just pulled then up and piled them up for me to cut for firewood.

Ingenious way of working --standing on the lifted bucket while cutting a limb.

Good job with the end of the new sidewalk ending at the edge of the new parking lot.