At least that’s our hope.

Yesterday temps hovered around 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Last week the ground was frozen. Over the weekend the temperature slowing began to rise, however, it hadn’t warmed up enough that it was a pit of mud slop around the house. Yesterday when I arrived at the construction site it was to witness the Bobcat being dug out of the mud. Guess I was wrong about the slop. It (the Bobcat) with its military-like tank tread stuck in the mud, I filled with dread wondering how we’d ever get a CO before June or July.

I still don’t know when we’ll get a CO, but I do know that the Bobcat became unstuck and the landscaping subcontractor is a master of his trade. I kid you not, when I left the construction site yesterday afternoon, a 30′ perimeter around Stella was a gargantuan sloppy mud pit. Were I an entrepreneur I would have located the best local mudwrestlers, tossed them into the yard with a “y’all just go at it”, sold some tickets, and also collected money at the door. But, I’m not even remotely an entrepreneur else I would already have Corn Hole Leagues and Tournaments scheduled to take place in the attic.

Mud slop front yard.

Today when I arrived, temps were in the teens and to my great surprise, I could see that the front perimeter of Stella was nearly as smooth as a baby’s behind. I imagined that the rear and side perimeters were the same. Last night’s dropping temps took some moisture from the ground and froze that which remained. By day’s end, seed and straw had been strewn. Stella looks mah-vee-luss in her newly smoothed digs!

Nearly as smooth as a baby’s butt

Another happening I’ve been greatly anticipating took place today — kitchen countertops were installed and they came installed with our sink. John and I so many ages ago made selection of appliances, faucets, toilets, vanities, stain colors, and the like that we’ve forgotten how things look. We’ve been happy to discover that we remain quite taken with our choices. The sink looks great and the countertop made my gums show it was so beautiful. You know, I’d like to know how many people realize what a luxury it is to be able to wash a large pot in a sink without needing to be a contortionist and the pot needing to be made of silicone.

This roller coaster of frustration and excitement is trying to get the best of us.

Kitchen countertops as seen from the dining room

Kitchen countertops as seen front the breakfast nook

Stella is looking mighty fine, so don’t even think about slinging mud ’round here! And please, let the straw hold.

Now this *could actually* make somebody jump up and kiss their grandma – dirt was moved today! Hallelujah, praise Jesus, that big ol’ mound of dirt in front of the house was moved today and the mound along the driveway was partially moved. I couldn’t be happier or I’d be sick. John and I have been saying somebody better move that dirt and somebody did!

Also done today – the wall to John’s brewery was studded out and the garage/carport was almost fully completed.

Oh Stella, with this dirt moved, the better to see you!

The dumpster should be the next to vamoose.

We might actually get to move into this house!

Oh God, if I just jinxed things…

The pile of dirt blocking the front of the house is gone!

The mound is dirt along the driveway is partially gone!

Jim, I’ll choose date number one. Sounds like it has all the right move-ins.

Okay, so that was a horrible play on words referencing the TV show, The Dating Game. You know what is worse than that play on words, the waiting game John and I are enduring. Every passing day is one day closer, yet move-in day seems so very far away when there’s not even a estimated date. It’s so frustrating, we’ve stopped asking the question, “when do you think we might be able to close on the house.”

Like the weather of January 2013, the weather of January 2014 is wreaking havoc on the final aspects of completing the house. Inside things are going along fairly well. Painting is completed except for the final visit to touch up/repair things other subs may have messed up. Flooring is completed except for carpeting, which will be one of the very last items completed. Aside from the hardwood flooring, I really, really like the mudroom floor. I’m not fond of the laundry room or pantry flooring – the sample looked so much better than the laid floor. Hopefully, when the house is finally completed, it will be my only regret in choice. Bathroom vanity tops are in. Faucets are in two of the three bathrooms. Shower and tub heads and faucets are in all three bathrooms. The utility sink has been installed in the laundry room and the gas line was pulled for the stovetop. Speakers for the sound systems have been installed. John and I shopped for and found suitable fabric for use as speaker fabric on the door for the entertainment center cabinet that will house the subwoofer. With care and concern for *screwing it up*, I installed the fabric on the two end cabinet doors (they have to match, of course). The litmus test for success was that John gave me two thumbs up on my installation work. Exterior doors are weather stripped. The front door looks beautiful painted Raisin Torte, a strong blackened red color. Interior door knobs and stops are in place.

Fabric on End Doors of Entertainment Center

Mudroom Floor

Out of doors, the back porch has been screened. The cement has been poured for both the garage and the carport along with their aprons. The carport trusses went up this past Friday and the roof sheathing to the garage and carport also was completed. Lights were installed in the breezeway and electrical lines were pulled to John’s brewery and the generator. Plumbing also was pulled to the brewery.

Screen Porch Construction

Carport Trusses

Back Yard View of House, Garage, and Carport

The work that remains is significant, but not significant in amount. The fly in the ointment in completing the work is weather. Before this week, the ground has been sloppy mud with quite a few puddles scattered about. This week the ground has been frozen unless there was repeated traffic as there was at the back porch during screening installation when it then turns again to mud. If the ground continues to be frozen, the builder may take a chance on grading the property. I’m not a gambler, but at this stage in the game, I’m kind of hoping the builder is.

In the meantime, both of us visit Stella quite a lot, together and separately. We sweep the paper protecting the floors (can’t stand the sound of dirt between my shoes and paper), we check to make sure subs haven’t left lights on or doors open or the thermostat temp set too high, and we change the HVAC air flow filters, good golly those things get filthy. When I visit by myself, I walk the house round and round, likely walking close to a mile. I love being there and have to force myself to leave. I get back to the rental by the hair of my chinny chin chin to prepare dinner for the night. Of late we’ve been eating a lot of soup. With a nice loaf of artisan sourdough bread, a large pot of soup will last us three or more meals, enabling me to spend more time at Stella’s.

John and I have had it up to and well beyond “here” with the waiting game. We’re chomping at the bit for the right date with the right move-in. Groan, I had to make a bad play on words just once more.

If only it were true! But, we’re closer today to cooking than we were yesterday.

Our kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, and family room entertainment center were installed today and I’ll be daggone if the cabinet maker didn’t show us with his own hands just what good taste we have. The cabinets are beautiful! Here’s a sneak peek, yet be sure to peek some more in the “The Race to the Finish” picture gallery. The gallery contains the bonus of picture descriptions and information about what will fill in those empty spaces next to some of the base cabinets and wall cabinets.

The mud room, laundry room, and pantry also received their subfloor. Armstrong vinyl flooring will be laid in these rooms due to the great possibility of being subjected to water and other damaging elements. These three rooms soon should be completed. All bedrooms will be carpeted, but the carpet will be among the very last installations. Carpet doesn’t hold up well to subcontractors and their dirty construction site boots.

I’ve been anticipating today’s cabinetry installation for quite some time now and it is clear to see why. They make an incredible difference in the house’s ability to “feel” like a house that’s on its way to becoming a home. There is definition where there was void. There is tangible where there was abstract.

John and I give tremendous thought to the elemental selections of our under construction home, but until we see it, question remains in our mind. And, it has often been so long between the time of our choices until we see the finished product that we forget what we’ve chosen and what it may look like. Where possible, we should have taken pictures of stains and styles and what have you. The point is, we’ve been thus far pleased with every choice, nothing has been a ‘settle for’ or a compromise. We’re blessed!

In walking through the kitchen tonight when John arrived home from work, we studied it. Our conclusion is that a great fear has been abated – the kitchen isn’t as small as we fretted. There are multiple work spaces and ample room for someone to be unimpeded while working at each space. We have more cabinet space than either of the homes we sold in order to build our new home, Stella. The traffic flow should well work. There should be no accidental stabbings or scaldings!

We’re very well pleased with the vanities and other commissioned bathroom items. We’re delighted with the laundry room folding table (and cabinets). We also are very well pleased with the commissioned entertainment center, which will be a gift to us from my husband. Love that guy! Oh, and Happy 72nd Birthday, John, on this January 8, 2014.

I even wrangled my way into becoming a cabinet makers apprentice! I want to learn more about woodworking as it is my intention to make things for general household use. I want to make some serving trays from the construction pallets. I’d like to make our chairs and side tables for around the patio fire pit. I’d like to make some frames for John’s beer artwork. I’d like to make a headboard for the guest bed. I’d like to do a lot of things and learning more about woodworking through a real craftsman would be great. When I mentioned this, the cabinet maker’s dad immediately invited me over to see his birdhouses! I bartered John’s brewing skills to become an apprentice. How lucky is John that I’ve provided this opportunity to teach the art of beer brewing to another! I think he should buy me a present to show his appreciation!

My most recent woodcrafting idea to come to fruition are key racks for our new home. I made one 11-post key rack for the mud room and four single post key racks for the other 4 entry/exit doors. Making them was fun, except poor, poor me, I had to drink all that wine. But being the sacrificing martyr I am, in no time a’tall I drank all those bottles of wine. I did it “for the team!”

Yes indeed, every day we get closer to really cooking!