It's like pulling teeth but.....

we're getting there.
I apologize for the gaps betweens posts, it's not that we don't have pictures, successes and failures to share with you, it's the frigging internet connection.  It's been 10 months since we inhabited Camp Aiken and the only thing slower than our internet connection is our 13 year old Wheaten Terrier.

I find it difficult to sit here while a picture takes 10 minutes to load to this blog, and they aren't high resolution masterpieces.  On top of the slowness is the monthly usage limitation Verizon enforces with our contract.  5 whole gigabyte a month which can be consumed watching a couple of idiots in videos we receive in emails, which buffer, buffer, and buffer some more.  And the cost you incur if you exceed that total is criminal. A five minute video can consume 45 minutes, watching 3 seconds at a time; but we move slow down here in the South
 
I've got to stop typing and post some pics, my typing skills suck.  We kind ogf hit a lull in construction but have had some finished trim completed.  We had the idea to re-use some of the old exterior claboards as molding.  We borrowed a monstorous plane  and ran the claboards through.  The finish went from this

to this (which is an interior window sill in the new section of the kitchen)

Better than Andersons I'll tell ya...

We also used the trim to frame around a piece of stained glass I had bought my better half in NY.  She had an  idea to insert it above the door leading from the kitchen to the front door.  The workers created the space and we used the claboards for highlighting the glass:



We were also able to salvage just enough of the interior tongue and groove of the old exterior kitchen wall to make the addition to the kitchen blend in with the 100 year old section of the kitchen fairly well

Since I seem to be all about salvaging this post we also salvaged the bead board from underneath the porch roof on the front of the house.  I keep saying we but this has all been my better halfs idea(s) to reuse what we could to preserve the feel of the 112 year old house.  I've just been shell shocked for 10 months and totally useless so kudos go to the female speicies.  So we reused the bead board to rebuild the ceiling in the spare bath

We haven't figured out how to illuminate the space yet.

Well, lots more has gone on and we'll see how the internet Gods treat me tomorrow night and perhaps we can get some more pictures posted.

A special hello to the beer drinking person we hired after her deft tractor driving demonstration, she got some poor news about her health but is a battler and we love her dearly, hang in there.  The paddocks need cutting.

Oliver out



Ding dong the deck is done, the deck is done.

The deck is done and so am I, Oliver out....

Changes to the kitchen nearing completion

Finally, close to being able to clean the sheet rock duct for the last time.  Next up, decisions whether to put wainscott up on the exterior wall. Or we might just trim out the windows and surrounding molding with old exterior siding we've salvaged and restored.  Either way we're just about to put this behind us.  Thank Christ.

After that I 'll do some on the job training on laying hard wood flooring. 

The pantry/laundry room and bedroom walk in closet is also complete minus the hardwood flooring.  I'm going to practice/learn with the flooring in the closet.........it will be hidden with the clothes.

And it keeps spreading wider

Like a middle aged persons hips

Hers is bigger than mine

I just noticed it's been a month since I last posted something.  Lots has been happening but I've been slow to take the pictures to document the changes.  And let's face it, no one just wants to read what I have to say. 

So for now I will jump around a little bit and show you some picutres of the start of the barn and of garage.  Truth be told the garage has been completed to about 95%.  My issue is I should have started the garage after the barn was almost complete as the barn seems to dwarf the garage in size.  Hers is bigger than mine.

So that's hers, and this is mine.  It's a good thing I 'm not the sort of husband who's afflicted with a Napoleon complex with penis envy.

The last four weeks has also seen major changes internally with the house. These changes will be uploaded to this rambling diatribe this weekend.  A deck has been built and we've managed to stay married.  11 years tomorrow.  We may go out and see the locals dirt track race.  How romantic is that?  Get covered in dirt, watch the locals in the grandstands act like a Jerry Springer audience, an eat some food prepared a week earlier.  Priceless.

That's what you get when yours is bigger than mine.  Oliver out (in the dog house)

Another four legged friend

Enjoying the freedom of 8 acres



and meeting new friends

Oliver out

All it takes is a dollar...

Ooops...that's the lottery.  It takes more than a dollar to go from this

To this



The wall with the green step ladder leaning on it will be removed making our combined kitchen/den. The entire room will be apporximately 28L x 22w.  Off the sliding glass door will be a 24 x 12 deck.

As I stated above it doesn't take a dollar, it takes a lot of antacids and a dream (there's the lottery saying).

Oliver out..........