Mid - Late March

Well, The weather seems to be getting mild.... the pasture is starting to green up.  Anxious to get a garden in.  The insulators got started during this time period, I used BMC out of DFW and they started with a foam crew.  They sprayed open cell foam in the attic/second floor.  Roof rafters as well as dormers and side walls.  Makes for a very air tight house.  I also had them spray an inch of closed cell foam on wall between house and garage as a vapor/fume barrier   Later the cellulose crew came in and filled all the 6 in exterior wall cavities with cellulose.

He is slicing the foam off with a long blade on a sawsall so drywall can cove wall.

My stone arrived also.  Purchased from Covenant Stone Works, it is called Texas Blend.  It is three different colors of Texas mined limestone from a quarry near Abilene. Nice fellow, Aaron, drove from Austin to Abilene to pick up the stone and then to Van where I helped him unload.  I was sore for two days.  The stone is actually cut to a thin 2 in thickness at the quarry for easier installation  and includes corner sections.  We will have it installed on the area you see tar paper now, kinds of a wainscot  and on the chimney.

This same week I installed one garage door and really like the outcome.  The rest will be installed after the sheet rock is finished.

Reg came up this last weekend and we had a nice time.  Nice to have company too!  We decided last fall to take up archery since we have the room now.  Here is Reg shooting a compound bow or any bow for that matter for the first time.  She consistently hit the target at 20 yards

Finally, the transom for the front door arrived and had it installed and the front door trimmed out.  I began finishing the front door with some stain.  Next I'll use a spar varnish to protect and add some sheen to it.

This week the sheet rockers started and will finish this Friday.

You can see the blown in cellulose in the picture below

Lastly, I've contracted with a paint company here in Van for exterior paint. Hopefully in a week or so you will see a new look.  /Cheers

Late February - Early March

Well, it has been quite an interesting time up here in Van.  The electricians and plumbers wrapped up there rough in work and I was waiting on the front door transom and the round window for the master bath to arrive so the framers could come back and finish those things up.  The windows showed up last last week and the round was toast, one of the double glass panes was smashed.  I think we will be able proceed with insulation without it installed... more on that later.  Have I told you about Ben Wheeler ??  It's a small town about 8 miles from here.  Long story short, Regina has several qualifications for moving,  had to be close to grocery store (we're about a mile from Brookshire's in Van), she wants a horse or two, being from New England, she wanted the area to be "quaint".  That last one is tough to find in Texas, maybe Austin, Fredricksburg, Shiner, Wimberly, but Van is not quaint.  Well, we stumbled into Ben Wheeler, go here,  http://www.benwheelertx.com/.  I've been hanging at the Forge, but both places have great entertainment.  I think I found "quaint".  Regina and I met a lady,Patty, at the Forge that owns a flying service.  This past week, my brother David, who has loved flying all his life struck up a conversation with Patty one night while we were watching Wesley Pruitt band.  She said she would buzz the new house the next day.... not only did that, but she landed in my front yard took us both up flying in a helicopter...  quaint or what!

The jonqels you see popping up above are from the old homestead that originally existed on this property.

 Put David to work wiring home for satellite TV and internet (Hughs.net)

Put up a barn light I found in Canton last weekend at their world famous "Trade Days".  It really is something to see, largest flea/antique market I've ever seen and it goes no every month.

Had to install some backing board/foam on the garage to house wall so the insulators have something to spay the foam on.  I'm having the wall between the house and garage foamed for air sealing.  It will also have some cellulose blown in between studs.  The house roof rafters as well as the pony wall under the house gets foam and the house 2x6 walls get cellulose.  There is also 1/2 inch foam sheets on the exterior of the OSB siding, taped seams along with the standard house wrap.  Should be a pretty tight house.

 The pipe you see is for the propane system.  The gas folks did they rough in last week as well.  We will have a propane furnace, on demand hot water heater, stove top/range, and garage heater.

That's all for now...

Peach Tree Farms - Areal View

You can "google" this link in Bing Maps to see areal view of property.  Of course the house doesn't show up yet.  "850 county road 1508, van, tx 75790" , http://binged.it/13FsAKI