Let's Start at the Very Beginning

It's a very good place to start.

As you pull up to our drive, you'll notice (at least) three new things. The daffodil bulbs that Jack planted by the roadside in November have made an appearance, the fence is up (but not yet painted) and the mailbox is in place, so please send us a letter.

And all sorts of things were going on inside the house this morning. It felt a bit like I was in the middle of an Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The electrician were installing light fixtures; the hardwood floor guys were sanding the floors; the carpenters were up on ladders installing the gutters; and the concrete guys were pouring concrete for the front walk, the area just outside the garage, and outdoor shower. At five o'clock today, things will become very quiet -- at least on the inside. The floors will be varnished and all will be banned from walking on them until week's end.

I'm hoping progress will still be made on the outside and on the cottage. Because...in just twelve days, we're moving in! Ready or not.

Here are some scenes from inside the house this morning. It is a bit hard to take inside shots that make any sense, so I've added captions to explain what you are looking at.

Family room, taken from the loft.

Loft, looking into the back upstairs hall. The yellow nook that you see is where an upright piano or Jack's keyboard will eventually go.

The upstairs hall, looking back through the loft into the family room.

Closet in the upstairs bedroom.
Just upstairs, I painted the narrow sides of the doors
and all the wooden pegs yellow.

Upstairs bath. I get a kick out of the little wall-mounted sink.

A look into the other bedroom, with built-in beds for four.

Sconce on the landing of stairway to loft

Our study with sliding "barn door" between it and our bedroom.

Master shower

Kitchen, looking at pantry "barn door."

And here are a couple of outside shots.

Gutters going up.

Our lake, surrounded by a sea of mud. Keep your fingers crossed for dry weather
this week, so the finish grading can happen and seed and straw put down.