Another long, busy day.
This morning we just played around the house a bit. I took a nice nap during lunch and beyond, then did some work on the computer through most of the afternoon. After that Liz, Luke, Becky and I took the Cushy towards the back of the farm and had a picnic snack and nature walk. Luke really enjoyed that. This evening Liz and I had dinner at the golf course just down the street. That was nice. Afterwards we drove around town looking at the houses. Luke was thankfully in bed when we returned.
Another jam packed day.
This morning after breakfast Liz, Luke, and I went to the grocery store. We left and drove back to the farm, but as we were arriving I realized I had left my phone in the grocery cart. So we raced back and got it. We spent the rest of the morning playing in the yard until lunch time. Luke and I both napped, and then he played outside some more. This evening we had a bunch of guests over for a huge meal – both Evan and Ryan along with their families came. We ate outside and then had a fire in the fire pit before Uncle Matt shot off some fireworks. Luke had so much fun with his cousins, and after warming up was the life of the party. He had a lot to say and really engaged with everybody. The down side to all the excitement was that he didn’t go to bed until about 11:30. Hopefully he will sleep late tomorrow.
Lake effect.
This morning I woke up feeling very well rested. After breakfast we all drove to Lake Michigan and enjoyed the “beach”. We were at a quiet little park and pretty much had the place to ourselves. Luke love playing in the sand and pouring sand on me. It was hot and sunny, but not uncomfortable. The water was a bit chilly for swimming though. We went to lunch at a wonderful sandwich place that we had been to before, in Montague. From there Liz, Luke, Becky and I drove to a little cherry market before returning to the farm. Luke played outside and then it stormed a bit. We pretty much just took it easy this evening.
First day in Michigan.
I woke up early this morning, but felt better rested than expected. After a late breakfast we went outside, then Liz’s cousin Ryan and his family came over. The girls brought their power wheels and Luke got a kick out of that. We all had lunch outside, then it was nap time. I had a great nap for the first time in months. This afternoon we went back outside to play some more. It was hot but a brief rain shower cooled things down considerably. We all ate dinner, then Luke went to the barn to see the horses before his bed time routine. Now he is on the toilet pretending to have to poop.
Back on the road.
This morning I left the cottage about five minutes before seven. I stopped at the roofer’s house in Manchester to leave a check, then drove on to Michigan. The drive was tiring, but uneventful. I did stop to rest for about an hour a little south of Indianapolis. I got a late lunch at Arby’s that I regretted. About seven I arrived at Evan’s house. Liz and Luke were there along with a lot of other people. We stayed until after nine and then came to Liz’s parents’ for bath and bed time. I am exhausted now.
Roofs.
I woke up a little before five this morning and left the house just after six. I got gas for the generator and then went to the job site, thinking that surely I would beat the roofers there. I was wrong. They were just starting to set up. One had found a way to maneuver his truck through the woods and up next to the house. They quickly started working. I moved some of the shingles to the second house, then went to Piggly Wiggly, then on to the cottage. I tried hard to take a little nap, but couldn’t. So I returned to the job site and cleaned a bit and then went to the Manchester Home Depot for some more shingles. I was glad to be in Liz’s car, so I could really zip down and back. I mostly hung around the houses until the guys finished at about 7:45 this evening. That was about a thirteen and a half hour day. I returned to the cottage, showered, and drove down to the Home Depot in Winchester to pick up my online orders. Everything barely fit in the car. I stopped at Food City on the way back to the cottage. Now I am washing clothes and preparing to drive to Michigan tomorrow.
Long, frustrating, and productive day.
This morning at 6:30 I got a call from the roofer saying that the materials and his guys were on the way. So I scrambled to get ready. A little later he called to say that just the materials were coming and that his crew would come tomorrow. So my dad and I went to meet the delivery driver and continued to work on the siding. It was a muddy mess but we were able to make great progress. We did focus on the first house since it was so much easier, and that is the house the siding is at. Mid-morning a guy came by and introduced himself. He was the husband of a woman who works at the bank, and he asked about a rock that I told her that she could have. I told him to come back at three and we would get it. We finished with the siding for the day around two, and I took the tools to the storage unit.
I spent some time organizing the job site, then Mike came for the rock. We hooked my flatbed trailer to his truck and the tractor was barely able to lift the rock onto the trailer. It did though, and I followed him to his house on Ridge Cliff. We got the rock set and then I returned to the job site. I briefly went by the cottage, then drove home via Fayetteville. There I filled up the bird feeders, grabbed a few things, ate some cherries, then started driving to the Mountain. I was in Tullahoma, almost to Chick-fil-a when I realized that I left my tractor, storage unit, and driveway chain keys at home. So after getting some fries and a milkshake I drove home, picked up the keys, and drove to the mountain on the interstate. I arrived a few minutes ago, at 11:30, and am pretty exhausted.
Rainy, yet still productive.
This morning my dad and I went to the job site and started installing trim. That went pretty well despite a little rain and a few trips for supplies. This afternoon we started on siding, which I got delivered from Builder’s Supply this morning. We worked until the torrential downpour came, then raced with the tools to the storage unit. After showering we drove to Tracy City to eat at Hank’s, but it was packed, so we drove down to Jasper and ate at an Italian restaurant. It was pretty good. Now I’m just relaxing at the cottage.
Still rolling along.
This morning I went to the lumberyard for ledger boards and trim. My dad and I installed the ledger boards and then I cut the trim while he painted it. That went pretty well. Kent came by and we chatted with him for a bit, and then resumed work. We started installing the trim, but unfortunately my compressor just wasn’t up to the challenge. So we loaded up the tools and returned to the cottage to shower. I drove us down to Tullahoma and we went to Chick-fil-a and then Lowe’s, where I bought a bigger compressor. I can’t believe I spent any more money there considering that my siding was due to get delivered today and wasn’t. When I called they told me it wasn’t in and they didn’t know when it would be. A heads up would have been nice.
Not too intense a day.
This morning my dad and I went to the job site to do more cleaning and organizing. We sorted and stacked the good lumber and OSB and he chose some for his own projects. It was hot out but not miserable. This afternoon I hauled some scrap OSB to Kent’s house and was there talking with him for more than a couple of hours. I spent the rest of the work day cleaning and hauling off the last of the scrap wood. This evening my dad and I went down to Food City for a couple of pizzas and some fizzy water.
