Lights, Flooring...OK That's As Far As We Got

After painting, Jim installed the light pictured, which will hang over the ping pong table.  There is a complimentary one on the other side of the room which should end up being a sitting area. Sun Glasses must be worn at all times when in the basement as these ceiling fixtures, are in addition to the 29 pot lights.  Thank heavens Jim divided them up amongst several switches.   The flooring has been installed on the rec room and storage room.  Now that summer has arrived, the bulk of our time will be spent outside but when it rains, the trim can be put on and then the junk moved out of the bedroom and bathroom areas so that work can begin on them.

Basement primed

Spent Saturday priming the drywall.

This is a picture of the click flooring we will be putting down.  They are 15.5" by 15.5" embossed finish tile, with a marble look to them. Aurora Eclipse "Quarried Stone" laminate tiles. I am going to try and put them down on the diamond.  Wish me luck!

Winter fun!

We took a break one weekend and experienced the fun of toboganning again  As you can see we had varying degree of success. We did better when we moved to the west side of the house.  We really need help from the neighbourhood kids to pack the snow down so us old sluggers have an easier time of it.

New Year Project

Well we are continuing with our project. Sorry about failing to post during the fall period.
We completed the framing of the walls in the basement.
We completed the wiring and installation of 27 pot lights.
Everything has been inspected and passed.
Over Xmas period completed the drywall boarding.
We are 75% complete on the first coat of drywall mud.
Hope to be to paint stage by 1 Feb.
Then it is install flooring and trim getting ready to start the spare bedroom and bathroom in March, just in time to move back out doors and the back yard landscaping and garden making.
I must be very wicked as there does not appear to be any rest soon.

The Path To Our Doorway Is Paved In Cement..Sort Of

A few weeks ago, Bob came to help top up the insulation in the attic. Settling has happened over the past couple of years...I know the feeling.  Anyway, while he was here, he also got roped into spreading gravel along the front of the house as landscaping continues.

 
Since then the spreading has continued...again, I know the feeling.  Now that the gravel has been spread all along the front of the house, it's time to create a sidewalk.

 

Jim has hauled out the old, yet reliable, cement mixer and using forms that we bought for a decorative sidewalk, the pouring has begun.

Jim's New Toy...

...Is a Polaris Razer (side by side) that we just purchased (2nd hand).  It has a heated cab, winch, 6 foot snow blade and a dump box.  It even has seat belts!!  I know Jim must be truly concerned for my safety for when I'm out there clearing snow. We are now all set, even though it is +32 with a humidex of +40 today, -32 with a windchill of -40 is just around the corner.  In the meantime, we are planning on using it to haul around the weed sprayer and the seeder and maybe even a smaller water tank so that the trees can be watered without having to drive around with the truck.  Oh yes, the snow blade is very easy to remove and re-install. I'm sure I'll be learning that little trick real soon.

The Saga of Summer Landscaping Continues..

Jim borrowed the neighbours tractor and started digging the pond in the back yard.  He has gone as far as the tractor can go and one of our other neighbours will dig it a bit deeper with his skid steer.  It is about 30 feet long and 15 feet wide and hopefully, will provide water for the trees in a dry year.  The soil that was dug is lovely rich top soil that has been spread in various places around the yard to fill in low spots or along either side of the driveway to make the ditches a little more shallow so that I won't fall off the mower when I cut the grass.  Jim really knows how to take the thrill out of a girls life.  Once all the pond digging is done, we will line the area with thick plastic (pond liner) that we'll keep in place with the rocks and stones that we've continuously picked from the yard so that we could mow it.

 Allan was out for part of the weekend and we took the opportunity to press him into service to spread some washed rock, that we had left over from the weeping tile, along the west side of the house.  first a layer of fiberglass fabric was put down to discourage the weeds.  This should keep the area neat and tidy, the weeds at bay and we won't have to manoeuvre the mower around the air conditioner.