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.

If Mothers Can Have Anything They Want On Mothers Day...

...I wanted a fence.  So, I was out there with Jim and the post pounder to surround the property with fence posts.  151, 7 foot long, 3 1/4" wooden posts were pounded in to a depth of 4 feet between Saturday May 12 and Sunday May 13 (Mothers Day).  We still have 9 left but they couldn't be put in either because the post pounder couldn't be maneuvered into place or because the shed (which has to be moved) was in the way.

We will spend the summer purchasing and installing the 10 foot rails that connect the posts, a few at a time.  For now, Ma and Pa Farrell are pooped.

I'm So Treed Off!!

The old, cow pasture is pretty bald...devoid of anything taller than a weed.  This is the year for basic surround trees.  Yeppers, the fast growing Brooks #6 Poplar.  We chose the male cultivar so we won't have to deal with all the fluff.  In my over exuberance, I managed to buy 200 plugs...the roots are about 3-4 inches long and the tree is only a small stick.  We only needed 75...oops.  We ended up planting 90 as we thought we might need some replacement trees.  Turned out we were right...those rotten pocket gophers have eaten 2 and one was run over by the truck while we were fencing...no not with sabres.  Our neighbours gladly pitched in and gave homes to the remaining 110.

Then, just when we were about to drop from all that planting one of our neighbours came over with two white spruce trees as a gift.  They required a little more effort as they are 4 - 5 feet tall but they seem happy in their new home.

It Is Way Past Time For An Update On The Basement

All the electrical has been completed and poor Jim had to install 29 pot lights in the bulk heads of the rec room area, as well as, 2 other overhead lights. 


As the framing is complete and the electrical, aside from the bathroom, is also done, we are at a standstill as the county has to inspect before we can go any farther.  I applied for the development, electrical and plumbing permits 3 weeks ago and we are still waiting for approval.  Until they are approved we can't call for an inspection.  Oh well...it's spring and the yard awaits.