Slow news day.

You may remember once I said that we would not mud the drywall until we had power, so we could blast heat for things to dry. 

We did not have power, but we mudded the drywall anyway, because it was so warm out.

However my house is insulated so well it is not really hot inside for things to dry..... So they were not.

But we got power.... So everything should be okay! ....? I am not really sure why heat is not blasting. I think it's something about not having the correct plug in. Not all the plugs are finished ready for plug ins. I don't know.

Today the forms came off the front cement pads.

It was time to start the stairs. The way to do this apparently was to build the platform first.

It looked right, but apparently it is not right and it needs altering tomorrow.

Not much else going on.

Let's see..... My bush beans are up in the greenhouse from seed!,

Yes folks it was a slow news day on site.....

So for your enjoyment... A walk by the sea today.

And a wonderful end to a great couple of days playing tourist guide for a family visit.

I got the power!

I did not expect much to be happening on site today. Rockwall, stairs next week, and drywall drying...

I headed to site early to shut off water trickling beneath plum trees overnight... But when I showed up this is what I saw.... Hey get outa there....

Let me zoom in a bit... She had just been nibbling my leaf lettuce.

I chased her clear over to the neighbours yard. 

Then I took off to do some siightseeing with one of my sisters in law that was in town for a house inspection. I think I passed.... Even if it was not yet finished for her to stay in. As we drove away I think I remarked that it would nice if something happened on site today, be nice if hydro was hooked up or something.

Then at lunch I looked at my phone to realize that I had missed a text message about an hour previous. My neighbour informed me that indeed I was getting power today!!!

And so we dropped by later to check it out.

The hydro lines do indeed attach to my hydro pole!

Yippie skippie.....

That is my contractor truck, as I had given him the heads up..... We did check and there is power to the house. We discussed stairs in the front, stairs in the back, and we talked a little kitchen cabinets as well. It was a good day.

The first of many coffees.....

Well I was watering trees slowly overnight, so I decided to get up early and move the hose to a different area. So I made myself some coffee and headed over to the site earlier than usual. I arrived before any workers. There were no bears or deer in the yard. My neighbours were out tending gardens in their yards.

I moved a piece of plywood to sit on and I enjoyed my first coffee of many to come on the back deck!

The drywall guy came by again today and below you can also see the decking that arrived a little later piled in the driveway.

And then I went back to the cottage by the sea to clean up a bit..... Company was coming!

Later when I dropped back to visit... The deck was complete albeit without stairs or a ramp.

I have think about what I want. Yes there will have to be railings as well. I have to think because the initial plan was for the back door to be ground level, so I could enter my house without any stairs. For various reasons it is not. That is okay, I just have to think out the path or paths to the ground.

I talked with my contractor and the rockwall will not start until next week.  Drywall should be finished next week and the window trim can get done, then the floors. Ah the promises of next week.

It's been a tough life.

The rocks have arrived for the front wall.... well they are not really rocks. 

They look like rocks, they feel like rocks, but they are concrete. 

I know I should not have said anything. It's going to be a rock wall. Well it will be when the guy that puts it on the star studded wiring shows up....

The crew was on site today and the back deck is underway!  The actual decking is not on site yet, maybe tomorrow... 

The drywall was being worked on today, but there are no stairs at the front and the ramp is down at the back..... It appears someone is trapped inside working.....hmmmm....

Meanwhile in the yard... The pink rhododendron is looking nice.

Or here is a lighter blossom on the same plant.

Off to run a some errands..... Everyone keep working please.

Okay the crew was just packing up as I arrived back on site. Deck is looking good.

Yup a nice place for morning coffee, me thinks.

Well when the decking is on.

Inside the drywall guy, (- how quick the crew went from three to one!) was just finishing up for the day as well.

The view of the plum tree from the almost back deck.

Hello apple tree.

Speaking of trees ... I think I have my cherry tree under control from pests. It still needs better pruning so that I am able to reach more cherries, but in the meantime the birds will be happy. 

My three Italian plum trees are not so happy. Much neglect from people in terms of pruning and water along with probable harassment by wildlife have added up to a tough life. Very few plums in the last two years. And now they too seem to be overrun with some type of aphid or something that is kiilling off the leaves. They need some love .... and water.

I say neglect as the previous owners once lived in that white house behind my lot. Then they bought my lot and developed all the wonderful trees, shrubs, flowers, herbs and most probably vegetables at the time. That is when the greenhouse and shed came to be. Then they sold the house and moved away. But they did not sell my lot for awhile. Thus began much of the jungle and the neglect, for they lived far away. The yellow plum tree was taken care of by an elderly Italian fella that lived across the street, who has sadly passed away. The local bears have tried to do the upkeep since. The tree has a great shape and it is easy to reach all the fruit.

The apple tree received some love, but is not quite as healthy..

And look this year ..apples are growing! 

I say that because my tree took a year off and did not produce apples last year. 

Let's take a closer look at those yellow plums....

Good thing I was around today.... I had a chance to yell at the local wildlife not to come in my yard.

I think he is considering going inside the neighbour's house....

Oh the promises of Monday ...

Well it's Monday and the sun is shining. It's time to hurry up and wait again...

So many things could have been done today. Hhmmmm....

Well drywall peeps were by and a coat over the screws. I suspect there will be more than one of these.. It almost looks done in the living room..

And in the bedroom...

You can see the doorway is all smoothed out.

Well I guess it's time to head outdoors....

Not that anyone is working outside, rather lets just admire the trees shall we.

The cherry tree. Ant and mostly aphid free....

The apple trees. No apples yet.

And the wonderful yellow plum tree

And tomorrow is another day. Many things could happen... Or not?

Next week....

So today one guy was at the site mudding the drywall. 

And then later in the day I dropped back to see my contractor had been playing lumberjack again. 

So one would think power will be hooked up next week....

Watered everything again, cause it's been hot. The cherry tree and are getting along better without the ants or aphids. 

This is the view tonight from the cottage by the sea. 

Next week I will have stick around later on site to see the sun set from the deck. 

But until then.... 

Shall we cement the deal?

I arrived on site today just as the cement crew was on site...

Back post supports done.

Basement patio poured and smoothed several times.....

And smoothed again...and few more times after that.

All done. Now we wait for it to dry.

The front slabs poured.....

And smoothed.

And then brushed nice like a sidewalk.

Contractor stopped by later. He thinks the drywall may need another day to dry, so the crew may not be back tomorrow. 

....now Monday is starting to sound busy.

Yah that house!

This will be a short note......

Drywall crew letting things dry before next coat.... Not on site.

Contractor on other job today...

Things ready for concrete... No truck... Maybe tomorrow...

Painter was on site as was I .... In full painting garb. No pictures of that.

Today we stained the ceiling of the deck and the posts.

Just as I was going home a neighbour's little girl (who was visiting with Dad) was getting into the car and she looked over at my house then she exclaimed.... "I want to live in that house!" ....... Me too!