Life just might be too boring for a blog these days, but boring is good!
There is so much still to do but nothing urgent which is a good feeling. Noel is even taking the occasional nap – highly deserved nap – in mid-day on the couch. The dogs even get some extra attention.
We still have quite a lot to do before beginning to build the house in September. The plan is to have it framed in and enclosed before the cold weather comes in so work can be done inside throughout the winter; still hoping for a spring move-in.
So what has happened since we talked last? All kinds of little things. But one major change – we have blessed, wonderful air conditioning. We probably need to save money and turn it a little higher, but when we are in and out working in humidity, it is so nice to come in to a cool house.
We had visitors last week – unwanted visitors. I have no pictures. If I did, it would be me in bed with my covers over my head. I had gotten up with the dogs about 4 am and just stayed out on the couch. My eyes were half-closed and I kept seeing shadows that I thought at first was just the opening and closing of my eyes. No. Two bats. Large bats. But if you can get past them being bats, they were so graceful gliding back and forth across our shop/house. I could not get past them being bats so Noel was rudely and quickly awakened. I went under my covers as he opened the large “barn door” and let them leave. Their entrance has since been covered.
We previously had a rooster come to visit inside the house from down the road, but that was before we were living in the house. I think he regretted the visit and hasn’t been back. Noel scooted him out with a broom which he apparently didn’t appreciate.
We have huge numbers of granddaddy long-legs. I’m not a scientist, but this is probably not a modest picture I am showing, but this is above the door as we walk in. I’m really not frightened of them, but they are just everywhere.
And the frogs! They can actually wake me up at night with their bullfrog sounds.
All the conduit and wires are ran inside now. Noel is slowly getting his shop together – as together as he can get it with us living in half of it. He is finding his tools easier, building shelves in the shed area of the shop, and feeling like he is more settled. Yes, this is a messy picture; we were still a work in progress; the dark blob in the middle is Fuzz laying on his pillow. The lights that are missing in a section of the ceiling are now in place.
The bathroom still needs tiled but we have a sink, toilet, and shower. It might not quite look like yours, but it works perfectly fine.
The washer and dryer are hooked up and wonderful.
Not that I want to wish my life away, but I’m looking forward to cooler fall weather. I plan to live outside during my time off work once that happens, until the chiggers drive me in at least. My present chigger bites are like the sands of the sea!
I have a compost pile started and plan to get some trees planted in a couple months. Not feeding any birds, but as you can see, the pileated woodpeckers are finding their own food.
Our one problem is internet. I do not have kind words about our internet company, so I will leave that alone except to say we only have our hotspot. This is something that because of work has to be fixed and soon.
This past Friday, I had to speak at a virtual conference in the Philippines. I thought there would be about 100 attendees but discovered the morning of the conference that no, there would be about 500 attending. Years ago, this would have made me ill just considering it. But as my friend, Jennifer, reminded me, the more that attend, the smaller their pictures become in Zoom, and it is not quite so intimidating. =) But I had no internet.
We borrowed the internet from a local church; we knew it was good internet and they graciously allowed us to do this. Except when we got there, they barely had internet. I kept praying for calmness, that I would not panic. It was only 500 people waiting for me to arrive! We went all over that church, trying to find good internet. Noel will tell you I remained calm; I was breathing slowly and praying. We were at the point of not knowing what to do next. We walked around the corner back to the office area, and here was this plaque on the wall:
God gives us His Word, when we need it. Within a couple minutes, Noel found a spot in the hallway under a stark, bright fluorescent light that didn’t look great in Zoom, but the internet was perfect. So we moved out a table, a chair, and an extension cord, and the connection remained perfect throughout the session. And I was plenty early.
Noel is out on Mini today, digging. We have a septic issue that he is fixing.
After that, it is just small things, organizing the shop and shed. We do have some steel walls that need to be finished. We are still waiting for doors – the big garage door, bathroom, and bedroom. And we only have half of our ceiling insulation. All back-orders because of Covid.
And then in the next week or so, Noel needs to bring his sawmill home – you know, the little thing that started this whole big thing! He has some logs out where it is being stored that need to be sawed first, and then he has a lot of wood out there drying that has to be brought here.
And then it’s on to the house. That probably won’t be my next post but 2 from now. Seems unimaginable right now, but we are pretty good on our schedule.