One of the french door windows shattered when it was hit by a rock while weed wacking.....

It had to go back to the manufacturer for replacement, and came back with half the finish sanded off.  We spent some time staining and varnishing again!!!

 Then we discovered that the fricken chickens have been pecking the exposed styrofoam on the garage footer, so we had to take time out to bring in more rock to cover it.

 Grandpa helped us create this banister for the basement!!  We made this one out of wood we had around too!  Hope it passes inspection!

 Dad has been covering the ICF styrofoam in the mechanical room with plywood.  Then he'll be able to mount things like the water filter system.

Grandpa and Mom built a 2x6 16" OC, 3/4" plywood deck for the exterior cellar entrance.  It's covered with plastic to keep the weather out.  It's all screwed together so that it can be taken apart and the wood reused when we get ready to put the actual cellar entrance on.

 We have a doe, buck, and young buck stopping by every evening to eat the fallen pears.  They're doing such a great job that we don't have to bend over to pick up pears.  Me and Osker don't think it's fair that the chickens can hang with the deer and we're not allowed.

 Grandma and Grandpa are visiting!  Grandpa helped Mom put up a banister on the stairs.  One more thing to check off on the list!! 

We didn't quite pass the electrical inspection but the things that need to be fixed are easy, like adding a few more GFCIs.

Dad has the hot water hooked up; faucets are going in including this funky one for the kitchen sink.  It extends to each end of the sink, but fully extended straight out it would pour water on the floor, hmmm......

Osker will "hop in the tub"!!  He sold out for treats.  I'm holding out. 

Friends...  Ya gotta help me out.  I've overheard Mom saying that our dog chairs do not fit her "decor" in the new house!!!  How can a house be designed and built with my needs in mind and not have a space for MY CHAIR?????  Me and Osker LOVE these chairs.  We were RAISED in these chairs.  Putting them in the basement or attic is NOT an option.  Center front in the living room is the only place -- change the fricken decor.  The chairs are getting a little dirty, and yes, we cuddle-down when we're wet, but does she want us sitting on one of the other chairs?  The windows in the front room are low, but does she think we're going to sleep on the FLOOR????  Come on!  Help us out here.  Please, if you talk to Mom tell her you think the chairs are lovely and complement all decors!!!!

Pacific Power came on Friday!!  They put a new transformer on the main power pole, pulled the wire through the conduit to the house, and connected it!!!  Yeah! we have light switches and lights!

 Then they disassembled the power pole near the double-wide and pulled it out!  Wahoo!  Dad then used the circuit/wire that went from the old house to the new house and reversed everything so we have power in both houses now!  Everything except the oven, because he took the outlet out and put it in the new house.  No baking for a while.

Trying to finish up the electrical this week so we can call for a final inspection!

The laundry room floor was tiled with the lights on!  How we appreciate things when we haven't had them for a period of time! We can turn on switches in the new house without running extension cords!

The bare areas are where cabinets will go.  The cabinet guy is behind schedule so he said he would put the cabinets on top of the tile.

Me and Osker treed a little black bear yesterday!  He's kindof in the middle of the picture.  He climbed way up to the top of the tree. Then we ran home to get the camera where Mom locked us in the house.  She ran back with Dad but he made too much noise for the bear to come down.  After he left the bear started coming down the tree.  Mom waited until he was close enough for a picture, then they both high-tailed it in opposite directions!!  We think he wasn't alone!

The dog shower is tiled!  Those little tiles are not so easy to work with especially on a wall.  We don't have the correct size spacers so ended up tearing up a cardboard box and using tape to hold them in place. 


We got a nasty notice from the County's Code Enforcement Dept last week saying that our permits had expired and we have 45 days to comply by getting all new permits (thousands of dollars) or get fined!!!  Yikes!!  Fortunately the guy who wrote the letter answered the phone and when it was explained to him that we have had some inspections and are making "significant progress", he renewed all the permits.  Guilty until proven innocent.

The old pear tree on the left broke a couple branches today.  It's loaded with little, hard-as-rock, Comice pears.  The pears drop like bombs on the metal roof and scare the you-know-what out of us.  The tree is over 50 years old and is getting fragile.  The pear tree on the right is dead.  We haven't cut it down yet because it holds our radio antennae!!  

Beadboard backsplash on the west side of the kitchen has been cut, installed, caulked, and is being painted!

Lights and receptacles are still going in!  Just the laundry room to go, then attic, and garage/shop.

Baseboards are still being cut, varnished and installed.  Tile is still being sealed!

The master bath floor is grouted and sealed; the shower pan is tiled and grouted!!! 

Our friends Cynthia and Jim and their little dog Jada visited this past weekend.  We tried to take a picture of me and Jada but I growled at her which freaked everyone out--so no picture.  I can't help it.  I have little patience for dogs who don't know my rules.  All the toys are mine, all the sticks are mine, all the food is mine, and don't get near my Mom.
 
Cynthia helped Mom paint the floor of the upstairs "attic" to keep the dust down and now we can move stuff up there.

They also unpacked wine, beer and martini glasses!! First things first.  Outlets and switches are going in too!