Week Fifteen Was A Doozy

We were warned that as we get closer to move-in day, the progress clock slows down to accommodate all the little last minute things.

Nothing much happened on Monday.

On Tuesday, while workers were getting after it with brick, flooring and clean-up, we had a surprise visit from our friends in Arkansas.  They drove down to see the house and added to the surprise by bringing a folding bistro table, chairs, wine, cheese, cups and even some pickles.  The day suddenly turned into the very first party at New House.

Then on Thursday they wanted to tour the French Quarter.  I made a video of that adventure.

Charlotte's Search for NCIS in New Orleans

Things like gutters, irrigation, floors, bricking the fence and gate, landscaping, cabinet knobs and pulls, trim work, appliances moved into place, and general clean-up.  And that's what this week was like.

And on the 18th, we hit the 100th day mark.  It sure seems like more.  Even so, to do what all they have done in 100 days is nothing short of impressive.  And we really appreciate their efforts.

Starting tomorrow, the 105th day, landscaping will be making the soil green and pretty.

Meanwhile, with all the rain today, it was a really good day to test the gutters and drainage.  Apparently, the gutters all worked well, but the drain-off didn't do so well in some spots.  I'm sure it will be handled with the same professionalism as everything else.

The flooring looks great, but is presently covered with paper and cardboard while all the finish work is taken care of.  Hopefully, we will be able to have the refrigerator delivered this week.

And we will soon have the correct size wine chiller delivered here at Temporary House for us to install ourselves after we move in.  We had already purchased one, but its height was 1" too tall for the beverage center.  We'll take it back tomorrow.  The replacement fits the opening perfectly, or so the Specifications said.  We'll see.

On Saturday, while there was no activity going on, I programmed my truck to open the garage door.  That was a Eureka moment...

Here are a few photos from the fifteenth week.

Monday                                                Just some general cleanup

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday 

Friday 

Madisonville Wooden Boat Festival

Over the weekend we went to yet another of the area's fun events.  This time it was the Madisonville Wooden Boat Festival in Madisonville, just about ten miles south of us, and one of the towns that make up The Northshore.  Now called home to us.

We were amazed at some of the boats we saw.  They ranged from wooden yachts, relics from the past, to handmade, backyard-made wooden boats that were designed and built by novice boat-builders who were intent on winning some kind of award for successfully navigating some kind of course, assuming their boat didn't flip over and just sink.

And the crews paraded their 'boats/floats' proudly through the streets before they were water-tested. 

Since it was all in fun, it really didn't matter much who won, and it was great entertainment for the lively crowd who came to watch.

I took a lot of photos and combined them into a little video slide show.  Take a look.

Madisonville Wooden Boat Festival

Yes, it was a lot of fun and we will be back next year.

Fourteenth Week And The End Is In Sight

Ninety-seven days ago, Lot 62 was a blank canvas of dirt on a high spot at the cul-de-sac end of a street in a quaint residential area just outside of Covington, Louisiana.  It didn't even have an official address, just Lot 62 on a plot plan the developer drew up almost two decades before.

In a few more days, perhaps two weeks, it will be Home.

Not only that, but it will be yet another adventure for us.  And the new adventure will be in a pretty cool small town among a lot of really friendly people who actually love living here.

Meanwhile, I've been photographing the day by day construction in order to document and chronicle Lot 62's becoming a home - our home.

Here are a few photos from Week fourteen.


Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday 

Thursday 

Friday 

Saturday

And you know your neighbors are anxious for you to move in when they start to clean the construction mud from the street...

It was a good week...

Week Thirteen Was Yet Another Exciting Week

Wow!  What a week!

First of all, on Monday they finally formed up to pour the driveway, walkway, uncovered patio (aka New Coop), A/C condensing unit pad, and footings for the brick walls.  Equally important, they did it exactly as I wanted after many hours worrying that they would forget something.  But they did a great job with the forms and finished pouring the last area late Friday.  It turned out perfect.

Monday

Tuesday                                                           Nothing Happened


Wednesday

Thursday 

Friday  

Meanwhile, the power company switched the meter from the Temporary Service Pole to the house.  But the only evidence that we had power was the little red light on the meter.  The electrical contractor still has some lights to install, but I think by Monday we will have lights and fans working where there are lights and fans.

Then there was an on-site accident.  A worker was closing up the garage door at the end of the day and pinched the tips of his fingers when he apparently used the hinged section to pull the door down manually.  Fortunately, there was another worker to lift the door and, hopefully, take the worker to the emergency room.  Although we were not there when it happened, and only learned about it Saturday from neighbors down the street who heard the worker's scream, we dutifully notified the Project Manager.  Clearly, it was painful, and he may have lost some of his fingers, because it did this to the door panel.  We really hope he didn't lose his fingers.  He's a good worker.

Finally, on the 89th day of construction, nothing got done because we prepared for 'Nate," a potential Category II Hurricane that had its sights on hitting New Orleans, then us.  But as luck would have it, most of its fury was reduced and redirected toward Biloxi, reducing our impact to one very brief burst of wind, and maybe a half hour of heavy rain.  We didn't even lose power. 

In spite of the 'interruptions' we expect to be going into next week ready for some serious progress.  

We can't wait.....