New outlook

This past weekend was sunny and warm and the blossoms around town burst out all over the place.  We have a bush with yellow flowers, that I don't know the name of.  There are nice trimmed specimens of it about town but ours is very ratty and twiggy.  It is scheduled for a major trim or an out right excision  because it is in the way of the path around the patio.

 Today's weather is much like the generic weather picture.  We were hoping that the rain would hold off for today as we wanted to have the decking material installed while it was dry outside.  We cannot progress with the installation of the patio doors until the decking is in place.  However at days end on Friday, we have a number of windows installed and the framework for the deck in back is in place.

A view of the back addition which increases the size of the smaller guest bedroom.  The foundation was already in below, so it was a small task to extend that section.   While doing the renovation, we have tried to go according to plan, but practicality and common sense over rule some of the design plans.  Such was the case with the roof over the back addition.  A good think John has a lot of experience with odd renovation problems and has enough experience to come up with a reasonable solution.

The new windows are fabulous.

A view of the front with the windows.

Today we are moving the window opening in the kitchen area.  Less and less of the structure remains intact.  Tomorrow the side windows will be prepared for.

We had a bit of a scare last night.  We were about ready for bed and rounding up the livestock.  No Lizzie.

John heard faint cries, we looked all around the house, finally found her outside!!!  How did she get out?  We finally deducted that we had opened the windows to air out after dinner.  Goodbye Lizzie.  Now she keeps looking for an escape route.  Some days I am sure she is wishing  for her quite perch in Lethbridge watching magpies.

Moving right along

We will call this the generic weather picture since Friday.  The forecast has been for cloudy with showers, but the day usually starts out fair and then we get bizarre kami kazi rain and snow showers rushing through.  As a result we have been able to get a fair bit of work done.  The cement footings have been poured for the back patio, and no city officials were harmed in the process.  We actually got the two meter allowance for the culvert as we originally requested in the permit application.

The front framing has been completed.

Quite amazing change don't you think.  The windows arrived this morning so these should also be in by the end of the week.  The back bedroom is currently being extended and we hope that will be complete this afternoon.

A raccoons eyeview.

The construction process is invading upon my little sanctuary.  We have lost power in some areas.  We had wind driven rain seep  pour through into the living room area, thoroughly saturating the carpet, soaking the television and the digital cable box which does not function.  We await the arrival of the cable guy.  I tried watching my television program on my ipad with earphones, and it actually worked quite well.  Usually with the sound of construction and the squeaking of the treadmill along with my less than stellar hearing, I have to turn the sound up full blast.

On the weekend we went "down" to Victoria.  We met up with Alison and Darian in their new apartment. Went out for great sushi, and out for breakfast the next day.  The break was really nice.

Monday, I took a quilting class to make bargello placemats and table runner. It is a two week class and when I got home I finished my homework, and read some of the instructions, and the teacher had got us to press the seams the wrong way.  I repressed and then thought what the heck,   I'll finish them off.  This is the product of a day's labour.  I have never done so much unsewing in a long time.  I have a great appreciation for any one that has made a full size bargello quilt.   Some attention the method of sewing together the strips (as written in the instructions, which I neglected to read) I perhaps could have saved and hour or two.

Soggy weather

Today's weather at this moment.  Every so often low cloud shoots through the picture and dumps a load of rain.  Not much progress this week as it has been rainy, windy and cold.  The framers are busy elsewhere, but we are expecting more action tomorrow, and we may get the roof on the deck.  John is framing in the opening for the deck window in the living room.  We will have a full twelve feet of window.

Ronnie was contemplating the hiring of woodchopper to cut down the trees right in front of us.  He knows of a guy who can drive up the site, chop and shred above trees in sixteen minutes.  The house across the street is for sale, but the sign has come down and there has been a lot of activity there today.
What are the chances that we would be likely suspects?

Where am I?

What the &@$##! Wind warnings! I though we left those behind. Woke up in the early morning hours to howling wind, crashing and thumping. I was sure I had been transported back to southern Alberta. Yesterday started out with pouring rain and wind. In the afternoon J dealt with the aftermath of the wind which had stripped off all the roofing felt on the addition. Neither cyclone, hurricane or tornado shall dislodge it now.

 This was the scene at days end on Friday.

This was yesterday's weather. Today started out with snow showers. According to weather reports, the temperatures are below average, the windstorm was the strongest in twenty-five years. At least we are starting out with bad weather, so it can only get better.

Yesterday even the ferries were closed down until 3:00. Yeah, the sun has just come out. The framers are busy, busy and we should have the front deck up today and maybe even a roof. I only go back to Lethbridge news to see the obituaries in case we have died in our absence and should quit working. I did look at the long range forecast for Lethbridge, but was a bit depressed by how nice it will be. Have to keep up the mantra snow wind cold bad! News of the city official. He has been given a reprieve. The cement did not come, and he gave us an extra meter of culvert to work with. J is trying to wheedle out a few more "inches", but we can live with the decision.

Today's weather.

Today's weather is wet but it is not deterring our noble task force.

Ta!da! at days end yesterday.

We have a dilemma.  On viewing the view, John said we could just lay in bed and look out across the water.    You know how everyone has their favorite side of the bed to sleep on, unfortunately the view is on John's side of the bed.

A little tour through the back garden.

Needs work!
The aggravating official from the city made his appearance this morning and nixed the driveway.

May he rest in peace.  The battle continues.  Meanwhile one more chunk of the house has fallen.  Remember this.

Here is the final view for today.

New roof going up over the front door.
The living room patio is gone.

What more can I say.

Up,up and away

Today's weather is cool, but no rain.

 Work is progressing at a steady rate both in front and back. The holes are getting deeper but as yet no one from the city has stepped forward to aggravate us  so I guess we will have to fill them with cement. The footings are set up and hopefully they can be poured tomorrow. If anyone needs a lesson, perhaps the murky bottom of the pond will have to do. We have two carpenters on board (on several boards). By the days end, we expect the roof to be done and sheeted in. The next project will be th deck off of the living room, which should go more quickly. By the way, Bailey the golden retriever did not come to work today.

At time of posting, allowing for lapses in our wireless connection  we were at the stage below.  Our wireless connection is more consistent than it was a couple of weeks ago.  The wireless was off more than it was on, so I had a heart to heart (several as a matter of fact) with the boys at shaw and now the wireless is more consistent.

A day at the beach

Today has been sunny but cold, about 5C.

This is how we looked this morning

This is the view from the master bedroom.

John is looking forward to spending his early mornings on the deck here in his pyjamas enjoying the view.  When he told th mailman about his plans, he had dubious comments about the view and I don't think he was referring to the ocean.

Today was full of interesting events.  One city official is destined to be consigned to one of the pits in the back yard.  We have full approval to widen the driveway, but he keeps insisting not.  Today we have had one set of city people say we could go ahead and then misery came along and put in his two cents worth.
We have one sick carpenter and one silly carpenter who wasn't paying attention and short cut one of our big beams.  They were special ordered, so we have a bit of a damper in that department.

Yesterday Moxie had a friend to play with in the garden,  a golden retreiver that belongs to Brendan, the carpenter.  We have a pond in the back yard that is pretty gross with dead leaves and such.  The dog decided to take a swim.  Soon afterwards, Moxie joined him.  Moxie had to have a bath and be sent indoors.  When Brendan saw his dog, he knew he was going to be in big trouble when he got home.  The unfortunate dog has not had a bath yet.

This is where we are at now, second floor beams for the patio are up and we were making good progress until the miscut.

Great progress

Beautiful day in the neighborhood.

Everything seems to be in sync now, materials are in place and there is crashing  and banging on both sides of the house.

This is for anyone who is going to thwart our progress.  We have four of them in the back yard which should be sufficient to deal with any city officials, inspectors or environmentalists.  Nice thought, but they are the holes for the footings for the back patio.

This morning

 This afternoon

Goodbye roof and walls in the master bedroom.  The bedroom extension will go out as far as the first posts and the rest will be a covered deck with a new roofline extending out from the house.

Notice the tarp underneath the deck, that is all there is between the outside and the bedroom we are sleeping in.  Well maybe a sheet of drywall!

Nottinghenge

Today's weather, beautiful sunny day, a little on the crisp side. 

We are full steam ahead today, may be three quarters, Ronnie phoned in sick and half of the carpentry team will not be here until tomorrow.  However John and Brendan are working away.

And here we have Nottinghenge.  The guys are preparing now for the floor joists that will support the bedroom extension and and deck.

Alison and Darian came down for the afternoon on Saturday and saw the demolition first hand.  We went out for Thai food which was very good. 

Abated

The weather today.

I should be more consistent with the weather pictures.  Yesterday was beautiful and sunny. 

We have been commiserating regarding the toxic clean-up.  Now we are abated, remediated, drywall obliterated and we are ready to become inebriated, ha, ha or should it be LOL.  We have been quite put out by the whole exercise.  Reading the fine print, homeowners are allowed to clean up their own drywall when it contains the small amount of asbestos that we had.  Several of the people involved have said that this kind of hazard assessment is really hard on the small guy and the government is getting a lot of protest regarding this issue.

Some of us have been working hard.

and some of us not so much.

Lizzie is the official ant catcher.

Today the back deck is being knocked off and the framing of the decks will go full speed ahead on Monday.