bedfordlandings

Just checking back to be sure we don’t lose you. Remember (2 posts ago) I told you that we would be moving to our regular website (www.bedfordlandings.com). I posted today and didn’t want to leave you behind. There is a FOLLOW button to press in the new site to re-enroll.

Here is today’s post.
http://www.bedfordlandings.com/blog/someday-my-roof-will-come/
Karen & Jack

Some of you recall reading on this blog one year ago about our move to Smith Mountain Lake.  Our movers weighed our stuff (that now we fondly refer to as JUNK!).  It weighed 8 tons.  Stashed away in three storage units, there has been little chance to retrieve the file cabinet and several other items that were supposed to have been delivered to the hangar instead. Storage Unit A is our largest and is 30 feet deep.

This week, Jack decided he needs that mantle after all that I blogged about a few weeks ago.  He needs to frame in for it and the propane folks need to install the gas logs. So in 90 degree weather, we went to the storage units last evening.  First we checked Unit “C” since it is climate controlled and a cool place to be on a hot day.  In Unit C is the piano, Jack’s RV10 engine (for the next plane project), art, mirrors, and mattresses. No mantle.  Next stop Unit “B” the overflow unit where  we can see all the way to the back.  No mantle.  So we had to tackle the Unit “A” in the photo above.  We had visited good old Unit “A” in search of Jack’s kilt a few weeks ago and found it in a wardrobe box only 10 feet in.  We took out that same 10 feet of boxes and JUNK and could not see the mantle.

As a kid, I loved to climb trees and as a teen, I loved gymnastics.  Well, I was able to revisit these two skills. I used that barstool (in the photo) to climb on top of the entertainment center then went overhead from desk to sturdy workbench on top in a space of about 18 inches.  The sweat started dripping them streaming off my entire body.  Unit “A”was a hot box; but with flashlight in hand, I was determined to at least locate that mantle.  It was against the back wall (yes, 30 feet deep) and nested in it’s legs was a bookshelf.  In the bookshelf were nested boxes.  But I found it.

Now it was Jack’s turn to help me move off  boxes and bring up the bookshelf so we could get to the mantle. We found a roll of paper towels and mopped sweat!  I pulled and he pushed that bookshelf over the total 30 feet of stuff in the unit. He stayed back to strategize about retrieving the mantle.  I was glad to be the first out to the fresh air and grabbed a gatorade, regrouped, breathed, then went back in.  I passed him the gatorade and together we rescued the mantle!  We loaded it in the truck and brought it back.  I never saw the file cabinet. Hmmm!

Later that evening we were patting each other on the back for being determined and not giving up on that task!  It was a marital bonding experience (as much of this project)!

Today is the day you need to go to the new blog and re-enlist to get blog notices.  I don’t know how to tell you how to do it but I will dual post this episode and tomorrow, I will blog from the new site (CLICK HERE: http://www.bedfordlandings.com/blog/ )

Tomorrow you get to hear all about our new steps to the second floor!

It’s Like Dominoes.

Building a house is like playing a game of dominoes.  Everything has to fall in place in order.  Here are a few examples:

The roofers can not start until the stonemasons have completed laying the stone for the chimney on the roof level.  Thus, the roofing material has been delivered and is sitting in the yard ready to go.   The stonemason completed the outside of the chimney yesterday (6-5-2013) so now the roofing can start.  Only it’s raining today (thanks Hurricane Andrea!) and nobody wants to slide around on a wet roof!

Note chimney of stacked stone. Stone will be carried down that entire wall.

The stonemasons could come inside to start working on the fireplace on this rainy day if only the fireplace insert had been delivered and installed.  But alas, the fireplace insert is coming tomorrow. Here is my silly sister in the fireplace like Santa (who’s house, I might add is across the lake and ready to move in, but she still lives in Florida! see her blog )

Santa Sherry

The gas log fireplaces for two of the upstairs bedrooms could be installed if only they weren’t so heavy to carry up the ladder.  The steps will be installed next week so they left them downstairs!  This photo shows the site where the steps will be installed and the ladder we climb many times a day in the foreground.

The lovely timber mantle will be installed once the fireplace insert is installed and before the stoners* begin.

When building, you have to install the tubs and showers before you build the walls or they won’t fit in the door.  We got that order right and have the tubs and showers on site now.  Jack and I have built the bathroom walls in the twin rooms upstairs (the Forest Room and the Fishing Rooms).  Here is a picture of the Forest room and me using the nailgun.

Note tub-shower INSIDE framed bathroom

Really concentrating! Looks like I better start using botox on those wrinkles!

We have also built the wall for the Fourth Room bathroom and are working on the Flying room bathroom.  This picture shows the Fourth Room bathroom with the jetted corner tub that is on the backside of the common area upstairs.

Jetted tub ready in 4th Room

And although they aren’t dominoes, you can see my new dice that I made to go in the 4^th Room.  The 4^th Room will be the largest and will be referred to also as the Honeymoon Suite.  The décor will be White on White with pops of color. So anything white like these will reside in the Fourth Room!

Dice by Karen!

So here is a composite of what we are looking at from the hangar porch.

This weekend, we are singing two concerts with the Lakeside Singers.
(see: http://www.smithmountainartscouncil.com/ls-home.html )

One concert is Friday night at 7:00 and one is Saturday afternoon.  We have wonderful friends and family to come to the concert and spend Saturday night with us!  Let us know if you can come as well!

Sunday morning, Jack will be donning his kilt and playing “Highland Cathedral” on the bagpipes at church.  This will be a first for this small church but we are excited to share his talents with the congregation.  Of course the residents of Franklin County will be able to hear them too!

Lastly, The new webpage is almost complete and ready to launch at www.bedfordlandings.com.  The BLOG will be part of the webpage and be moving slightly so you may need to re-enroll to get the blog e-mails.  I will post once more to this site to tell you to move over to the new website blog.  Thanks for caring enough to follow along as we build our dream!

Karen & Jack

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* I called them “stoners” once or twice and realize that doesn’t sound so flattering. I want to be correct and refer to these skilled crafts people as the stonemasons they are!