And the roofing continues

Wonderful fall weather in Lead Hill.  The hillsides are becoming dotted with the changing colors of fall.  It is so beautiful here.

   October 29, 2014
   Work continues on the roof.  Stripping the metal, then the two layers of shingles.  Once the shingles were off we realized there were many places there the roof boards had to be replaced.  I am so glad Joe wanted to strip the old layers of the roof off or we might not have seen all the places that really needed to be replaced.   We had had help getting the shingles off as it was just too much work for us to get done.  We had finally gotten the roof stripped when rain that was supposed to go north of us was heading our way.  We hurried to Home Depot and bought a 20' by 100'  roll of heavy plastic. Joe and I were on the roof until 2:40 in the morning rolling out sheets of heavy plastic and stapling them down.  Thank goodness the rain didn't start until about 3 AM.
   The next day our worker, Wayne, came to help Joe hang the 16 foot sections of facia trim.  Today we had to go to Bentonville , so Wayne finished replacing any bad wood on the backside of the  roof.  He also cut out any bad wood on the front side.  They will be able to replace the sections in the morning and then finish the facia trim on the front.  I can't believe how different the house looks with the new white facia all across the back side of the entire house.
   The roof should be fixed and the roof liner put down this week.   I am so thrilled that the new hunter green roof goes on soon!!!
    All the hard work and frustrations are so worth it to get to have a new house on our beautiful property!  Yeah!



 

Oct. 18 roof

Sunday, October 18

      Saturday night was the coldest so far this fall.  It dropped to 41 degrees.  I looked outside this morning and the fog is so heavy I can barely see across the yard.  High temps today should reach into the upper 60's.  This is good weather to continue stripping the layers of old roof off.
      Have I mentioned that we would be in a house by now if we had just bulldozed the old house down?  Building is SO much faster than removing almost the whole house and now the old roofs.  Yes, that was roof with a plural S at the end.  Joe and I removed the old red metal roof and are going to reuse it on the shop or barn.  We got about 1/4 of the next layer up and I called
Tiffany's boyfriend and got his brother and cousin to work on removing most of the other layers on the front side of the roof.  Thank goodness, they are coming back to finish that side after church today.
      After looking at umpteen roof/ house color combinations, we have switched from a brown roof to a hunter green.  Brown on brown would have just been too dark.  Besides, 50 million US Forestry brown cabins with green roofs can't be wrong.  I think we will be much happier with the dark green metal roof.
      The cows were up by Francis' barn so we were able to get our calf ear tagged so we know which one to keep at our place.  She is weaned, but still hung out by momma when several were penned, so we could identify her to tag her.  Charolais are cream to white colored so it can be very difficult to tell  them apart.  Momma cow, Heidi, is part something else and a reddish brown with a distance white markings.  We didn't tag her because she is very easy to ID.
     Granddaughter Tiffany was able to get three of her cows tagged and identified her bull calf.  It was impossible to tell which calves belonged to which cows so she will get her two calves marked when we see them with the tagged moms.  I am so proud of her for buying a small herd of 5 head of cattle last year.  She will sell the bull calf this coming week.  Two of her cows now have babies and a third should calf this winter.  I know it is hard for her not to buy new clothes, or get material things young people want today,  but she has such good sense and is making such a good investment with cattle.  When the other kids things wear out, Tiffany's cows will be continuing to multiply and increase her savings.  You can sell cattle on any Wednesday and Thursday back here at the sale barn if you need immediate cash.
      If this fog ever lifts I need to get the rest of the facia board painted so Joe can get them up.  I think they go up before some channel for the roof goes on.  I was hoping to have Thanksgiving at our place, but may be lucky if we are in by Christmas.  There is only so much Joe can do in a day, and thank goodness we aren't paying me by the hour!  It takes me 20 minutes just to get a tea and my tools together before I can think of actually doing something. The interior is where my work really kicks in.  I can paint, trim, tile and put in outlets and bulbs.  I am going to learn to help put down laminate flooring and hang drywall.
     The 4 baby chicks are starting to get feathers and little combs.  I am pretty sure two are roosters so I need to sell them soon.  All 11 baby Guinea keets are growing and starting to get feathers.  Their little necks are starting to get longer.  They look like long necked quail right now.
      Enough rambling for today.

October 5 pictures 2

 Joe bush hogging waist high weeds

 

 

              Fireplace corner.   French door openings.                   Beside the kitchen area

October 5 house pictures

Latest updates.

 

Back to the Blog Oct 5

Finally back to the blog.
   The  roof sheeting and roof liner are up.  We have finally decided to go with a slate brown for the metal roof color.  We have vacillated between dark green or brown.  Green would look like a forest cabin, brown will blend in.  Who thought making a color decision would be so difficult????  We have also decided to take off the layers of old roofing on the original part of the house.  We can do this ourselves with one worker to do heavy lifting and haul the trash to the dumpster.  We will put down new lining.  We are having workers put the metal roof on as I do NOT want either of us up on the addition roof since it is so tall.
   With the help of our son- in- law and his backhoe and another worker, Joe got one of the double French doors in the family room and the fireplace at least in the room.  All the windows are in the whole house now.  We are going to have some beautiful views!  One of my favorite views is of a beautiful wall of the quarry in the distance jutting above the tree tops. Once we get the drywall delivered next week, Joe can frame in the outside den wall and set the French doors there.  That leaves one Double French door left to put in the family room.  We will need Bill, his backhoe, and a worker to get that door up into the wall which is about 5 feet off the ground. (The decking is going up  before the siding , so it seems like we are off on another part of the plan).
   Joe and I were able to get all of the kitchen in for temporary placement for electrical and water.  Good thing we did a trial run, as Joe has to frame an 8 inch wall out behind all the cabinets next to the refrigerator.  The fridge cabinet totally encloses the sides if the fridge so the other cabinets are made to be even with that cabinet front.  This will be a rather simple framing for those cabinets.  The other wall of  cabinets don't need any adjustments.  The kitchen is going to be quite large and homey!  I can't wait for us to install them once the drywall is in!
   The AC/heat unit and ducting are close to being completed! Then we finish our wiring, and finally the drywall goes in! Think we will hire pros to texture the walls.
   Joe and I have tried to get in some outside time and have almost reclaimed another pasture by just bush hogging (mowing) it with the tractor.
   Today, Joe has some finish work to do around the AC /heater unit inside.  Then, we will try out the biscuit joiner to make some window trim and get it nailed on.
   MY goal is to be in by Thanksgiving!  I need to try to have patience and remember the two of us are doing a lot of the work, which means Joe is doing most of the work, but I am learning.  I can run Romax for electrical, I have put up the hurricane ties on the rafters and learned to use the handiest tool - a palm nailer, which works off the compressor.  A palm nailer is the best tool I have ever used.  No hammering. Insert nail, barely push, nail is in!
   I will have to keep up better with my blog.  I have even having some pain issues and CAT scan revealed gall stones.  Also pulled an abdominal muscle.  I will see the surgeon Oct. 20 and find out his recommendations.  I have too much to do and want to be able to ride Bo in this beautiful weather.
Joe has been having some knee pain but his main problem has been literally hundreds of probably chigger bites from his ankles to his waist, he got about a month ago when he went into the woods without bug spray.  The itching has been terrible.  I personally am keeping the Deep Woods Off company going.