Monday, July 20, 2009

Progress

Arrgh! Between Blogger taking its more than sweet time to upload these pictures and the new, slower speed I still need to get used to, my attempt at the proud papa act of pulling out photos to show you is being short-circuited. Just these two photos took 20 minutes to load. The other two I wanted to share just weren't moving at all. So I'll settle for these today and try for the other two another day.

Our days are falling into a routine. We are still clearing the front couple of acres of the property--the subject of these photos--so we get up there at around 8 o'clock so we can work while it is still relatively cool, quit around noon, come home, have lunch, and then tend to whatever town or home chores await. It is very hard work I would never do for anyone else, even for money. But it's also fantastic cardio exercise over a period of a couple of hours, so I'm not complaining--I'd be getting the workout somehow, anyway. And the pride of accomplishment and ownership is worth every drop of sweat--which is profuse, bundled up as we are in long pants and long sleeved shorts against the chiggers and ticks.

Here's what the area to the right of the driveway looked like this time last week: The camera's back is to the road and it is looking towards the area cleared for the house and the septic field, which is just barely visible through the thick grass and the tree suckers. Here's how we left it today: it's the same view taken from pretty much the same viewpoint. It's starting to look like a yard! The clearing in the distance is the septic field, and the house site is behind the last clump of trees on the left. We have a total of 2.5 acres and I'd estimate that the house will take up the .5 or perhaps .75. The rest will be cleared forest land. The initial clearing is by far the worst part. Maintaining it should be fairly easy with a riding mower,which is inching up to the trop of our list of things we need. We have a backup generator scheduled for delivery this week (that's in case a hurricane knocks out power, and also to operate our boat lift before the house is finished), and then next week our garden shed will come, just in time to keep usn busy after the clearing job to be done. The shed is coming as a kit, which we'll put together ourselves. (When it's built, there'll be room for the riding mower!)

Initial ground breaking on the foundation happened today; that was the subject of the other two pictures. We now have trenches with re-bar in them. (I hope to show you on Wednesday.) Next step: inspection, then concrete in the trenches, then some actual carpentry.

We're on our way!

7 comments:

nan said...

Wow - what great before and after photos! So glad to read that you are on your way!

Cuidado said...

It sounds very exciting for you. Lots of workouts will leave you healthy and fit. What a great reason to keep on working hard.

Mim said...

Very impressive and your lands looks serene... someday you will be able to enjoy that ambience!

Ralph said...

Cuidado, the workouts are still excellent, but today I made a huge mistake: accidentally got so Off in my mouth! Knocked me flat for a while. Yuck. Be careful if you use that stuff!

Ralph said...

Mim, it does look serene, doesn't it? Can't wait till the actual ambience matches the looks!

Anonymous said...

That's quite an accomplishment. Looks great Ralph. The pad will be poured concrete, how bout the house? Concrete block, frame? We got a huge discount on our homeowners by going brick on block and also installed two ply windows, designer shingles. There is a list at local insurance companies for newbies. If you haven't already maybe check it out. Our insurance was held at $990 for five years, now $2200 because of the Hurricanes wiping out everything in south Florida.

Ralph said...

Thanks, Z&M. Take a look at the new masthead pic--you can actually see the house site from the driveway now--thanks to our work!

The house foundation will be block, the house itself, frame. Congrats on that insurance rate--wind and hale here ("hurricane insurance")cost us $1700 this year with a $2500 deductible, and then on top of that we'll have the basic home insurance, which is slightly higher now because it includes the construction insurance (we couldn't get just construction insurance alone). Insurance ain't cheap!