1 Year Anniversary !

This weekend is the 1 year anniversary of our finding the property. Approximately 1 year ago this weekend, we decided to come up to Vermont, armed with data sheets, maps, and directions to around a half dozen different properties, from Groton to Burke. We covered practically the entire Caledonia County. We didn't really see any property we really liked that much. On a whim, we drove by another property we liked, but didn't work out. Across the street from that property, we spied a for sale by owner sign. We did a little investigation, and several hours later we hammered out an agreement to purchase several acres.

Ever since that day, we have been planning, and arranging, scraping, and saving, coordinating and executing to get to where we are just 1 year later. We started out marking the property, and hiring a contractor to clear slightly more than an acre of land. We ran into some water issues, and added a drainage trench around the cleared acre. We had a driveway put in. We were looking to build a "Big Box Home Improvement Store" garage, and started trying to coordinate with concrete, excavators, and store representatives. At the 11th hour, we found a contractor to do the whole job, and we are very happy with the results!

Over the past week, the dormer was finished,

the stairs installed,

and the transom windows over the garage were installed.
We came up this weekend to check things out, as it had been a few weeks since our last time up. We arrived and the electrician was on site, installing the meter box, and panels. Since we went with the garage first, we ran the electric there first, but they needed to install a power disconnect in the garage, for a future connection to a house if and when we get there. So now the only thing to be done electrically will be the connection from the pole, and that should happen during the week, weather permitting.

We brought a few things up this weekend also, to make it a little more personalized.

and

On the way home we drove through the center of town, and it was amazing what a few miles could do for snow. Here is a picture of the town green, with 3-4 inches of snow yet we had none on our property.

Happy Holidays! (and only 18 more days till the snowmobile trails open!)

Almost Finished!

Its hard to believe, but they are almost finished with the garage! We went up yesterday to check progress, and it is looking really good. All the windows are in, the siding and trim is almost complete, and there is not too much left to do. I am hoping the electric will be roughed in over the next week or so.

There are still a lot of details to be worked out, such as insulation, heating source, sheet rock, but the builder expects to wrap things up this week. So hopefully next week we can bring sleds up in preparation for winter!

This picture is from the snowmobile trail. The dormer actually faces the trail, so we can sit back and watch the snowmobiles go by or just enjoy the mountain view. Hopefully in the next week or so we will be posting the finished pictures, and then the progress of finishing the inside. Now I can finally pray for snow up north since the building is closed in!

Babbling Brook

I wanted to try and add this to see if it indeed works. Attached below is a short video clip from the "moat" in the back yard. It needs the Apple Quick Time plug in in order to play. If you have problems please leave a comment below. If you turn the sound up you can hear the babbling!

Thanks, Joe

Things are Looking Up!!

Happy November everyone! The past month has been crazy, with everything going on, people getting sick, running around, and the weather and time change. I am very happy to share the latest progress, and be able to see some exciting changes since I last visited 2 weeks ago.

Taking advantage of a day off, I drove the long drive early this morning, which was made a little easier with the falling gas prices. Gas was still ~ 2.50 up north though, but they are slowly dropping. I spoke with Ken on Friday and he told me they had the 1st floor walls were up, and the roof was partially sheathed. Imagine my surprise to see the progress since then! The front windows are roughed out, the shed dormer was built, more than half the roof was done!

The left side and rear side construction are pretty plain. We discussed locations for 2 windows on the ground level, and decided on one the left and right sides.
The dormer is shaping up nice as well. All you see was assembled in just about 1 week. Of course I had to go upstairs and check out that as well. The space is much bigger than I imagined, and with the bump out for the dormer, it adds a whole new space perspective.

By the time I was getting ready to leave, they had 1 of the garage doors up, and were working on the other. I also marked up the driveway for plowing during the winter.


One other sign I saw that reminded me why we were doing this. The snowmobile trail signs were put up in the last week or so!

More to come very soon!