A Flurry of Activity...on the Inside at Least

Much to our pleasure, Jeff and I saw the hardwood floors laid out in the kitchen today. The wood is gorgeous. We are so happy we picked the wide panels too. They look great. It will be awesome to see the rest of it put inthe dining and living area. Our fireplace has been nicely framed and the mantle is just what we asked for; simple and clean.

All of the windows have been

framed and much of the tile has been

placed as well. The laundry room, Alex's bathroom, the vestibule, and the HVAC closet are complete. The tile for our master bath is on site. It is everything we wanted and are too excited to see it in the

bathroom...hopefully next weekend before Christmas. Fred built the bench in our shower and it looks like the tub is firmly set into place and ready to be framed out. It was really nice to see our bedroom as it was painted in the beautiful blue color we picked out.

The painter was there and said they had painted it once...the wrong color which Sherwin Williams sent over by mistake. I am glad they caught the error - it was a pretty obnoxious blue. It was nice to see that they remembered to use the Harmony Zero VOC brand as requested. It was disappointing to see they used Egg-Shell instead of Satin...guess who has to paint the room again! Details, details, details...

Oh - and one other fun item we saw was our radiant heat flooring ready to be rolled out. Also, (so much to report this week!) are interior doors are being hung as I type. It looks like there have been some very busy people working on the inside of the house. Not sure what the deal is outside. Progress has been made on the deck off the master bedroom.

However, our courtyard and parking area are still piled with debris. Also, our siding, which was to be onsite two weeks ago is still M.I.A. We don't have front steps yet either. There is still much to do and time is running short. I hope the weather holds out and the next week is filled with progress. Christmas is just around the corner and so is the new year. We are just keeping our fingers crossed that every hour is utilized to it's fullest and we are moving in our artwork and clothing in the next couple weeks. Dear Santa...I want a courtyard, a parking area, and front steps please!!!

Smooth White Walls, A Brick Fence, and Sub Floors

Walls and rooms have appeared and are ready to be primed. It was really cool to see the definition of space and be able to see how big each room is going to be. The first floor looks awesome. It is just how we wanted it - open and inviting. We are definitely going to need to buy a buffet. Jeff better get a second job! The subfloors are in all of the bathrooms, vestibule, and laundry room. Our master bathroom shower also had a nice littlesurprise. Fred (yes we love Fred) made a cutout in the shower so we have a shelf. That was a great idea. Our radiant heat floor should be installed soon too. This bathroom is going to be my biggest delight. I have never been one to fuss around but I think I am really going to like hanging out in there.

On the outside, we have a beautiful brick fence on the sidewalk side and a partially finished wall next to the parking area. Kurt is still tossing

around ideas on how to finish this part. The parking area is going to be high so he needs to figure out the logistics. He told me not to worry because it is all in his head. I know it is going to look great but I have no idea what it is going to look like. They ordered the sandstone to finish the top of it but it hasn't arrived. Kurt is going to work on the parking area and courtyard this week. Hopefully we will see his vision soon. Our siding for the back of the house should arrive next week. So once the siding is done, the parking area graded, and the fence/walls are complete, we should be able to see a very large pour of concrete!

Beautiful Colors and Drywall Waiting to be Hung

Today was not only a beautiful 64 degrees and sunny, but our house is almost completely painted too. It was the perfect day to see the just completed job. Our doors and window frames still need done but the roof and dormers are just stunning.

Drywall is stacked throughout the house so we expect that to be completed by mid-week. The inside is fairly cleaned up as well so I guess they moved all the cutting equipment, tools, and supplies to another unit. Our house is no longer the workroom.

The wall to our courtyard is beginning to take shape as well. It is neat to see the definition of space since this area has been a staging ground for all the bricks, wood, equipment, etc. We are really excited to see this area progress. It still is a bit of a mystery in my mind as to what the wall will look like and how much space we will have for plants and outdoor furniture.

Our rooftop deck floor is complete which

is a welcome sign. Hopefully the rooftop and deck off the third floor will be done before turkey day. The weather is supposed to be delightful until a drastic drop in temperature occurs on Thursday evening. Five weeks and counting!

I am in Love! (with Jeff too!)

OMG! Our house....looks like a house!

So manythings have happened since the last post so many photos will follow. Our Mansard Roof is complete and we couldn't be happier with the color choice. Yes, it is a mix of charcoal tones, but with the brick and soon to be painted woodwork, it was the perfect choice. Oh, wait, did i say BRICK!! Yes we have a bricked front and side and the color, texture, and grout are just perfect. We weren't sure we made the right choice...so many choices and sometimes not enough time to ponder. I guess we pulled the trigger and the scheme worked out well. Oh yes, and the sandstone...it is just gorgeous. Yes people, I am in love with slabs of sandstone. We just had a full week of 60 degree weather in the 'burgh which I bet helped out a lot. We do have electricity and water going up to the roof but so far no decks have been started. I know the snow is coming soon so these guys better move their you know what. Siding still needs to go on the back and all the sidewalks, courtyard, and parking area concrete still needs poured. Project Manager Jeff has been a weekly visitor to October Development and they have been really good about keeping us in the loop on what is coming up. We see the beginnings of the brick fence and our footer has re-emerged. Six weeks to go guys and winter is coming. Start mixing, pouring and pounding nails so all that is left is the inside. Oh - yes - the inside. We have a tub, a fireplace, all the electrical inspected and readyto go, a security system, most external doors (ourfrench door for the master suite is M.I.A), and insulation.Next to come, drywall. It still seems so daunting, but my friend Jessica built away bigger house in a total of four months so it is not impossible to finish by the end of the year. Our house in Larryville looks like a warehouse. We have procured lighting and tile, which will be delivered to October Development. However, we (against our own best advise) bought bedroom lamps, glassware, dishes, and a few other items. This plus my beginning to pack is kind of cluttering up the place. We are having one last big shin dig with a group of friends to celebrate the closure of renting (we celebrate anything) and the ensuing move in early January. The process has been long, and we still have a bit to go. However, this lovely brick house will soon look like a home.

A Maze of Color and a Frame for a Jetted Tub Too!

The first layer of the inside of the house is complete. There are red white and blue water pipes, yellow and black electrical wires, and lots of silver ventilation ducts. We met with the electrician, Andrew (who is awesome) to go over lighting placement. This turned out to be a great idea. We switched from 4" to 5" lights in some areas and added many more in areas he said would be dark.Due to some duct-work, we had to rethink some hall lighting and will now have a sconce on the second floor. Jeff wanted a sconce or two so this actually worked out well. All of the electrical work has been done and I believe the plumbing is done as well. We should see the second layer - insulation and then the third layer - drywall - soon.

Alex's bath/shower combo has been set. The second floor bath is way smaller than we expect

ed. Good thing the queen's quarters on the third floor has the frame for my 6 foot Kohler jetted tub! The laundry room has hook ups for our brand new washer and dryer that I can't

wait to use to wash ALL of my clothes. The ones in our rental are like the ones in the dormitories at Penn State only WORSE! All of my clothes are covered in fuzz.

Our kitchen designer, Erin, who is also great, drew in our cabinets and finalized our pla

ns. There was a transom on the side of our kitchen door in the

original drawings but we took it out ("that will be extra"). This allowed Erin to give us a full size cabinet near the door so that was a nice enhancement. Fred, the inside construction guy and wood worker extraordinaire, revised our linen closet in the master bath to better showcase our vanity. He also came up with additional storage under the staircase for my skis and a few boxes. We heart Fred. Speaking of Fred, I ran into him on my Friday off (I love the 9/80 work schedule!!) and they were working on our dormers. "Custom made" Fred reminded me. We talked about the paint and he said that the painters should be there soon to add the olive green and purple

accents. That will be cool to see. The outside should be getting more of a facelift with brick and siding soon. Not to mention the slate roof. Of course everything we picked was special order...this is no longer a shock to us. Jeff and I will make our weekly trip to Deutschtown on Sunday to see if anything new and exciting is going on. I sure hope there is since there are only 10 more weeks to go!!!

Choices, Choices, Choices....

We have finally reached the part of the process where we get to pick out "stuff". Stuff we didn't even really think about very much. The first big choice was the brick. Who knew that brick had so many textures, colors, patterns, etc. We walked around the neighborhood looking at the different styles and mortar options (yes mortar options too!). We went through the many choices and came up with an option that was red...but not too red. Textured...but not too textured. We also decided on using a variety of sizes and colors if (there is always an "if" in Deutschtown) Nick (who seems to rule everything there) agrees with the choice. Otherwise, we will just have one size and one color. We don't know what Nick said yet. The other big choice was the slate mansard roof tiles. We assumed our choices would be black or some variation - and octagonal as many of the roofs we looked at have. Nope...rectangular, Blackish Grey, Green, and a Mix of Blackish Grey, Plum, and Green."Hello - Bob" (our architect) "Help!" We took last Sunday to walk the War Streets and Deutschtown with our heads craned backwards towards the sky. Bob recommended Blackish Grey 9" but said we could pick what we liked. Of course the sole 9" wasn't an option - it had to be the different sizes. So we went with the Blackish Grey...that was easy - NOT! As fun as it is to make these decisions - it still is a bit nerve wracking. There is no option of telling them we have changed our minds once it is on order. And we want it to look right...appropriate. We just have to go with our viscera as Tim Gunn advises...and make it work! (yes I am watching Project Runway - season 7 right now - don't judge me). Slowly but surely it is all coming together.

It's Been One Month!

The house is well, a house. The whole house is framed out and we have windows! That is pretty cool. Temporary doors were put on so a subfloor could be put in and nobody will steal the plumbing and electrical work we heard was coming...soon...I think...

Many of the rooms have been framed out. Jeff and I climbed to the top floor on the ladder inside...no steps yet. We had fun in our master bedroom and bathroom! The see through walls are amazing right now!

The view is beyond spectacular on the third floor so I can't wait to see it from the rooftop deck.

Chuck and Sharon (My Mom and Dad) visited Alex and I in Pittsburgh before Alex had to return to Penn State. They were able to walk through the first floor with me while the crew was there putting in the windows. I was so happy they got to see it with me during the construction phases. They seemed to really like it and I could tell they were so happy for me. We went to Max's for lunch and even though the kind-of-rude waitress screwed up my Dad's order, it was fun to eat there with them as well. Alex had never been to Max's so it was great to introduce him to the good German food in the neighborhood too.

The other units next to us are well underway too. Our house seemed like a looming giant

but the other townhomes have put it into perspective.

One huge concern of ours has been taken care of. Our lease in Larryville was up at the end of September. We negotiated a deal with Steiner Realty to let us stay month to month as long as we paid a surcharge on rent and give them 60 days notice. We couldn't ink the deal fast enough. No double move = a happy Jeff and Rebecca. It is now the end of August and we still have four months to go. We got quotes for lighting and appliances and only have a few more choices to make on those items. We are heading out over Labor Day to choose a few pieces of furniture....

Let the spending begin! The weather is still in the 90's so I am not wishing my summer away. We will continue to learn patience as this long journey continues. We are both so excited now....I guess it will truly become a reality soon (120 days, 9 hours, 42 minutes, and 30 seconds to go!)

One Floor at a Time

"Grandpa wore his suit to dinner, Nearly everyday, No particular reason, He just dressed that way, Brown necktie and a matching vest, And both his wingtip shoes, He built a closet on our back porch, And put a penny in our burned out fuse."

"Grandpa was a carpenter, He built houses stores and banks, Chain smoked camel cigarettes, And hammered nails in planks, He was level on the level, And shaved even every door, And voted for eisenhower, 'cause lincoln won the war"

"Well, he used to sing me "blood on the saddle", And rock me on his knee, And let me listen to radio, Before we got t.v., Well, he'd drive to church on sunday, And take me with him too!, Stained glass in every window, Hearing aids in every pew."

"Grandpa was a carpenter, He built houses stores and banks, Chain smoked camel cigarettes, And hammered nails in planks, He was level on the level, And shaved even every door, And voted for eisenhower, 'cause lincoln won the war"

"Now my grandma was a teacher , Went to school in bowling green,

Traded in a milking cow, For a singer sewing machine, She called her husband "mister", And walked real tall and pride, And used to buy me comic books, After grandpa died."

"Grandpa was a carpenter, He built houses stores and banks, Chain smoked camel cigarettes, And hammered nails in planks, He was level on the level, And shaved even every door, And voted for eisenhower, 'cause lincoln won the war"

John Prine

Home Sweet Home

"Oh when oh when will Jeff ever get home? I have been waiting all day to see him..."

"Honey, I'm home!"

"...and I brought a lovely bottle of red

wine,...it's 91 points!"

"Let's open it and sit in the dining room and catch up on our day..."

"Have a seat love, how about a toast!"

"You must be starved! You work so hard...how about some Vlaskaas and dry aged Cacciatori from Penn Mac....can you believe how lucky we are to be so close to our favorite foods in the Strip District?" I can't imagine living anywhere else...how about you?"

"Let me finish these dishes so we can go to our rooftop deck and watch the city lights come up...what a glorious day this has been!"