Probably everyone who has bought a dryer in the last 15 years knows this already. But you can buy a dryer with a light in it. No more digging around trying to find that last sock hiding in a corner… well almost, they haven’t come out with a washer that has a light in it yet. Talk about coolness.
Later in the day we had the family of mooses come back for a visit. This time I got a good shot of pappa. This is him in our back yard.
While taking the above picture I realized that momma must be near. I turned to see her coming around the back of the house. I shot inside ran downstairs to see her RIGHT outside our bedroom door. Drinking water in a puddle on the patio.
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Here’s a shot of my office window. It’s not very often one gets this kind of scenery.
While tossing a stink-bug out the front door I was shocked to find that we had visitors. To my amazement a moose was standing about 25 feet from our front door. It was huge. I called Jenny over to see as I ran to grab the camera and headed for the deck to get better vantage point for a picture. I was stopped in my tracks as I passed the deck window only to discover that the first moose was the baby! Here’s a picture of Momma standing in front of our 10 ft. deck.
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I gasped and called Jenny to the window. Ten feet from us was a full size cow (that’s what they’re called ya know? I talk like I know what I’m talking about). Upon realizing that we were gawking, momma and baby scampered off.
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Wow. After the adrenalin rush was over we just looked at each picture to make sure it really happened. And then we looked again just to make sure. I couldn’t wait to head down to my office and upload these images to my blog.
While writing I heard the “ruff…ruff” of a dog outside my window. I didn’t think much of it as the neighbors’ dogs frequent our property and are welcomed guests. Soon, I saw the source of the noise. Now though, rather than looking down over the deck, I was looking up at full-grown bull-moose parading by my sliding glass door. He was huge and beautiful. Thankfully, I was protected by the 1/8th inch pane of glass as he looked in. Sorry for not getting a picture but I figured it was best not to move…or breath.
The “ruff…ruff” noise he was making was similar to me when I call Jenny by her nick-name. I guess mom’s nick-name is Ruff.
Anyway, here a picture of papa after he moved on. His head is down but he’s not eating. I’m quite certain that he’s sniffing because he is following Ruff and baby’s footsteps almost exactly.
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Did you know that they pressurize the drain system after installing drain pipes and a septic tank? Well, they do to test for leaks. The problem came 4 days after we started living here when some water started coming up through the drain in the utility room. The eighth plumber I called on Sunday morning answered and was out in an hour (Shameless plug: Three Amigos Plumbing Jeff Janssen, 208-255-4380). It took him about 5 minutes to walk out to the septic tank and pull out the plug used to test the system during pressurization. $113 of my contractor’s money later, and the problem was solved. We’re back in the flow so to speak.
On Sept. 13th, we packed up our 14th trailer load of belongings and locked the door on our wonderful rental house and moved into our new home. I had my office hooked up and connected in a few hours and then we shut off all the lights in the house so we could see the amazing array of stars shining through the upper windows in our great room. It was an amazing event. Last night, Jenny saw a moose about 1/2 mile from our house and then this morning saw two dear cross our property. Cats probably didn’t sleep as they investigated every nook and cranny of their new digs. I went out and took this shot today which remind me, I have to plant grass.
We don’t know why God permitted us to come here and enjoy this area and this house, but it’s important that we give credit where credit is due. For many years during devotions together Jenny and I have been praying that if this wasn’t where God wanted us for some reason that he’s direct our path elsewhere. He didn’t. Whatever he has planned for us, we give him all the Glory.
OK, this is the first time on the National Weather Service Forecast calendar that I’ve ever seen a forecast for “SMOKE”! Fortunately, many of the wild fires have been quelled. We’re hundreds of miles from the nearest fire but the smoke is a good reminder of the local danger.
On Monday, September 3rd we hooked up our modified little trailer to Gritz (the car) and began the first of many drives down to the property.
Today is Friday and we’ve driven down 6 times. Each trip includes unpacking the truck and a “hunny do” item which includes hanging ceiling fans, finishing the install of the bathroom vanities, hanging curtain rods and more. All the carpet is in except for the greatroom which is waiting for a shipment from Georgia on Tuesday or Wednesday. We plan on sleeping our first night there next week!
Well, thanks be to God for proving his soverenty by putting Black Tail Mountain across the valley long before we even existed. Clearly he knew then that we’d need an internet connection many thousands of years in the future. Way back then he put this mountain in place knowing that Infinity Networks would be putting a wireless internet tower on top of it so that we could have an internet connection in our new house. It takes more faith not to believe in God than to see the obvious!
On September 6th, 2007, before furniture, before all the carpet, before the showers and a toilet, we connected to the internet from our house. It looks like we’re actually going to be able to work and pay for this house.
For those who, like me, were wondering where we are going to put our snow blower, ATV, gardening tools, and such here’s a quick shot of our new shed. After it was built I told the guy that we need to remove the safety latch on the inside because if I lock the kids in there they could get out. He didn’t blink but said, “Do you have kids?”. I replied, “No, they took them away years ago.”
You’ve probably noticed a lack of entries as of late regarding our house. It’s getting a bit challenging to talk about lately because, “Are you in your new house yet?” is the most common opener of conversation among anyone we know. Having to tell people “no” is getting old. Besides, while it’s progressing, it’s not as fast as one would want. So what else is new, we’re building a house! It’s supposed to be late. And I actually thought we’d be in weeks ago. Ha ha.
Anyway, here’s the status.
Internet, water (hot and cold), generator, paint, porch, sidewalk, slab for shed, dirt (that will grow grass, not all that common in these parts), stove, fridge, washer/dryer, many light fixtures – all done.
Still to come – install dishwasher, microwave, test furnace/heat pump, install carpet, install tile, and curtain rods, deck railings, (all the stuff I forgot goes here), packing up and moving in.
As a cost cutting measure and so that we could get the type of lighting we wanted, we chose to install all the lights fixtures in the house. What a job! One ceiling fan to go. Anyway, here’s a shot after installing that nice bathroom fixture you see featured. Look mom, I’m trapped in the mirror!
Here’s to other shots. The ceiling fan is the crowning glory of lights because it’s 20 feet up and was my first ceiling fan. The other is our deck lights at night.
To save on the expense of councelling and marriage therapy we decided after two rooms to hire a painter – I’m sure it was cheaper this way too. Anyway, Earl and his lovely wife paint houses to support their missions trips helping folks who are less fortunate. Personally, I think most of the world is less fortunate than Earl who clearly has the joy of Christ in his life. You’ve never seen a man so happy to serve. We all have much to learn for Earl’s with regards to sacrificial giving.
While I dig holes for concrete, help the contractor with floor and the wireless internet guy install my dish, I stumbled upon this woman just sitting around relaxing in the sun. And that’s fine.
If you buy land and then find these great raspberries on your property, are they wild berries or not? My friend says these are not raspberries but rather “thimble berries”. No matter, they taste great!
This post is dedicated to the hard work of Rob English who has been orphaned by the contractor to live (well almost) on the property and fix every last detail on the punch list, baby sit subcontractors, and assure Jenny and I that this job will get finished some day. I threatened him that I’d put his picture on the internet. Rob, here it is! And as you can see I kept my promise not to show what usually shows when one is working in that position. It’s a family rated web site.
Here Rob is finishing the concrete floor in our basement as part of a repair.
This is not just a picture of a mountain.
This IS just a propane tank and a generator…
Now what do these have in common? If you look closely at the top image, you’ll see a not so concealed wireless internet dish on the bottom of the deck. Many have asked how Jenny and I will be doing our jobs and that is the answer. That dish is pointing to radio towers on top of Baldy Mountain across the valley. This will enable us high speed internet access to pay for this house. During a power outage (which up here, 4 days without electricity is not that uncommon), the propane will power the generator, the generator powers the house. In case you were wondering, the tower on Baldy also has a generator to keep it up and running during an outage. Life (and work) goes on.
Well, the exterior is getting pretty close to finished. The deck still won’t pass OSHA standards without a railing or stairs, and you can’t see much at night without lights but you can finally see our house as it nears completion…. at least on the outside. There’s still much to before you come and visit.
Click on image to enlarge!
