Somebody always has something nicer...

No matter what you have, somebody always has something nicer...and they usually park it right next to you. This is our neighbors boat, docked just one slip down from ours! It looks and SOUNDS GOOD!

Dogs AHOY!

Tucker LOVES going on the boat! Look at that smile on his face! He is all over it and he likes just sitting with the wind in his face and looking all around. Ty is doing better but he still sticks pretty close by.

Lance's Theme Song

'Sail' by AWOLNATION

Sail!

This is how I show my love
I made it in my mind because
I blame it on my A.D.D. baby

This is how an angel cries
I blame it on my own sick pride
Blame it on my A.D.D. baby

Sail!
Sail!
Sail!
Sail!
Sail!

Maybe I should cry for help
Maybe I should kill myself
Blame it on my A.D.D. baby

Maybe I'm a different breed
Maybe I'm not listening
So blame it on my A.D.D. baby

Pennsylvania Craftsmanship

Lance volunteered (I think Tim actually shamed him into it) to come help for a week. Tim took a few days off work too and, WOW, they got a lot done. The only negative is Oscar had enough of them after just one day and he hasn't been back since!

They raised and leveled the top deck and added support beams. Then completely rebuilt the top deck and installed cable railing. It looks awesome!

From this:

To this:

We cleared the lower level of all the trash. We carried enough trash and lumber (up 3 flights of stairs) to fill the 2nd dumpster. They straighted, leveled and secured everything. They also removed the railing and decking on the lower level to make it flush with the sea wall so we can pull the boat right up to the house.

Lance had to troubleshoot and fix the electric to the bottom deck.

They moved the refrigerator from the hangar to the house so they can frame around it.

They began leveling the floor in the master bedroom.

And they fixed a bazillion other little things, as well as a little boating and a little beer drinking!

Cabinets ordered

We had a custom cabinet builder come to the house but after talking with him I assumed he was going to be way out of our price range so I got a design and quote from Lowe's that I was very happy with. Then we met with the custom cabinet guy and were pleasantly surprised with his attention to finish and detail, use of space AND PRICE. Base and upper cabinets will be antique white and island is a rubbed and distressed black. We ordered lots of roll out trays in the lower cabinets and pantry cabinet.

He is also building the cabinet for the master bathroom.

Craigslist Countertops

We wanted something other than granite countertops this time and I had been looking online at Soap Stone. I found these slabs on Craigslist. They are from a local school and were old lab tables. I bought all ten slabs which is way more than needed for the kitchen so we may use it in the master bathroom as well. The 2nd photo is what I hope it will look like once sanded and installed.

The kitchen sink will be a hammered copper farm house sink.

The kitchen island is going to have a solid walnut top similar to below.

Boat is on the Lift!

This makes Tim VERY HAPPY! He worked a whole day replacing the bunk boards that were cracked on the boat lift. On Easter Sunday, (in the rain), he put the boat in at the marina, drove it to the house and put in on the lift.

Cool Cement Vanity

Tim found this vanity for the guest bathroom on Craigslist. The countertop and sink is cement and has a really cool look.

$pend it like ya' got it...

Originally I was going to buy a 48" professional gas range but I realized it is just too large for our kitchen so decided to go with a 36". I have been searching for a used one but with no luck.
Friday I ordered a new one: 36", 6 burner, dual fuel. Also bought a stainless steel dishwasher and built-in microwave drawer.

Refrigerator #2

I posted earlier about the refrigerator we bought from Craigslist. Tim and I were both a bit hesitant about buying it and we should have went with our gut feeling.

When we plugged it in nothing happened! We tried to call the seller and he told us a couple of things to try. Still nothing. Had a repairman out who got it running for a few seconds and said it needed a new power supply board. Told me where to order, the part # and how to replace it. Did all that and sure enough it came on so we let it run for a day then checked it but it wasn't cooling. Tried to adjust te temperature and now it acts like the power supply is bad again. I downloaded the complete repair manual and diagnostics and I think we can get it running and re-sell it (on Craigslist).

In the meantime I found this Viking on Craigslist. Tim went to look at it and it was still in the sellers house and working fine.

These things are heavy beasts to move so Tim has been getting a real workout!

Floors are ordered

Flooring has been ordered and should be installed in about 3 weeks. The first floor will be 12x12 Saltillo tile and the second floor will be 5" hand scraped oak. We are leaving the carpet in the third floor bedroom.

Joy Ride

We take Tucker and Ty to the house almost every day. Tucker loves to ride in the truck and we let him stick his head out the window if we're not going very fast.

Gentlemen...start your chain saws.

It took 4 guys 3 full days to remove and trim the overgrown back 'yard'. These are some 'before and after' photos)

Below is the side yard. The tree byond the gate had a huge root trying to grow under our foundation so it had to come out. The trees in the foreground are Crepe Myrtles (Lilac of the South!).

The railing and building on the right of this photo are the entrance to the community pool and dock.

Old cedar hedge was removed and replaced with Red Tipped Photinias.

View when sitting on the deck before and after.

Looking down the stairs before and after. We also removed the center and left side railings.

This area will be the grass dog yard (our only grass). The two trees are Crepe Myrtles. There is another small terranced area below the dog yard that will be a garden next year. And below that is the 'party deck' at water level.