When I called Teri Monday morning to tell her about outlining the "hardscape" areas, she was on the radio with Mike. He had been to the house to meet the tractor man and said the lime got all scraped away in preping the ground. I went out late Monday evening and redrew the lines. I didn't even realize Sunday when we were out there that all the interior doors, frames and lumber/molding for trim was delivered Saturday and sitting in the garage.
Gary Clements arrived Tuesday with his helpers Aaron and Donnie. I went out to meet with them Tuesday afternoon. I took with me (per Teri's suggestion/instruction) pictures of cabinets, spice drawers, pull-out chopping block, pull-out trash can, plus two walls of kitchen layouts that I had drawn (in great detail, I might add). I didn't have time to finish the wall with my oven and desk or the island layout. Gary took one look at the stuff I had and said, pointedly, "You obviously don't have enough to do!" He is quite a character. My "walk-through" took 2 hours and I'm not done yet. I was flabbergasted at all they'd done by the time I got there (around 1:30)--most of the doors had been hung. Lots of the molding was in place. Aaron was really helpful in getting me to visualize the shelves in the library and the built-ins in the family room. I left them mulling over the idea of a "Murphy-bed" cutting table in the sewing room. Aaron seems to have quite a creative flair. He said he'd come up with something.
No pictures from Mom yet but I called Adkins Architectural Antiques here in Houston. Sherry was the person that I talked to and she said that if I had a picture, they could make it! So, I'm faxing them the picture of the Governor's Mansion from House and Garden and maybe tomorrow (or even today, I haven't been out to check the mail yet) I'll have pictures of the real thing. Now if we can just afford it!
...Pics are here with lots of detail. This was the first week that I've been out amost every day. I met with Kathy and Joannie from Sisters Two wallpaper Thursday morning to show them which walls get wallpaper--very efficient, professional young ladies. Kathy called me Thursday night and gave me the number of rolls I need. I'm short on the paper I'd already purchased for the kitchen (6 single rolls) and on the paper in the master dressing room (2 single rolls). A trip to Home Depot Saturday afternoon proved that our luck still holds. Not only were the short rolls in stock, but the same runs! D and I ordered remaining papers for the upstairs baths.
Saturday morning we discovered that the bases for the kitchen cabinets have been started as are the built-ins in the family room. My pantry is complete and the framing for the cabinets in the utility room. My laundry room is so neat. Gary left a note on the wall in the kitchen to call him Sunday night or come by first thing Monday morning. Wonder what that's all about? The floor guy was back out to take care of some bubbles in the subfloor. Our driveway is framed up and so is the sidewalk. Both are absolutely beautiful. I know everybody reading this is saying "beautiful driveway? Is she nuts?" But wait till you see the pictures. The curves are so nice and the brick trim is just the icing on the cake! Mike says concrete will be poured this next week. The pads for the propane tank and the AC units have been framed as well (but they're not curvy!) We also got our septic tank this week. That crew was working Thursday morning when I met the wallpaper ladies. OH! I almost forgot: we got our screen porch this week! It will be the most used room in the house.
