Progress (Basement saga part 2)

We made progress this weekend. We got a large backhoe (well small one really) and my Uncle and Dad finished up the holes. We could finish with this because we knew we were safe from the gas line. Mike did drive and dig a bit. Boy was my hubby was so sexy with that machinery!


The holes are HUGE. That's good. It means more sunlight into the basement so I don't really turn into a vampire. I can't believe how much dirt that thing moved and how quick it happened! We only had 4 hours of run time and we finished everything and moved all the dirt out of the way. We had some spots in the yard that needed it and it will enlarge our extra parking pad.

My dad also started the first stud wall in the basement. So I'm hoping to make some progress this week and get a few more up so that we can finish up stuff this weekend and order the concrete saw for the weekend after that. That's my birthday weekend so we'll see. I got two holes in the ground for my birthday how about some holes in the walls too!?!

I did remember to take at least one before pic of the basement so I'll show that off too. The window on the left will be in our bedroom, the window on the right will be in the living room (Larger of course). Closer to where I took the pic to the left of that lamp will be our bathroom.

When did that happen?!

When did I become an adult? Was it when I was excited that I bought a fridge? Or how about when the new windows got installed last week? Oh wait I think it was today when I bought an entire bathroom worth of fixtures and was super excited BUT thought "Dang that was a lot of money". That's when it happened I'm sure of it.

We brought home a new vanity, sink, faucet, mirror and cabinet. Then we ordered the tub and shower and they will be here Thursday. We also went and got a new toilet. This toilet is kind of cool if you ask me (that adult thing again). There are two buttons. One you push for liquid waste which uses less water and the second button for the heavy duty poo (solid waste to be politically correct) which uses slightly more water. I can't wait to try that out...er I mean....

We picked a plumber today. We have a little work to do ourselves before he comes back though since doing some of this will save us some money. We need to sledgehammer through the concrete in the basement and find the pipes that tie into the whole system. We have a general idea of where it is but there's still some heavy duty sledge hammering that needs to be done. I think I need to ask a couple people for favors for this one for sure. Hopefully in the next week we can do that so we can get going on everything else.

This Sunday we're FINALLY finishing the holes for the egress windows as well. I promise to have pictures of that machine, mostly because the 3 year old boy that lives with me enjoys pictures of those things.

I am dreaming of soaking in my new HEATED bathtub, or taking long leisurely showers in the new large shower. It's so close yet so so so far away.

Our burdens

Dawn's really wooping me in this blogging thing so I'm going to try and do better. I love that she's doing this because it really does make me think ALL DAY LONG about something to post. I'm hoping she doesn't mind me snitching from her :D

Today's post is a story that I've heard from my mom. I'm sure it didn't start with her though but it's a good one. It's probably going to be an odd one coming from me since I'm not an overly religious person but I don't think you have to be to understand the idea behind it. If anyone knows where it really came from let me know.

A man is carrying a cross and he decides that it's just too heavy. So one day he drags this huge thing down to the local cross maker and looks at the guy and says "Hey I need something else this is just too heavy" So the cross maker tells him go ahead look through the yard and pick up whatever you want.

The man looks through the this huge yard with all different kinds of crosses in it. He sees one he thinks he likes and picks it up. It's just too tall. So he puts it back. He walks a ways and sees another one and picks it up and it's just way too heavy. He starts to get discouraged but he figures he's going to keep looking. Finally he sees one that he thinks he might like. He picks it up and tests it, not bad he thinks. He walks to the cross maker and says "I'll take this one, it's perfect." The cross maker laughs at him and smiles and then says "that's the one you came in with."

The moral of the story? We all have our crosses (burdens) to bear but they are ours. Some people might seem like that have less than us but many people have more. We all carry ours and in most cases given the options of many of the worse things out there ours are still ours.

It's something that gets me through when things are tough. It's something that reminds me that even though we have things that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy they are still just one small part of our life and overall that life is good.

Writer's block

Can one actually write about writer's block? Doesn't that by definition mean you do not have writer's block? Is there a minimum amount of time you must be stuck for before it's really a block and not a brain fart? I mean what's acceptable? 10 min, an hour, 2 days? Who decides these things anyway?

I started thinking that I'd like some fun blog prompts and of course I come up empty handed. So I start Googling and I find all kinds of sites dedicated to breaking writer's block, yet none of them are what I want.

I want something interesting, funny, or thought provoking. I've had a few ideas lately but then I think "that's silly" and talk myself out of it. Sometimes I just get side tracked and forget what it is I thought was so clever in the first place.

So all in all this is a post about writer's block. If you're writing about it do you still really have it? What are you ideas for breaking it? Do you have any really great places that lead you to think deep (or shallow) things? I'm trying to take a cue from Dawn and just WRITE more, even if it is silly or boring. So deal with it, and blame Dawn if I suck. It's all her fault anyway.

Shoot me some ideas and I'll try and write something up about it and post it with a link back to your blog too. We can all use more followers right?

First delivery

The first delivery is now sitting in my garage. Of course they were supposed to be here before noon and rolled in more like 1:15pm but at least it's done. My garage is now a warehouse for building supplies.

We now have proof that we're actually starting some sort of renovation project. We have 165 10ft 2x4s, 2 windows which are 48 inches wide by 60 inches tall, and enough flooring for just under 800 sq feet. The bathroom flooring will be ordered later.

Of course we've been digging a hole thinking the windows were 60 inches wide and 48 inches tall so our hole(s) are still not big enough. Hopefully we'll get started on that second one this weekend... or not. Those nice big windows will be letting a lot of light into the basement though so I am glad we chose larger ones (yah yah people were right get over it).

So here are the next pictures of the project. Gabe was excited and terrified of the truck. He has a thing about loud noises so he kept his hands on his ears the whole time.

The semi front detached from the bed and became the fork lift. The studs and windows came first.


Then the flooring and padding for underneath.

I was quite impressed with that truck up our hill. Anyone who's been here knows that hill is pretty steep. The Uhaul bottomed out on it when we moved in, there's a dent in the driveway from that. I guess what we needed was a semi.

Now I really do need those volunteers that keep saying to call them but mysteriously aren't around when ya ask ;)

The Basement Saga part 1

This really is a saga. It's going to take months and money and sweat, probably some blood too because we know how this works.

I'm hoping to be in my new bedroom after soaking in my new tub by October some time. Am I dreaming? Probably but a girl's gotta dream.

On the Fourth of July while the rest of the world was relaxing and watching fireworks or grilling out my dad and I decided that 90 was a good temperature to dig holes in. We were crazy. We did get almost all of the first hole dug. We didn't die either so that's good, if we had though we could have just rolled that person into the hole and back filled. It's definitely big enough.

There will be a pair of holes. They are for the egress windows that are required for living space in the basement. They'll let a lot of light in too so we don't turn into people that could be mistake for Powder.

I do have a picture of the plans and I'll have to post that later since I forgot to scan it. The dimensions though are as follows: Bedroom 18x14, bathroom 12x14, living space 40x13 (whole length of the house).

I really can't wait until we have a little more US space. The only downside is that we'll be as far away from Gabe as possible. So I'll need to get another monitor. My mom is in the room next to Gabe so he's not alone or anything but it will take some getting used to I think for me.

Without further ado here are the first pictures of the side of the house. The one on the right will be the bedroom, the one on the left is the living space.

The first hole, both will be about 65 inches side to side and from the top of the window to the bottom of the hole is about 52 inches, it's 36 inches out from the house.

The second window and where the next hole will be dug next weekend. That's the top of the umbrella laying on the side. We use it to keep the sun off of us.

Friends

Sometimes I forget how much I love my friends. Sometimes I forget I have more friends than I think too.

We had a fabulous day Saturday with lots of friends, old and new, and I find each and every time we get to go and be geeks wonderful unexpected things happen and I always find new friends.

I remember why the gaming community is something that I love and I don't mind calling myself a gamer anymore. Ten years ago I would have avoided calling myself that at all costs, now not so much. The people are some of the nicest, sweetest, most giving and generous people I've ever had the privilege to meet. The few jerks can be ignored, every group has them.

Of course when we get home at 2:30 am and only get four hours of sleep the next morning I remember why I don't do it more but I do know I want to do it more anyhow. Although I think we need a bigger vehicle. Someone should have a van (other than Jenny :P)

I'm really looking forward to our "little" BBQ this Saturday and I'm hoping I have enough food/drinks/fun (EEK!) but no matter what I know that we'll have a blast.

If you're heading our way next weekend we can't wait to see you. Bring some beer (or whatever you drink) and anything else you think might be fun. Heck bring someONE you think might be fun too. Maybe we'll pitch more than one tent in the backyard. This is one of those events that reminds me why I love having a yard and a house.

OOOH in completely other news, we got the loan for the basement so we will be starting all of that work. I'm REALLY hoping to be in the finished product by October. That way we'll have even more room (privacy) for us and anyone who wants to come and stay. Then the parties can get even bigger ;)