Long weekend in Vermont

Headed up to Vermont by train this evening to surprise my parents who flew in from the uk yesterday. Broken ankle and all. Hats off to BA who I hear looked after my Mum and Dad really well. So was thinking a relaxing morning tomorrow horse riding with Georgia and Ella before they head off to Singapore. I am really going to miss the Parsons family. They have been (and I am sure will continue to be) very close friends. Only spanner in the horse riding works is the weather. I think my parents have brought the uk weather with them. Ah well. 3 day weekend with my parents and good old friends. Doesn't get better than that. So there will be no construction feedback or photos. Off to enjoy my weekend.

Galapagos

Some photos from our trip to Galapagos - these are all the above water pictures

Lonesome George - may he rest in peace

Slowly but surely…..

Progress is being made.  We are starting to see some of the rooms taking shape.  The electrics are looking like we may soon have switches and sockets.

On the bad news (well good news for Brandi) front, our landlady has entered into contract to sell the rental we are living in, so may need to move out for the last couple of months of renovation :(

They have started on the restoration of the stained glass windows that sit at the top of the master bedroom window.

Walls are going up in the spare room - I do hope they remember to cut out the shape for the windows!

The spare room cupboard taking shape

Detail of the hand carpentry that is being done on the window

Where the two ladders are will be where our bed and bedside tables will sit - again starting to look like a room.

Looking into the master bedroom - where all the "stuff" is will be where all our "stuff will go in the cupboard

Looking from the man cave - which doesn't have walls as yet - across the atrium to the wall of the spare bedroom

Need to turn your computer sideways!!!

Well…..

The big news this week is ………..

We have been given the plan of attack and accordingly the end date…….

They say end of October, so I think we are thinking end of November.  But whoo hoo it could be within 2012!!!!!!  So far only 2 change orders, but watch this space!

Nicola has just been back for 4 days work in London, catching up with Helen & Mike (apologies to everyone else was business dinners the other nights) and then home to my parents for the weekend.  Was so nice to see them both and see the progress (while slow and painful) that my Mum is making.  Daddy is doing a fabulous job of looking after her, and it was nice to be able to help out.

Site visit tomorrow, so if any worthwhile pictures to post I will do.

Short video around the new apartment.  Apologies for the fish eye appearance.

Wall framing….

Well the walls are starting to be framed out - well actually they are pretty well progressed with the framing.  We are starting to see where rooms and cupboards are going to be.

The contractor is still being very elusive as to when they are actually going to finish, which is now a little more critical as it looks as though the lady we are renting from has found a buyer - oops!!!

This is the front window all boarded up now as they have removed the glass and all the framing for restoration.  Makes this room look a little dark at the moment (and of course Jon is back in the shot again).

 This selection of photos gives an idea of how the millwork 2 storey bookcase is going to look.  This actual piece is not part of the bookcase but is the actual framing for the wall that the staircase will end up on.  Where you see the workman's table this will become the Den where we will have our TV etc….  This is then opening plan to the living space which is at the front and not being renovated.

 If you look closely you will see the shimming that they have had to do to level out the floor in what will be the Man Cave.  The slope from front to back and side to side is about 7.75 inches - just a little bit of a slope.  When asking the architects how much of a slope is acceptable, funnily enough they were not willing to provide an opinion.

 This room will be Jon's Man Cave - the window is going to be slightly smaller as the condenser is going to share the window space.  The wall that has sheet rock on it is the upstairs bathroom to be.

Video footage to follow….  Took some today but forgot to put the housing on - as a result it looks as though we are building a fish bowl rather than an apartment.

Also we are still working through the Galapagos photos and videos and will post as soon as we get round to it.

My Mum is slowly healing, but still in a lot of pain - big hugs xxx