A meeting of the minds

Jerry and Michael sat down with us yesterday to finalize the plans. Jerry had his timberframe plans for Michael's inspection and approval. Basic blessing was given. Michael will now tweak a couple of areas (skylight in upstairs bath, laundry area, poured concrete walls instead of CMUs) and we should be good to go. One step closer!

Christmas 2004

As the Baron and Baroness drove up the hill on December 18 the lights were on and the garage door opened. Dave the Builder was there to welcome us to our new home and run us through the mechanicals and light switches. It was everything we'd hoped and more. He even had a basket of fruit from Wegmans to welcome us and a couple of door mats. We were getting ready to figure out bedding when R&D drove up with a Christmas tree and several boxes they had kept for us. What great friends, neighbors, and gatekeepers. We now know why maple floors are called "hardwood". Even with a couple of layers of padding between us and the wood, it is still hard. The mattress and box springs would be delivered on Tuesday, and the frame from the Amish Country Peddler would be delivered on Wednesday. Another minor inconvenience was that our water test came back from Todd Giddings ((814) 238-5927) with bacteria. We had water to flush and shower, but not to drink. Ladies Terra and Ariel and Graf von Tech drove up from the south for a few days. They brought all sorts of housewarming/Christmas gifts. We filled the living room with 2 air mattresses, played Scrabble and put together puzzles for an old fashioned celebration of family.


Kitchen and dining area with hickory cabinets
Looking down from living room into entrance foyer

Bathroom with tiles by Clinefelter's
Cosmetic propane fireplace

Bed by Amish Country Peddler; Compass quilted pillow by Brigitte Bertram
Organizing the Christmas stockings

Dinner is an all day operation with 2 cooks and several supervisors
...and an unfamiliar kitchen.

A supervisor puts his $.02 in.

The Graf stays out of trouble by studying.
Outside looking in.

2 cooks are better than one.
Delegate

View from the drive way
Location of the breezeway and Phase II

Kitchen and bathroom windows from back hill (north face)
We hardly need a doorbell since we can hear a car making the first turn on the road rocks.

From the "summer kitchen" (firepit)
It truly is a little house in the woods. The Baron planted a dozen daffodils with a crow bar and frozen hands and plenty of bone meal to give them a good start. Our trees are tubed and resting for the winter.

Living room
kitchen/dining area

from the stair landing

Dragonfly Tiffany style
...centerd perfectly in front window

stair landing pendant from Cherrytree Designs
Kitchen pendants, cherry and paper

Uplit fans
Watching for wildlife out the kitchen window