Wednesday, April 02, 2008

March 31, 2007

We're investigating kitchen cabinets now. Depending on the price and schedule, we may decide to have someone do it rather than do it ourselves. I'd like a kitchen sooner than later and Donnie would like to spend his time on his garage.

Donnie got Isaac's loft livable. It's not the finished product but he installed an attached ladder and the railings.

March 30, 2008






More getting settled.


We wake up every morning to a lovely sunrise. I'm not sure if we should add curtains upstairs or not!


Donnie;s not yet liking the long walk to the mailbox for his morning paper but I'm not sure driving Isaac's bike in a snow storm is the best alternative.

Macrh 29, 2008





We basically took the week off and got settled in to the new house. Donnie's still sick and I'm tired.


Today, Dad, Larry and Bobby helped Donnie move the big stuff from his garage up to the new house. Since we don't have a garage at the new house yet we bought a tarp shed to hold the stuff. Donnie can't wait to get his garage started.


The dogs were so excited to see their doghouses arrive!


The house is starting to look like a home with work to be done.

March 25, 2008

The bus forgot to pick up Isaac this morning! Donnie driove him to school and they did manage to get him home. It was a substitute driver so that probably explains it.

I tried to slow down for the old driveway after work but then I remembered and happily kept driving to our house!

March 24, 2008

We spent our first real day in the new house as a family. We tried to take it easy. Donnie's still feeling sick. I finished the cleaning at the old house and never plan to go back. The new people are moving in tomorrow. Donnie still has his garage to move next week and I return to work tomorrow and Isaac will get on at his new bus stop tomorrow as well.

March 23, 2008

We had Easter dinner at Mom's and Isaac came back with us. I'm slowly getting some stuff unpacked. My pantry is filling up with food and we're enjoying eating real food in our new house.

March 22, 2008


Donnie is still not feeling well but we went for a short walk around the property. We realized it has been months since we did that. We've been so busy. The house looks great from down by the marsh and even better knowing that we never have to drive back to the old house after our walk.


We did spend some time at the old house getting some stray items and cleaning. We also showered there since I just did the caulking in our shower today.

March 21, 2008


Moving Day!


We were up early for moving day. We had tons of help. Mom, Dad, Larry, Don, Judy, Heather and Sandy showed up. Mom and Judy directed them at the old house and cleaned in between and Heather, Sandy and I directed them at the new house and assembled the rooms inbetween loads. The rest of them went back and forth with the two trucks bringing loads to the house.


The day was cold but it turned out to be a good thing as the driveway stayed solid and relatively clean. We only had on casualty and that was in the first load. A lamp was put on as an afterthought and didn;t hold up to the wind. There was a moment of concern when they lifted our boxspring out of the truck and the wind caught it and took it across the yard. At least it didn't go over the bank. The wind was really strong.


Robie, Juantia and Ben showed up later and Wayne from Donnie's work.


Mom and Judy cooked spaghetti for lunch at Don and Judy's house. It was great to get into an intact house and have a decent lunch.


Isaac decided he didn't want to sleep in the new house until it was more organized so he went with Mema when she went home. By suppertime it was just Donnie and I in our new house alone.

March 20, 2008





Donnie's still sick.


I sanded and primed the pantry. What a mess. I wore a mask and I still feel like my throat is irritated.


Donnie worked at cleaning the house up fopr moving in. He vacuumed and picked stuff up and tried to organize his work areas.


Isaac moved a few things into his room early and tried to enjoy it. He's pretty stressed by the whole idea.


I stayed later in the eveing and put the grey primer on Isaac's walls and the first coat of his red and black paint. They actually look pretty good - for red and black.

March 19, 2008

Donnie definitely has some kind of cold going on. He's sick and sore today and not really doing a lot. He needs a lot of rest if he's going to be any help with the move in only 2 days.

I did some drywall sanding and priming. The kitchen is almost done. There are a few spots that weren't able to be snaded properly and need another coat of stuff. That may wait til after we move in. There's so much to get done.

March 18, 2008

Mom and Dad worked at the new house today while we ran errands and went to Drs appointments. Mom packed and Dad protected the ceiling. We decided to use a boiled Lindseed Oil becasue it's not toxic like the floor oil and the smell isn't bad at all. Smells very much like olive oil or something.

We have the bus stop worked out for Isaac, the garabage pick up arranged and the green bin scheduled to be delivered.

We also picked up Isaac's paint colours. The kid knows what he wants. He told us his theme is red, black and silver. I got his red and black paints and we picked up some brushed metal switchplates as a surprise.

March 17, 2008

We're getting so close. It's Monday and Friday is our official moving in day!

Today Donnie and Doug worked on fixing one or two electrical things that the inspector suggested we change. Dad worked on the drywall sanding and priming again. I think he hates that job. I finished the tile floor completely and moved on to the grout in the shower. It's way harder than grouting the floor! Dad and Donnie also worked on the wood in our bedroom and Donnie installed the fridge. Isaac stayed home sick today as his cold seems to have returned.

March 15, 2008

We packed more in the old house and went late to work at the new house. We're getting tired. I also think Donnie might be coming down with Isaac's cold.

March 14, 2008




We got to see the floors today in their final state. I put the pil protector on last night just before I left.


Donnie continued to work on the upstairs wood on the walls today. They decided to 45 degree the boards for our outside corner. It's more tedious but they say it will look better when done. Robie worked on the drywall. Dad sanded and primed the completed drywall. I worked on the tile and actually got the grout on the floor done. I also covered the new floor so we could continue working. Isaac mostly played and somehow managed to fall down the ladder leading from his loft to his bedroom. Nothing broken though!

March 14, 2008

I'm off work now until after we move in. Almost 2 weeks and so much to do.

Today was so busy. The electrical final inspection was today and it passed.

Heather spent the day with me working on the main level floors. We sanded them and boy did they use up the sanding discs!

Dad and Donnie worked on the wood upstairs.

The HRV guys finsihed up the ventilation system.

Isaac was lucky enough to get to spend the day with Poppa and Luke.

March 10, 2008

It's the first day of March break and poor Isaac is sick. He hardly ever gets sick but each year he manages to mess up his March break plans. Donnie spent the day with Isaac in tow and feeling cruddy. It was a bit of a write off as far as house progress goes.

March 9, 2008



Robie came back today to work on the drywall. Donnie puttered around at various things needing done and I worked on the entryway tile.

March 8, 2008



We have a kitchen counter! It's not much and I don't anticipate baking cookies here but it will get us through the first month or so.

March 5, 2008




Cory had helped Donnie carry the tub upstairs so that made room for us to bring in another big load of stuff from the old house.


Donie installed the toilet today and everyone is happy about that except me. I'm usually the one to clean the toilets around here.

March 4, 2008




I came home early today b/c Dad and Donnie ran into a problem with the floor boards. They seem to think that we are out of good boards and need to start using the blue boards for the kitchen floor. I don't like that idea much.


Donnie got the laundry room functional today. I worked on varnishing the remaining baseboards and a second coat on the windowsills.


Robie was here for the day and worked on the drywall. What a messy job that is.

March 1, 2008

I tiled the bathroom floor today but didn't take any photos. Donnie worked away at all kinds of little items including electrical and plumbing. There's so much to do.

February 29, 2008


Dad and Donnie installed the floors on the main level up to the stairway. They look so good. Hard to believe they will someday be as dark and marked up as the floors in the old house.


February 26, 2008




We have been moving a load of stuff down most day or evenings and storing it in the basement. Hopefully moving day will be easier because of it.


They finished hanging the gyprock in the upstairs bathroom. This room won't be used for a long time yet but it makes sense to get all of the gyprock done before we're living in the house. They also finished the gyprock in our bedroom.

February 25, 2008




My appliances arrived today - a few weeks early. They definitely don't like you to leave them sitting at the Sears outlet in Middle so we raced up and got them. They're very beautiful!

February 24, 2008

I varnished the wall in Isaac's bedroom and the trim in the den. I like the water based varnish.

We sorted out the attic at the new house which we thought was almost done last fall. Yikes. What a bunch of junk.

February 23, 2008

We wasted almost a whole day getting supplies and running errands. I guess it's not a waste but it sure feels like it when the move in date is coming up so soon.

February 21, 2008


The wall in Isaac's bedroom with the big window is now covered in wood. I have to get back into varnishing. We're using a water base upstairs after our mistake on the main level.


February 20, 2008


Mom spent the day at our house packing stuff. So far, nothing seems to be missing that we can't live without.


Donnie and Dad finished the ceiling in the bedrooms. It looks great.

February 19, 2008


Donnie decided to move Charcey down to the new house. He thinks we have a mouse.


We cleaned out Isaac's toyroom after he went to bed. He has so much junk that's either broken or unused. He told Mom that we threw out 75% of his stuff!

February 18, 2008


Donnie and Dad started the ceilings of our bedrooms today. It looks like we are going to have to use some trim at the edges b/c the dormer rafters aren't exactly straight. Still, it looks very nice. We're undecided on how to actually protect these boards. The idea of varnishing them all with a brush is not appealing.


They also got the oil protector applied to the boards for the main level floor. That had to be done outside as the protector is so stinky. We'll be installing the floors as late as possible so they don't get damaged by the ongoing work.

February 17, 2008


I finished another wall of the shower today! I also stained the fake beam to go between the kitchen and living room. It didn't take the stain nearly as well as the actual pine beams but we were unable to get a pine plank and had to go with spruce.

February 16, 2008

More work on the tiles. Donnie and Dad have been working each day and it's kind of hard to tell what they have been doing. There are so many jobs and a lot of what they are working on isn;t the obvious jobs. I know they've been doing some electrical work most days.

February 14, 2008




Happy Valentine's Day!


Donnie, Dad, Don and Isaac got the gyprock up in the kitchen and pantry. It looks so much cleaner and neat already.


I got a really nice Valentine's gift from Donnie. A level! It will make my tile work so much easier. It's a pretty nifty gadget too.

February 12, 2008




The upstairs vapour barrier is complete and we all spent the evening at the house tidying up. It's really looking like a house and with the tools and building materials out of the way we're getting an idea of how the space will work.


I got a bit more done on the shower tile too. It's really slow going in the evenings when we have to be out of there by 7:30 at the latest to get Isaac ready for bed. Plus, setting tiles on the wall and and keeping them level is hard!

February 11, 2008



We started packing up the old house today! It's so exciting. We're taking everything off the walls and windowsills etc that is decoration. If we don't need it we're packing it. Mom plans to start coming up with Dad to do packing too.


Donnie finished the living room and den window trims. They look great. He did forget to make the tiny strip of wood shorter than the header board and will have to go back and trim that before I can varnish.

February 10, 2008



I finished the shower floor and started the shower walls today. They look really great. Donnie's bugging me already about when he can start showering in it!

We checked the water pressure today and it is fine.

Donnie worked on the window trim for the two windows in the corner of the den. We decided to extend and join the sills b/c they come so close together. He mocked it up and it turns out the windows are not exactly the same height from the floor. Close enough that it's not obvious but the sills don't line up perfectly and look bad. We're back to two seperate sills that end a few inches apart.