The more fools us



We've had various dates for possible move in. Early December was the first, then end of February, middle of March, first of April . . . .

(Dennis is busy with the house. You'll have to make due with my photos from my phone. Big difference. SML)

 

When you come to visit, the hall closet is ready for your jacket.

 

The bathrooms are also sort of ready to use. This is the backsplash in the accessible, full bath. This is my circle room, response to the Frank Lloyd Wrightness of other parts of the house. (Sort of=toilet works and there is TP, but no place to mount it.)

 Mud/laundry room is not quite ready for use.

When the tower and stairs were altered, a hidiplace for Breezy appeared.

 

Breezy is a full breed conventional lab that Margaret McLaughlin was given to train for Lead Dogs for the Blind. She had been donated after being a kennel dog for 10 months and Margaret knew immediately that she wouldn't be a suitable lead dog because she doesn't like crowds. So we have the pleasure of a well-trained lab to join us as soon as possible! The only drawback is teaching her to play.

 

While we were down in Winston Salem, North Carolina, meeting our grandson, Theodore Emerson Yoder, Dennis came home from Lowe's one day with this light for his office. I laugh wildly when I see it.

 

The stairs to the tower are becoming safer. This concerned our daughter and new mother, Laura.

 (Did I post this before?) Remle ??? is one of our drywallers. This air return will be surrounded by bookshelves in the 'library' on the stair landing. As the days drag on, this is a happy face to come upon.



The tower area is nearly done and easily the best seat in the house.

 

This will be one of my favorite places in the house, not just because I enjoy cooking (but am leery of learning how to on a gas stove--hints?), but because I love the design Ann Graber Miller created with our tile. I think I'm going to like the convenience of stainless steal countertop.

 

Some of you Orrville friends will remember this light from over our dining room table. Took us days to choose it, so why mess with trying to find something else? The red is the smoke detector.

 

 
Last fall, Adam, father of our first grandson, Theo, and Dennis dug up a small perennial bed for me. I've gone now and then to check on it. Today I mostly found markers and nothing else. Well, it IS early spring here.

Then suddenly I saw a few possible plants! But I was really looking for crocus. And not finding them. I'm guessing some rodent made off with the dozens during the winter?

Lots of small lichen are bursting forth. But they aren't crocus.

 

This isn't crocus either, but I'll take a daffodil! Happy spring, you all!

 

Turns out even grandparents get gifts! Theo was born Monday afternoon and we were down by 10:30 pm. We needed to take Petie, the dog, out and Dennis needed to take photos.

 

(Oh, photos of our grandson, Theo? His photos won't be all over the web until he decides they should be. Send me a note, SusanMarkLandis@gmail.com if you'd like to see the darling.)

Soon and very soon

No, the house isn't finished, but it is further along than the photos below record. Do we have a move in date? No. Never have, never will. Do other people? Or is this an illusion that people who haven't built a house perpetrate?

 

We are tempted to move in as rooms are finished, but daily events remind us not to plan ahead.  Orders have gone astray (west coast unloading strike), measurements were incorrect (care to impale yourself on an oven door?), subcontractors have lives that interfere with their work. On the other hand, we had no idea when gas would go in and it is nearly finished and a subcontractor bent over backward to hurry an order someone else messed up.

 

The full handicapped accessible bathroom is finished except for countertop and backsplash and a better overhead light wiring job. In a house of Frank Lloyd Wright straightness, this is my room with circles. But, oh! I guess it would be nice to have towel racks, closet shelves and mirrors yet before we move in. Details! Always something more to do. Toilet functions (not seen on this photo). This is good.

Our bedroom is carpeted, but there is a bit more trim to finish and painting touch-ups. After Dennis finished the second coat of paint, one of the crew said, "That's interesting. We usually do the second coat after everything is done, since there are inevitable mess-ups." The multiple paint touch-ups needed because of dry wall mistakes don't need to be done before we move in. I had tea with a friend in the bedroom yesterday because it was the quietest place in the house.

 

 I've been tempted to begin moving into bottom drawers in the kitchen, but the layers of dust through out the house are quite deep. Besides, I might yet want those dishes in the duplex.


Dennis is now constantly hands on at the house. He did all the inside painting and is building the shelves for closets.

This is what our house would have looked like if I had been in charge: colorful, whimsical and totally impractical, but everyone would want to visit and leave with a smile.