Marble...er...Concrete Slab

Okay, so it's been over a week since I posted, and they've done two days of work on the house since my last post. I know that sounds pathetic for a Dec 31st close date, but I'm told it's still in the realm of possibility. The thing is, they have to schedule with the contractors. If it rains or is too cold or whatever that schedule gets mucked up. Anywho, the work they've done (that I've seen) is from yesterday and the day before. I don't have any pictures from Tuesday, but they basically brought in this gigantic pile of dirt on Monday (I guess that qualifies as work, doesn't it?) and used almost the whole thing to fill in the foundation to make it nice and packed down and flat. My guess is it'll probably not be as annoying to go in and fix plumbing if that is ever needed. Anywho...

Yesterday the concrete guys were here before I woke up actually pouring the concrete. When I left they were spreading/smoothing it to get it perfect. When I came by at lunch time, there was a guy buffing it out I guess to keep in nice and smooth as it dried. When I left after lunch to go back to lunch, there were literally three guys standing around watching the cement set. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there was some kind of purpose to it, but that was just too funny not to mention. I got home after dark (late sim), so I took these pictures this morning before I went to work. It was still wet, as you can see, but when I got home it was about half white, which I'm assuming means "dry."

So I guess the next step once the concrete is done setting (it's only like six inches, surely it can't take that long, right?) is to start framing up the house. I'm really excited for this prospect, because it'll give us that third dimension. I guess I need to start picking out brick and stone...

Oh yeah, in other news! We got word at the beginning of this week that hubby will be finishing up his training in December and will be here to (hopefully) close on the house with me and move right in! I'm so excited he'll be here soon!

Nothing to Report

No activity at all since last Tuesday. Granted, it did rain on Wednesday and Friday but its been completely dry side Sunday. I'm beginning to think I should have just gotten a six month lease at an apartment because there's no way this is going to be done before the end of the year.

In other news, the house across the street got a driveway and sidewalk today. I think it'll be done in the next two weeks.

Foundations

So quite a bit has happened the past couple of days at the house. I'm sorry I didn't post on it yesterday, but I didn't really get any pics, and I sorta fell asleep before I could.

First, we'll cover yesterday, which for the crew began before 7am.  They set up some boards for the foundation and filled them with concrete to start the foundation walls, I guess you could call them. I've actually never seen this type of foundation being built before. I think it has to do with the red clay soil or something like that. If anyone has better information on that, please let me know. I don't want to feed misinformation. Anyway, this is the only good picture I have from that, showing the cement truck pouring the concrete when I got home around lunch. I know, it's not the best, but you'll see the results in the next few pictures

Today, they seem to have come by pretty early to remove the boards, leaving a completely dry concrete outline of the house and by the time I got home, they had placed what looks to be most if not all of the plumbing. Here are a few different angles overall. Feel free to click for larger pics.

And of course, a closeup showing some detail. Closest to the camera, you can see the beginnings of the master bathroom, and on the far side are the pipes for the kitchen and utility room.

Okay, so I don't know what's up next, but I'll definitely keep you updated! Until next time!

Pouring Concrete?

Not sure exactly what today accomplished but we can now see exactly the footprint of the house and how it will sit on the lot. At least, I'm assuming that's what this is? It looks like the plans, so I will go with that but can anyone tell me what the purpose of this is exactly?

When I came home for lunch they were just getting started.

And this is what I came home to. I'm so confused.

So, if this is in fact the house outline for the load-bearing walls, then the garage is a bit smaller than I thought and our back yard is way smaller than we thought, too, about 20 feet deep at it's smallest point (the back porch), 40 at its biggest, and at an uphill angle. Well, I guess there won't be much yard work back there...but the front yard will be huge.

Groundbreaking

So I know it's been forever since I've posted. I'm kinda bad about this whole remembering to keep things up to date...ya know, I like to start things and just not finish them. I have three unfinished manuscripts to prove it, but that's another story.

For those of you who don't know (meaning I haven't told you or I'm just some random person you decided to follow one day), hubby and I bought a house.

Now that you've recovered from the news that I am now mysteriously married to some mysterious guy I've never talked about before now, I'll continue by saying the house isn't built yet, so we really didn't buy a house. We bought a lot. Really, we didn't buy that either. The builder did that. So yeah...we are not technically homeowners yet, although that is entirely beside the point.

So anyway, we've signed a contract, drawn up the plans, and are due for closing on or around December 31st. Yes, you read that correctly, and yes, I am very interested to see how that happens since they literally started work TODAY. To be fair, it did rain much of last week, but still...

When I left this morning, they were leveling the lot. When I returned not 30 minutes ago, there it was in all it's red dirt glory with the beginnings of a foundation frame and a little sign sporting Vintage Custom Homes LLC and SOLD right underneath it.

The picture above  is taken from two lots over looking at what will be the western side of the house. I can almost see the roomy front porch and half turret now. It's going to be a lot of fun watching it take shape.

Look for another update soon!

2011: In Retrospect

It's amazing to think that this time last year, I had such high hopes for 2011. It was supposed to be the year that everything changed for the better. I was supposed to graduate college, commission, start my career, get married, among other, smaller things. To be fair, some of that did happen, and then some.

But a lot of it didn't. A lot of it went terribly wrong.

I sit here now reminiscing about the past year of my life. The beginning of it held so much promise. I started it off with a (presumably) healthy relationship and it was officially my last semester. Everything was nearly perfect, and then it all started falling apart.

It really began in March, when Andrew and I broke it off for what is and will remain the last time. There comes a point in time when what you thought was good for you and what actually is begin to diverge. The worst part is I think we just denied it and continued on like nothing had changed when, in fact, everything in the world had.

Then I found out I was failing a class and there were so many administrative issues that I was scared to death that I wouldn't be able to commission on time (or at all). There, of course, is a bright side to this one. Everything literally worked out at the last minute, and here I am, a college graduate and a 2nd Lieutenant. It doesn't mean it was or still is any less stressful.

I also remember the miracle of finding someone else to love--or maybe he found me. I remember how it felt like home and how I honestly thought that it could last forever. I had become so cynical about love, and here was someone who showed me it wasn't so bad, after all, or so I thought. To this day, I can't believe I could ever be so naive, but I was. I was so naive and trusting that I let it all decay into nothing, but not before it became something twisted and ugly. Not before it tore away everything.

That was in June. I still miss him in a lot of ways.

On to Florida in July... Everything looked like it might actually go right--and then the fall. I was held back two months before I could start my training. I have six months left now. That never seemed like such a huge amount of time as it does right now.

Don't get me wrong. It's not like I don't love my class. There's not a single one of them I wouldn't mind hanging out with. I don't dislike any of them. They're fun, and we like to joke around with each other. It's a nice break from reality. So no, it's not the training. It's not even the base. It's Florida. It's Panama City. It literally and figuratively stinks. The air is so thick you can't even breathe. The drivers are completely insane. Need I go on? Bottom line: I hate Florida. I had such high hopes for it, and it only disappointed.

In September, we lost Brownie, or Mr. B., the horse who taught me how to ride. He was like a brother, and there I was a thousand miles away. I don't think I've ever felt so helpless.

In October, we lost Cindy, our broodmare and love.

November came and went. I took a moment on the 11th to think of what could have been, but it'll never be. In a way, I'm happy. In a way, it hurts, too. Sometimes you have to give up the things you think matter in order to grow into the person you were always meant to be. I just wish I knew what that was supposed to be.

So here I sit in December, looking back. We lost Luke on Saturday. I don't know if we'll ever see him again. I doubt it more and more with each day that passes. That, along with everything else, makes me wonder if Christmas will be as cold as I feel inside. Will the New Year bring a wind of change, or will all of this continue? Realism dictates that it will be the latter, but I find myself hoping for something to pull me out of this ungodly pit of sorrow and regret.

I keep hoping the foundations will stop crumbling, and I won't have to be scared of falling through anymore.

The Experience of a Lifetime

As many of you know, I finally took the opportunity to see someone who has given me so much strength for the past several years--especially the last several months--this past weekend. His songs have helped me through so very much, and I am eternally grateful for the light that would shine for me even when I didn't have the strength or want to get up in the morning. It was a promise that eventually the pain would end and day would come again someday. I'm certain we've all faced times such as this and perhaps music has helped in some way. For me, it was Josh Groban.

Regardless of how you feel about the guy or his music, pause and take a moment to consider that getting to see Josh in concert was the single greatest thing that has happened to me in a while. Here is someone whom I've never met, yet his songs have spoken to me in a such way that allowed me to recover from some of the worst times of my life. No, I don't know him and I never will, but his music will always be that one constant that never steps out even when I'm at my worst. I believe there is something to be said for that.

The drive to Orlando took over six hours. I saw some beautiful country and drove through the horse capitol of Florida, Ocala, but I really didn't stop to enjoy it because I really wanted to get to my destination. I actually forgot that I was going back to East Coast time until I got there and realized the concert was starting in an hour--not two, like I'd planned on when I left--so I wouldn't get to have a nice sit-down meal on one of the nearby restaurants. I was so excited that I barely even noticed I hadn't eaten, anyway, so I didn't even get anything after I was in the Amway Center.

Everything was a blur there for about an hour or so. The opening act, ELEW, was just amazing, but I was starting to get horribly impatient. I discovered Josh my junior year in high school and even though that was over five years ago I didn't want to wait another minute to finally see him. It didn't matter that I was in Section 208. It had been long enough!

Then the lights dimmed.

The "mini-orchestra" started playing an instrumental version of "Straight to You."

I was holding my breath in anticipation. This was it!

The crowd on the floor began to cheer. The spots lighted on that familiar curly-haired figure. He was waving as he hurried to the stage and even after, he greeted his fans at 360 degrees. He was wearing a white t-shirt, a black suit jacket, blue jeans and sneakers. I smiled at that odd combination, but it seemed fitting of him.

He sat down at this small little upright and began playing "February Song," and I sang along until the emotions wouldn't let me anymore. Tears welled up and choked out my small little voice in that gigantic stadium. I couldn't believe it. I was finally here. It was so surreal. And to start with "February Song" made it even more emotional. "Where is that simple day/Before colors broke into shades/And how did I ever fade/Into this life?" Those words hit me so much more than they ever had before, as did almost every other song that followed.

At the beginning of every new song, I kept thinking "This is one of my favorites!" or "I love this song!" It had no end. All told, there were only two songs he didn't play ("Awake" and "Remember When It Rained") that I would have loved to hear. I consider that a success.

"War At Home" just killed me.

"Bells of New York City" was just beautiful.

"Broken Vow" made me cry all over again.

And when he talked about "Higher Window" right before he sang it, I lost it even more.

The whole concert gave me some closure to parts of my life. At the same time, it allowed me to think about some things and reassess. I'd like to think it opened some new doors, too. Even though I only managed to get a wave from Josh from across the street after the concert had ended, I still felt fulfilled. It's hard to explain how or why. I really don't know, but maybe one day I will.

After sleeping in Orlando that night, I went home with the courage to face a few things I'd been pondering how to confront. I also got scared and slammed a few doors, but that's all right. Maybe one day I'll be able to open them back up and greet what's on the other side with confidence. I'm just not there yet. The point is--and this may sound a little stupid and corny--on Saturday night Josh made me realize that anything is possible, given time...and the only way to confront time is with patience.