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MARCH 26, 2003, WEDNESDAY
Spring has finally arrived and weather in Missouri has been wonderful
for two weeks so Jason and I are on our way for a long weekend.
We hope to finish off various bits of work and if the weather
co-operates perhaps frame the floor of the great room. Loaded
the truck with paneling for the ceilings and various household goods.
Perfect weather in the 70's. Arrived at the House at 8 p.m.
Uneventful trip. House in perfect order, no winter damage, save
a few downed branches and trees in the woods. A quick supper and
early to bed.
MARCH 27,2003, THURSDAY
A bright clear morning, sunny and warm. Jason got an early start and
finished the loft bed while I unpacked and worked on last of the
electrical connections. Started work in the afternoon on the
posts and rim joists. Discovered that the ground rises nearly 10
inches over the 20 feet of the great room's width. If the floor
level is to be same as the dining room, the front rim joists will be
partly buried for almost 2/3 of their lengths. We dug trenches
to set the treated rim joists and reworked the framing plan to
accommodate the rise of the ground. We set two long joists,
north to south at 6 feet and 12 feet in. This will allow 6 foot
joists in between that will clear the ground. However, we have decided
to raise the NE corner of the great room by 10 inches over an area of
8' by 10'. This will create a dais and the fireplace will be
moved to the 4' wall between the front windows and the 6' bay will be
a wall of glass opposite the dining room arch. This opens up the
view. The south end of the room will be at dining room level,
but the walls will be lowered and a simple shed roof will cover it
from north to south. The 6' bay will be full height of 12'.
The bedroom tower will be altered to accommodate similar leveling
problems. My bedroom will be on the same level as the dining
room but will open into the great room near the dais. The
upstairs bedroom will be under the eaves with a big shed dormer to the
front and the fireplace in the front corner. This will create
two big chimneys on the front of the house flanking the tall bay
window in the Great room. Finished work about 4 p.m. and went to
town for supplies. Weather still beautiful but they are
predicting rain and much lower temperatures tomorrow. Collected
some wood just in case and a quiet night. To bed at midnight and
temp was 65.
MARCH 28,2003, FRIDAY
Woke at 3 a.m. to pounding rain storm and thunder, and the temperature
is down to 40. Up at 8 a.m. to a cold wet dreary morning.
Jason and I went to work installing the fireplace blower as as we were
working about 10:30 a.m., it began to snow, and it snowed hard.
Temperature still dropping. Worked on the remaining electrical
connections. All the plugs in the dining room and bedrooms
function now, as does the dining room chandelier. By 4 p.m., it was 35
outside and as we had no dry firewood, we decided to go into town and
spend the night. My bronchitis acting up as was Jason's bad
hand. A good supper at Dowd's and quiet night of TV watching the
War News from Iraq.
MARCH 29, 2003, SATURDAY
Morning dawned clear and sunny but very cold. Went to
Sutherland's to check them out. Not much selection and prices
are nothing to write home about. Bought 6 rolls of insulation in
hopes of working on the kitchen ceilings this afternoon.
Returned to house at 11 a.m. and finished last of the electrical.
Jason finished the kitchen wall board while I did the design work for
the dining room casework. Weather still very cold and predicting
below freezing weather tonight...... So Jason and I decide to call it
quits and head home early. Too cold to work outdoors and Jason
can't hang the ceilings alone so we don't have need to stay. It
makes more sense to go home and come back in a month with extra hands
and warmer weather to do the framing. Packed up and left at 4
p.m. Uneventful trip home. Arrived at 9 p.m. A short trip
but at least we finished most of the work and now know what must be
done next time.
LATE SPRING 2003
Tornados reported all around the Homestead so we emailed Adrianna to
make sure all was well. She sent word that our house was fine
but hers had burned to the ground in early May. No details but
house was a total loss and they lost one of the dogs. The house
wasn't insured but the contents were so they will have money to at
least buy a new trailer and start up again. What a shame to lose
it all just when they were getting it in such nice shape. Sure
glad it wasn't worse and no one was hurt.
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