walking on sunshine...

It's getting to be that time of year in Alabama.. usually it hits sometime in April. but for me -  May 10th, 2015 was the day.  It officially became HOT.

I tried not to complain too much, as I tucked my cardigans away for the season. 

(who am I kidding.. I always have a cardi on standby.)

At least the warm weather and sunshiney days meant we could trek across our slab..

And hide in the nooks of concrete, pretending to be underground.. even as the sun beat down.

A little cloud cover kept the blazes at bay.

It was a good day at the lot.  A very good day.

Still wearing flip flops and walking the slab -  day 113 of our build.

like a thick chunk of butter..

It's May 8, 2015.. and we have a SLAB!

I drove by after work and the crew was still going.  Still.. hurrah!

Love the slope of our porch.. way to keep the rain water at bay and away from the nest!

On May 9th, things are curing slowly.  And the slope still holds.

A real garage floor, ma!  A real one!

We wanted to walk on the slab, but for now -  decided to wait.   Part paranoia that we'd mess something up.. the other part...

Well.. still paranoia that we'd mess something up!

Doesn't it look lovely though!

Loving our slab - day 111 of our build.

not quite a concrete jungle...

The next few days at the lot were all about dirt.  At least the weather was cooperating on May 1st, 2015.

A load of sand had been dropped off.  This was grey and seemed to be something to fill in between the gravel.

Pardon the porta-potty shadow.. I've been growing hopeful at how level things are starting to look.

I took a quick detour the following weekend to Gay, GA for the "Cotton Pickin' Fair" with my mother and sister in-law.  It was fun to see what crafty ideas were out there.

Also fun to text Adam at work with video game references.. this cart made me think of Assassin's Creed.

And I asked if he might want a weeping cedar for the yard...

But I think we both prefer the look of a weeping willow.  Maybe down the line..

Back to the lot on Monday, May 4th!

More dirt!  But wait.. is that a pipe??

 Multiple pipes!  And sand!

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It almost looks like they are finally prepping for our slab to be poured!  Note the light shining from the heavens..  right into our basement with sand, and Pipes!

There was also a good bit of framing and support being added where the back patio will be poured and the additional footings.

More solar flares! And our basement bathroom rough-ins are standing at the ready.

May 5th, a Tuesday, was another sunny day.  I was thrilled.

We saw the gravel in the garage being leveled off, supports to the garage wall were added.

You can also see where the rest of the sand was added, and smaller trenches dug outlining the rooms in the basement.

From above, one of my favorite basement spaces... STORAGE!

From the left rear of the house, more sand and dirt!

This is how we left the house on Tuesday.  Wednesday, May 6th didn't seem that different.

Tarps were added and everything smoothed out.

Looks like we're finally ready for some concrete!

Prepping to pour the slab -  days 107-109 of our build!

a graveled garage..

April 29, 2015 was a rainy day.  It stormed all the night before, and had a light drizzle most of the morning.  I worked from home (and cuddled my mom's mini daschund, Lilli, while on calls).  

Rotten Lilli.. giving me a break from spreadsheets.

As soon as I could log out, we decided to swing by the lot.. just in case.. but not expecting anything.

Good news!  We have gravel!

Looks like we need a bit more to fill in the front porch area.

Still, it's nice to be able to stand at almost ground level of the garage.  And daydream about where all the tools will go.

In the meantime, our favorite excavators are back at work.  This time they're burying the weeping tiles from the french drain system.

I don't know if you can tell, but the guy driving the excavator is in a bright white shirt.  I don't know how he does it but he always seems to keep that shirt spotless.  It's either mad skills or Oxi-Clean.

We've started joking that the project manager just sends over a crew to our lot every day at 5pm.  Just to make sure we know they're working. 

A graveled garage and more red mud -  Day 102 of our build

100 Days In.. Our Progress

We knew going into building our home that it was going to be a long process.  People had warned us that it would take longer than expected.  People suggested we just buy and settle.

We aren't the type to settle.

Still.. I have to confess. I had no idea it would take this long.  I had no idea the process would be this slow.

Although we aren't the ones knee deep in the red mud, tying rebar, and pouring concrete -  building this home is a labor of love.  It's a newly found obsession with the weather.  It's a deeper understanding of soil types and analysis of raw materials.  It's a test of patience. It's a trial in working at someone else's pace, on someone else's time, and on delaying gratification. It's a point of frustration, of joy, and anticipation.

I'm not in love with the process of building.  But I know, without a doubt that I will love the home we've built.

Here's to 100 days in.. and many more to go.

a place to grill and chill...

To me, there is something quintessentially Southern about sitting on a porch (or patio) drinking ice cold sweet tea, lemonade, or even an Arnold Palmer and watching the day turn to night.  I know you think I'm crazy, but looking at the pictures below makes me think of the many summer nights we'll spend, just grillin' and chillin' on our back patio -  looking out over the lawn, watching the lightening bugs as they blink and flash in the darkening night.

It's April 26, 2015, and our back patio is being framed out.  

This patio will be the "walk-out" part of our walk-out basement. There will be a door leading into the media room and storage room from the patio.

They've also added the bracers on our footings in preparation of pouring the slab.

We still have a ways to go when it comes to prepping for the slab -  our ground is still pretty muddy and uneven.

More bracing on our footings, I think this gap was left to allow the bobcat to easily move in and out of the lot.

One more shot from the left of the house.  You can see our neighbor's house under construction too.

Forming the Patio -  Day 99 of our build  

a porta-potty sunset

I've never been a big fan of going to the dentist, but on April 27, 2015 - I was excited.  Not for the tooth polishing or lecture on flossing, but instead because I knew I'd get to swing by the lot after my appointment and possibly catch some of the work being done.  

When I first drove into the neighborhood, I admit - I was pretty mad.  They had a bulldozer clearing yet another lot.  When Adam and I signed the contract, we were one of two lots available for construction.  Little did we know, the neighborhood was about to experience a boom.  I keep thinking it's because folks heard the Shears were moving in.. and wanted to join the fun.

All that to say - there have been two lots cleared while we waited for movement on the progress of our place.  I was getting a little fussy, and then when I drove up and saw ANOTHER lot being cleared.. well.. I'm just glad the HOA didn't witness the one-sided discussion I had in the car as I drove past.

I was amazed by how rich and black the soil looked at the new lot.. I was also surprised by the pang of jealousy I felt over soil.  That's a new one for me.. but it looked so nice, and fertile, and not bright red clay.

And then.. a truck came around the corner, with that same black soil, and dropped it off at OUR lot!

 

We're starting to see the lay of the land a bit as they bring more dirt in.

Hard to believe that not long ago, there was an exposed 10 foot concrete wall.

There's still work to do to fill in the porch and garage -  I think a gravel delivery is in order.

I couldn't resist capturing the beauty of building.. porta-potty, dumpster, and a lovely sunset.

I could get used to this view.. minus the photo-bombing dumpster, of course.

Celebrating dirt, porta-potties, and sunsets - Day 100 of our build