Can it be real?

Pinch.  28 days to delivery of household goods from storage.  Pinch.  50 days to final move-in.  Pinch harder!

Balcony railing overlooks the

kitchen, complete with over-

and under-cabinet lighting,

island pendants and

refrigerator (stove on right

is out of position awaiting installation)

It's been 306 days since excavation began, our lodge cabin shed log home is almost finished, and I can't quite grasp that the end is in sight.  Just the thought makes me tear up - this keyboard is suddenly blurry.

I haven't counted the names (yet) but at least 40 talents have contributed to our dream - each time we visit the house, we meet new people and I am overwhelmed at the activity that is for us, our house, our dream.  Of course, we are paying for every minute, but how do you REALLY thank them for creating beauty from trees, metal, concrete, drywall, paint, tile?

Some members of the team have been with us throughout, and finding them at the house is like running into an old friend at the bar - hugs are exchanged, and we talk about our families (and, if it's in season, hunting.)

View from screening room toward basement family room and into

the guest bedroom beyond.  Carpet installed. 

I am in love with the deep wood trim around walls.

I can't wait for our first open house, when we can welcome them back, and honor them for the treasure they have built, bit by bit.  In the meantime, let me showcase the latest on our palace home.

In my last post about the house, I wrote about railings.  Well, I am tickled to tell you that we are as happy with them inside as outside.  Check it out.

Looking from loft toward great room windows; cables in railings

ensure a clear view

Looking from great room toward

loft and front door

So, what do you think about light fixtures?  Should be simple, right?  Well, it turns out that the word 'center' is all a matter of perspective - center from what?  Thank God our lighting guy is patient and WANTS us to be involved!  Spousal Unit and I chose all of the lighting fixtures in May 2017; how thrilling to finally see the porch and dining room chandeliers in place!

Left - before installation

Right - installed; note stove is out of

position awaiting installation

Stairs to basement; note trim

along entry tile on left, as well

as trim along the steps

I have bragged before about our general contractor and his prowess with woodworking.  As we go on, we have a growing appreciation for his approach to trim.  If you've never built a house, you probably take it for granted.  But when you've seen a project from the ground up, those finishing touches are the proverbial icing on the cake.

OK, time to talk about water closets (loos, bathrooms, restrooms).  For 306 days, it's been the gray porta-potty near the driveway.  Always stocked with toilet paper and hand sanitizer.  And the lid and seat are always down (thanks, guys!)  But, you know, it can be cold here in Montana (as my sister in San Antonio likes to point out, it was 68 degrees there on February 19 and minus 1 in Whitefish!)  So, I am hyper-pleased to tell you that the toilets have been installed and they FLUSH!  Of course, on our most recent visit to the house, I still had to go out to the porta-potty to nick some toilet paper! 

If you're going to put on a hat, ski coat, gaiters (for deep snow), and two layers of gloves in Montana, you make sure it's worthwhile.  So, as long as I was making a dash for TP from the porta-potty, I checked the trail camera as well.  And soon wished I had my snow shoes; in places, the snow rose halfway between my knees and hips!  But I knew my blogging buddies were relying on the latest camera captures, so I trudged on.  Here are the best shots from the last six weeks.

I think the folks staffing the registers at Lowe's and Home Depot recognize us by now; my sense is we are gracing their check-out lines at least once a week!  Or stopping in to pick up items ordered on line.  Here is a selection:

So, the last time we built a house (in Texas), the carpet was the last material to be installed.  You can imagine our joy when we arrived on moving-in day (the United Van Lines truck due to arrive in less than an hour) to find that our general contractor had not met his commitment from the day before to ensure that the carpet would be installed overnight.  Needless to say, we have had a special relationship with carpet ever since.

Character log chosen for its

resemblance to a climbing

frame; carpet will cushion

any falls!

Stairs to basement; bar and

bar fridge in view behind

extra rolls of carpet

Well, as I said, the clock is ticking down.  Hallelujah!  Especially when you consider that the clock really started 8 years ago, when we bought the property.  To dear Spousal Unit (a.k.a. Man with Hat; a.k.a. Head Chef): thank you for finding the parcel, and for shepherding this process from start to finish.  You are the architect of our dream, and I can't wait to join you in walking over the threshold to our castle home on April 14, with numerous new adventures ahead!


Why is this keyboard blurry again?



Linking to

All Seasons


Mosaic Monday


Saturday's Critters