Cold and wet, slow home progress, but MERRY CHRISTMAS!

For Thanksgiving Judy and I went to Flowery Branch for a day and a half on our way to Smithfield, NC to see Devyn, Dan, Randy and Ann, Dan's mom.  We stopped back at Jody and Renato's again on the way back to Gulf Shores.  Everyone is doing fine, and I didn't take many pictures.  Dan was working most of the time so we didn't see much of him.  Randy got a mom haircut while Devyn watched, I wonder if she'll ever cut Dan's hair?

Christmas music was on the radio, Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, when we arrived and the kids heard it so started to dance.

Here's the Georgia gang.....

The weather has been chilly and wet lately but the heaters, heat pumps and furnace are working well.  I don't think the weather has slowed the construction of our new home much so that's good news but progress is slow, we are snuggled into our HitchHiker and it's toasty warm until the house is done.  The landscaping including the sprinkler system, bushes and plants and sod has been installed.  The back steps and entry ramp should be completed this week and we saw the siding in front is going on.  The air conditioner/heat pump has been installed.  We were able to go inside the first time this past week and Judy got her furniture measurements and her furniture plan is coming together.  There is still lots to be done.....interior painting, tile the shower, carpet the bedrooms, install flooring everywhere else, and install some fixtures.  Outside the car port, shed, and sunroom all need to be built.  I'm sure lots of trim also needs to be finished.  We are pretty sure that we can use Jody and Renato and the kids help us take stuff like pots and pans, dishes, clothing and items in the basement and cupboards over and stash them in a room.  Jody and family will be staying in a condo for 9 days over the Christmas holidays and I sure hope it will be warmer than last year.  

 

 

Cement work started

Last week when we checked the new house there were cement forms being installed but not in the correct location so we stopped at the office.  That stopped the work for a week.  Yesterday the forms were correct and the cement was started.  The below picture shows the incorrect forms.

And here's the concrete started correctly.

Since the last post we have been playing euchre and poker.  We have gone out several times with friends for dinner, here we are at Papa Roccos for their $6 fish dinner special.  We usually go out Fridays at 11am and different times during the week, Monday tacos are 99 cents and beer $1.50. 

So far in addition to the golf cart we have purchased a love seat, washer/dryer, and two beds for the house.  At the speed the work on the house is being accomplished I'm not expecting it to ready until January.  Judy thinks some inside work has also started but there is plastic covering the windows so she can't see inside.  We have also both gotten our Alabama drivers licenses.
Tomorrow we are off to see Jody & Renato & the kids and also Devyn & Dan.  Dan's mom, Ann, and Randy will also be at their place for Thanksgiving.

House is set

We're not sure any work was done today but yesterday they were putting it together and strapping it to the ground.  There are 13 straps on each side tied to augers into the ground.  There are also metal straps on the wall studs securing them to both the roof and floor.  Not that we want to test it in a hurricane but ya gotta have done what has to be done.

Ya think she's anxious?  She has been very busy furniture shopping too.   We worked up an appetite and went out to lunch today with friends to Papa Rocco's for lunch at 11 so the guys can start playing poker at 1pm, YEA!

  

Happy birthday Judy

What a busy day and did she get presents!  We started with breakfast at Krystals after her water aerobics.  I received a text saying our house was being moved so we they wandered over there without telling her.  We drove back into the community and it took her quite awhile to notice the house wasn't where it had been stored.  She became alarmed and realized what was happening when I was laughing then hit me.   Half the house was in place and the other half was nearby. 

 

Next she had a call her new glasses were in so went after them.  Next came a call that the used golf cart we bought was going to be delivered that afternoon.  After it arrived we went to De Soto's for dinner with friends.

                                    Judy's convertible.

And we had to have a birthday cake from Publix.

No way her 72nd can be topped next year!

Red dirt

Our home site has had a load of red dirt spread so on it so it's
S L O W L Y making progress.  We are expecting a time consuming process and are quite comfortable, as we have been for 11+ years, living in our HitchHiker at Gulf Breeze RV Resort.  The site to the right in the picture is unsold and the two sites to the left have sold signs on them.  It's a good thing we didn't wait much longer as there are only about 12 sites on the pond.  There is lots of activity working on new homes doing concrete work and building sheds and car ports.  Judy has been doing some furniture shopping and taken me to see some potential stuff.  Judy has been doing water aerobics at both the campground and with the new ladies at The Grove while I have been playing poker there twice a week. 
Don & Zola are here so we have been spending time with them and going out to eat. 

  

Hurricane Michael

We have dodged a bullet.  Michael went east of us into the Florida panhandle so we are on the calm side of the hurricane.  The forecast has continued to be favorable for Gulf Shores so we just closely monitored it and stayed put.  A few RVers left but not many.  It's 81, overcast and a little breezy but no rain.  At least not yet and Michael has already come ashore.  Judy went to the beach this morning to watch the waves while doing some errands and came back for me so I could also see the beach action.

Our new home arrived!

Patrick at The Grove texted me that our new manufactured home arrive a day early.  I didn't tell Judy, we both though it would be a week or so late as most things seem to be late.  We rode through The Gove to see if work has begun on the home's site and Judy noticed it sitting on an empty lot as soon as we turned the corner.  I think she was excited and happy.

She sent the kids a picture and they told us it was broken in half and we needed some glue and tape.  We still anticipate it being completed the end of the year.  No work on the site has started yet.