The move has started! Renato's backsplash

It has started!  The house is far from ready as the carpet and flooring has to be installed, the shower tiled, some drywall repairs made inside.  Outside the shed and carport has to be finished and the sunroom built.  We wanted to take advantage of kid slave labor while they are here so we packed stuff in the HitchHiker and moved it to the new house bedroom.  We made 3 or 4 trips with boxes and bags.  This will help a lot.  The new washer/dryer has also been delivered and will be installed when the floor is finished.

 

There's still lots yet to move; cloths, food, pots pans and dishes, the basement, bathroom stuff but we can do the leisurely once the house is done.  I expect that we'll pay another months rent through mid February and close and move into the house in January.

I think Renato got a little bored here and also wanted to do something for us so he spent 2 days putting his mark on the house by tiling the kitchen and both bathroom backsplashes.  The tile he and Judy chose is much nicer than what the builder was planning. THANKS Renato and gofer daughter!

 

   

Our good friends Don & Zola have returned after spending Christmas back in MI with their family..  The 31st is Zola's birthday so we all went to Steamers so they and Jody and Renato could have oysters.  Don brought the birthday cake.  After this we went back to the kids condo and said goodbye to them as they are headed back to GA in the morning.

Just after New Years Devyn and Dan went to visit Jody and Renato the kids and the dogs.  Here's a couple pictures from their visit.  Looks to me like they were having fun.

 

 

 

 

  

Christmas

Jody, Renato and the kids are here for Christmas and are staying at a condo on the beach.  Randy is in MI enjoying work.  Sarcasm there.  When they arrived we met at the Shrimp Basket.  Christmas morning we were at the condo about 9am and the kids were hot to trot to get into their packages.

 

 

Renato prepared a nice meal of honey ham, pork, carrots, cauliflower, taters, fresh baked bread and mushrooms.  We all ate our fill. 

 

The weather has been great with sun and high 60s for the first half of their 9 days here but warn weather is still forecast but with lots of rain the last half.  We have also been to Steamers as they love the oysters there.

                                                      

                                        

The day they arrived we went to the new house so they could check it out.  We returned a couple days later because Judy and I had to meet with Patrick to discuss and plan a few things.  Renato brought us two orange trees he's been growing for 3 or 4 years from seeds.  He purchased a shovel, some good dirt and some fertilizer and planted the trees for us.  Thanks Renato, I see oranges in the future.

Judy still loves palm trees and I was surprised she didn't want one at the house.  Guess what?  The Grove planted some around the pond we are on and there's now one between the house and the pond.

The kids spend one afternoon and evening at OWA, the new Indian amusement park, shops, and convention center and I'm sure casino when Alabama allows them.

 

 

 

Georgia gang arrived & new house update

Judy and I had breakfast at Krystals and this afternoon Jody, Renato, Maria, Brianna and Dustin arrived.  We met them at the Shrimp Basket in Foley and they wanted to see the new house.  After that they checked into the beach condo they have rented so we stopped there for awhile then they came over to the HitchHiker so the kids could go swimming in the inside pool.

 

 

Home progress & Christmas

We have made it inside to check out the interior and it looks like we'll get what we ordered.  To date the interior grey walls have been painted but there's some drywall repairs needed causing more grey painting.  The painters probably painted the yellow walls today, we'll see if we can get inside tomorrow.  Construction of the shed has started.

 

 

 

Jody and Renato sent us new picture of their visit to see Santa.  They are coming here to Gulf Shores Saturday for 9 days and have a condo on the beach rented.  Randy is still undecided about coming down, I think he will.  Devyn and Dan have been in MI and then Dan returned to NC to work and Devyn made a trip to FL to see her mom.  We aren't expecting them here as Dan's travel distance has been limited by the Air Force during the holidays.  D&D can snuggle together at home in NC.

 

 

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!