Starting Over

Well - it is unanimous. We are going to get a different architect. We have discussed this together and with some of our friends. It all boils down to the fact that, while he is a very nice man, we have a significant communication disconnect. And if it's this bad now, it isn't likely to get any better as time goes by. I can't help but be disappointed in the whole experience. Ah well. I am sure that this is only the first of many things that will go awry during this adventure. And, as Phil reminded me, at least we hadn't built the house with his design! Throwing away some paper isn't that big a deal. Too bad the paper wasn't free!

More to come in our saga....

The Adventure Begins

For the past 25 years, my husband and I have dreamed of designing and building a home...our dream home. Well, we are finally going to realize that dream! We spent 2 years looking for the perfect spot. We found it last year and it is now all ours. So, we started to work with an architect. He's a very nice man. I have known his wife for years, as we work at the same place. Phil and I met with him, gave him pictures of homes we liked and a floor plan that was pretty close to what we wanted. He came back to us yesterday with his plans....and they looked NOTHING like either the pictures or the floor plan we gave him. I had to try and politely tell him that I didn't like any of what he had done. This is tough to do when you are so disappointed. But tell him I did. After he left, my husband looked at me and said "Is this what you wanted in a plan?" NO, NO, NO. To which his reply was "Good! I didn't like it either!".

I guess its back to the drawing board for round two. Maybe this time he will remember to put a window in the second bathroom!

Stay tuned on this blog station...I will try to chronicle our adventures in home construction!

Sometimes it is very difficult to find something fun to share with a teenager, most likely because they don't live on the same planet as the rest of us. However, this past weekend, my 15 year old son and I went on a photo expedition at a local state park. He has a real eye for framing photographs that I want to encourage and it was something that we could share. We both had a really good time. I suggested going because I knew it would be a good thing for us to spend time together. But it was really interesting to see the different points of view that we took in our photographs. Above are samples of my photographs and below are samples of his.

On second thought, maybe we DO live on the same planet!

The Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska 2008.
How can you continue to have a bad day while
looking at something so beautiful?!

Life is not always a bowl of cherries...sometimes its the pits!

How I wish that life were always easy. Although, if it was, I guess I wouldn't appreciate the good times as much.

Gotta luv it!

Way back before it became fashionable and ecofriendly (i.e. "green") to buy stuff used, I was already a Garage Sale Junkie. My kids wore tons of clothing from garage sales, especially as babies. Over the years, I have found all kinds of bargains. Take today for example: I bought a really nice, clean, functional bread machine for $2.50. That's right...two dollars and fifty cents. How can you pass buy a deal like that?! So to all those out there who haven't yet been bitten by the garage sale bug...COME ON IN, THE WATER'S FINE! Not only is it better for the environment to purchase used "stuff", its better for your budget too. Its also alot of fun hunting for deals. Just be careful...if you don't pay attention, you can end up spending more money on gas than you save by finding bargains! Happy Hunting....

Bike Update

Well - I made it past the end of my road tonight. OK, it was only 1 driveway past the end of the road and I walked part of the way back. But I am just going to keep on trying. Millie the Yorkie has adapted to riding the bike alot faster that I have. When we got back into the garage after our brief trip, she didn't want to get out of the basket. I could just hear her thinking "Are we done ALREADY?" Maybe I should teach HER how to pedal and I could ride in the basket!! I figure that, about the time I start to get the hang of this, it will start to snow and I will have to start all over again next spring. I wonder if they make snow tires for bikes?