We've only just begun. . .

OMG! In just one week, all this was accompolished and it is mind boggling. Mind you, I thought everything was moving fast when we returned from the beach and saw all the trees and brush that had been removed in one week! (Take a look at my last post to compare, if you don't believe me.) This is what we saw on Saturday, a mere five days later!

     I had originally thought all the trees surounding the point were to be taken down but H and I decided we didn't think all of them needed to go as long as the view wasn't obstructed. So, in order for us to make the final decisions about trees, before all the tree removing equiptment left the site, I had to "don" my new site walking boots to be able to go down and physically see which trees still needed to be removed.


Wal-Mart's best!

      I must say that it may be hard for you to really get the perspective from my quality of photography because, I too,  find it hard to comprehend the size of things. Everything still looks out of whack for me and really small from where I took theses photos.  Even after walking down the grade and onto the staked out house, I still didn't see the true size.  Dennis says, later this week, when the footings are poured, and the foundation laid, I may be able to visualize it better. We'll see. Maybe these photos can give YOU a better viewpoint.



Lower level greatroom view



     For obivious reasons I have not been able to take pictures for you to see the view from the main level great room, but never fear, when I can, I will! While I was down in the red dirt, I decided to show you a picture from the ground up (no pun intended).  This is looking back up to the main road which is the end of the cul de sac in front of our home.

            Believe me, compared to all the other lovely properties on The Ridge,this IS a gentle slope!

     So this was what was happening at the site this past week.  Meanwhile H and I have been burning up the highway from here to Birmingham for a couple of days looking for brick, stone, and house paint colors. Most of our new friends have told us to be at least one step ahead of the builder so when he is ready for these decisions, we will be ready. (We had just put on a new roof on our home in Virginia, so we pretty much know what we want for the roof). Been there, done that! We may not have made the final decision for the stone work and brick, but we have at least got at idea. Dennis will go with us when we are ready to purchase these things, thank goodness!  We have pretty much decided we want white trim! Check! 
     Since we have never built a house anywhere else, I don't know how much of this true, but every place we have been i.e. brick and stone place, rug place, furniture place, we have found that if you purchase from these places, you have the services of a designer to help you with colors, placement of furniture, picking out tile and granite, etc.  One place will load up all their oriential rugs, lay them in your room and take back what you don't like.This is very exciting to me as I don't have a clue!

     To end this house building whirlwind week, as I had previously mentioned, The Masons held a lovely brunch in their home for us on Saturday.  We can now say we have met just about everyone on The Ridge, full timers and frequent visitors alike. They are all lovely people and we are so excited about getting to know each one of them better. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven when I found out there are other "crafters" as well as bridge players living on The Ridge! H had already found other boaters and fishermen, not to mention other retired military men. What more could we want?
    We spent the rest of the day with Jane and Ralph and their son David (our new banker) and his wife and family watching the Crimson Tide. (It was a nail biter.) What a thrill it is to blend our families! We are so blessed to have the Masons in our lives!