Bits and Pieces. . .

     Trying to think of an appropriate name for this blog was kinda hard.  Each time we go to the house something or another has been completed or added and as promised, I have taken a photo. Now I have all these wonderful photos to share with you but there is no rhyme or reason for this post. Just bits and pieces of things I wanted to share with you. So you can imagine my surprise when I found this song by the Dave Clark Five! Do any of you (other than my BIL Paul, who I am sure knows it) remember it?

     Okay, walk with me, talk with me as we take this photo tour.  Our first stop as we enter the house is the new foyer light.  Hope you can tell something with the plastic wrap but believe me, it's a good thing it got covered. This was the companion piece that goes with the chandelier which is pictured below.

     The dining room chandelier was not covered when I took the photo but it is now.  Those silk organza shades could have been a disaster.  (Good thing I showed you the pineapple pendants before they got covered.)

                                           
     Let's see, have I shown you the bookcase and fireplace surround in the great room? I chose Absolute Black granite for the surround to balance this end of the room. This is only the first installment to the fireplace. The main fireplace and mantle have not been built yet nor has the second mantle for the top. It will go up higher than the book cases on either side and the TV will fit in between. This was our solution/attempt to bring down the 18 foot ceiling. I want to place some urns on top odf the bookcases and found some lovely buffet lights to go on the cabinets. It isn't finished yet, but this will give you the "before" and then you can see the "after" hopefully, next week.

      Since I did not draw this to scale when I gave my rendition to the cabinet maker, I was not aware how big the doors would be on the bottom. After I see the double mantle in place and all the details on them, I may or may not need to add a little something to those doors. My guess is it will be picture frame moulding, if anything, that is like what we put on the walls below the chair rail in the dining room.  Below is the granite on the fireplace.

    Out the great room door you will see that the deck railing has been installed.  Still needs caps on all the posts but wanted to show you this and the fans that have been installed.  Now all we need is the rocking chairs which we found at Sam's yesterday but was in the wrong car to bring them home. Oh well, guess we'll make another trip to Birmingham this week end!

     Rosanne, when you are not on the swim deck sunning, I'm sure Paul will bring you sandwiches out here

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Back inside I see the glass doors have been put on the bar. The lighting was installed and now we need to find the glass shelves we wanted to go in these cabinets.

       Downstairs the flooring has been installed and really looks nice.  We went with a laminate flooring down here after we heard the price to tile it. We wanted something to withstand the ins and outs from the lake for our  guests and granddog as well. :)  Most of it will be covered with a rug in the center of the room.  We put the same flooring up in the Croft as well but I as saving all those photos for a post all its on. Be looking for a post entitled . . . Stairway to Heaven.

I asked the builder for the self mopping floor, but this is what I got.  Don't you just love the dust on the floors already?    

    I thought I'd add this one of the Lower level bar in case you hadn't seen it. Wait, is it me or is one of my drawers missing?  Can you tell I just randomly point and shoot and not really check out the subject?  With all the work in progress, I gave up trying to "stage" photos. You get what you get, and you don't get upset. That's what I use to tell my kidlets when I was teaching preschool. It seemed to work for them.
    Next Monday the house will be alive with subs. The tile guy will be finishing the backsplash in the kitchen, the cabinet maker/firefighter will  install the mantles and tweak them, the closet man will be installing shelving in all the closets, the AV guys will complete their installations and work on the security systems, and the granite handlers will bring in the 8 foot piece for the island. Yay! We found and purchased the counter stools for the island!

     I think we will spend a lot of time at this island, eating, drinking and just plain socializing.  I love the fact that they will fit nicely under the island and not be in the way. I had thought I wanted backs on them at first but everything we looked at wasn't comfortable, or my short legs couldn't reach the rungs, or it wasn't the look I was going for or they were just too expensive (we need at least 4 or maybe 6). These were comfortable, fit my legs, the wood matched the island wood, and they were on sale! We'll take 4 please!

   Well, this catches you up on things not seen in other posts but there is more to come. We are now at crunch time and we still need the plumber, painters and floor guys back one more time!  We have set up delivery of the boat for the first week in May, contacted the landlord, are making arrangements to get our Virginia shipment here, met with the estimater for the move from here to the lake and showed him the way and have just about run out of room in this rental with all the purchases made to this point.  Good luck Liz, Jarrett and Savannah finding your bedroom when you come for Easter and to help me celebrate my birthday!