Giving Thanks for Stairs and Heat
Happy Holidays to our all our friends and family. This holiday season will be out of the ordinary for Jamie and I, but we are still grateful for all that we have and are trying to keep things as normal as we can. The kids will come and go over the next few weeks, but they don’t and won’t stay long because the glamping lifestyle isn't for everyone; we totally get it.
We are once again without a shower. It was removed a week ago to make room for a staircase. Saying goodbye to the roof ladder meant also saying goodbye to our only method of showering. But friends, we finally have a staircase to the second level! Our lovely building partner, Doug, let me be the first to climb them and was kind enough to pose for a thank you photo. It was a few days of navigating around the temporary structure until the wall separating the living room and old garage was torn down, but we now have full access to them and it’s wonderful.
In addition to stairs, we hit another milestone this week; we have a functioning heat source. After several weeks relying solely on warmer fall weather, space heaters, and extra blankets, the boiler became functional and now our radiant heat floors are functioning in the existing house and old garage. The addition heat was turned on this past weekend so that it was warmed ahead of sheetrock installation that began this week. The second floor still doesn’t have heat as we wait to turn the furnace on until after construction is complete to keep the ducts from sucking in the perpetual cloud of dust around here. Since heat rises, it’s not been too bad up there, and we have space heaters if needed. So far we are faring well, even when the digits dropped into the single digits last week.
Minnesota weather is setting in around the lake. Our first dusting of snow was pretty, as it always is. After a week of below freezing temps, we are seeing the first signs of the lake freezing over, and some thawing happening this weekend as temps climb into the mid-40s. There are a couple of small areas that still have moving water, but most of the lake is just starting to stand still. Every year I say I am not ready, but it doesn’t matter. Minnesota winters wait for no one. Funny story….a frozen Minnesota lake makes noise, like whales communicating. When I first started hearing the whales in my lake, I was terrified and was convinced that some new creature had made our forest their home. All is well now that we know it was the lake that was making all that ruckus.
We are making progress on the house, and even though we have a long way to go, we really have come so far. Just two months ago the old garage was open to the elements, the cats had claimed it as their sanctuary from the elements, and it served as storage for all the new windows in their boxes. Today the space is closed in and the wall that separated it from the house has been removed, giving us a bit more space. Right now it’s housing Christmas presents and this weekend it will be the location of our Christmas tree. On Monday they will “open” the addition by removing the wall between the old and new structures so prepare the rest of the sheetrock in the new addition before the mudder and taper arrives on Tuesday. It’s looking more and more like the addition will be mostly done by Christmas with regard to the painting stage. We are honestly thrilled because having that space livable over there means even more room for us to spread out and maybe even a working shower by Christmas.
As another weekend comes to a close, we prepare for another week of construction and chaos. We should see more big gains in the addition with the mudder and taper due to arrive this week. We will say goodbye to last remaining sink in the house, which is in the kitchen. It will be removed and they will hook up the small utility sink for us to use while we await permanent kitchen cabinets. I’ve honestly come to love Mondays because they represent the start of more progress towards normalcy.
We did get a tiny live Christmas tree this weekend and while it may never have ornaments, it does have a star, some lights, a velvety red collar, and is adorned with presents. For the first time in perhaps ever, I am done shopping well ahead of Christmas and everything is wrapped and under the tree. Chaos in our home life, be damned. I am finding ways to channel some calm and organization in other areas (i.e., I may have created a spreadsheet complete with formulas to track my Christmas shopping). I even had time to do Christmas cards this year, so watch your mailboxes!
With much love, take care of each other and stay warm,
M.
Shoes Down
Hello from Dirtsville, a name that came full circle when the fall rain set in. I really underestimated the softness of sand, mud, and whatever other elements occupy my driveway, and my beautiful new Rothy’s clogs paid the price. On my way to talk with Doug, our AMAZING carpenter, one morning, I attempted a shortcut. Bad idea. Really bad idea. When I started to sink, it was every woman for her self and I abandoned my shoes for later rescue. After a good soak to scrub off the dirt, and a trip through the washing machine, my clogs look just like they did on they day they arrived. The ability to wash them and of course their unmatched comfort, is why I choose Rothy’s over and over again. If you know you know.
My shoes fell (temporarily) victim to the construction zone.
I think my feet took longer to clean than the shoes
Nature Updates
The kittens are growing and doing well. Momma kitty, Gita, is a great mom and I’ve fully earned her trust. She lets me pick up her kittens (when I can catch one), but I know the adoration is likely because of the food and water that I provide. I don’t mind though. Gita and her three babies have been a wonderful construction distraction. My hope to have a brood of black indoor cats is diminishing though. I am trying to come to terms with this bunch enjoying the freedom of the outdoors, and realizing that they will likely never want to be indoors with me. Jamie has promised me my own black kitty next spring when the remodeling is done, but I’ve already been scouring the local shelter sites. There is a little guy named Moe that I have my sights set on, and Christmas is just around the corner (hint, hint, Jamie, Carter, Riley, Reese, Marquette).
A couple of weeks ago, before the cooler temps set in, we got our first big rush of geese stopping by on the lake. We still have geese that come and go, but the flocks have been small groups and they don’t stay very long. This morning, we had a visit from three swans. Although they were quiet, I did get a great photo when they meandered closer to the shore. It’s still on my bucket list that someday I’ll hear a loon on the lake. I heard from the sellers that it’s not out of reach, because they have seen them here, although its extremely rare.
Jamie had his first encounter with nature at this house when, before it was closed up, an opposum found it’s way in to the old garage. We think it had heard around town that there was free cat food available. I was out of town, so poor Jamie had to take care of it himself (but who are we kidding, I would have been hiding in the house anyway). No pictures of this, gladly, although the garage floor still shows reminders of the battle. We are not deterred. We love country living.
House Update
The house is making steady progress. The roof is almost complete, Doug just has trimming work to do. Most of the windows are in, and the rest are due to be installed this week. We chose black windows because they will match well with our siding color. We are once again without the use of a washer and dryer as our plumber and HVAC expert, the fantastic Clint, makes room for everything in the mechanical room and new laundry room. Thank goodness for my fabulous mothers for helping us out…again. We continue to be without a central heat source, but the warmer fall temps have really saved us. We just turned on the space heaters a couple of weeks ago and they don’t even run all the time.
There is a rumor (I promise I didn’t start it) starting on site that the staircase could be installed this week sometime. Do you know what that means? My days of having to sleep in the recliner are numbered! Progress is happening, and I’ve been busy shopping for bathroom vanities and mirrors, lighting, faucets, doors, and door hardware. I have loved scouring the web for deals and sales, but it has also been so overwhelming. Do you know how many different toilet styles exist? How does one pick a shower tile that they can, and will have to live with for the next two decades? Who can tell me what a posi temp valve is without having to use Google? I am so grateful for the team of men that are helping guide us through this journey. The end seems so far away, but it’s really not; I am just an impatient person.
I’ll try and continue to share more regular updates as we are seeing everything beginning to take shape now. We are hoping to go and pick out paint tomorrow. I have my color scheme mostly picked out with Magnolia’s castle color collection, but more to come on that next time. Take care of yourselves and one another.
With love,
M.
Fall Colors, Northern Lights, and Kittens
Hello again! Two posts in one week means there is a lot to share. Instead of boring you with the progress of the garage, I will give you the abridged version. The attached double garage is built and faces the east, while the front door of the house faces south. The north wall of the garage will have two awning windows and an entry door, and the south wall will have a larger window overlooking the lake to help tie the structure into the rest of the house. The new garage is mostly closed in, and will feature two separate garage doors with awning like structures build over each opening. More to come on that as we see more of it come together.
New attached double garage
Perhaps some of the reason that I’ve had a delay in posting update is because I’ve been preoccupied with my new cat family. On September 16th, a momma black cat showed up while I was outside talking with Doug. She was much too thin, too affectionate and trusting of me to be a feral cat. I instantly fed her because I knew she needed my help. After cycling through different names, I landed on Gita. Gita came around like clockwork every evening and every morning for snuggles and food. It wasn’t until a week later that I discovered that she had a made a home for her and her three black kitty babies under one of the sheds behind the house. Everyday I would visit them all, hoping to get the kitties to trust me enough to let me cuddle with them too. The mom has moved the kitties around to a couple different places, but keeps coming back to let me know that she still needed me and my cooking skills. If you aren’t aware, I adore black cats. These four black kitty angels was like hitting the jackpot and I spend most of my free time playing with them and earning their trust. Gita has at least one male and female in her litter and one other that is more elusive to catch. Two of the babies now allow me to pick them up sometimes and I have to believe that now that the weather is getting colder they enjoy the snuggles inside my sweatshirt. My plan is to adopt them all and make them indoor cats after getting mom spayed and vaccinated and the babies checked out too. I love my little litter.
Gita and her three babies at feeding time. It was a huge win when the babies at least let me stand near them.
Gita and one of her babies after they moved into the garage.
Last Thursday, October 10th, I was able to cross something off my bucket list. I was able to see the Northern Lights in person from my home. All of struggles we’ve endured and still have in front of us throughout this house remodel proved worth when the green and pink lights came into view. These types of experiences are why we wanted to move back into the country and why we love this piece of bliss that we’ve found. The pictures speak for themselves. They were taken with my iPhone camera.
All of a sudden this morning it became evident that fall colors have descended around the lake. These pictures were taken from our front lawn and they show our view as we face south and west. From where our house sits, we have a view that almost no one else can see. I made these pictures a little larger so that we can all appreciate their beauty.
Facing southwest towards the island
Same view as above just slightly more to the east
Facing west as the sun comes over the horizon behind me from the east.
I will leave you here with this week’s updates and stunning photo library. More activity is happening outside as I type so updates and new photos are not far behind. In another couple of weeks I should be able to share more progress on the oustide as our home takes shape with new windows, doors, and siding. Have a wonderful week! Take care of one another.
Progress is Real
Hello everyone! Today is a work holiday for me, so I am going to take this time to get you all caught up on what’s been happening around the “estate”. Our carpenter, Doug, has been hard at work. The addition and new garage are almost fully framed, and completely sheeted. This means that roofing (should start this week), windows, and siding are not far behind. We have been so very lucky and blessed with warm fall temperatures and dry conditions that Doug, and his partners, Walt and Bill, have been full speed ahead on the exterior parts of the project. The progress will make our lender happy as they have been worried about work getting stalled due to Minnesota weather. According to the 10-day forecast though, we still have many more warm and dry days ahead. The progress is truly real as we watch our vision come to light, even if for right now it’s only lumber that we see. I thought that today, I would take you through each structure so that you can visualize what is to come. For this post, I will focus on the vision that we have for the new addition.
New living addition.
This new living space will feature the family room, master suite, and the fourth bedroom/office space. Although about 30% smaller than we had originally planned, we are still getting all the rooms that we wanted, they are just a little smaller. The photo above is a glimpse of what things looked like after a couple of days of Doug being onsite.
Master bath
We will call this the before photo of our master bath. It will be a bit smaller than the master bath in our previous house, but it helped us gain space in the family room where we will spend most of our time. We’ve decided on large white floor tiles in glacier with gray grout to help open the space and will likely do white walls. To bring color to the room, I am wanting to do a shower that has some color. We are toying with a white subway tile and black grout, but are unsure as of yet. We know we need to get moving to also pick out the vanity, sinks, faucets and lighting, but it’s so hard to visualize a space when we are still looking at studs. We are excited that we will have an awning window that faces east that will give us some natural light in this space.
Master closet
The master closet is definitely smaller than we had hoped, but in the end we realized that we had to allocate the spaces we had to the most important areas. So we borrowed space from the closet to give the master bath a bit more room and to keep the fourth bedroom/office space intact. Jamie is already starting to strategize built-ins to help make the most of the space. This room too will have a small awning window facing north. It won’t open to let air in, but Jamie and I love natural light and so we tried to get windows in almost every space.
Fourth bedroom/office
I will have to maximize this space through creative furniture use. The room is too small for a traditional bed and closet, so I am planning a loveseat that houses a pullout bed with a higher-end mattress under the north-facing window and a wardrobe that can serve as storage and desk space. It will serve us well as a bonus sleeping space when the kids are all home at the holidays or if someone just needs to escape the chaos. I had planned to dedicate this space to my sewing and crafting, but it’s better served for family use right now.
Master bedroom
Our master bedroom will be wider than it is deep and will be perfect for the type of oasis I hope to create here. Lots of light will come in through the two large east-facing windows, and will brighten room along with the white-ish paint we will use. As far as linens, I am still deciding. I love the classic look of white on the bed, but our three dogs constantly remind me of why I can’t own anything white right now. We have some elements that we know will be part of the room (we have this awesome yellow arm chair that I adore), but we are still planning the bedding in all of the rooms, really. I’m excited to see how this space comes together.
Family room
Lastly, we end in the family room. This large room will have light coming from the north and west. The west windows will flank the TV and what we had hoped would be a fireplace. However, due to the size of our TV and our decision to go with 8 foot ceilings, we won't have room for a fireplace or at least one that wouldn’t look out of place on that wall. As a compromise, I opted to do an indoor fireplace from our favorite fireplace vendor, Solo Stove. We own and have gifted several of their outdoor items, and are now going to try one of their indoor items. The indoor fireplace will be a perfect addition to the new construction and will still give us the ambiance and warmth that we want in this space. We are excited for it to arrive this week, but will have to wait a while to put it into use.
The other features of this room include two large west-facing windows that will give us a view of the lake and this room will also be the connection the kitchen and the original house. We are working hard to create a seamless transition from old to new by keeping the flooring the same throughout the whole house (the bathroom and laundry room will have tile). We have decided to go with engineered hardwood from Hallmark Floors. It was the closest to hardwood that we could get, knowing that we couldn’t have traditional hardwood like we’ve had in everyone one of our previous homes. We chose a dark stained red oak that will stand out against our white-ish walls (right now I am loving Benjamin Moore’s Pale Oak which is part of the their Forest Finds color palette) and the accent colors from our linens, houseplants, and furniture.
Everyday brings us closer to the finish product, and we are excited to share our journey with you all. Before long this closed in wood structure will look more and more like a home. Take care!
Addition getting closed in.
Breaking News…
I wish I could create the sound you’d hear over the radio in the old black and white movies alerting characters to important news, but caps lock will have to do. WE HAVE INDOOR PLUMBING AGAIN. Last afternoon my new best friend, the septic installer, told me that we have over 2200 gallons of sewer availability (much more once our electrician formally hooks us up). For the first time in a month, I used and flushed a real toilet and washed laundry in our home! Showering is still a work in progress, however. Poor Riley discovered this morning (he stayed with us last night so I could take him to the airport on my way to work) that we don’t have hot water. I don’t even care about the hot water issue right now, because friends I no longer have to use the crappy (pun intended) brown port-a-potty that adorns my front lawn. We are celebrating tonight in the Millam household…we are having ice cream!
Swan Lake
September has arrived, and unfortunately it still feels like August. I enjoy everything about fall including the colors, the mood, and pumpkin spice. My favorite part of fall are the temperatures. It is bonfire, sweater, and blanket weather, and in my opinion it is the calmest time of the year. I’ve been waiting this entire hot and humid summer for September, hoping that it would bring with it fall temperatures. No such luck, though. According to my weather app, I still have another week of 80 degrees and sticky dew points. Much like this house project, the weather is teaching me to find peace and patience with what is in front of me.
Much has been happening here at the house. The concrete pads that will soon become a large part of our home and new garage have been laid. The new gravel driveway to the new garage entrance has been laid and the existing garage that will become the guest bathroom and library or dining room was dug up and in-floor heat installed. Once the concrete is poured in that space, we will hit a mile stone by having one sub-contractors’ work completed.
Tomorrow is Monday, and we are so excited to celebrate two new milestones, construction on the addition begins and…the installation of the septic begins. That's right folks, my days using the port-a-potty and camping toilet are coming to an end. For four weeks we’ve been showering and hauling laundry to our parents’ house, emptying bowls full of sink waste water in the front yard, and waiting. On Friday, when I came home after a day of doing laundry at my parents house, our beautiful septic team was here dropping off their equipment, confirming that come Monday it will finally be our turn. Monday is also the start date for construction on the addition. As you can see from this week’s photos, the lumber is here, and the roof tresses arrive this week, too. It’s exciting to think that before long, we will be celebrating even more milestones.
Jamie and I have been focused on picking out bathroom tile, kitchen countertops and appliances, and obsessing over which flooring is best for our herd of dogs, but the last few weeks have reminded us why we chose to move to this amazing lake location. Last week we witnessed a lone swan land on the lake. When I went outside to get a closer look, I was treated to their trumpet and was lucky enough to get in on video. On another occasion when we were treated to a few days of cooler weather that allowed the windows to be open, and we were treated to the sounds of what must have been an eventful coyote party (thankfully far in the distance). As fall (hopefully) sets in, we look forward to what other birds will make their way to the lake, and to the fall colors that will eventually border the lake. Until then, we wish you all well. Take care!
Swan on the lake
Affectionately, Dirtsville
Jamie and I raised smart, bright kids who have grown into amazing young adults; they are great kids. They have, however, inherited our sense of humor… and our sarcastic tendencies. If my kids every need side hustles they could have a very niche stand up comedy routine. One of our smartasses gave our new home the title, Dirtsville. It was not intended to be mean or disparaging, it was just an attempt to bring light to our challenging situation, and it stuck. Everyone, welcome to Dirtsville.
This last week has been filled with some of the most drastic changes. Our excavator/concrete team arrived and began their work clearing dirt for the new addition and garage. Part of this work meant dismantling the current septic system, leaving us without plumbing until the new septic can be installed which is roughly three to four weeks out. So the master bathroom, as my comedians noted, is the port-a-potty in the driveway. The guest bathroom is the camping toilet I bought myself, because I have my limits and peeing at 2am in the driveway is not happening. So the guest bathroom is in the house. Jamie showers at work during the week, and I drive into town every evening and shower at Jamie’s parents home or at my parent's house when I am there doing laundry and washing dishes. This part of the adventure is not one I care to repeat, and for the record, time is moving slow. It is not flying by. Peeing in the driveway or in a glorified bucket is a great reminder of how long four weeks can be.
Perhaps one of the most exciting developments of the recent days is that the elevator has been removed! We no longer have an elevator, but then we also don’t have stairs either. Right now we are using a ladder to move from floor to floor. Stairs aren’t too far off, but it will still be a little bit while we wait for the all the construction pieces to align (i.e., new concrete laid in the current garage which is being converted into living space). The siding is off some of the house in anticipation for the new windows which were also ordered this week. We will be waiting a little while as they are six to seven weeks out. This will work well since by then it will be cooler and gives our construction team time to work on the additions and kitchen.
There is more to come in the coming weeks as Jamie and I pick out flooring, tile, faucets, lighting fixtures, paint colors, and siding. We are excited that you are joining us on this adventure!
Please hug your toilet and practice gratitude for your indoor plumbing. Take care!
Elevator House
As promised, here are the details about our exciting new adventure. I’ve given you most of the details regarding the property and shared some pictures, but I am guessing some of you are waiting for details about the inside. Well, the wait is over.
The house was built in the mid-1990’s by a woman in her 70s. She intended to build the house with no running water or electricity because she wanted to live off the land. As the story was told to us, out of concern for her well-being, her children refused to help her unless she added those essentials to her plans, which she did. The house was built on a concrete slab, meaning there is no basement. The main floor of the house has in-floor heat, and no air conditioning. The floors are the original exposed concrete. They are stained and have hairline fractures from years of use and having never been sealed. The full bath on the main floor has exposed walls, and the kitchen has just a small wall oven and two burner cooktop. The second floor of the home is comprised of two bedrooms and a half bath, but there is no heat and the floors are the original plywood subfloors. Most rooms in the house are wallpapered (but not for long) and the sheet-rocked ceilings were never fully finished. In all, the house as it stands today is just over 1400 square feet, but we aren’t sure if that includes the attached single stall garage.
The most unique feature of the house, and the element that scared away most other buyers, was that the house has an elevator, and no steps. That’s not a typo. There are no steps to the second floor. Everyone calls it an elevator, but it's really a glorified electric dumbwaiter, and it is hidden behind what you would assume is a closet door. Upon stepping into the apparatus and looking up, you can see the ceiling of the second floor, it is not even a true shaft. It is incredibly slow and Jamie has often quipped that we could climb a ladder to the landing much faster. I have included a video for your viewing just so that you can get a feel for what it’s like to take the painfully slow ride from floor to floor. We’ve got much better at grouping our trips and asking if anyone needs anything before we ascend.
Elevator ride from the second floor to the first floor
While not the type of house that Jamie and I are accustomed to, it will be. Our loan is a home renovation that will allow/require us to replace the elevator, and update the current home’s flooring, kitchen, bathrooms, and heating and cooling systems. We will convert the existing garage into living space, and will replace all the windows and siding. We are also adding more living space in the form of two additional bedrooms, another bathroom, and living and dining rooms. A double garage is also in the plan. The mortgage lender gives us just a handful of months to get this all done, so it was a race ahead of closing to find contractors who could help us meet the tight deadlines. If my math is correct, we have to be all done and signed off by mid-January. We will get there…I just hope I have the patience required for this huge undertaking.
That’s enough for now. I will post more this weekend as we get used to having no hot water and prepare for a couple of months without plumbing. That’s right loved ones, Jamie and I are soon to be living in the same way that the original homeowner had wanted all along, I think they call it g-lamping. Virtual hugs to you all. Take care!
We’ve Arrived
Greetings, family and friends! Jamie and I are happy to announce that we’ve moved into our new home. I would call it our dream home, but the reality is that as of right now it’s only our dream property, the dream home part is on the horizon. Let me explain…
In April, Jamie and I made the exciting decision to sell our house in town and move back to the country when we found the most beautiful ten acres we’ve ever seen. Without even having to leave our zip code, we are now proud owners of a home on a private lake that we share ownership with a handful of our neighbors. Five of our ten acres includes a portion of the lake, and when you pull into the driveway and come around the bend, the lake stretches out in front of you. Every view of the home’s current footprint has a lake view and our front door is a mere 50 feet from the shoreline. The property is serene, tranquil, and heavenly. We never want to leave.
I started this blog to share with all of you the successes and challenges that we will face over the coming months as we completely remodel the home and add additional living space and an attached garage. More on the inside of the house in the coming days, but for today enjoy these beautiful snapshots of our property. The credit for these pictures go to our realtor and his drone and our new neighbors who kept our hopes lifted during multiple delays in the purchase signing process. Virtual hugs to all, take care!
Welcome & Hello
It all begins with an idea.
Hello, friends! I am Michelle, a mom of four young adults who are all making lives of their own, a wife of twenty-seven years and counting, a nurse, and middle-aged woman deciding what’s next. I am an introvert, and only those closest to me know that when I am in comfortable in my surroundings, I am the life of the party. Most people know me as quiet and reserved, but actually I am highly competitive, hate waiting in lines, love British TV. I love to laugh and look for ways to add humor where I can, and my husband, children, and coworkers have grown to expect my playful pranks.
Writing is something I also enjoy doing when I have time, but to be honest, unless I was writing a paper for school there was never time to indulge. I have many things that I am ready to pour out on to this blank screen. At first I will share my adventures with just my family and very close friends, but who knows, maybe in time this will grow and I will be sharing with my words with more of you and I can show you more about myself and my life.