Tuesday before CO

This was a busy day. The landscapers (finally) showed up around nine, along with four palm trees and three 18 wheelers full of sod. There is still much to do, so I was curious to see just how much would be completed by the end of the day. They did get the sod down in the back yard along with on the septic mound out front. Turns out, we cannot get health department final approval until the septic mound is covered with sod. They don't care about the rest of the yard, but the mound is important. So, we will go for health department approval tomorrow. Can't call for the final County inspection until the health department has signed off.

Carpet was installed along with the plantation shutters in the bedroom and see-through shade on the big picture window. All components look great. The long cord for the shade didn't make it, so the shade doesn't work (it's electric). Bummer because the cover comes off the floor tomorrow and the purpose of the shade is to keep the sun from beating down on the den floor. Cord should be here on Thursday.

Let's see. Drove out to the granite guy's place to get him to cut the final piece of backsplash. Got it and it was installed. Received the shipment from Container Store (can you believe there is not a Container Store in Orlando? They are really missing an opportunity!) so we can assemble the pantry tomorrow. Love that Elfa! To digress just a bit, when we first moved here, the Guy asked me what I was going to do the first Saturday in the house. "I'm going to the Container Store" I replied. I got on line to see where it was and it turns out the closest one to Orlando was in Miami. MIAMI??? Are you kidding??? I was stunned. I haven't lived in a city without a Container Store since they first opened in Dallas in 1978 or so! Fortunately, I needed to go to Miami on business (really - I swear - I really needed to go) pretty soon thereafter, so I drove and picked up what I needed there. I email them periodically to plead that the open up in Orlando, to no avail. Fortunately, their shipping costs are not too bad. Still.......

The Super hung two of the mirrors in the master bathroom and they look wonderful. I found some frames with a small bit of the paint color in them, so really looks like they belong. We are waiting on the two-way mirror that will go in front of the TV. Hope to get it by the end of the week. - Yes a TV in the bathroom. Need to watch the news in the morning and can sit in the jacuzzi and watch whatever! I am really looking forward to getting back in the jacuzzi (it came with us from Dallas also).

Didn't see the deck guys. Hummmmm. Not good.

Here is a photo before the landscaping along with one of the wall of sod.

Monday before CO

Another day without landscape/irrigation crew. I think the Sunday work was just a smoke screen to lull us into thinking they would actually be finished when they said they would be (Tuesday or Wednesday depending upon who you ask). Bob the Builder says that they will be finished. We'll see.

The things that did get accomplished include power washing the entire driveway, finally! It looks fabulous! The insulation guys blew the final amount of cellulose in the attic, so they are finished. Carpet installation began, but only the pad since the carpet warehouse is not open on Mondays. What???

The cleaning crew started with the windows. It took hours because there was only one guy and he was glued to his cell phone most of the time. It was hilarious seeing him trying to clean the big picture window with one hand while the other held the phone to his ear. Nonetheless, the windows are spotless.

The granite company was also a huge disappointment. We have a piece of backsplash that needs installing that we were not sure about when the granite was being installed. After everything in the kitchen was completed it was clear we needed that other piece. The granite company said that I could bring the piece by today and they would cut it for me while I waited. We are going to get the Super to install it. Anyway, on Friday they told me to come by around noon. By 9:30 this morning that time moved to 1:30, which came and went. Long story short and several conversations later, they decided that I would need to come tomorrow. (After all, Tomorrow is Another Day!) Insert (in)appropriate rant here about work ethic and keeping your word....

I also narrowed down the color of the dining room/wine cellar room down to three choices, so I purchased the small test sizes of paint from Sherwin Williams - a very nifty idea, for sure - and painted them on the wall to see which we liked best. I pulled out my "painting" shorts and shirt, which I love since they have all of the colors from Dallas on them, and now some from Florida as well. Enjoy the photo!

Oh, and I purchased a mattress!

Sunday before CO

Let's assume we are still getting our CO (certificate of occupancy) next Thursday or Friday as planned. I'll give a daily play by play. Let me in on any betting pools - my money is on it NOT being Thursday or Friday (of this week).

The irrigation guys finally showed up today - at 7:30 a.m. no less. I know our neighbors will be as happy as we are when this thing is finally finished. Bought them pizza so they wouldn't have to leave for lunch and not come back (it has happened more than once).

Went shopping for a mattress - and I thought used car salesmen were bad..... LOL

Was driving home around 5:30 and saw the irrigation guys in their truck on the way out. Guess they did put in a full day. They hope to finish irrigation tomorrow. Still have trees and shrubs, etc. before sod. Oh, and the railing for the deck won't be delivered until Wednesday.....

Saturday before CO

HA. Lots was supposed to happen today. Landscaping guys haven't shown up yet to start on the irrigation (third day in a row). Tree guys finally showed up and are now finished. Carpenter who didn't show yesterday came today in a foul mood - gone already, but his truck is still here....

Superintendent came to assemble the racking for the wine cellar and the instructions were so poor (laughable, really) that he and the Guy couldn't figure it out (and the Super has built houses - a pretty smart guy). He gave up and left.

Guy so irritated he is taking a nap. Left a note to wake him when the house is finished. Guess he's Rip Van Winkle.

I had a great workout this morning and took the cable box back which didn't make it though the last storm. Got the guys Chinese food for lunch. Headed to the billiards store to look at bar stools.

Overall not a very productive day so far.

It's Summer in Florida

Which means that we have thunderstorms every afternoon. Every. Afternoon. This practice of Mother Nature ultimately causes delays because the primary items that need to be completed are the deck, fence, irrigation and landscaping - all outdoor work.

The irrigation was supposed to have been started today, but it wasn't because the horrible storms that came through yesterday threw the crew's entire schedule off. Unfortunately, this snowballs for us and means that we will most likely not be getting our final CO next week. The Guy is still optimistic, but I think this glass is not only half empty, it is also leaking. Oh, how I hope I am wrong.

Of course, I haven't even begun to pack - even though there is very little to pack. Some things, though, I am looking at and wondering why I ever unpacked them in the first place. Oh yeah - I was really thinking we wouldn't be finished until October. Oops!

Full Circle

There is a bit of symmetry today in that we had tree guys back on the property. The first posts of this blog were in August of last year when we were cutting down several trees in the front. Well, we are now cutting down a tree in the back and grinding the stump of the big oak tree that didn't get done by the previous tree guys. (%!%&*@%(&) They are also removing the spanish moss in the big oak and trimming it some for us. They are removing a tree, which is actually a bush gone amuck and several limbs which will open up our view to the west. Better sunset views from the deck - nice!

This is a good view of the deck, still under construction and the ultimate westerly view.

The Driveway

Sorry for the lack of photos lately. There just hasn't been anything significant to photograph. I happened to be upstairs for some reason this morning and realized that, from that angle, there was a good shot of the driveway, which still has sand on most of it as you can see. Our superintendent started sweeping it days ago, but became busy on something else and hasn't gotten back to it. It is not a priority at this time.

There is lots of activity, but nothing terribly photo worthy. We are getting the second coat of paint inside. The speakers and all the light fixtures are installed and the HVAC is ready to be powered up. All we are lacking in that regard is permanent electricity, which is being completed even as I type this. I can see the power company guy up in his cherry picker working on the power lines on the pole (no, we don't have buried power lines - sort of an issue with hurricanes, etc.).

The deck is under construction and the fence starts to go in tomorrow. Irrigation and landscaping start at the end of the week. We are nearing the end.

The exterior painting should be finished in a few days, so I will be able to show you the finished colors. I can't wait to see them myself!

Ciao for now. I need to start on dinner - Giada De Laurentis' Penne with Shrimp and Herbed Cream Sauce. Yummy! (but I use whole grain linguini instead of penne) It really is a 30 minute meal.