Let the Construction Begin!

Things got moving this week!

Mort and Alec came down Tuesday evening and hit the ground running on Wednesday.  They are working 10 hours days and getting so much done!  Phil is making sure supplies are ready and working whenever he isn't errand running.  

Poor Alec had a rough couple of nights.  First, there was some miscommunication about bedding so he didn't have anything but a sleeping bag until I found out about it.  We remedied that with camping mats, a rug to put down over the gross carpet, towels and a bath mat, and cleaning supplies for the bathroom.  He is convinced that our house is haunted and hears footsteps, knocks, and other weird noises.  Hopefully when we get everything closed up tight, insulation, a new ceiling, and new flooring, the creaks and groans of an old house not properly "finished" will quiet down!  

Even though I want to be out on the farm so bad, I know I have other responsibilities right now.  This week was sure busy.  Tuesday, I took the children up to Portland for Brighton's speech appointment and did some schooling in the car while we waited.  Wednesday, the inspector came to our Silverloop house and then directly afterward the relator and buyer came.  I got school done as best as I could with people in the house all morning and then ran errands with Phil to check out carpet and flooring in the afternoon.  Thursday, speech was canceled (thank goodness) and I was in the car from 12:30-5:00, minus 1 hour, dropping children off and picking children up from their various scheduled activities.  Friday, we actually were home long enough to get school completely finished before heading out to the property late afternoon.  I have been trying my best to keep up on laundry, dishes, and house chores while making and packing up dinners to take to the property...the car is usually loaded up with pots and pans, dishes, condiments, spices, and whatever main dish and side dishes I have made or intend to make once we get out there.  It has been really nice to have all of us (Mort, Alec, and the 7 Kellys) sit down together for dinner.  It makes the extra effort worth it!  With two cars shuttling back and forth and lots to load up, we are often not getting home until 9:00.  We are all sleeping really well though LOL!

Drywall off and windows being framed in.

Dining room construction zone.

My studio!  I am so excited to have an art studio.  This little room will house all my fiber supplies, a desk, a felting table, and a big white board.  Two big windows were a must.

New window on the far (North) wall (5 X 5) and the East wall will have 3 (8 X 5) windows.  There will be so much wonderful light and the view is so incredible that we did as many and as big of windows as code would allow.  I can't wait for the big windows to come in (they are on order).

From the porch.  There is plastic covering the East wall.  Eventually, there will be a deck that spans the front of the house.

Mort and Alec, obviously hard at work.  

Ducklings on the farm!


I cleaned out the little green house and turned it into a big duckling house.  We have 4 different duckling due dates:  Chocolate Runner ducks this week, Fawn and White Runner ducks first week of April, Blue Runner ducks, second week of April.  My parents also have Khaki Campbell ducks coming in the second week of April.  I am housing all the ducklings but half of them are for my parents.  The children are thoroughly enjoying playing with baby ducks in the evening when we make it out to the property.  

On other animal news...I have friendlied up the sheep and alpacas.  They are eager to come right up to me and most will eat their grain treat out of my hand.  The problem is the ram has also friendlied up and he is quite aggressive butting the other sheep and the alpaca out of the way.  The alpaca are not at all please with his aggression and will spit in his face.  It is quite humorous but the ram is getting too bold and I am not quite sure what to do about it.  I am afraid to hand feed him because I don't want to be butted and he charges the other animals when they are trying to get their treat.  

We did have a scary situation.  Liberty (one of the alpacas) got her leg caught in some old hot wire fencing in the field.  When Phil went to put them all in the barn in the evening, he found her lying down in the field.  Fortunately, she didn't have any cuts and the wire wasn't really tight.  She seemed ok.  Poor thing.  Can I just say, we LOVE alpacas.  They are so much fun.  They make a high pitched squeal (a warning or alarm call) when they see the cows in the neighbors field.  They hum when they are alarmed.  They spit when they are mad at each other or the sheep.  My only complaint is that they really don't want you to hug and pet them LOL.  


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