Cabinets

I know they are bear wood, but here are the kitchen cabinets, made of Red Oak by Joe Salcup from Lubbock Texas. We are going to stain them dark with no pull knobs.

This side of the kitchen will have no appliances, just the small peninsula as an eating area.


This is the other side. You are looking at where the sink will be under the window and to the left the Microwave above the range oven.

This is a good view of the doors with the crown molding on top to create a castle top look.

And that is it for now, lights, paint, carpet, and a staircase are left. Some people say we will be in by Easter.

We shall see....

A little Progress

Just a few pics of the progress of the vineyard at Tell. These are all as of 3/10/09. More work to be done this week with fence, wires and drip irrigation.

This is a pic of the water lines for all 16 rows coming out of the ground at the north end of each row. It was rough but this is connected to our new well in that small white house in the background. Thanks Chad Detwiler and WP Drilling out of Quannah, Texas.

This is the view looking south from the driveway that goes to the house. The rows are 500 feet long and have a T-Post every 16 feet. The accuracy of the placement of each post is astounding. Thanks Mendoza Fencing.

The view from the south end of the vineyard looking north at the house.

A close up of the row so you can get an idea of how straight the Mendozas set the posts.


It is all too exciting.

Tile and a Fan

I just wanted to post some pictures of the tile in our new bathrooms and the new ceiling fan we got for a steal at Home Depot in Amarillo. It never ceases to amaze me that small changes can make a huge difference.




On all our upstairs windows there are gaps behind the window casing. These gaps are so big you can see outside so they have now been filled with Good Stuff expandable foam. That stuff rocks. Of course I had to scrape out all the wasp nests that were in there before the foam, but that is the fun part.


I am not a pro, but it looks pretty good for a slacker like me.


We like this fan so much there will be four of them in the house.

Update for the Vineyard

Alot will change over the next several weeks. We are turning a 3.52 acre wheat field into a vineyard. Today Chad Detwiler (apologies for the spelling) set the posts for the structure that will hold the vines as they grow. It is very exciting. We have a water well that is functioning, and the fence will go up this weekend. Amazing and scary all at once.

Couple Things

This is the picture I promised of Zoey's leg. She is doing good. Walking well. In two weeks or so we will start short walks outside.

As for MJ and I we are very excited as today starts the first day for us as business owners. We sign today for the vineyard and begin work to prepare for planting next week with the water well install. So this is scary and exciting, but we have done a lot of planning and things look great from here.

Funny story that not everyone will know, but you will understand if you know me. About two weeks ago MJ and I bought a Sequoia, signed and drove it home. An awesome car, fully loaded with all the toys and I just loved it and so did MJ. We could travel with room and style. By the next day I was feeling the guilt and we called to return it. The dealer ended up taking it back, and that may be the best thing that has happened to me in the last 6 months. I have a sickness with cars, and maybe I am finally over this because MJ and I are now investing rather than spending. It feels great.

I guess I will also include a few pictures of the Tell house. Cabinets are being started, bathrooms are framed and drywalled, and texturing continues. I start tile work this weekend. Here are a few pics. Maybe we will move in in May or June.

The bathroom did look like this

And now it looks like this..



Have a great week.

Dog Surgery

Well I just thought I would share that Zoey, our Yellow Lab, had ACL surgery on Sunday morning. She is doing great, already walking, and very happy. She looks kind of funny with all the hair on her right hind limb shaved off, but that has not broken her spirit. Another interesting note is that after 6 months of exercise and smaller dinner portions, not only did she tear her ACL but she has lost 25 pounds, from 107 in July to 82 yesterday. She is still big, but now you can actually see her hips. Sienna, Zoey's sister was lost without her best buddy, and was so excited to see her when we got home yesterday. That was kind of cool. Anyway I will try and post a picture of her soon. MJ and I wanted to thank Critter Care in Childress for the fine care of our little girl, especially, Connie and Mary, you girls rock.

Wee Chi Tah

It is hard to believe that we did it, well I guess harder to believe that I did it. Running 13.1 miles that is. MJ and Wendi Stephens ran together and finished 3rd, their picture is included above. She is awesome, fast, inspirational and my wife and I love her for motivating me to get this done.

About two weeks ago we did a long run of 11 miles and for some reason at mile 8 of that run my left knee began to bother me right in the joint space. It worried me, but with some rest I continued to run and train. On Sat. for the half marathon I kind of figured it would hurt, but in reality it hurt a lot. All the ups and downs, mainly the downs, took their tole and I had to walk a little. But to be honest it was the struggle that made that two and a half hours great. The last .1 mile was the best. I turned off the last bridge and I could hear the group yelling for me, and I got really emotional. Just to know that this major challenge of running 13.1 miles on a morning with 20 mph winds and a wind chill in the teens made me tear up. What and accomplishment. Everyone in the group did well and I am so proud to have been a part of it.

Just a few examples of a 13 mile distance:
From the Waldron's house in Lemont to interstate 80 is about 13 miles
From the 315 exit in Bourbonnais, IL to a little past Peotone if you ran on I-57
From Childress, TX to Estelline, TX