The pirates room is still awaiting some little ones to enjoy the games/toys and theme of pirates. Don't know if it's my deep roots in early intervention or deep need for little ones like Grandkids (Hmmmmmmmm Ben??) The bunk beds are there w/the trundle bed and the pirate quilts. Just came up w/the window shade idea so will take a pic when that gets done, Arh, arh, arh

Guest/College Man's Room

This room was mostly done at the last posting but the bed frame is new and so is the art work you can't see on the walls. This was the initial opportunity of hanging items and there is a display of my quilting over the bed, but hung using the removeable hooks, LOL. Bed is queen sized, tv is some cable but mostly video game ready and yes there is a desk you COULD study at if you were so inclined......

Downstairs Bathroom

The important thing here is you can shower, bathe, go potty, and use the sink now. If the pictures were better you could enjoy the marble piece in the shower that is the soap area; it has a fish design in the tile. Bathrooms are good, very good when they come w/a shower AND a floor heated!

The Kitchen

The kitchen as we know it now actually has some things on the wall. This time w/nails, later you'll see the removable hooks but Arne finally caved and allowed me to start putting holes into the wall:) The material is bought for the cushions so sitting will be easier on the hard bench and of course what would an Arne home be without some stain glass. We're hoping each of the boys will do one section of the cabinet fronts so Arne, Ben and Daniel will share the fun w/Daniel's crab stain glass (alas still waiting to be leaded but done) will shine above the sink. The bar stool chairs are ordered and will be here in 6 - 8 weeks. And Arne still needs to build the kitchen table from the oak slab his brother cut from the Sweetbriar trees. But what a difference a sink, stove and dishwasher make!!!

WELCOME, STEP INSIDE.......

WELCOME, to the entry way for the beach house! It's not totally done but with all the tools and saws out of the way I thought I'd update the view now. We recently hired a finish carpenter (actually he's a Swede and a professional Irish musician but for our purposes "finish"). So all the baseboards and window sills are done. He also designed and finished the backs of the banquets or what I call kitchen bench seats:) There have been some testy moments as we try to add those personalized touches to Arne's work space and make it a mutually agreed upon design....HAH! Some you win some you don't. My next project is to put together the before and after shots for a really special appreciation of all Arne's hard work. So stay tuned, and if you're reading this thanks for checking in after the loooonnnnggggg dry spell!

The Month of September

We are still working hard for anyone who continues to read our blog. Arne is hardly ever home as he is at the beach at least 4 days a week. I tried to add some pictures but the change is subtle although the work is hard. Arne is doing everything while Colleen does the phoofy stuff like the pirate's room. Note to anyone, we'll need some little kids to come appreciate the room. You can take the teacher out of the preschool room but not the preschool room out of the teacher! It may have artwork for little pirates but Daniel's friend hasn't seemed to mind, a bed is a bed when it's time to sleep. The hard wood floor is starting to go down as the hand rail must go in soon. Then the bathroom should be done although we had a slight miscalculation as the faucets didn't fit with the glass bowls and had to be reordered. It was worth it and check out the pic, it shows how beautiful the accents are in the master bath. Things have to happen soon, it's time to refinance the home equity and wouldn't you know the bank demands occupancy before they will refinance. Hmmm. We do have one working toilet, two working bathtubs and a barbeque. Doesn't that count for livability????? More soon...............

Lights, puddles and action

Well from the 4th of July till the 24th of August we've been busy busy busy! Arne hasn't been home for almost two weeks except to breeze in and take care of business he can't do over the phone or computer. He has carefully selected each piece of slate to lay around the tub and in the shower. At first Colleen was helping but pretty soon one tile just starts to look like another. Daniel learned how to use the wet saw and the floor tiles went far more quickly with the two of themtag teaming the approach. If you check the picture of the floor tile infront of the shower pan there's a hidden picture. Okay, maybe not to most, especially the boys who think Colleen is crazy again but it seems to her there's a puddle shape in the tiles when you step in and out of the shower! Say you see, please?! Last week we got all the light fixtures and plugs in. Took quite awhile to get all the covers on and the bulbs in but now when you walk into a room there's a light switch that actually turns on the lights!! The upstairs fans need a little tweaking as working 8 ft off the ground takes some courage that doesn't come all at once. This week, the 27th, the plumber comes to put in all the plumbing for the master bathroom. Amazon shower head, jacuzzi tub, toilet and sinks. Don't plan on checking it out for a while though as Colleen is spending the weekend soaking in the jacuzzi tub!!Next is the downstairs bathroom and then on to the hardwood floors and kitchen. It's picking up speed now, especially with Arne's old college friend coming for a visit from Germany. We certainly appreciate his timely visit and interest in visiting the Oregon Coast as it's add some motivation to the tiresome tiling!! More pictures when there's more to show!

We made it for the 4th!

Whew, Arne has been working hard to get it done and we were almost there. The cabinets came on Monday, carpet on Tuesday and most of the doors w/trim are in. We will be spending the night on Friday and Saturday although there's only one toilet, one bed, and maybe running water in the spa tub downstairs. Other than that, we eat out, and have to figure out what to talk about.....no TV. Trisha drove the Aunts down for the day to admire the new work. Aunt Fran and Aunt Isa seemed to enjoy the tour, lunch and beautiful day. We discovered we weren't the first visitors however when we looked out at the ocean and realized three male deer's were staring back at us from the neighbor's lawn. How special is that? At least till I get the garden in and then they will change from adorable to obnoxious! If anyone reading this wants to check out the work to date we're hosting an open house on the 4th at 12 - 4 w/ hamburgers and hot dogs about 2ish. On the barby of course as the appliances aren't in yet. What a joy this project has been, what an unbelievable blessing in our lives. Can't wait to share w/everyone or anyone interested! Of course we're not quite there yet, still need electricity, plumbing, tile, granite counters, hard wood floors, decor, etc etc. But it's beautiful, we can sleep there and it's home! YIPEE