CHIMES RING NOEL

    Today, as the morning slowly begins (or rather as I slowly approach the morning) I hear the nearby church chimes ringing out "Noel".  One thing I will sorely miss when we leave Warren Road is the sound of the chimes from the church adjacent to our property ringing out hymns and seasonal tunes.  Whatever the weather or season or day,  the chimes ring out at 9AM , 12PM, and 6PM for about 5 minutes.  For Memorial week the chimes remind us to reflect and remember those serving in our military by ringing the hymns of each military branch.  For at least 2 weeks each December, we hear "We 3 Kings", "Joy to the World", "What Child is This", "Silent Night" and more.  "How Great Thou Art" and "Amazing Grace" are regular hymns every other time of the year.  Today will be the last I hear the Christmas hymns for another year, but I look forward to hearing the chimes every day for months to come.
   

ALL GONE

    I just received this photo from my brother to whom I gifted some of the summer's bounty .  Jiggety jam was included on the Christmas morning breakfast menu.

Jiggety Jam...all gone!

NEW WINDOWS

    While the new construction windows have been installed there are several replacement windows yet to be set.  Wallace took delivery of the remainder of the windows last week.  

The delivery practically filled the dining room

A couple days later all but the full reveal doors have been installed.

Master bedroom (the Christmas wreath hangs on the outside)

Billye's room (See the magnolias outside her windows)

Looking up from the library window

FENCE ME IN

    Once the fallen tree was removed (click here to read history) the new fence construction could resume.  These guys were back at Hawthorne Ave. 2 days after I called them,  digging post holes, hauling concrete, and setting 6x6 posts.

In 2 more days, allowing 1 day for rain,  our new fence is complete.  And I must say...

"It is GORGEOUS!"

Look past the dumpster and the house construction debris

See how the fence runs up to the old magnolias edging the property

Ultimate privacy along the back corner

    We are quite pleased, and these folks, whom I have used on Warren Road in the past, are A++ in my book.  (Thanks Bill, Scott, Spud and everyone who was patient with this project and worked diligently to make it happen.)

 

I JUST LOVE...

how my new addition merges practically seamlessly with the original house.

My primed wood looks great installed

David "Carpenter" has done a fantastic job trimming the new section of the house to mimic the original house.

DECK THE HALLS

I thought my house on Hawthorne needed a little Christmas bling because, after all, 'tis the season.

I resurrected a large wreath I already owned and added a bit of shine

I hung the wreath this morning

We needed a little Christmas!

LUMBER IN TRANSIT

    In restoring this 1907 house we have had to seek and find a variety of uncommon sources for materials, products and services.  One such uncommon material has been real  2 x 10 lumber. Lumber sold today as a 2 x 10 in fact measures 1-1/2" x 9-1/4".  ( When the board is first rough sawn from the log, it is a true 2x10, but the drying process and planing of the board reduce it to the finished 1-1/2" x 9-1/4" size).    Our house required replacing several joists and the only source we have found in the area for rough cut 2 x 10's  has been a place called TRANSIT LUMBER.

Rot in an exterior 2 x 10

The repair using rough cut 2 x 10 from Transit Lumber

  While I have made at least 3 delivery orders for rough cut lumber from Transit these past 8 months, this last order was one small enough that I could pick it up myself.  I'm so glad I did because it gave me the opportunity to meet Bill and his son Tim, the owners of Transit Lumber.  Tim told me the story of how Transit Lumber began....

    In the early 1900's a group of business men got together to form a lumber company here in Richmond, Virginia.  They located a variety of lumber around the country and had it transported into Richmond to be sold to local builders.  At the time it was referred to as "lumber in transit"  (thus the current name, TRANSIT LUMBER).

A 4 foot blade from an old saw mill is the sign in front of the office.

Tim showed me an old photograph of the original location of the company.  Those of you who are familiar with Richmond, Virginia will know where the Diamond is on the Boulevard and the brick building now housing the Bow Tie Cinema  (upper right 1/4 of the photo) was the lumber company's home. 

    Today Transit Lumber is located off of Nine Mile Rd., but in 1907 it was no more than 2 miles away from  Hawthorne Ave.   

     Ironically, the lumber I have purchased and used to repair my Hawthorne house in 2011 has come,  perhaps, from the same company used to build the original home in 1907.  Kinda cool!

A RED LETTER DAY

    Today was a RED LETTER DAY.   Back in late August, this area experienced Hurricane Irene.  
A tree fell  in the next door neighbor's yard 8-27-11 and 3/4 of it hovered over our yard, endangering persons and property.  We have been trying for 3 months to strike some agreement regarding its removal.  The house is not occupied which made any effort to resolve the issue most difficult.  When I was at Hawthorne Ave this morning, it appeared the tree was gone.  It was such a surprise that I had to physically walk next door to stand on the spot where the tree once stood.

8/28/11

A tremendous thanks goes out to Beverly in the Community Assisted Public Safety department with the city for all her efforts in making this happen.  Now we can have our fence completed and our house and back yard are safe again.

"FINISHIN' WITH..."

PRIMING!

5 piece corner

trimming out in progress

fascia for the garage

corbels

TEETH ! (only 1/2 of them)

fascia, crown molding, quarter round, soffits 

et cetera

Carlie "finishin' with" priming.