Update

I wasn't sure what to title this post since I really haven't made any progress up here on the mountain. That's not to say that we haven't been busy. Sandra is still teaching the kids everyday and I did get a roof job last week. I have been out around town trying to find some new work. I gave a few bids but haven't heard back yet.
We got a letter from my neighbor's lawyer the week we returned informing us that we did not have the right to run utilities from the road up the easement. So I had to hire a lawyer to see if we can settle this little dispute. I'm not sure what her problem with us is, but she seems to have a thing for us. My driveway is only a legal easement across her property for entering and leaving our property. When it was originally written it should have included utilities, but someone made a mistake. We may have to go to court to ask a judge to grant us permission to install utilities. In the meantime, we are checking into other possibilities.
We are supposed to get some more rain tonight into tomorrow. The temps have been great the last two weeks. It's been between 45 and 65 degrees during the day. We also started a new life group last week. We are looking forward to getting to know some new people from church. Many of them workout at the same gym that I do and I get to see them on a daily basis.
I did finish the roof on my pole barn and now I have to finish installing some windows and the door, then I will start on the siding. I hate starting any work on it when I don't get more than a couple of hours at a time to do anything. When I do have a day or two, the weather doesn't cooperate, like today and tomorrow! Sandra is telling me that the television has to go off now so she can get started on school. I have to go into town and get some more propane, hit the gym, rent some movies, stay out of Sandra's hair for a while.

Kickin' off the New Year

Roll Tide Roll! Alabama kicked Texas' butt for the National Championship a week ago. If you don't follow football, that's ok cause I don't either. But when in Rome....or I should say Bama, you follow football. Since we don't have a pro team we follow college ball. We got back home on Sunday and it has been an extremely cold two weeks. Our lows were down around 20 degrees at night. Tomorrow it's going up to 60. I winterized my pipes before I went up north for the holidays and I'm lucky I did. I did not expect it to get below freezing but it did and a lot of people had problems with freezing pipes. My water pump did spring a small leak and after messing around with it I was able to fix it. Sunday my generator went out. Fortunately, it was under warranty and I got it replaced on Monday morning. Not a lot works around here without electricity. We use propane to heat so we are ok there, nobody froze to death.
We continued to work on the roof of the pole barn. Sandra and I finished the front yesterday and started the back today. It's difficult and slow moving when working with no extra help, but I have more time than money right now. We have to save anywhere we can. I received a letter from my neighbor's attorney when I got back and apparently my easement (driveway) does not allow for utilities. She is not being very cooperative in this area. I had to hire an attorney today to see if we can make some headway with her. We have other options if she really stands firm on this issue, but running utilities to my property along the easement is the easiest option for me, not to mention the least expensive. This lady has had a thing for us since we got here. Actually, the seller had issues with her before I purchased the land. The lawyer thinks if we had to go to court I would win, but it might be easier to just run them another route, maybe get permission from another neighbor.

Craziest Christmas Ever!

This has been one of the craziest Christmas' ever. Aaron started the week out with an unexpected trip to the ER and was admitted for two days for dehydration. He was released on Wednesday. He is scheduled to have surgery on January 4. His daughter, Evelyn, was sick with a stomach bug and was vomiting constantly. Then on Christmas day Sandy, Aaron's wife, and Nathainel were both sick and vomiting constantly. I had a stomach ache all day but managed to fight it off without any other symptoms. All three of us spent Christmas day/evening laid up in bed. Later that night Cody woke up vomiting all over the carpet and had diarrhea. Today Carrie and Becca both started vomiting and are currently sleeping it off. Cody slept all day Saturday and is feeling fine today. Whatever it is, it seems to be a 24 hour bug. And last but not least, my mom fell at the bottom of the stairs on Christmas day and fractured her leg. She and Jerry spent almost the entire night at the ER. Here are some pre-sickness pics.

Still Working on the Pole Barn

I was awakened this morning at 4 a.m. by the sound of heavy rain pounding on the top of the camper. It has not stopped since and I think it's going to continue throughout the day. Yesterday we got our delivery of steel roofing for the pole barn but not until 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Unfortunately, we only had enough daylight to unload the steel. I was really hoping to get the roof on before we head back to Michigan for Christmas. We are planning on going back on Sunday. The weather is not being very cooperative today. I might have enough time Saturday to get most of the panels on and install the trim when I get back. Here are a few more recent pics.

Time to Build the Pole Barn

First we unload the lumber. We dug the holes on Saturday and put the poles in on Sunday.



We put the skirt boards on first and then the bracing and headers.




I hired two guys to help me and Sandra put the trusses up. These things were a beast to handle. It took six hours to get 9 trusses up and braced. They are 40 foot long and must weigh a ton. It took 3 guys to carry them and set on top of the walls.




Our kids decorated a "Christmas tree"!

Starting a New Project

We installed new gates this week at the entrance of our drive. Sometimes when we leave for more than a day or two we don't want any uninvited guests to stop by.



We woke up to a half inch of snow Saturday morning. The kids were really excited. Me, not so much. I moved south to get away from this stuff. I think I may have to go look for a place in Florida, or maybe Hawaii. I hear it's 80 degrees there right now.











We got a lumber delivery on Saturday for our pole barn. Sandra and I started drilling holes on Saturday and put the poles in on Sunday. Monday I will try to finish the wall framing and move on to trusses. Supposed to rain Monday and Tuesday. I love building in mud!

Buck Fever Strikes Again

Swine flu may be the newest virus going around the country these days but there's another sickness that goes around every year at this time. It strikes millions of men, women, and kids. Sometimes you can see the signs, but most of the time it strikes you out of nowhere: Buck Fever! It's a sickness with only one cure. You have to get out into the woods, climb into a tree or a blind, and quietly wait and hope for that big rack to meander into your neck of the woods and well within range of an easy, clean shot. There are very few things in this world that can excite a man, or woman, more than harvesting a whitetail. I am in Michigan again to finish a couple of jobs and, of course, November 15th was approaching fast. If you live in Michigan for any length of time you know the significance of this date. It marks the opening of deer season. I received a call from my Uncle Dave in Quincy a couple of days prior to opening day and he invited Jerry, my stepfather, and me out to his farm for a few days of huntin'. He has 63 acres of prime huntin' land. I had a great time as usual. I love getting out in the woods and just sitting there listening and observing God's creations, absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately I did not harvest a deer, YET! Michael, Dave's youngest son, was the only one to take a buck opening morning. It was a very nice six point. Michael calls it a "wall hanger". There were five of us out there and everyone was seeing deer, but not close enough or big enough to take. Here are a couple of pics from the trip.

Michael's "Wall Hanger"



Michael & Cody with the 6 pt.



Dave let Cody drive his new farm toy "The Mule"



Jerry brought his dad's shotgun to hunt with and it fell apart when he fired it. I don't think it's been fired in years. So off to Gander Mountain he went. He bought a new Remington 870, 12 gauge slug shotgun. Merry Christmas Jerry!! Here's a pic of Jerry sighting in the shotgun with Frank calling shots.