Garage

We are going to have a free standing garage. Since our land is 2.5 acres, I suggested to the huzband that we place the garage *over there* somewhere. It doesn't have to be close to the house - that's what I think. Seems like I'm losing that battle, though.

For years we've been talking about this. That when we get old, he will move out and live in the garage - so it needs to be ac:ed. The builder that brought me to tears we decided to not go with, said it would be impossible to build anything other than a standard two car garage. Go figure.

The huzband is surfing the internet for ideas too. We're having so much fun! He found a place with garage floor plans for free! So we've decided to build a garage with a loft - perfect for us!

Niches

So, we wanted to light up the hallway somehow. The designer suggested niches - and I know what he is talking about. In every new built home you can find them.

NO WAY! niche

The huzband suggested that we put a statue of Our Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Christ, with candles and a kneeler in front for those who would want to stop by and pray. That is out of the question, of course. I have NO humor when it comes to interior design. :o)

So I went hunting for ideas. And I found this:


Not bad, but it looks a bit like a museum display. Then I found this:


But that one looks much like the NO WAY! niche.

This is a *darling* one!


But our walls won't be that deep - although I wouldn't mind. But I kept on looking and yesterday I found it!! Taa daa!


That's it! And it's just as beautiful 'empty', with just the lights shining. The huzband found a site with instructions how to DIY.

So it's decided and we're set!

Slow Journey

But rest assured, things are happening! Since my last couple of posts, things have changed. Again.

We're considering the help-u-build route again. Any "custom builder" build houses that looks like all the others. What's up with that? So we went to this builder who was really pleasant to talk to and he listened and said he could build our house. So we went and looked at what they had to offer. Wall to wall carpeting, same tile as everyone else, same, same, same. When we left his office, I was in tears.

This was in March and I had decided to just give in. But then!! The huzband started *really* working on the floor plan and the more we worked on it, the more it felt like home!

We have visited the help-u-build people again, we are already approved for the loan, and we took our floor plan to a designer. He was pleasantly surprised to see how complete our plan was - not much for him to do, really. We did need some help with a little tweaking here and there and where to put outlets and stuff. He charged us 90 cents per square foot to finish the drawings. That's a good bargain for starters!

I have already started to 'look around' for more *bargains* - it is sooo much fun! I was born to do this. :o) I will show you some inspirational pictures - stay tuned!

My Cactus Garden

Things are happening...

Well, finally, after all this time, we are starting this journey. I will try to keep this blog alive from now on - since all my other blogs seem to be asleep.

We have been approved for the loan, we are in negotiations with a builder - and we are talking to some contractors this coming week about the sips roof and about stained concrete floors and counter tops.

This is the preliminary time frame:

3 months for paperwork and stuff
6 months to build the house

Sooo... we will move out there in the beginning of 2010. Around the same time we will become grandparents, if everything goes according to plan. How exciting!

White Oaks

We have 25, or so, White Oaks - a gift from my Mother-in-Law. The Huzband has been nurturing them here for a year now, in pots - and they are thriving!

Last Sunday, we planted the first two out at Ravkullen. It was a windy day, but the plants seemed to enjoy their new home. They'd better. They're going to live there for hundreds of years.

The Highway There

House Plans

Since I am not particularly interested in building a house that looks like everyone else's house [no box for me] - the dear Huzband has, under my supervision, drawn the house plans for our future home.

It *did* start with a sketch on a napkin, evolved into a hand drawn plan, and later into a plan made with Autocad on the computer. He is talented, the Huzband!

So, a couple of weeks ago we turned in these home made drawings to Help-U-Build [more about them later] to get a first estimate, a preliminary budget, of what this is going to cost. And we got the estimate back yesterday. We are happy to announce: it is *quite* do-able!

Although, as I mentioned to the Huzband yesterday evening, they have *never* Helped-Anyone-Build a house like ours. I think the estimates are far, far too high for some things - but I am sure it's all in 'the ball park'.

Next step will be to actually get *real* drawings from an architect. Stay tuned.

Cactuses

We were out working on the land last weekend. Hard work! The huzband cut trees and fallen branches with the chain saw and both of us were hauling everything to the big piles we have all around the place. We're going to have *quite* a bon fire, when they lift the fire ban... We have been thinking about getting a chipper, but to be honest... burning is more fun!

This time we could reach an area of the property where we haven't been before - it's been too much brush in the way. And look what I found:


Now, some of you might think this is very *exotic*. To us it's just a nuisance... you can't even imagine how many cactuses like this we've cut down on the property. And you get those little, tiny needles in you fingers [and every.where.else] and it takes weeks to get them out. It's very unpleasant. And I must say, I think this is the biggest one we've seen so far. I wonder how many years it took for it to get this big?

The Birdhouse is up!

This is the first structure we have put up on the property. It’s a wooden birdhouse that we bought many years ago. We were visiting our favorite nursery, Shades of Green, and this birdhouse was tucked away among some debris. It was not for sale, that was obvious. But the huzband wanted it and asked if he could buy it - and after some negotiating, we got it for 50 bucks.

The house has 12 apartments and is a house for Martins, although we have had nothing but sparrows living there. It has been painted many times in the most interesting colors – all leftover paint from other projects around the house. This time it’s white, looks good I think!

Let’s see now what kind of inhabitants we’ll have this year. They will have a great view from up there, that’s for sure!

Rävkullen

A few years ago I was looking up where we live on Google Earth. I almost fainted when I found our house in the middle of one million other houses. No one should have to live like that. I got all claustrophobic and said to the huzband: Maybe we should move? And he said: Ok!

I started looking online after a house out in the country. I found this Asian looking pagoda house for sale. In Texas, can you believe that? There were lots of pictures of it and I fell in love, in my mind I had already moved in. It even had a Japanese Tea Room. I emailed the huzband and asked him to go look at it, since it's only 5 minutes from where he works. He came back after an hour, carefully blown away. He called the real estate person, who said: I just sold that house!

And then he said: I have a piece of land for sale.

And that was Rävkullen. A wonderful place close to the Guadalupe River and with the most magnificent view - and sunset... It is about a hundred acres in the middle of a huge cattle ranch, with maybe 8 other houses total. So we're going to build our own dream house there, on two and a half acres - and it's going to be a "green" house. And I'm going have chikins!

This is now our official building blog. Welcome to follow our adventure!