Mr. Bluebird on my…

…forklift! (More on this guy later.)

As expected, we spent the weekend back out at the property.  The weather actually wasn’t horrible!  We even took our coats off on Sunday!  Unlike yesterday when the Hills were once again shut down due to a “blizzard”.  (It wasn’t really a blizzard.  There was a good deal of snow, but not nearly the foot being called for.  The real problem was the rain from Sunday night that made everything a skating rink.)

I will, in the name of full disclosure, tell you I played the wimp on Saturday morning.  The boy and I loaded up all the extra plumbing stuff and took it back into the big city to recoup some of our money.  We also picked up the tile for the kid bathroom.  And we got gas.  And a car wash (oy did it ever need it – and it was free with a tank of gas).  Then I spent more money at Taco Bell than I think I have since college.  (I went to Michigan Tech, way up in da U.P., eh*?  Back then the nearest Taco Bell was 2 hours away in Marquette.  We used to road trip over and pick up multiple 20 packs of tacos.  They typically didn’t last more than a day or two we ate them so fast.)  But it was the least I could do for poor dear hubby and his parents who were slaving away on the deck!

And don’t worry – once we got back I pitched in.

So what did we get done?  Let’s see…

Here’s the front of the house.  Josh finished up nearly all of the framing on this side before he came home.  (He’s putting up the joist hangars right now.)  The four of us completed the framing of the side porch that day as well.  On Sunday we started laying down the decking:

We nearly finished the side – there’s one more row that needs to go in, and the boards that are up against the house actually need to be ripped down a bit to fit.  We expected the actual decking to go down much faster than it did.  Partly it was the screws we bought.  We used composite deck screws – guaranteed not to mushroom!  They require a square bit to put in.  Oy vey.  We had a hard time finding a bit that didn’t strip the dang things out.  I’m sure the chilly weather was exacerbating the issue by making the composite decking extra dense.  It also took a bit longer since the deck is only about 6′ wide – 4 people do not fit well in that small space when they are trying to move 16′ boards around and bend over to screw them down.  Sunday Josh and I also finished up a few tasks inside to make sure we were ready for the drywall guys (who of course have been delayed again thanks to the snow).

Spring is on it’s way, I swear.  I’ve seen a robin or two around the house we’re in now, but these two blue beauties spent most of  Sunday flitting around us.  It’s not the first time I’ve seen them – they were out the weekend we were putting the insulation in and it was near 70.  But of course I didn’t have my camera handy then.

They seem to have taken a liking to our garage.  Josh thinks he saw them flying around inside.  I’m afraid they’re making use of the half-finished soffit for a nesting location.  I’m going to have to ask the guys to please check before they totally close it in.  (I have no idea what to do if they have – any suggestions?)

I had intended to put up a number of bird houses around the property – guess I better move a bit quicker.  I’m also planning for bat houses.  Josh originally thought I’m nuts.  But then I remind him that while the Hills are relatively bug-free, the creek and the marsh lands that surround it are the perfect breeding ground for skeeters.  He quickly agreed we should put them up.  Now we’re just deciding where.  (I say on the house, he says not.)

We actually took yesterday off and spent the day at home with the Boy and a big pot of warm chili.  Yum!

Hopefully your weekend was warmer and full of fun as well.  Because even though we worked our tails off – you’ve always gotta find some time for fun.

*I really must get one of these: