And the work goes on and on and on!

What’s new at Shilay’s Tara? Well first starters, the SOLAR system in DONE!!!! Yes only 2-3 months late but after many battles and many delays (due to the Solar Company) it is COMPLETE! We positioned our array of panels in the lower field by the tree line. The really cool thing is that you can’t see it from the house. The tree canopy shields the panels from view however, they still have a clear sun exposure to soak up lots of RAYS and bank us some electric credits. This has been a huge undertaking but will be well worth it in the end.


So to recap, we heat with Wood, have our own replacement solar energy system, our own well, the magic truck for Trash, and our own septic system. So I have realized that we have gone GREEN and could easily be off the grid. We will still have propane for the cooking gas and back-up to the heating system. Interesting how this happened, it was not a conscience choice as much as an evolution of events. I can’t say I regret it but still marvel at being soooo green. Anyone who knows me wouldn’t have guessed me to be Green much less Kenny!

Shawn (my nephew) has been up to the house twice in the last month (at least in the last 4 weeks) to help Kenny out! Thank you Shawn and thanks also to Megan for being okay with her Man spending weekends with us.

What else has been happening up there well let me see….tongue and grove has been finished along the walls around the staircase to the basement as well as to the upstairs, the wall in the bedroom has the tongue and grove up. Understand that at this point we cannot close in the walls completely until we have an inspection (electrical/structural/framing who knows but one of them) so the walls are being completed one side until after the inspection.

Additionally, Kenny successfully fought with and go the spray foam company to come out and cut out the areas that we not done correctly and re-spray those spots so there would be no leaking and such. Once that was done , Shawn and Kenny (the heroes that they are) took up battle with the fiberglass insulation this past weekend. I hear tell lots was done, I have to confess I have not gotten there as yet this week but will do so and report back to you all. I have photos to load but just have been having considerable computer issues that have stood in my way (it keeps shutting off for no reason).

Talk to you all next time!

Catch up!

Okay, so we have been really enjoying the property and much has happened since February. First off, we now have a bathroom, with a working sink, toilet and a DOOR! Yes our outhouse/inhouse potty is now fully grown up to a guest bathroom. The mud room/laundry room/guest bathroom area is fully constructed, tongue and grove from floor to ceiling and goodness it looks amazing! I know that word gets over used but it is truly amazing.

The kitchen is almost fully functional, we actually had Mother's day there and baked 12 Cornish game hens! It was great to finally to have a party there and have a fridge that works, two ovens that worked, a microwave (both ovens and microwave are convection cookers) this was truly heaven.

Let's see what else, Oh yeah the wall that separates our Master Bedroom from the living/great room is now up and looks great! Also the tongue and grove on the walls by the staircase from the second floor to the first is now complete. The Solar panels should be started soon (with in a week or so) we will have replacement electric so we will not have an electric bill, isn't that great!! No heating, No electric, No water I don't know this house is very Green for non Green people!

Sledding Party At the House!

We hosted 4 adults along with 4 children at the property on Sunday Feb 7th, 2010 for our first "Sledding Party". Everyone brought stuff to eat and drink, lots of winter gear and sleds and WOW did we have fun. We have figured out what we need/could do to make our future sledding/winter fun gatherings better.

We started at about 2 PM and left the house around 8:30 pm. Super Bowl....Oh yeah it was Super Bowl Sunday...I guess they played with out us watching....Shouldn't they have waited for us to be done? I think so. But I think we had more fun!

Please have a look at the photos (click on the title it will take you to the photos) and enjoy, we certainly did.

PS: for the record there were 107 photos taken so this is the "small" album.

Moving Right Along

Just wanted to write an update to keep everyone in the loop. Last night Kenny completed the plumbing work for the bar sink. We now have running water in both sinks. We discussed at length the stonework for the two hearths. We may have some creative differences on this one but I am sure it will work out in the end. They always do.

We have also discussed extensively what we need to have done to get a basic CO. I have to say it is a bit more involved then I thought. Although we don't need everything on the first floor done we do need things I hadn't anticipated. For instance, all of the water lines have to capped. That means the 1/2 bath and the washer need to be in place and/or completely installed. Kenny is going to start with the mud room, he wants to insulate and get the tongue and grove on the ceiling to see how that process goes before starting in the main area of the house. I thought we could get the CO before the vaulted ceiling was done. Apparently we need to have that completed too. I guess to have all of the electrical in a finished state. We are going to make a final decision on the wrought iron parts for all of the staircases and the loft area with in 2 weeks. Then it's ordering the stone and the wrought iron. Damn there are so many things to do. There is the main full bathroom on the main level, that has to be done, the two or three walls framed out and finished, then all the sanding and staining of the existing logs on the outer walls. The kitchen and dining room logs are stained and ready to go but not the rest of the house. Now here is a question: do we need to do all of the logs before the CO?

Well the point is we (I say that like I am working over there, he he) are making progress.