Moving In

Last week things all came together as a best case scenario.
Tuesday, MLGW placed the meter. Wednesday, Ellendale Electric came out & tested their work. Thursday, Electrical inspection. Friday, final inspection.

Friday I polished all of the floors and let it dry overnight. Saturday we started moving things into the house. We put in the new things that we needed for the house and did not have since we lived in a RV. Brenda's cousin Diane and her daughter came over and helped move things out of the garage and into the house. They also helped washing and sorting the dishes and tableware and trying to help Brenda decide where to place them. There is so much more cabinet space and we haven't begun to occupy that space.

We started moving things from the coach and we had forgotten just how much stuff that you can put in that space (less than 400 sq feet). We haven't begun on the basement compartments and there is still lots of things left to take out of the coach and bring to the house. We have gotten the food and clothes over here and we will decide what stays and what is moved as we clean out places. We plan to keep the RV so many things that were collected for that particular lifestyle will remain with the RV. I expect we will find things that were put in a place where we could find it and really misplaced them. I have found a few things already.

Mike decided that because the garage faces north, that he could not wait to put the garage door on. He was planning to wail until next year, but the weather is cooler now and the wind is out of the north so that the fallen leaves have blown into the garage. We even had some snow on Monday (flurries at best....you really had to look hard to see it).
The Farmers Almanac predicts a cold winter here this year.

Since we have moved out of the RV, I now have to winterize it for the first time. I have read how to do it and I expect it won't be too difficult. This is our 7th winter and we have always been where the weather wasn't that cold, and while it is occupied there is no need to winterize it.

There are many things that you don't realize that are needed for a home. Trash cans, wall decorations, window treatments, etc. Just the many little things that we will collect those as time passes.

Brenda likes working at Big Lots, but still is only getting 10-11 hours hours per week. We are hoping as it gets closer to Christmas her hours will pick up.

Cleo is adjusting to her new digs. She wanders all over the house and hasn't found a place to hide yet. She still walks on us at night and she is spending more time with us at night. She does settle down, but still walks on us and around us while we are trying to sleep.

More later.

Ta ta for now.

We have electricity

Some time today MLGW came and placed the meter.......we now have electricity in the cottage. We tested the circuits and it all works well.
Tomorrow, Ellendale electric will come and do their testing and call for a final inspection. Cordova HVAC will come out tomorrow and charge and balance their unit. We are all happy. Maybe we can move in the first of next week if all goes well.

The painting looks really good in the light. It was done with portable lighting and we expected a lot of holidays in the paint. We were pleasantly surprised when we saw it with a lot of real light. With only 7 windows with low E coating it is pretty dark in the cottage during the day.
Sometime later I will be will be putting a full view storm door on the front door so that we can open the interior door to let in more light and control whatever might want to come in other than just light.

Ta ta for now.

Again.... no electricity

Last Friday a MLGW crew came out and hooked up the line to the pole. We now have electricity to the meter box. But, they are not allowed to install the meter, soooooooooooo, another crew has to come and install the meter. They were there for 35 minutes. 2 ten ton trucks and 3 guys to run the wires through a pipe, attach the pipe to the pole and hook the wires to the existing power line.
Oh, what efficiency. It will take 3 crews and several weeks to install a 60' electric cable from a pole already on the property to the cottage. If all utility companies work as MLGW does no wonder our rates are so high.

Maybe, this week we can get a meter so that the private electric company can come and check their work and we can get the final electric inspection. We can get the AC guys back to charge the heat pump and balance the system and maybe get a Certificate of Occupancy. But, if MLGW keeps to its schedule it will take 2 weeks to get a crew out to install the meter.

Can you tell that we are not happy campers?

Ta ta for now.

Well, electricity......almost.

master bath

2nd Bath

It seems that electric cable cannot be installed by one crew here at MLGW.
Last Saturday a trench was dug and pipe and electric cable was installed from the pole on the property to the meter center that was placed by the same crew. We now wait for another crew to come to install a pipe to run the wire up the pole and attach it to the power lines. They will then put in a shunt on one side of the meter center so that an electrical inspection can be done. Then ...... we wait until another crew comes out and installs the meter. Oh, isn't great to be unionized. All of this for a meager $2400, and this is only MLGW's part. Off of my soap box now.
The electricians came out and finished their part on Monday and now we await a temporary inspection and a MLGW crew to do their job. It seems MLGW will not do the line work until after temporary inspection. Hopefully, that will be done today.

The cottage is ready to move into, and we will, as soon as we have power.
Brenda tried using a steam mop on the floor. It did not do as we hoped in that it took the polish/wax off of the floor and left a dull finish in it's place. We will not be doing that again. Dust mop followed by warm water mopping should do the trick.
I think that the steam mop was designed for tile flooring without wax.
I hung the mirrors in both bathrooms and installed the window treatments on all of the windows. They will give us some privacy when we move in.

Living room Windows

Kitchen window

The AC guys will need to come back to charge, test and balance the AC/heat system before we can move in. They are great about coming the next day after they are called, so they shouldn't be any problem.

Mike and I are back working on the barn. We hung a rack so that wet saddle blankets can air dry outside of the tack room. I installed 2X4 base molding outside of the tack room and feed room to help slow the mouse infestation of those 2 rooms. There was a gap between the floor and the siding big enough for mice to get in. Those spaces are heated and there is food for them to eat in the feed room, so anything we can do to keep the mice out is necessary.

2X6 bracing on post

Bracing on roof of new addition -18 feet long

2X4 base board

Mike has been reinforcing the middle 4X6 posts in the barn. and adding bracing to the new addition on the barn. He is concerned that the horses will run unto one of the posts and hurt themselves, so the bracing also rounds over the corners of the posts.
We also finished bracing the new barn addition. Buying lumber in 18' lengths is getting more and more difficult. 

More after we move in,

Ta ta for now.