Several things happened in quick succession this week. Last Thursday I had an appointment with the plumbing supplier to pick all the faucets, sinks, etc. That went smoothly. They had most of the choices I wanted, leaving the master shower and the vanity tops to be priced out both by them, and by me from other resources. Unfortunately what we want is not within the scope of "standard" so we need a special order shower pan which is PRICEY, or we need to make another choice that will sacrifice what we wanted in favor of what is affordable.
On the same day, the Builder came by to pick up the check for the lumber. Lumber prices have skyrocketed the last year in a nice little covid-induced bubble, and the new presidential policies have ensured future inflation across the board, leaving us to determine the most likely better of two evils for build now or build later. We chose now. As Sid put it, we'd really like to be living out there while we are still able to do the work for finishing and upkeep. That check was the biggest one I have ever written, and my hand was literally shaking as I did so. I'm sure there will be bigger ones to come.
While the builder was here, he mentioned that he had filed for the permit!! YIPPEE! He got tired of waiting for the architect to finish the blueprints, and apparently the engineering report we also needed was completed, and he was able to file using just the plans we already have. However, the expected 2-week wait is now a 1-month wait due to staff losses in the permitting office.
This last Sunday, Sid and I hung out at Bosky for the afternoon. I got more buckthorn pulled, and Sid took care of a couple other jobs, but mostly we just relaxed and enjoyed the beauty and shade! Here's a before-and-after of the spot I was pulling buckthorn from. SO. MUCH. BUCKTHORN.
Two weeks ago our roof trusses were ordered. There is a 3-month backlog on those, meaning we won't have a roof until mid-August, regardless of how smoothly everything else goes. Last night I got a text from Troy stating that he has just recieved a message from the truss company that they will no longer be taking any more orders for this season, so we got in under the wire!
I went out to Bosky yesterday to give my sister an updated tour and discovered our driveway gravel piled in the middle of the driveway. It wasn't what I expected. It's small gravel with lots of sand. I expected more, bigger, rock, not sand. I did look up the grade of gravel and it's the Class 5 we were told, I was just mistaken about what that is. Zipped back out there this morning and it's all spread nicely from the road to the half-way point. The upper half will be completed after the footings are dug as they will harvest more clay in the process and get the whole site graded at once.
We have been told that our street address will be assigned as part of the permitting process, and last night I discovered that our property on the county map now has an address! Now we can move ahead with a couple other details that require an address, and it feels more official.
