The finish carpenters have been working hard over the past 3 weeks to install and build cabinets throughout the house. The counter tops were also installed. Everything is ready for adding the appliances, sinks, and plumbing fixtures, once the interior painting is complete.
The weather turned very cold during last week of December. It interrupted the installation of the decorative block. However, our garage doors were installed. The doors help make the front of the house look more finished and they certainly warm up the garage with their insulation.
Our kids, Ian and Katie, gave us a wonderful and very thoughtful Christmas gift - a mailbox for the new house! It was a huge surprise. They noticed that the mailbox was not yet specified in the house plans. So, they researched contemporary mailboxes online and found this one, made in New Zealand. They worked with our brother-in-law, Don, a postal clerk at the Boulder post office, to confirm it met all USPS requirements. After unwrapping the base post, Dave guessed it was an umbrella and Mary guessed it was a birdhouse. We were thrilled when we opened the second package to discover this beautiful mailbox, complete with the numbers, "500."
This past week, the masons were onsite laying the decorative block near the main entrance. The weather was variable and a few days were too cold for the mortar. Also, the framing crew returned and installed the sun shade above the main deck at the rear of the house. The deck faces west so it will get a lot of direct sun in the summer. The shade will help keep the deck and great room cool. It is architecturally interesting, too.
Our family achieved a huge milestone this weekend, when our daughter Katie graduated from the University of Colorado. She completed a double major in French and International Studies. Katie is planning to spend some time abroad in the next couple of years.
