24-NOV-08

Jan and I went to Tennessee this past week-end. We left home at 6:35 PM EST and drove straight through; stopped twice for fueling and bio-breaks, once in the Okahumpka Plaza in the FL Turnpike and then right south of Atlanta at about 2 AM. Got the Hawk's Bluff at about 5:15 AM (4:15 AM CST). We were tired and took a nap (about 2 hours) at the Way Inn's paring lot (it was too early to check in).

It was 14 degrees F when we got to the house at around 6:30 AM after getting some coffee at the corner convenience store. It was cold! There was no snow but, instead, there was a frost on the ground that made everything white/gray... Surreal!

There is progress being made, in all fronts, and a couple of snags (what would life be without them!) regarding the gas line - not in yet - and the stone for the fireplace: Jimmy does not like the way the current stone looks on it; so he will order a different one (impact on time & money). But, while we were there on Saturday, there were about 10 people working in the house: Jimmy's sons were building the rails; some other people were inserting the cabinets in Alex's and Leah's rooms and the rest were working on laying the stone work outside...

We will be back on the Dec 6 week-end and then, for good on Dec 13th. On Dec 6th we will have a better idea of the level of readiness the house will have for the Holidays. We may have a 'camping' Christmas Season, but we will keep our hopes high...

Nov 18th Update

Jan and I went to Hawk’s Bluff this past week-end; flew early Friday morning into Nashville; rented a Toyota Tundra pick-up truck (what a car!); stayed at the Way Inn for two nights (we were the only non-hunters in the joint!) and flew back home on Sunday night.

Unfortunately this time we forgot to take a camera (one of the – at least – two dozen we have) and, therefore, we have no pictures to show… Otherwise, we would have shown you the latest on the house and the SNOW!

At any rate, there is progress being done; while we were there we met with the plumbers and paid for all the fixtures they ordered. We also met with Sammy who will be the caretaker, like he does for Scott and Mary Newmann; once we ‘move in’, we will come by weekly and flush the toilets, check the windows and doors, etc. We also spent quite a bit of time with Jimmy Hale and finished the paints schema, some decorative infrastructure (like where to hang the TV set and the elk mount above the fire place!), settled the finances to ensure we were all singing from the same page, and got a high level sequence of tasks that would allow the inside to be finished by December 16^th (move-in date!). There will be some tasks going on in the outside (stones, retaining wall, final front door approach, landscaping, garage, etc.) that will continue to go on to be finished as time allows.

Jan and I, meanwhile, need to:

• Buy the hardware for the doors (locks, levels, knobs) for inside & outside;
• Decide on the granite for the basement bar (depending on price);
• Decide on mirrors for the kitchen bar, also depending on price
• Buy vanity mirrors for Alex's, Leah's and our bathroom.
  

We are going back up (driving) this Friday and driving back on Sunday!

Charz volunteered Tom to accompany Jan in a Tennessee adventure, driving up on Nov 2^nd and down on Nov 5^th or the 6^th, depending on how much could be accomplished; the main issue is the appliances being delivered on Nov 4^th and then ensuring they are secured.

On Thursday, Oct 30^th I sent Jimmy Hale (our builder) a simple message asking him to verify Jan would be able to stay at the house – as he had committed to - after driving 12 hours and getting there at night (electricity, running water, toilet and shower were the basic needs). Early Friday AM, I got an e-mail from Beth – his admin – saying that the house would not be inhabitable for Jan on Nov 2^nd and that the new finish date was Nov 30^th. After consultations, and assessing financial impact (the cost of 4 or 5 hotel nights needed to be considered now), Tom decided to still go. Jan wrote Jimmy a rather frank and candid letter sharing her feelings and unmet expectations…

On Sunday Nov 2^nd, Jan left the house at 5:30 AM to go pick up Tom in Boca and keep on going to Tennessee. They made great time and were there in under 12 hours, safe and sound and still on time to have dinner at the Way Inn. Melissa and Ralph, the Way Inn owners, did not like Tom being in the picture…

On Monday, Nov 3^rd Jan and Tom went to the house and immediately came to the conclusion that the appliances could not be delivered; nothing was ready for them; Jan called Sears and re-scheduled for Dec 16^th. Since we were there in early September, when Jimmy came up with the Nov 1^st date, the only progress has been the painting of the inside (wrong colors at that!) and the finishing of the wood trimming (no beams though!). Jan took some pictures…

Jan will be having a conversation with Jimmy today, Nov 4^th in order to gauge his disposition and his commitment. We will be going back on Nov 14^th and assess progress.