Slow Progress

The barn has a roof.  Unless it rains all day tomorrow, Friday is the estimated day of completion for the barn itself.  The concrete still will need to be poured, electric run inside for lights and outlets, stalls erected, and a finally load of dirt deposited in the stalls. The exterior still needs it's final grade. Let me repeat, however, we do have a roof!

Friday

Monday

Tuesday

We've hit a few snags along the way.  The right and left side of the barn are actually lean tos, portions of which we will be enclosing.  When we originally talked with the builder I requested an exterior door located where the red ladder is leaning.  This would lead from the chicken coop into the chicken run.  While we were gone on Friday the crew extended the roof over the lean to.  As you can see it follows the roof line.  Not good.  The barn side walls are 10 feet high.  I assumed the lean to side walls would be around 8 feet.  Imagine my concern on Saturday when I realized I could actually touch the bottom of the outside header in the lean to (just above the red ladder).  For me to be able to do this the height of that wall would have to be well below the 8 foot mark.  Frown.  How can we install an 82" high exterior door there when the wall is only 79" high?  I assumed that the roof line over the lean to would not have as steep a grade as the barn roof for just that reason.  Ha, that's what I get for assuming.  Should have gotten in writing.  Now we will have to have a sliding door made to accommodate the lower wall.  Workable but not what I requested.

Secondly, as I was checking out progress today after the crew left I realized that the portions of the roof over the open areas of lean to are not insulated.  Once again, when we talked with the builder, he said he would insulate the whole roof, in case down the road we wanted to enclose the open lean tos.  Without insulation between the roof and the rafters, condensation will form, enough that it would drip down to the floor below.  Sigh.  At this point the only way I can see a fix is if they remove the portions of roofing lacking the insulation.  A costly time robber.  There is a whole roll of insulation left.  Looks the builder was planning on it being insulated but didn't communicate with his crew.  :-(  Now I have to decide if I want to have them redo the uninsulated roof and slow progress even more.

On a more cheerful note, we have family members (silly people) that have volunteered to assist us with our fence building efforts.  Thank you Brad, Jeremy and my folks!  My goal is to get as much of the outer fencing completed as possible while they're here Wednesday through Friday.  Jeff and I completed two corners (out of 14) on Sunday, before we had to leave. Woo Hoo!  At least we have a feel for the work.  Jeff and I will have to complete the fencing to the barn once the final excavation is complete. 

I'm afraid the arrival of the pacas will end up being pushed back to the 2nd weekend in September.  I feel bad that I won't get it done by the 1st.  I know the owner, Barrie Lynn, whom I've purchased my alpacas from, has a lot on her personal plate right now.  That was the reason she was reducing her herd.  

Daisy May as cute as ever!

I did get to spend Friday morning with Barrie Lynn learning the ins and outs of alpaca management.  Including how to give shots, how to halter train, how to give wormers, how to check if a female is still pregnant.  If she isn't, how to breed!  Unfortunately, two of my girls are not pregnant.  Looks like I will get to breed them first thing when I get them home.  That will be challenging!  This way they will have babies in September of next year.  It was a lot of information to absorb in a short period of time.  Lets just hope I retain some of it!

Hello Girls.  You'll be coming home soon!

 

FINALLY!

 THE

 WAIT IS

OVER !

Progress on the barn at the end of the day today. Yeah!

Progress in other areas.  The porch is 95% complete.  Just waiting on the gutters.  Then I plan on painting the front door to match the red siding.  I already have the paint.

I will also paint the garage door the same red.  I have a shrub and some coral bells to be planted in the alcove below the rounded window.

Linus has a new haircut.

Zoey sleeping hard!

Zoey watching the birds out the window.

Our new bed.

Our bed was made right here in Evart at Artisan Heirlooms, a local woodworking shop located behind The 7th Street Coffee Shop.  The coffee shop owner, Sandy, had the guys in the wood shop collect scrap pieces of wood from various projects.  Then she created a piece of wall art.  Our headboard is a reflection of her creativity.  The first time I saw the wall art in the shop I knew I wanted a headboard made the same way.  Thank you Sandy.

We have our fence materials as of this morning.  The fence building may commence at any time!  We are looking at 19 days to complete the barn and fence. (That includes pouring the barn concrete floor, hooking up the water, completing the electric and completing the final grade around the barn.)  No pressure.
We have rounded up a potential trailer and hauler to help in the transport of the alpacas on the red letter day.  We just need to be done.  Can I have an amen?