More NY life planning...

Jim and I had a "business" meeting/date night last night in Millersburg...our old stomping grounds. 

Jim had to first stop at Yoder Lumber.  The giant picture frame project that Kyle wants Jim to help him with required Jim to get more specialized wood.  We had to take the truck down there so we got to try it out since it was in the shop.  All seemed well but it's not quite the same trip as going to NY.

Yoder's definitely has Amish hours - 6:30-3:30, so we were done there by about 4:00.  Since it was kind of early to eat, we debated about coming back home so that Jim could get something else accomplished.  We decided to stay and I'm so glad we did.  Instead of going straight to our favorite place - Bag's - we went into their brand new partner business - Millersburg Brewing Company.  It was a great place - big tables with cool stools, they brew their own beer there, have sampling. 

It worked out great - I needed Jim's help on finishing up the scrapbook I made for the building of our current home plus we had some strategizing to do with selling this house and the brochure we created for that.  So we were able to spread out, no one was there, had lots of privacy and got to try some Millersburg beer!  We did transition over to Bag's later on and had our favorite chicken nachos.

So during our date night, we came up with plenty of "to-do's" to add to our list.  After accomplishing a few easy ones like paying the storage unit bill, setting up cable/TV/phone service in NY.  Truly, I think I have spent over 2 hours on the phone with various different pieces.  It's amazing how much different information you get when you talk to different people.  We were hoping to just add the NY piece to our current Time Warner account, since that's the cable provider in NY also.  And we were really hoping to keep our current email addresses.  But after all that time, neither of those will work out.  I must have had to disturb Jim in the pole barn a half a dozen times to ask various questions about converter boxes, modems, scheduling...ugh.  I finally set up an appointment time that wasn't going to work but the guy told me to set it up and then call the local office and try to reschedule into something that would work.  Which I did - hopefully what I set up will be okay.  Because I don't think I can handle another 2 hours on the phone!

On other fronts...I went out and weeded a bit on Sunday.  Which means of course that I have a horrid case of poison ivy now.  It was so bad much earlier than it usually appears on me that I went to the doctor Wednesday.  She gave me a steroid shot and said if it wasn't better in 24-48 hours, to call back and they may have to put me on prednisone as well.  I hate taking any steroids, but it really wasn't any better today so I did call and get a prescription.  I haven't taken them yet, but I feel better having them in case it doesn't get better tomorrow since it's a holiday weekend.

Also - Kyle is coming in tomorrow morning to work on these giant picture frames.  So it will be nice to see him, although they will be spending all their time in the pole barn I'm sure.  We do hope to celebrate both Jim and Kyle's birthdays by going to Outback and then to see the new Star Trek movie. 

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Trip Recap...

Jim got home on Saturday night - probably half an hour before we had to leave for church!  He made it in the quickest time ever - only stopped once.  I like him to take it a little easier, but I was very anxious to see him and it worked out great that we could go to church and have the whole day Sunday to catch up.

After all the well excitement Wednesday and Thursday, Friday was a different kind of day for Jim.  He met Mike and Mike took him to see the storage units he owns.  He basically rents them out to people who store their cars in for the winter, so summer rates are cheap and winter more expensive.  It's a bit farther away, but we thought maybe we could get a smaller unit closer by and use Mike's for stuff we wouldn't need very often.  I called the storage unit place in Corinth and their prices were surprisingly not too different from Saratoga Springs, but it would be closer.  So much to ponder about that.

Jim also went to a sawmill to see about some special wood that he was thinking about as a possibility for the floors in the carriage house.  That didn't sound like it was a real successful mission.

And speaking of unsuccessful missions, it was back to the DMV with still no NY license plate to be had.  They have such stringent rules - although he took a boatload of documents, he apparently still didn't have everything he needed.  But the biggest hurdle was that once you turn in all the documents, you only have 10 days to get a safety inspection done on the car.  With such a limited timeframe this trip, it just wouldn't work out. 

Jim did hear from the electric company rep...they will meet the first week of June so that will be the next planned trip. 

Meanwhile, back at home faced with a mountain of things to do here, Jim is back being busy on his checklist.  He's having Bryan fabricate some new chimney caps - Jim drew up the design and Bryan is making them.  He went over to their house yesterday to pick up the first one - it looks awesome!  He tried it out today and it's a perfect fit.  I think they'll look great when they get them all done.  Bryan's also making the farm gate for the property - hopefully Jim can take that up next trip.  It will be a relief to have a gate up and not worry quite so much about the equipment.

On another good news note, we went and picked up the box truck from Isuzu this afternoon.  They were working on clearing all the electric issues that caused the truck form of the dreaded check engine light.  They got them all fixed and were happy with the way it was running.  Jim also picked up another part and they even threw in a used lift gate mechanism that broke on ours.  So that's all good.

We have water!!

The well drilling started up again this morning.  They hit bedrock soon as they expected.  But then they hit water sooner - great news for us!  Gus had told Jim going in that they usually hit bedrock at about 50' and that the casing is required that whole way.  Then, comparing our site to all the others he's done around us, he expected to have to dig about 400' to get water.  So the fact that they hit water so soon compensates for all the extra casing we had to use.  All in all, the well ended up being about 245'.  The good part too was that Gus said we should have plenty of water for both structures - great news!  And there was no smell either.  He said we may have iron, but we can deal with that with appliances to remove rust in the house.

We have water!

Our beautiful new well!

The drill is getting ready to leave

After the well equipment was packed up, the bill paid (gulp!), and they were on their way, Jim took advantage of the beautiful day and did some more site cleanup.  The area in the picture below is where we had our champagne celebrations last summer after negotiations and closing - it looks amazing!  All the stacked wood and remnants from the loggers is gone.  Beautiful!

 

Jim made attempts to start the process to get the 4Runner licensed in NY - not an easy task.  Jim thought he had all the paperwork and proper proofs ready, but they gave him yet more forms.  Plus then you have to have the car inspected within 10 days of filling out all the paperwork - timing may not allow that to happen this trip.  He had gotten an Ohio 30 day tag for it here so we have a little time to work that out.  Certainly not an easy process though.

 

He also contacted the electric company representative who met with us last year at the property.  She can't meet until the first week of June - so they are setting a time then.  That will give Jim time to come back here and get the house ready to put on the market before heading back up.

 

Jim went running again last night and found the little wing place in Corinth for dinner.  5 cent wings - can't beat that!  He's planning on staying tomorrow and coming home Saturday.  He still has things to work out with the DMV and has a couple different storage unit options to check out today.

 

So happy about the water situation - this is really another giant step! 

Well drilling day!

Very exciting - they started drilling the well today!  The trucks came a little after 9:00 this morning.

Jim said the process they use is very different from the way our well was drilled here in Ohio.  In Ohio, they punch it...it sounds like a giant hammer pounding over and over.  In NY, they actually drill it.  I wish I could have been there to see the whole process...Jim will have to give me some more details when he gets home.

This is the first section of casing getting ready to be put into place.

 

Apparently, they have to put casing in until they hit bedrock.  By the time they knocked off today about 4:30, they had gone about 150 feet and thought they were close to bedrock.  That's much farther down than they expected to hit bedrock...bad news for us since we have to pay by the foot for drilling as well as for the casement. 

 

I felt really bad...I went to see my mom today and it was actually hot there - 90 degrees by my car thermometer.  But poor Jim said the weather was not so nice in NY...windy, cold enough to see your breath, and even lightning at one point.  That had to be bad for Jim just standing around watching them.

 

They'll start up again tomorrow - they told Jim that once they hit bedrock, they can drill through it about 100 feet an hour - crazy!  I just hope they find good water!

 

Then they have to have the pump discussion - Jim would prefer to install it himself so we'll see how all that goes.

 

 

Jim's on the road again!

Well...it's the way things always work.  Kyle wants Jim to help him on a project to build giant picture frames for an exhibit they are doing in Chicago.  So he ordered a big molding machine to be delivered - today.  And then Gus called last night and said he wants to start drilling the well Wednesday.  Which means Jim has to leave - today.  So I pray that the machine comes early and Jim can get on the road with as little of stress involved as possible.

This is a very exciting step though - we'll soon have water on the lot!!  Updates to come...

Well, thankfully this all fell into place this morning.  The tool Kyle ordered came at about 9:30 when Jim was cutting grass.  And the truck driver was able to unload it from the truck and even used his dolly to take it up to the pole barn.  Jim was worried about how that would go since all his equipment is up in NY.  So I'm very thankful that went well.  He talked to Kyle too and they decided Kyle would come next weekend instead of this one. That will give Jim some leeway in case the drilling takes longer or he decided he needs another day.

Jim was able to hit the road a little after noon and he's been keeping me posted on his progress.  He'll probably get into town in another hour or so.

Just heard from Jim - he was at Pope's Pizza to grab a bite before heading to the apartment.  So glad his trip went well.  Can't wait to hear how the well drilling goes.  I'm praying they find great water not very far down!

Trip Update

Jim decided to stay one more day working on the land, so he spent Friday doing just that.  Mike, the realtor's husband, stopped by because Jim wanted to talk to him about security with the equipment there.  Mike seemed to think it would all be well.  Meanwhile, we're keeping the insurance agent posted just in case.

Jim got the area leveled where Gus needs to park his truck to dig the well. 

He found lots of big rocks in the ground - we were expecting that though. 



Wow - look at that giant rock!

Jim even went running down by the Hudson River in the evening - how cool is that?  We'll have to make the apartment a little more hospitable for him soon.  He's a good sport and doesn't mind having just a sleeping bag on the floor, but there's no chairs, no internet, no tv.  And he said we'll have to figure fans out - it was already getting warm with no air.  We're spoiled here - that will all take some adjustment.

Of course with not the usual things to do, Jim didn't stay up til the wee hours like the normally does plus the sun comes up earlier there - so he got an earlier start and was actually home in time to go to church last night.  It was so good to see him!

The next trip will be as soon as Gus schedules the well drilling - Jim wants to be there for that.

Work day...

Well, it looks like a gorgeous day on the lot and the equipment is all safe and sound up there!  Jim's plans were to run a few errands this morning and then do a little playing around - little bit of cleaning up from all the tree cutting mess they made and getting the side ready for the lot.  He had been planning on coming home tomorrow morning but when I talked to him this afternoon, sounded like he was having too much fun and may stay another day.  I don't blame him - looks gorgeous up there!

Big boy toys are on the lot!!

So this is a pile of tree rubbish left over...and this is on one of our favorite spots on the land...it's a cool path that will someday be out the back of our house and it leads to trails in the thick pine forest.  But it was pretty cluttered with rocks, tree branches, and just messy tree junk.

And this is what it looks like now after Jim cleared it out!  Amazing - what a difference!  How beautiful does that view look now?

Equipment to NY

This has been a crazy couple of days. Just about 24 hours after Jim finished cleaning up from the major chimney cap project, he was on his way to NY.

Ben, the guy who contracted with Jim to haul the equipment, had told him he would come about 9:30. Jim used the last minutes with the Bobcat here to move some heavy pieces of equipment out of the pole barn and bring things down from the loft storage.

When Ben came, they loaded both pieces on his trailer and off it went. He had told Jim it would take him about 10 hours to get there. Jim texted me this picture at work...I told him it was bittersweet. Sad to see them go down the road but a big piece of the complicated puzzle of this move.

After Ben left, Jim gathered his things, packed up the 4Runner and left about an hour after he did.

After a long day of driving again, Jim got to the lot before Ben did thankfully. He sent me this picture of the sunset while he was waiting. Wish I was there!

But all went well unloading once he got there and Jim drove the equipment up the driveway. By this time it was dark and had sure been a long day. Jim went to the apartment and then walked into town for a pizza. Hope he can relax tonight - he sure deserves it!