lost in the minutiae

Hello {hello, hello, hello} when you inadvertently disappear from Blogging, the best way I know to get back in the swing of things is to bullet format key moments that kept you away. Normally that works, but in this case my news is interrelated. I'll share an overview and hopefully expand on the important parts. I've actually had a post written over a month, and can't seem to gather related photos. Sad, but true.

I've really missed keeping up with you guys! I truly hope all is well with your worlds, and look forward to catching up as much as possible!!

In October, we went on a couple short get-aways. We decided our annual Fall travel plans needed to be kept for sanities sake. It had been a year since we took anything that resembled a vacation. Altho we took building "homework" with us, we truly enjoyed both vacations!

Other then that, our life continues to be all about building the house. We survived multiple weeks with double daily appointments. It's like organized chaos, until you run up against a wall and something becomes urgently stressful. The meetings and to-do list is more manageable these days, but never ending. We've run up against many walls, and found a way through all of them. Not without losing sleep. Besides the ridiculous waits for timbers and ceiling material, we also came up against unusual lighting and venting challenges. The biggest stumbling block we've had to endure is tile. Tile has been the worst!! We have no tile in our current home. I had no idea it would be such a fiasco!!

I started looking at tile in August, and think (hope) I'm through the worst of it. The wonderful gal we were working with got let go about a third of the way through the process. We had to start all over with an incompetent sales chick. I took the reins early on, and did all the remaining ground work of searching for matches, getting samples etc. She did nothing, unless I showed up in person. The day after our tile design was drawn up (wrong I might add) I was informed our shower wall tile was discontinued. That was the last straw. If I hadn't invested all the time, and we truly liked the tile we had so far - I would have pulled the whole frickin' job! We almost did. The owner of the company is an associate of Brads. When he called to find out how things were going, he heard our frustrations. Funny how she suddenly started responding and we actually got tile ordered yesterday. 

Needless to say we bought different wall tile from another place, through the original sales gal who stayed in constant contact. Who does that?? She helped me through this whole ordeal, even tho it wasn't her problem any more and she wasn't getting paid/commissioned for her hard work. Thank god for her! I am so thankful for her endless help, and will make her a card (with a gift) in appreciation. 

The barn has had some additional work done on it, but for the most part has been on hold. I've really slacked off on taking building progress photos. I do have a few new ones to share, eventually.

Have I mentioned, it's holiday season? Um, yea - that's not helping get things done. 

I am still rehabbing my shoulder. It's painful and not my idea of fun, but I haven't given up! Thankfully Koda seems to have completely healed from our accident!! We've struggled to find time to head north and ride our horses. Twice a week, on the good weeks. A couple slipped by where we didn't see them at all. Our peace of mind is, soon we will be together every single day. Forever. 

Enjoying sunny 50F plus, at end of November
(L-R, Brad, Nemo, Koda)