2013

On the build siteThis has been another slow week on the building site. TJ’s crew were there to clean up the basement slab and pour the final concrete, for the front porch. The porch slab sits above a section of the basement which will remain “unfinished” as both a storage area and also our shelter […]

On the build siteChristmas week has been a slow time for builders. Now that the basement floor slab has been poured, there is a waiting time until after the start of 2014 when the framing crew move in. Just as well, given some of the heavy weather we have been having recently, it gives the

Things have been moving ahead on the building front, thanks in part to a spell of drier weather. After a lot of preparation, the basement slab has been poured at last. TJ and his crew were very busy all week on site, pouring concrete and stamping (putting a lightly patterned coloured surface onto the concrete

Unlike last week, this week was only wet intermittently. Mind you, when it rained, it rained hard – on Friday night and Saturday we had about 1¼inches. However, TJ and his crew have carried on with the preparations for pouring the lower floor slab. The earth in the area where the concrete will be poured

This week was wet. Really wet. The chill seems to have lifted a little, but the weather has not been at all good – on Wednesday and Thursday there was heavy drizzling mist all day long (which everyone I spoke to seemed to think I would welcome because it’s just like they perceive London to

This week was Thanksgiving – the ultimate American family holiday when everyone appears to travels vast distances for a traditional turkey meal on Thursday. Then the real celebrations begin with Black Friday – a frenzy of shopping. All the stores offer bargains to celebrate the fact that the retail trade has now covered its costs

Week starting 17th November – Wine, Windows, Wildflowers and Wetness  The seasons are certainly changing here – we have had several nights well below freezing (and light snow in Suches twenty miles North of here – though that’s a place a bit more elevated than Dahlonega). We have had heavy rains on two days, which doesn’t help

Week starting 10th November – Last of the leaves, Planning Meeting and a new toy  We had some seriously cold nights this week, with temperatures several degrees below freezing. During the day it is not too bad, and by afternoon you don’t really need a jacket outside. Over the weekend we had some heavy rain, too, as

Week starting 3rd November – Filling the house and two sorts of Meetings Autumn is moving rapidly towards winter in North Georgia. The temperature is falling to near freezing temperatures some nights, though it is not consistent – short sleeves are fine some days. The long range forecast even predicts snow next Wednesday. The leaves are falling

Week starting 27th October – Halloween, Leaves, Trusses and more flag stuff  Halloween fell this week. But on Thursday evening the weather wasn’t that friendly, and even though we had made preparations with supplies of candy, we had no terrifying visitors at Choctaw Ridge. However, we did meet some of our to-be neighbours last Saturday at a