Exterior - Done!!

Over the past few weeks we have been cutting, painting and attaching the trim around the windows, doors and new garage; painting the purple window frames white, and painting the soffit blue. Today Chris finished sealing the new trim, and we think (we hope) the exterior of the house is ready for winter! Lucky as there is a winter storm advisory out for tomorrow night - so looks like we just made it!! I'm pretty happy with how it looks, and OK there are still some things that need to be worked on (front deck and steps, painting the tin roof, fixing driveway), those are tasks for next summer..............

Chris attaching the trim

Probably not the safest way to attach trim - but our ladder was too short!

This weekend - painting anything green, blue.

Painting the soffit - a time-consuming task

Painting the soffit on the other side of the house!

We borrowed the neighbours ladder so we could reach the high points without having to lean out the window!

How the house looked tonight! Finished!!

Winston approves!

Just to remind you how the outside of the house looked like a year ago..................

Drywall

Once the blown insulation was completed by the pro's - Chris and I got to the interior walls with some fiberglass. At the same time the guys got to work with the drywall. By the end of the weekend - good progress had been made. Hopefully by Christmas the whole upstairs will be drywalled, and ready for primer and paint !!!! Thats going to be an exciting day!

Rather them than me. So thankful for these talented guys!

Screwing the drywall in place

Chris and Url watching!!

The last of the free windows - perfect size and shape for the master bedroom - and lovely view of the back garden.

At the front of the house - wheres url ???
Impossible to hide with those ears!

A fiberglass frock. Itchy!
Cutting and stapling the interior insulation!

Drywall in the corridor

Kichen starting to get covered!

Spare bedroom

Bathroom ceiling going up

Corridor ceiling in!

Lots of snow outside the back door!!

Doors and a few windows!

Unfortunataly the beautiful front door was not up to scratch - after my hard labours of sanding, filling and painting - it turned out the door wasn't quite straight - so when we eventually hung it - it had almost an inch gap, some of the way around! A little bit too drafty for a house in the Rocky Mountains. So despite my disappointment - we purchased a new wooden front door and a new steel back door! With a second new window installed at the front, plus two bathroom windows - the house is starting to become more airtight and secure!

Sanding in September - when the sun was still shining and hot!

After first coat of blue paint!! Wanted blue because it reminds me of front doors in London!

Please mind the gaps!

New back door

New front door!

Second front window in! With a snowy view

Back door in!

Two new bathroom windows in.

Front door in - still need to paint it blue - and put a strip at the bottom to stop the draft.

Precious Url catching some sun! Took the door off to paint today - and found the paint fully frozen in the tin. Instructions for use - temperature needs to be 35F. I think today in Minturn it was 10F! No painting undertaken today - and door went back on! Might be a job for the Spring!

Door back up - awaiting paint!

Windows and a gammy foot!

We are fortunate to live in a pretty nice area of Colorado - in which there are some pretty nice houses/mansions/second or even third homes - and we were even more fortunate to hear of some pretty nice windows being removed from one of these homes and being thrown away. We were told if we wanted to go and pick these windows up - they were ours!

We jumped on this offer and headed over to the gated community in which said windows were located in our Budget rental van - and went about gathering them up!

Unfortunately they were pretty damn heavy - Chris had a 'gammy' foot and could hardly walk. I'll stop right there and copy the definition of gammy - for all those non-UK followers !!

gammy [ˈgæmɪ]

adj -mier, -miest

Brit slang (esp of the leg) malfunctioning, injured, or lame; game US equivalent gimpy

So anyway - our little Hispanic friend, Miguel who was working at the house decided he would help us out - we felt somewhat worthless - but he got the job done and we got two pretty nice windows out of the deal - apparently two more are to follow - so keeping our fingers crossed for that - and also for that Miguel will be there to help!!  

Chris trying to help carry the extremely heavy window with Miguel - after the attempts with me failed!

Stunning views of Beaver Creek from the house ! 

Miguel couldn't handle the lame attempt from Chris - so just took the window himself!! 

Still carrying the window - it was a slight trek back up to the road - I was very grateful. Chris was quiet.
His manhood took a blow that day!!!

New window in place! Needs a little clean.

View from the inside!