Thursday, May 7, 2015

The Lake Effect

Hubs and I wound our way south last week, making two stops before finally landing in South Carolina. Day one found us in Richmond for an overnight with hubs brother and sister-in-law. No I did not snap a single picture of the two together. Darn.

I mentioned on my blog a while back that hubs and I lived in Richmond as newlyweds, so the city holds a special place in our hearts. We loved that friends from college were able to join us for dinner too, and we had a good time catching up in person with both family and friends. Before leaving town we buzzed by our very first house which always feels a little surreal. It's been re-sided but was still recognizable.

We continued southward to Tennessee on Sunday and spent two nights with hubs other brother and sister-in-law, plus a quick couple of meals with his folks. When you're us you take what you can get. Hubs and I spent all day Monday hiking in the Smokies which I wrote about here before making our way on to South Carolina on Tuesday morning.


We had appointments with three builders, plus a dock builder, plus the actual closing on our recently purchased lot, plus a rental viewing 'cuz we need to live somewhere between the selling here and the building there, plus a 5K, plus a day in my daughter2's classroom, plus plus plus.

So thankful for my sister and brother-in-law who live in the Upstate and so graciously allow us to use their house as home base. Hubs and I would leave their place by 9 AM or earlier and not return most nights until 8 or 9 PM. It was great to have some home cooked meals too, as all the eating out is not good for the waistline. ahem.

It was a week of serious information overload. While we've owned many houses, we've never built one from the ground up, and there's a steep learning curve. We met with three different builders, all highly capable, and each one with a slightly different process than the one before. I told hubs I feel like I'm dating three guys and can't make up my mind.

For the record, I never dated three guys at the same time. Did that need clarifying?
Also, I think we've made up our mind.

The dock guy was easy peasy and it's a pretty straightforward process. Our dock permit has been approved, and you're given a dock zone within your property lines that you need to stay inside of, but other than that there's not a million decisions like there are with the house. We have good water depth, so will plunk our dock down where it's deepest and then grab our coffee cups and our chairs and watch the house go up from the waterside.


If only it would happen that quickly and easily. Sigh. 

We spent a lot of time in the car last week. My sister lives on one side of town, my daughter on the complete opposite side of town, and the lake is essentially the third point of the triangle, more or less equidistant from them both. Hubs and I like to listen to books on tape while traveling and normally I get something from the library that we'd both enjoy. I didn't have a chance to do that before we left, but my other sister had given me Game of Thrones a while back so we brought that along.

It took a while to get into, but we're liking it now. It's not short. Only 18 more discs to go! And hubs has started calling me m'lady which makes me laugh.

We took care of all the lake business we could Tuesday-Thursday, because I was determined to spend time Friday with my Daughter2. I volunteered in her classroom, and had the best day watching her with her students. She's more than I ever imagined she'd be and I always imagined she'd be awesome.


Friday evening hubs, Daughter2, and one of her teacher friends participated in a 5K. Her friend is a runner, but this was Daughter2's first 5K so that was fun.  I just love that my girls have such sweet friends, especially given how far apart we live.


For now! Soon I'll be close by and all up in her business. Ha! Not really Daughter2! She knows I'm kidding. I am kidding. Promise. But we will have lunches and mani/pedi dates and other fun and I'm excited to have her within arms reach.


Saturday was splendid. There is no better word to describe it. Daughter1's in-laws have a house on the lake and they invited us for a boat ride and lunch at one of the restaurants you can get to via the water. My hubs had a grin the size of South Carolina on his face the entire day.


The Blue Ridge Mountain view from the lake is positively stunning. The photos I took do not do it justice, partly because it's not easy to take a photo from a boat zipping along the water and partly because it's me.


 We're a year out from actually having a completed house to live in, but mentally...

.
...we. are. there. 

16 comments:

  1. Sad I missed you on this trip. Too bad I couldn't see you in TR at the race. But then I got to see my sweet granddaughter, so there's that. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well, you have finished up with the wedding decisions & planning - and have jumped right into house decisions & building! Another BIG project! Do you already have blueprints? When will construction start? It sounds VERY exciting - and a bit overwhelming. But, like planning a wedding - you make a list and go through it day by day, one item at a time! Good luck!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. It all sounds so exciting and lovely - here's to a summer filled with dock sitting and progress on the new house :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Joyce... what an exciting chapter of your life that you are beginning! And to have the luxury of being young! After all the houses the Mr. and I have lived in, we always said that we could design our "perfect" house. My advice on picking the right contractor - pick the cute one. Have a great Mother's Day.

    ReplyDelete
  5. You have such a beautiful place to put your new home! I am excited and happy for you, and even happier that you will be sharing with us!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am SO excited for you. Looks like the perfect location and I just know your house will be beautiful. Eventually. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  7. How exciting for you guys. I am so looking forward to see pictures and hear all about your next year of building. Love the beautiful pictures of the lake.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Did I miss something in all my crazy busy-ness the last week ... did you sell your current home already?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sounds like you had a great trip and the plans sound realy exciting.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Our building project is almost finished, so we will get to move into the house in June. It makes for craziness for sure. Beautiful water and mountain pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh, this is so exciting and you are definitely going to "God's Country." Hubby and I honeymooned in the Blueridge Mts. and I've spent so much time there over the years. I'm so excited for you and do hope all it takes for your house is 1 year. Looks like we're going to make it in 13 months and we live right here on top of it. All the best and I can't wait to follow along!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Looks beautimous! Looking forward to your new adventures!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks for thst pic of the Blue Ridge, though it did make me a bit homesick. I was born and went to University in the Appalachian Mts. and still consider that as one of my homes. Also, I'm seriously jealous about that house to be with a dock :) Being close to family is awesome, too. Enjoy and congrats!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Joyce,
    Congratulations on the land purchase! And the dock building!! My husband and I will break ground, God willing, in SC late this year. We will be near the ocean, and I'm excited about that!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I can feel your excitement bursting forth right off the page, Joyce. I could not be more thrilled for you.

    ReplyDelete
  16. For me, being on the water is my "happy place". You are going to love living in SC, especially being closer to your girl!

    ReplyDelete