Thursday, September 24, 2015

I Feel The Earth.Move. Under My Feet

A little Carole King on this Thursday afternoon because if there's a song lyric that matches up with life I'm all over it.


Finally. We moved some dirt.


Not me personally, but the excavators officially started work on Tuesday. When hubs and I pulled up at 9 am that day, the sound of a chainsaw was music to our ears.


Our builder was there too, and he and hubs talked details. Not the kind of details I'm interested in like what will the kitchen cabinets look like, more ten foot setbacks and two feet off the property line and run off and gravel and silt fences blah blah blah. Call me when we get to the good stuff.

Like this-


Photo op only....insurance and all that nonsense you know. Also, I'm strictly management.

Our excavator is absolutely one of the nicest people we've met here in the Palmetto State. He's really helpful too, in steering us in the right direction when it comes to retaining walls, tree removal, and what to do with all that dirt. He didn't even lose patience when hubs re-iterated to him for the umpteenth time that we definitely positively absolutely must have a curve in the driveway.

For some reason hubs felt the need to explain, then explain again, and then 'just so we're on the same page...' and you know Mr. Excavator didn't roll his eyes even a little bit.

Hubs likes to drill down to the nth degree which is a blessing and a curse. Mostly I'm really happy he's retired right now because it's safe to say I'd never have gotten the driveway looking the way he's imagined it in his head since we began the design process back in May.


They started cutting in the driveway first thing so the work trucks can roll over it to access the lot. Later in the day a truckload of large gravel was dropped at the top of the drive. This is to help take mud off the tires so as not to annoy the neighbors we don't know yet.


No filter either. The dirt is seriously red here and I think I feel a country music song coming on.


Our lot is pretty heavily wooded which we love, but there's water out there and we need a water view. Also, the house has to go somewhere so trees must fall. The community and lake laws in general are pretty specific about what can actually be felled, but anything sitting where the house or driveway are going to perch can be taken down without a problem.


It was fun to watch the grabber lift ginormous trees like toothpicks, shake the dirt off, then swing them over to a pile for sawing and transferring off the lot.


Also, I wasn't kidding about the earth moving. When these big trees fall you literally feel it under your feet.  Once the house is built we'll limb the canopy up 50% which will be amazing.

I wonder if I'll post a picture?

On that note...I haven't decided how often I'll blog about the house build, but it's a bit all consuming so probably more than I should. I love pictures and too many words, but if you visit here often you know already know this.

And if you're new, I'll grow on you.
I promise.

16 comments:

  1. It's always hard to see trees going down - well, maybe not for you since it means you are a step closer to getting the house underway! I think you will find many country songs along the way...I mean you ARE in South Carolina now - where everything is a good ole country song!

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  2. Well, I sure do hope you post tons of pictures and write millions of words about the house build because I am so excited for you and that you will share the fun with us!!

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  3. Oh, Joyce I so hope you will blog on the building process and keep us all updated. Having just done it, I am so interested in all of it. And, yes, our husbands must be made of the same mold. Our electrician was out today to do something and said he had never seen a man oversee a house quite like Hubby did. :o)) I'm so excited for you!

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  4. Hooray!
    I just don't know if I will ever get over how red the dirt is here. I am constantly reminding myself that it's really dirt. Ha.

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  5. Wow, how exciting!! I'm thrilled for you and the progress.

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  6. I can feel your excitement! You must be jumping for joy. Love the pictures, how bout some video of those machines? :D

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  7. So exciting! And while I'm with you on getting a little more enthused about things to come, it's fun to enjoy and record all the little steps along the way. Driveways, and drywall, and docks, oh my! Lol. Looking forward to seeing all the things.

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  8. Exciting times for you. And please show lots of pictures and let us watch the build taking place. I don't foresee us building again, so it's fun watching someone else doing it.

    Hope you have a great weekend Joyce!

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  9. Oh happy day! So good to see that the ground has been broken for your new home!

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  10. It is all so exciting and yes you definitely need that view!!!

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  11. Soooo Exciting! You SHOULD totally tell us everything!

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  12. You know we gals LOve details, so feel free to show & tell us everything!

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  13. So exciting for you and yes please keep us updated with pictures, words etc.

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  14. I'm so happy to hear that "earth is being moved" :) I do hope you will regularly post about the progress, since building a home (from the ground up) is quite an interesting process! You will enjoy having a record of it, later, as well.
    Kathy (Reflections)

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