We have concrete

The rain has stopped, and we have dried out enough to get a cement truck up here.

I am amazed at how this guy can drive this thing, he backed it up our driveway (remember we live on a hill) around the house and into this narrow space. I am impressed, cause there ain't no way I could do that in such a huge truck, in my jeep...sure, but not that thing.

So the pour begins, after deciding if the cement was wet enough, it was a buzz of activity for a couple hours.



















Finial finishing is being done now. This machine makes a nice smooth finish, even creates a shine. This is how the floors were done in my house, they look like they are polished. All of the forms are off now, and we are going to begin (like that mouse in my pocket) the second phase of the build. Which is extending the plumbing for the new section. The back hoe is poised and ready.

Update....ARNIE..... in surgery today

I just received this note from my DS & DDIL who are helping Arnie and Cheri thru this very difficult time of their life. Today is the surgery. I ask for concentrated pray today and in the days to come for healing. Please see earlier posts for other details.

Please visit the blog below and leave a comment so they will know how many people care about them. How cool would it be for them to receive messages from all over the world. Our world are so small until we see how people from all over care about us in a situation like this.

Note; on the right side bar of the blog are two links, where you can send a gift to the family to help with financial concerns.

Note 2.....the quilts are in progress, and of course my machine is giving me fits (it needs prayer, too). I will post pictures to my quilt blog for all to see once they are done, thanks to everyone who has helped with this project. http://galynn-bhmc.blogspot.com/

Gail

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Hello everyone, I pray this e-mail finds you all well. As some of you know my dear friend Arnie has cancer and is having surgery today.
Please keep him and his family in your prayers. We have created a blog @ www.krahfamily2008.blogspot.com
Please feel free to post comments/prayers for the family and I will be updating as often as I can.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FORWARD THIS WEBSITE TO ANYONE WHO MAY WANT TO VISIT IT.
(Word of mouth seems to work or in this case e-mail)

Thank you so much and God bless you all.
Michele

Work on the Homestead

What a busy weekend it has been. Yesterday we began the task of moving our wood pile to a new location. Might not look like much but that is about 3 cords. We moved all the large stuff up onto the top pad, then cut and split the rest. Needless to say we are all ready for next winter. LOL.














Here is the result. There is a small pile of wood still there, we can't decide where we want it, as this is the apple wood we use for the smoker. On the left is a big pile of rocks, that I moved from my old flower bed, which will become borders and walk ways. Now why pray tell, did we go to all this work? This area will become a new garden, with some small trees, flowers, herbs, shrubs and a strawberry garden....or at least that is the plan. I will update you all as I go along.














Kirk built the shutters I have been wanting for the front of the house. Since we have decided to stay here and add on we have begun to do some exterior design, adding little things here and there. I just love the shutters and they are just what I planned. Is anyone surprised they are green.....my favorite color, grin. I love how it goes with the tin and how the shutters dress the house.














Here is the porch. Look at that stack of wood.....yes we cut and stacked that, well 3/4 of it, the other 1/4 was left over from this winter. Now you can see some of the decorations we have added, the stove was what keep Kirk warm in the shop the first winter, now he has a pellet stove (we have come up in the world a little), it is now a flower stand. Remember to click for a bigger picture. We also put up the corner braces, license plates, some sleds (out of the picture), the hanging plants, etc. Rocky is sure getting big isn't he?














Now onto gardening. Just an update on the plant progress. You can see they are getting big. Some have been transfered outside and we are watching the tomatoes grow bigger, soon we will be enjoying our first fruits. We have been eating beautiful lettuce and spinach for over a month now.














Some of the flowers.














And the tire garden is going strong. Lots of lettuce, spinach, chives, onions. It has been a busy weekend, I am tried. Oh I forgot we put flashing up on the roof line, I hate heights so that was not fun at all, thank goodness I only had to be up there a few minutes, though I think it took me longer to get back down, Kirk had to help me on the steepest part. Yikes.














Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.

Winter?? Spring??? Winter??? Which is it??

One day it is spring, nice warm and sunny the next it is cold and raining. I don't mind the rain to much, it is keeping the hills green. The problem is when your trying to pour cement.

This is what our "soil" looks like, it is very weird, it's in layers. The rain and wind cause it to sluff off and fill the areas around the future slab. We have dug it out once, and now it needs to be done again. This stuff gets really sticky when it is wet, it does dry out quickly though.















Cleaned out here. Now we are building this into the hill, encase your wondering why the dirt is so high.
















An overview of the first phase of the slab, with heating tubing installed. Now for it to stay dry long enough to pour, or the real issue to get a cement truck up on the hill and it not sinking in the mud. Grin.

Update on Arnie & Blessings

I have to tell you all what a blessing I have received. I put out a call to 2 of my quilt groups (online) for help with making a comfort quilt for Arnie. Do you know that these wonderful ladies have supplied me with a completed top, two complete kids quilts and blocks so now the whole family is going to be comforted. I am just so touched by the generosity of you all.

Now to give an update. Arnie will be going into surgery on the 16th, your continued prayer support is so much appreciated.

Here is a note from my DDIL, Michele......she is heading up fund raising for Arnie and Cheri.



**********
I have set up a paypal account to receive donations. All the banks I called require giving out the account number to
people to make donations and they have to have an account to do it over the internet, Really dumb if you ask me.
But after looking into several other places I have set up a paypal account to accept them. The fees are small.
If anyone would like to make a donation they can at www.paypal.com and send the payment to e-mail address
krahfamily@yahoo.com
Thank you all!!! Michele
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If you feel lead to give a donation, here is the info and I thank you in advance from the bottom of my heart. The insurance will only pay a portion of what Arnie will need, they are contacting the cancer society also. God Bless you all for what your doing to help.

Hugs
Gail