"I been standin' on a rock......" (thanks to the Ozark Mountain Daredevils).....or, spoiled....a one-man-operation....and "how's the house coming?"

Spoiled.......the two guys who hung the sheet rock could have been stars of their own mini-series. One was as hyper as a buzz saw, an admitted video war game addict and probably slept about fifteen minutes a night. The other guy was as steady and deliberate as a priest at the communion rail and was a boxer and boxing coach in his spare time. Together, they were one mean sheet rocking machine and I pity anyone who tried to get in their way while they were hoisting, hollering, slinging, slapping and nailing those suckers in. I thought, "now we're talking......this is the way it's going to happen from now on." More than one person has said, "Once the sheet rock goes up, things really begin to happen." That spoiled me. I just didn't understand that "sheet rock going up" meant the buzz saw boys leaving and a one-man-operation coming in afterwards to put on the tape, the mud, sand the walls and put metal strips on the bottom. I'm not complaining, you understand, I just never seem to ask enough questions and get the vernacular in my head.

A one-man-operation.....I'm beginning to get the picture....this guy must be an artist, must prefer to work alone, and is probably constantly inspired as he gazes out the window at the various waterfowl and creatures of nature gathering at the river while he tapes, muds and sands. Nice work if you can get it, eh?

This sheet rock production seems like it has gone on forever....(and I'll try to get some pictures of it tomorrow or the next day)....but is making me happy every time I visit. The lines of the house look so much more sharp and defined now.....and combined with the whiteness of the walls, your eyes are almost forced to follow those lines to each window and what lies beyond. It's very dramatic and very fulfilling....because the view out of each opening is both dramatic and fulfilling. And I'm pretty sure that's exactly what that one-man-operation is feeling too. That takes time.

"How's the house coming?"....(I got side-tracked and a little carried away, just then.) I was going to say that during this lengthier phase of the operation, I continue to enjoy the people who ask, "how's the house coming?". I really do. I don't anticipate many more "happenings" of this caliber for the rest of my life, and I am constantly amazed at the folks who know about this project, who seem to genuinely care enough to ask, and also seem to know how much this house means to me. It makes me feel very wealthy on every level each time I am asked. Thank you.

I did manage to take a few pictures last week to send to a friend who wondered, "can you see the house now from the river?"...."can you see the house from the road?"....."how long is driveway going to be?"...."what kind of path do you have to the river from the house?"....."how do you get your kayak down to the river?".


The future driveway taken from the non-river side of the house. (You can't see the main road from the house....and you can't see the house from the main road.)
Taken from the not-so-steep, switchback path to the river.
Taken from halfway down the steep path down to the river.
Standin' on a rock..........in front of the house looking down river.
Standin' on a rock......in front of the house looking up river.
Standin' on a rock...... looking up at the house.....contemplating dragging the kayak back up the steep or not-so-steep path to the house.

And, as the Ozark Mountain Daredevils also say, "better get back to the country, look around and find you a home....."