Our new foster family

I know, I know I should be updating my house blog. I've been running out of steam. We have a few more rooms painted and the office is almost done. Yes, we enjoyed a summer with the pool (but no landscaping - another issue). I want to share the cute pictures. June 2010 our beloved cat Lipton died from her diabetes. This past spring we fostered a mother cat and her 5 kittens for 3 months. We kept the mom, Valentina, and one kitten, Tuxedo. Enjoy.

Interesting facts: every kitten can have a different father - that's why the wide variety in the coloring of kittens. Snowball is part Simese. 80% of the orange tabbies are males. Calico or tortie cats (mom and mocha) are always female.

I would have loved to keep snowball and clemetine but our house is furnished for black pets (dark rugs, dark couches, dark bedspreads, dark counters...)
Lauren named the kittens - snowball, clemetine, mocha, bandit and tuxedo. Can you guess which is which?

This is what waited for us every time we came home. They were at the window next to the mudroom.

More pool in process pics

I'm a little behind but here are a few in process pics. The framing of the pool.

After framing they spray the "cement" and smooth it out.




The reason why we have big ruts in our our yard.




Wetting down the pool once or twice a day while it cures. Lauren says "I don't think it's worth having a pool if we have to do this every day."




The "mess" from the street.

Eventually this will be a yard.
3.5' retaining wall at back of property goes here. Our yard will match the top of the pressure treated neighbor's wall.
Back retaining wall near other neighbor's retaining wall.

A big hole in the ground

Here are some in process pictures of the pool. I am so impressed with the back hoe drivers. John (left) with our pool rep - Andrews pools.

Framing out the pool - it's roughly 41' x 28' in an L shape. Because of setbacks the smallest width is approx 11' by the entrance stairs and then it gets wider.

Pool equipement will go behind the garage next to the AC units.

Hayden came over to watch the backhoe and dump truck. What a wonderful outing for a 3 year old boy. He cannot wait for the pool. It was only 90 and humid today. They said about 6 weeks to the finished pool.

Digging the trench for the equipment pipes from the back of the garage to the pool. This is the view from the kitchen. The bluestone patio will be out this door.

Kim and Jacob in the shade

Day 2 - pool dug and spreading final rocks at bottom of pool. Adding a dry well for 3 downspouts to keep water away from pool and our foundation. One downspout occasionaly gave us a small puddle in the basement. Hopefully this will not happend anymore.

View from the kitchen window. The shallow end wraps around the house to the right. Most of the pool is 3' to 4.5' for games (volleyball, basketball, etc.) A small deep end at the far end.

Other end of pool - shallow end (about 16") for the little ones. In the far right corner is 6.5' .

View from the side dining room window.

View straight out the dining room. Bluestone patio will be behind kitchen on left - garden with path to pool here and pool to the right.

View from the kitchen window where the table will be located.

Latest kitchen pictures

OK it's a functional kitchen but not quite done. We have to move down the frig and microwave plus pick a paint color. The microwave will go to the left of the range. It's a bit messy but I was in a hurry (that's why no close up of the farmhouse sink). John has to build the built in bench with the old floor boards that were found above the ceiling. We need a new kitchen table, stools for the island and of course we still need to build the pantry shelving and nook cabinet. Our 1st priority is paint though.