Have a Hearth

Whilst I was away working in Chapel Hill this past week, the hearth was put in place and so the fireplace now has a pretty good finished look to it. I think they may still have yet to come back and do the scrubbing of stray mortar, but it's looking fine to me. It's a substantial piece of work...it is imposing in its own way but I think it's going to be a great compliment to the rest of the kitchen.

Speaking of the kitchen, I've found myself relishing the very warm temps this weekend (upwards of 70 by 3 pm each day), a most welcome change after the wet and cold of most of the winter. I've spent a lot of time enjoying being able to walk around the addition and contemplate and examine closely and scrutinize and marvel and dream and imagine...without the chill of winter driving me back into the warmth of the house.

Now that the framing inspection is behind us, the insulation of the walls has now been done:


And on my to-do list for this project was to get a fence installed on the south property line, defining the border between my property and the apartments in the house next door. It is a way to eliminate the nuisance of next-door neighbors who like to "borrow" my driveway without asking, a pernicious and repeated problem while I've lived here. Even worse has been getting cussed out--literally!--by workers for Baldwin Property Management when I tell them they can't park their trucks in MY driveway while they do work in the house next door.