Here You Go Chris....

Chris is at work and is slightly excited about the progress this deck is making, so here are some midday photos.

I Can Almost Taste The Cocktails!!

After three days of work, the deck is really coming together! The footprint in laid out and the surface boards are beginning to go down, I was even able to have a sit and enjoy a coffee.
This weekend we are shopping for a new bbq and patio set ;)

Getting Started on the Deck!

The arrival of this incredible weather has enabled us to start work on our outdoor living space sooner than we anticipated. Chris has been working diligently at leveling out the terrain around the house and bringing topsoil up to encourage grass growth where the deck will end and lawn will begin.

So here's the plan, the East side (front) and South side of the house will have 10' wide full length deck wrapping around to the West side (entry) where the deck will be approx 4 1/2 ' wide with a pergola on the East side to not only add a shady escape, but mostly to add and eye pleasing attribute to a currently blank canvas. All will be done in pressure treated deck board and expertly crafted by my brother Jason, we are SO lucky to have been able to hire him for this project!
If all goes well, construction should commence on Monday!!

EceEnergy Audit - Totally Worth It!!

Well, a nice surprise met us in the mailbox today! A $5000 cheque from the Federal Government! So, we got back far more than we thought we would and not only that, but the Ontario government matches that $5000 with a cheque that should follow in about a month. Yippee!! I think our deck is easily paid for and maybe a nice patio set.

So, all my belly aching about our poor rating was not worth it. Our house seems to be quite energy efficient based on our winter heating and hydro costs, so between that and the all mighty buck, we are quite happy with our renovation choices.

The Smell of Spring!

With spring in the air (almost), we are getting anxious to start up our little farm. We have been organizing some of the things in the barn setting some items aside to be included in our family yard sale, some designated to the burn pile and some being reassigned a place in our lives.

Chris has been adamant about building me a tack room in the barn, I resisted at first using the excuse of extra time and supplies needed for the project however, now that it is taking shape I am finding it to be a much needed space for some of the items that just don't fit in the house and that I don't have the heart to part with. So aside from the obvious saddles, bridles and grooming equipment, my grandfathers desk will have a new home.

Our chicken coup is also taking shape! I won the battle that earned me a larger space for our birds and put the order in for 10 Plymouth Rock laying hens and 12 White Rock meat cockerels! April 9th we should have 22 fuzzy peepers for a certain little girl to adore. We also intend to get some ducklings, but that will happen later on in the spring.

The glorious mud kept us entertained this morning and the deck piers around the house peaking through the melting snow has reminded us that we need to start making deck plans!!!!

Back Splash!

After the arduous task of selecting a back splash, we stumbled upon this amazing tile store in Barrie called Desert Tile, wow, they had a great selection and my perfect fit!! The colours pull out the flecks in the quartz countertop and cupboards. The painter is coming later this week to do touch up paint and I am finally getting to "girlifying" Hanna's room so stay tuned for pics!

The Energuide Rating

Well, I am disappointed to say the least. After having gone through the EcoEnergy Audit and performing a HUGE amount of renovations, our score was lacking.

The original house scored a 69% efficiency and now we score a 75%.... not even in the "Most Efficient" category. I am not sure how foolproof the test is and what the possible variables could be for a faulty test, because I mean we have EnergyStar rated windows and doors, and the entire house is sealed with spray foam insulation, what does it take to create a thoroughly efficient home?

I think I will do a little research into this.