7 Days Left

Quick update, doors are all complete and installed, just need door stop on the jambs. Never use minwax stains, they are not consistent and some doors are light and some are darker, still looks good though becouse of the house. The doors took 4 days to complete, leaving me with just a few items to complete before we move in by the 24th, the master vanity top being the biggest one left. I'm on the last of everything, last door finished, last lockset mortised, last base trim, last vanity, last appliances, last nerve, really. I have been working late every night, making this the most dificult and stressful time yet. Speaking of stress, I really have done well at not getting mad through the whole project, I have not destroyed one thing out of anger, an obvious maturing for those that have known me a long time. But, all this precise woodwork takes tremendous focus, and lately I have been going a little insane, producing some very spicey tirades, but no casualties. Since we returned from the beach in mid-August, I have taken off maybe 3 days at most, I have not worked like that since 2000 on the Block 2 project in Little Rock, and it's finally getting to me. There are still 7 days left though, and I'm sure each will be a late one. Gorgeous and early fall, creek is running, weather has been awesome, MY DAY IS COMING SOON. I have not touched my guitar in 2 weeks, the longest time for me in 12 years, but soon I will be playing costantly and writing songs. This has just been a lifetime experiance, just like the cabin was, but I'm ready to return to a regular life. When I am done, I will write a complete recap of my 1-1\2 year adventure on the mountain and do a complete photo essay. That will be fun, but for now, viva la Osage!

Early Fall-Late Nights

Big Final Push

Ran out of gas and had to take a couple days off while Robyn went to Eureka Springs with all  the sisters in law of our family. Left all the Jones boys by themselves up on the mountain, a dangerous proposition. Brother Dave and I had a late night Saturday, and Brother Scott and I took the kids on a 4 wheeler ride on Sunday. It's been awhile since I had been over to Outlaw Hollow, and I am always impressed with how awesome a piece of land that is. One of my goals is to restore and improve all  of trails from damage received in the great ice storm. I also want to make more, the lay of the land over there is just perfect for trails. The final push is on, I have 16 days left to get us moved in. Better get busy, The Hollohead

The Last Piles

I am  finally working my way through the last piles of lumber, the walnut looks like I will just have enough, or just a little short. And the cherry looks like we have just enough also, all I gotta do is put it on the wall. This is so cool, thousands and thousands of boards, and I am on my last few dozen. Slowly the realization of what we have accomplished is sinking in, 1-1/2 years since I began framing this house, we are soon to be done. The last three years have transformed our lives, having built our bussiness(sorry, I know Obama built our bussiness) and this awesome place in under three years is pretty special. There is one last big push to complete all the interior items before moving in somewhere around the 20th of October. Looks like everything will be complete, including the tile backsplashes in the kitchen, and the island too. I don't think I ever want to do this again, my future projects will be just as cool, just not as big. This place is our foundation from here on out, this is home and the base of our operations. There are very few places built with the attention to detail and quality that has gone into building this place, and to pay someone else is too costly. Speaking of costs, after I'm done, it's time to get this place payed for. We don't want to be paying on this place when I'm 90, so I will have to get to thinking about ideas to make massive profits in a nation where profits have become a bad word. Maybe the government will build me something, "I'll take a profitable bussiness to go please", or maybe we will expand our bussiness and put in new stores and give the government half of everything we make. But for now, the last piles slowly wither away, leaving a welcomed void where they have layed for what seemed like forever. For me, it's like sand through the hourglass, with each board that goes up, I am closer to the end. Hollohead

The End Is Near!!!

Interior doors are in! Scott and Mike worked with me over the weekend and got all the doors installed, leaving me with a mountain of work to do. Actually, there are under 100 boards to install, and we will just about be done. That may sound like a lot, but it is not when you consider that there are probably 5000 boards in the whole place. I'm down to the last items inside; trim on doors, base moulding down, stain doors, build island and valance in kitchen, complete couple pieces of trim in Awesome room, build master bath vanity top and complete shelving system, and then knock out everything in a clear poly finish. 2 weeks of hard work will put me on the proverbial doorstep of knocking the interior out. Then we will move in, take a deep breath, and complete the few remaining items on the outside. I'm tired, but I also know that with just one more big push, it will be done. Check it out, the Hollohead

Where It's At

O.k., So the granite was installed today and looks great, now for the tile backsplash. Next up is the glass vanity and walnut shelves in the master bath, which is the only thing left upstairs, oh yeah, mirrors and shower doors.  After I finish those items upstairs, I will move to Matt's room and finish what little is left in there. Got good news from my old carpenter,he's coming for a couple days next week to install the jambs and doors, saving me 4 days of doing them myself. This helps immensely, and will speed up move in date, yee haw. The interior doors look soooo good, just a lot of work in them. About 2 weeks of hard long days of focused woodwork, and I'll be compete in the interior, then a couple weeks on the exterior to basically finish the house. There will of course be plenty of projects to entirely finish, but at least the place will be done. I will keep posting pics of the last days of the massive project. Later, RJ

Round Window Trimmed Out

The granite has been moved back till a week from monday, effectively ending our desire to be moved in next week. But the worst thing is that we will have to pay another months rent and only stay for 1 week. Either way, it's down to a matter of 2 weeks and we're in. The good thing about that is that I will complete more of the house. I'm working to complete every item upstairs now, base moulding, staining doors, trimming the round window in the bathroom, and completing the shelves and valance over the vanity. I also need to build the master vanity glass countertop, which should be an interesting project. And a couple of hours later, I have completed the round window trim and it looks so awesome, I will post some pics of it. Also got a call from the granite folks and they have moved the install up to next thursday, yeehaw! Dang, I wish I had some help installing the doors, but I'm fixen to have to get after it anyway.   I am the wood master and this is where I shine, so shine on Hollohead. Awesome weather the past couple of weeks, just need some rain to get water in the creek again. I am so tired of sawdust, gets in your eyes and I gotta wear a dust mask all the time.I am also tired of working alone, I'm getting all warped up from too much focus on one thing. I'm ready to balance out things more, but there is still about a month of completing things all the way inside and out. I will be done just in time to enjoy fall and hiking season. My biggest problem after finishing the house is having a place to put all our tools and boats and implements and gear. We need a guest house and garage and gear shack. So everyone get out and enjoy this beautiful weekend. Later, Holllohead