Buxton Build

Cornhole Toss

2011-10-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

Carolee and I are spending a few days at the house for some rest and relaxation, and will do all of the necessary things to get it shut down for the winter. Thanks to our friends the Myers', Buckeye cornhole toss is now on the agenda for future trips to the beach!

Wahoowa!

2011-08-14T04:00:00.000-07:00

Melissa and the UVA gang return this week for another long weekend of fun in the sun!

Young father gets an “A”…sort of!

2011-07-14T04:00:00.000-07:00

I was sitting on the beach a couple of days ago reading a book and working on my tan (I look marvelous…actually stunning, but that’s another story), when this young father appears to the right of me with his 4-year old son and a fishing pole. I’m thinking this guy is doing the fatherly thing by teaching his toddler how to fish. I examine his fishing pole a little closer and notice it is one of those 6 foot pre-packaged rigs with the bright yellow fishing line that can be bought at Ace Hardware for $19.99…certainly sufficient for doing a bit of surf fishing. After looking a little closer I notice he is using a whole fish about 5-6 inches in length for bait and has two of them hooked through the mid-section on a double rig. I wouldn’t classify myself as an expert fisherman, but this is not the normal bloodworm or squid bait that one uses to catch spot, croakers, flounder or the occasional small shark.

I knew things were a little off, but really had my doubts when the first cast traveled about 10 feet and barely made it to the crashing surf. At this point he handed the pole to his young son and opened the bale so the line would get pulled out and down the shoreline by the current. While the boy is standing there letting his line disappear into the surf, Dad leaves and returns moments later with an identical pole that is rigged the exact same way. He proceeds to cast this pole so that it crosses the line of his son’s pole. Things are really getting interesting (who needs reality TV?)!

There is a big burly guy staying in a cottage across the street this week that we have affectionately named the “plumber”…probably TMI, but he has earned the nickname by showing everyone on the beach a little more than they bargained for. After watching Dad try to untangle the lines for 15 minutes, the “plumber” decides enough is enough and starts pulling the fishing line from the young boy’s pole out of the surf by the handful. At this point at least ¾ of the line from his reel is in the water and the “plumber” has an enormous amount of yellow line in his hand that he promptly hands to Dad.

Dad finally retreats to the beach with both poles, sits down and starts to work on untangling the two lines. I left the beach an hour later and the pole surgery was still in progress. It has been several days since this incident. I’ve seen Dad and the boy on the beach every day (and unfortunately the “plumber”), but no fishing poles. I think it is a good thing the lad is so young; he will have no memory of this debacle. Nice try Dad, you get an “A” for doing the fatherly thing, but building sand castles gives you the same father-son beach bonding experience and is much easier on the ego.

The Order Testudines

2011-07-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

This box turtle (from the order of Testudines) was sunning himself on our driveway this morning.

The Joys of Being Somewhat Colorblind

2011-07-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

So I was at Conner's supermarket yesterday doing some grocery shopping and stubbed my toe on something while I was in the produce department. Looked down at my big toe and it was bleeding under the nail, but not so severely that it was dripping on the floor or making a mess of my $5 flip flops. Returned to the house and ate lunch, and then headed down to the beach. Spent a considerable amount of time in the ocean boogie boarding and my toe was still an unsightly mess. Came back to the house and took a shower. The toe was still a mess, so I got out the nail clippers and prepared for minor surgery. Starting digging around under the nail, and what a treasure I did find! I stubbed my toe on a watermelon at Conner's and spent the day with a green watermelon rind jammed under my toenail...no blood, no damage. If I was not partially colorblind I probably would have noticed earlier in the day that my toe was green, not red! Such is life for those of us afflicted with this colorblindness thing!

Hatteras Like You Have Never Seen It!

2011-01-22T04:00:00.000-08:00

Carolee and Kristyne are at the beach this week for some mid-January R&R and they got a little more than they bargained for! It is a rare occurrence to have snow stick on the ground in Hatteras...happens every 10-15 years, but the girls timed it right. (Double click on the picture below for a larger view of the slideshow!)

OoO

2010-10-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

We mark our calendars at work with 'OoO' whenever we are going to be out of the office. I've come up with a new meaning for 'OoO'...October on Ocracoke. Carolee and I spent five days at the house by ourselves (not a complaint...we love to have other people around) last week, a rare event, and enjoyed some pretty spectacular weather. Carolee celebrated her birthday on Sunday the 17th by running 11 miles in preparation for her upcoming 1/2 marathon in Indianapolis and we had dinner with Dennis and Alita at Oceana's Bistro that evening. On Monday the 18th I took the ferry from Hatteras Island to Ocracoke Island and biked from the north end of the island down to the village of Ocracoke and back, a 27 mile round trip. It was a perfect day and I highly recommend hitting the Outer Banks in October when the crowds have died down (except the fisherman) and the daily highs are still in the mid to upper 70's. We are heading back to the beach next month and will spend Thanksgiving at the beach for the first time. The weather will be cooler, but the beach is good any time of the year.

Earl (is no pearl)

2010-09-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

Earl had Nora so wound up her hair was sticking straight up! Actually we sweated Hurricane Earl out Thursday evening from Indianapolis by watching The Weather Channel for a ridiculous amount of time (like it would change something!). The biggest problem was sound side flooding, but the island is back open for business and Highway 12 did not sustain any structural damage. If you know the area, slide 6 of the slide show (see link below) will give you a good reference point. The picture is taken going north on Highway 12 and you can see Dillon's corner on the left, which is right across the street from Old Lighthouse Road. Everyone is feeling fortunate that the area came through relatively unscathed considering this was a Category 4 storm at one point with winds of 145 mph!

http://www.islandfreepress.org/2010Archives/09.03.2010-HurricaneEarlSlideShow/index.html

"Gran-paw"

2010-07-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

Carolee's Dad celebrates his 79th birthday today. We had the entire gang of 22 over last night for ice cream cake and the opening of presents. The extremely nice icing lady at Food Lion struggled a bit with the spelling of Grandpa...I got her to drop the "w" at the end but didn't catch the missing "d" till we got back to the house!

Myers Family Redux

2010-07-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late on this post...but the Myers family made their return in early June and had what they described as "an awesome week".

HSC Men Make Their Return!

2010-06-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

Stephen and the Hampden-Sydney men returned to the beach in mid-May for their second annual visit! Stephen is a newly minted Wake Forest graduate and the rest of the group continue to further their education at Wake Forest, Penn State and other schools scattered around the country.

It's Windy!

2010-04-07T04:00:00.000-07:00

We arrived on the last day of March for a 10-day Easter/Spring Break vacation. The weather has been absolutely outstanding! Every day has been in the upper-60's to mid-70's without a cloud in the sky. The winds have gotten progressively stronger each day and have been gusting up to 35-40 mph. If you are planning to come down to Hatteras sometime this summer, you can be assured that the ocean will be here waiting for you!

Bodie Island Lighthouse Restoration Project

2010-02-25T04:00:00.000-08:00

I spent the last 3 days in Buxton painting a door and doing other miscellaneous projects around the house. On the way home I stopped to take a picture of the Bodie Island Lighthouse surrounded by scaffolding. The National Park Service is in the process of restoring the lighthouse, which will allow visitors to walk up it for the first time ever. The project is supposed to take 18 months. Use this link for more information:
http://www.nps.gov/caha/parknews/progress-on-bodie-island-lighthouse-restoration-project.htm

New Year's Eve 2009

2009-12-31T04:00:00.000-08:00

We made the trip down to Hatteras yesterday and plan to be here through New Year's Day. It rained hard this morning leaving us with a flooded street. It cleared out this afternoon and warmed up to the high 50's.

The storm that hit in November has reshaped the beach, making it much wider. It will be interesting to see if the wider beach lasts until next summer. The house at the end of the street still has its carports full of sand and it appears as though no one is living there. Enjoy the pictures (double click in the picture box for larger pictures).

Coastal Storm

2009-11-19T04:00:00.000-08:00

A coastal storm hit the Outer Banks last week, wrecking havoc on Buxton, Mirlo Beach and Nags Head. Dare County is estimating that the storm caused $5.2 million in damage. The dune at the end of our street, Cottage Avenue, was breached and water ran all the way out to Old Lighthouse Road and beyond. We were fortunate that our house did not sustain any damages due to the elevation of our lot. Bobcats are in the process of rebuilding the dune, but the more significant issue continues to be the damage to Highway 12 in Mirlo Beach that is restricting traffic to the south end of Hatteras Island.

Check out slides 3, 4, 6 and 42 from the attached link. The Porsche belongs to a woman who lives at the end of the street (closest to the ocean/dune)!
http://islandfreepress.org/2009Archives/11.13.2009-NightFallsOnIslandsBatteredByTheOceanAndSound2/index.html

OBX Half Marathon Finishers!

2009-11-08T04:00:00.000-08:00

Carolee, Melissa and Kristyne ran the OBX Half Marathon this morning. After an early wake up call (before 5 a.m), we drove up the beach to mile marker 11 in Nags Head and dropped the girls off at the race start. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, with temps in the high 50's at race start (7 a.m.) and in the upper 60's when they crossed the finish line. There wasn't a cloud in the sky! The race course ran south through a couple of Nags Head neighborhoods and crossed over the Manteo bridge for a downtown Manteo finish. Melissa had been sick all week and got off her death bed to finish in 2:07+. Kristyne finished in 2:09+ and Carolee finished in 2:25+...a great showing by all three ladies! Congratulations and wear the bling with pride!

Birthday Girl!

2009-10-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

With school starting again we have been very busy, making it difficult to get down to the beach. This was our first visit since Labor Day and the entire family spent a long weekend celebrating Carolee's birthday (the actual day was Saturday). Melissa did the cooking for the birthday meal...stuffed shells and Emril's chocolate cream pie...topping off a day of running (12 miles for Carolee & Melissa), walking the beach, bike riding, watching football and fishing (3 speckled trout for Eric). The weather was nice on Friday (mid 60's) and has gotten progressively cooler each day. It has been very windy, but it is really hard to complain...its the beach! Anyway, Carolee is going home with books, CD's, clothes, kitchen knives and other booty from her birthday bash. P.S. I know this is somewhat topical, but exactly what did Obama do to deserve a Nobel peace prize?

Preston

2009-09-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

The Berry side of the family spent the last week vacationing in Cape Hatteras and stayed at the house. Carolee and I joined them for the Labor Day weekend. The visit was short, but nice. We got to meet my niece Kate's son Preston for the first time. What a great little guy! He was so glad we brought our dog Casey along...oof, oof! If you want to learn more about this little guy, check out the following blog: http://www.mylovelyladybump.blogspot.com/

Flounder

2009-08-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

Eric and I woke up early on Sunday and decided to get an hour of surf fishing in before we left to come home. The flounder were biting and we caught three within 30 minutes. This 19 incher was our Sunday night dinner!

Storm

2009-08-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

We had a storm system move through on Thursday...a 35-mile wide band of rain that was centered over Buxton. It looked like nighttime at 3:30 p.m. and the rain came down in buckets.

They're Back!

2009-08-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

Not the poltergeists...just the Berry's. After a busy summer at the beach, we spent the last couple of weeks back home in Roanoke. We are down for another 10 day visit and when we return home Carolee will finally have to return to the classroom. I'm not sure of the history behind this UFO, but it's located about 6 miles south of the house in Frisco.

Fish

2009-07-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

Eric fished the sound during our beach week. The slideshow includes a sampling of his catch!

24

2009-07-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

This isn't a plug for Keifer Sutherland and his hit TV show, although I hear it is pretty good. Instead, it is the size of the group that we have staying in Buxton for our annual beach week. We have Don and Carolee to thank for this brood, since they begat Jeff, Linda, Carolee and Kristyne, and they all got married, and begat Renee, Andrea, Melissa, Matthew, Stephen, Greg, Kortnie, Eric, Erika, Chance, Dakota and Santana, who have yet to begat a whole lot of kids to date (just a few), which is fine with their parents because most of them are not married and are still way too young!

Ice Cream Man

2009-07-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

I'm your ice cream man, stop me when I'm passin' by
Oh my my, I'm your ice cream man, stop me when I'm passin' by
See now all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy!

A little jog down memory lane for those of you who are Van Halen fans! The ice cream man drove down our street on July 4th and our kids (in their early 20's) bolted out the door. Ahhhh....memories of a forgotten youth!

Heifer and the Blowfish

2009-07-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

Carolee and I made a trip up the beach to Manteo on Tuesday to do a little accessory shopping for the house (for those of you who have stayed in MBR2 you will be glad to know that we finally have lamps!). The trip was a success with a rug, lamps and pictures purchased from Manteo Furniture and The Cottage Shop.

While strolling the shops at the Manteo Waterfront, we ran into this little jewel in a local art gallery. This whimsical blowfish has a dual purpose...a nice decorative item for the house, but more importantly it will serve as our piggy bank for Heifer International (www.heifer.org). We have a long standing family tradition of saving our spare change and donating it to Heifer. Check out their website when you get a chance...a donation can buy a buffalo, bees, chicks, etc. and help sustain a needy family and village.

Myers Family

2009-06-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

The Myers family has been enjoying the house and some terrific weather this past week!

Bluefish

2009-05-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

Eric caught this 22" bluefish today. Not quite as exciting as a shark, but a fun catch none the less.

Nurse Shark

2009-05-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

Carolee's parents and their friends, the Zeiger's, are here for the next 10 days. Our crew of six crashed their party for the long weekend and have been enjoying perfect weather. Eric caught a 3 foot nurse shark this afternoon! Anyone want to go for a swim?

Boyz to Men!

2009-05-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

The men (boys four years ago!) from Hampden-Sydney College arrive at the beach house today, the vast majority of them with their newly minted college degrees! Congratulations to all of you for a job well done!

Relax, enjoy the beach and have some fun this week (no car bombs please)...you deserve it. Besides, most of you will be working your tails off in graduate school at Wake Forest, Penn State, Alabama and other illustrious institutions of higher learning for the next several years, so enjoy your down time while you can.

Breeeezzzzy!

2009-04-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

The wind has been a blowin' this week! Yesterday we were getting gusts up to 35-40 mph! Doesn't make for very good fishing, surfing or anything to do with going outside. But we have survived by reading books and playing dominoes!

Overall we have had a nice, relaxing week. All of the kids were down for Easter weekend and we actually made it to church on Sunday morning. Stephen left on Sunday and Melissa was out of here yesterday evening. The weekend looks very nice and we plan to pull out on Sunday for the trip back to the Noke!

Run, Relax or Both?

2009-04-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

Carolee and Melissa ran a 10k in Richmond a few weeks ago, and Melissa completed a 10 mile race in Charlottesville this weekend. Will the runners slack off this coming week or will they bring their "A" game to the beach? Time will tell.

The clan (9 of us) will start to arrive this Thursday for our 10-day maiden voyage at the house. My plan is to bike, read, relax and watch the Masters this coming weekend (if Larry the cable guy shows up on Friday)! Happy Easter to all!

Sugar Ray's Girlfriend

2009-03-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

We snagged this bed from Sugar Ray's girlfriend for master bedroom number two (halo not included!). If you sleep in this room you will wake up "Every Morning" wondering if you are at the beach or in Colonial Williamsburg!

Why You Need a Transmission!

2009-03-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

It took us 22 hours to get to the beach house this weekend. What is normally a 6 ½ to 7 hour trip was thrown a big, nasty curveball when the transmission went out on the Suburban Friday night. We were in Waverly, Virginia when she blew, the heart of peanut country! We walked a ¼ mile to a BP station and hit the jackpot. There were two guys in a flat bed tow truck sitting in the parking lot waiting for their next call. They had no idea what they were getting into!

After haggling with AAA for 30 minutes, they finally decided to dispatch the tow truck drivers that were standing directly in front of us. They drove us to the Suburban and loaded it onto the flatbed in a matter of minutes. The U-Haul trailer was another issue. In order to hitch the trailer to the tow truck, the driver needed the ball from my hitch. The ball must have been super glued to the hitch. It took two trips to garages for tools and about an hour to get the ball off so we could attach the trailer to the tow truck.

Off we go to Suffolk, Virginia with the Suburban and U-Haul trailer in tow. Carolee, Casey (our Aussie) and I are jammed in the cabin with the driver (a super nice guy, but he has a thick, southern drawl and a few missing teeth, which makes conversation a little tough) and are thinking the worst is behind us. He takes us to Jay’s Transmission shop, unloads the trailer and then the Suburban. He blocks the trailer with the Suburban so no one will steal it, gives us a padlock for the U-Haul and takes us to a brand new Hilton Garden Inn hotel (he really was a nice guy!).

Casey jumps out of the tow truck in front of the hotel and catches her toenail on one of the steps and rips it in half. She is bleeding profusely all over the sidewalk while Carolee goes inside to get a room for the night. The bleeding stops, but we have to sneak Casey in the side door because we are not sure dogs are allowed at this hotel. Of course they give us a room on the top floor, so after climbing five flights of steps with a gimpy dog we finally arrive on our floor. We open the door and a hotel employee is standing in the hallway, so we quickly find our room and close the door. At 11:30 p.m. I open the door to take Casey outside to “do her business” and two hotel employees are standing outside my door with a crib for the room across the hall. They didn’t bust me, so it must have been a dog friendly hotel or they had employees who really didn’t care.

Saturday morning I called a car dealership that had a truck I could rent (the rental lady said she would rent me a truck with a tow package but I couldn't use it to haul a trailer...she also told me we didn’t have this conversation...wink, wink). I took a 5 minute, $7 taxi ride to the dealership in a 1979 Ford Fairlane station wagon that was still being used as a “taxi”. The door didn’t close all the way and I didn’t fall out, but there was another interesting personality piloting the vehicle (gotta love peanut country!). After renting the truck, we checked out of the hotel and headed back to Jay’s. We unloaded the back of the Suburban and placed everything in the back of the truck (luckily it was a sunny day). In the meantime, Jay showed up, looked at the Suburban and told me it needed to be rebuilt (no kidding!). We hitched up the trailer and left for the beach.

The rest of the trip was uneventful. We unloaded the furniture at the house Saturday afternoon and dumped the U-Haul trailer in Kitty Hawk on Sunday morning. Stephen drove to Suffolk from Hampden-Sydney and met us at the car dealership. We dropped off the truck, drove him back to Hampden-Sydney and returned to Roanoke with his car. Next Saturday I’ll pick him up and drive back to Suffolk to get the Suburban from my good buddy Jay (another super nice guy, but after several conversations with him I know way more about transmissions than I care to know!).

Move In Day!

2009-03-16T04:00:00.000-07:00

Saturday was the official move in day. We brought down the dining room table, coffee table, end tables, chair & ottoman, bedroom dresser, TV and a car full of other items. Carolee and I spent the weekend moving (we had the help of a couple of men who worked on the framing crew!) these items into the house and getting everything arranged. Sleeping in a bed was a nice improvement over the air mattress from last visit. Overall we are extremely pleased with the way everything is coming together. There is still a lot to do, but the house can now be lived in comfortably. We have another visit scheduled for next weekend to bring down the final load of big items.

Fill' er Up!

2009-03-09T04:00:00.000-07:00

This should be one of the last pictures posted of an empty room. Manteo Furniture will deliver on Thursday and we will be heading down Friday with a U-Haul trailer loaded with items we have been collecting during the past several months. It's time to fill the place up with furniture!

Furniture

2009-02-28T04:00:00.000-08:00

All of the furniture we ordered has arrived and will be delivered next week. Mattresses were delivered on Friday and will make the sleeping arrangements much better than the air mattress Carolee and I used on our last trip. One of the bedroom suite's we ordered was on back order and we were eventually told that it was coming on a boat from China, but it could be up to eight weeks before it arrived. We were able to snag a used set from my boss who has retired and is moving to Florida...we saved a few dollars and landed some nice furniture.

The Suburban is going to get a workout on the next 2-3 visits. We have several loads of furniture, our TV and numerous other items that need to be carted to the beach. Our goal is to get the house fairly inhabitable for first extended stay the week after Easter.

Carpet

2009-02-20T04:00:00.000-08:00

"Wild Mushroom" carpet was installed over the last two days. This was the last big item to be installed, and the banker did his final inspection late this afternoon. Over the next couple of weeks the house will be cleaned and the final touches will be worked on.

Valentine's Day Visit

2009-02-15T04:00:00.000-08:00

We spent Valentine's Day weekend in Buxton, the first time we stayed in our new home. The certificate of occupancy was issued on Friday and we slept in sleeping bags on an air mattress on the floor! The house looked great...the kitchen is done (it is pretty awesome), bamboo flooring installed and the bath fixtures should be wrapped up next week. The carpet will be installed next Friday, the last "major" item that needs to be taken care of. Melissa...enjoy the pictures!

First Stay

2009-02-12T04:00:00.000-08:00

Carolee and I are heading down Friday night with our first load of stuff for the new house. Sometime during the day on Friday we will get a certificate of occupancy, so we have decided to spend our first two nights at the house sleeping on an air mattress since we don't have furniture. There have been many changes during the last week or so, but we have asked Dennis not to send us pictures. I'll have a fresh batch of pictures posted early next week!

Kitchen

2009-02-02T04:00:00.000-08:00

The kitchen cabinets have been installed and the counter tops will be worked on this week. Cabinets have also been installed in the bathrooms. By the time we make it back to Buxton in mid-February, the house will be pretty close to completion.

Bamboo Flooring

2009-01-30T04:00:00.000-08:00

The bamboo flooring is being installed and should be finished within the next day or two. Appliances and furniture have been ordered, interior lights and fans have been installed, and a host of other final touches continue to be worked on.

Elevator

2009-01-25T04:00:00.000-08:00

We have a working elevator! This will be a tremendous help for hauling materials to the third floor to complete the kitchen and flooring, and will come in handy on move-in and move-out days.

Lighting Fixtures

2009-01-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

What an ordeal! Trying to decide on lighting fixtures has been much tougher than either one of us anticipated. Have you ever looked at a lighting catalog? The lighting manufacturers are cutting down forests to create these 800 page beasts. They make the phone book look like a Dick & Jane book. We still have the hallway sconces to decide on, but the rest of the selections are attached. I'm actually looking forward to painting this weekend so I don't have to think about lighting!!

Bathroom Tile

2009-01-09T04:00:00.000-08:00

The tile contractors have finished the bathrooms and work continues on painting, electrical, HVAC, flooring and many other items. Carolee and I are heading back down on MLK weekend for another round of painting!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T04:00:00.000-08:00

During our painting trip this week we enjoyed warm weather (upper 60's) and clear, starry nights! This is the latest picture of the exterior. Carolee and I will head down in a couple of weeks to potentially do some more painting. We are really looking forward to finishing the house in the next couple of months.

Buxton Paint Company -- "Dream Team"

2008-12-31T04:00:00.000-08:00

The Buxton Paint Company "Dream Team" was on site for two days this week, slapping down a total of 20 gallons of paint! It was a hard fought battle, but the team prevailed by using masterful brushstrokes and fanatical rolling. The "Dream Team" consisted of the following individuals:

Leadoff Hitter, Mary Dance -- She's small, but packs a punch. She edges, she rolls, and isn't afraid to take on any color! Honed her skills at Sweet Briar College.
Batting Second, Melissa Berry -- UVA graduate with a mastery of Sedate Grey, Liveable Green and many other colors. Doesn't let the bugs get in her paint when shes rollin' the Jersey Cream!
Batting Third, Carolee Berry -- The team leader...picks the colors, directs the players and is known for her edging mastery! Don't be messing with her favorite weapon, the 2" edging brush! Veteran player from Ohio State.
Cleanup, Stephen Berry -- A rolling fanatic in a constant state of motion. In his rookie year from Hampden-Sydney, but signed a big free agent contract with Wake Forest for '09!
Batting Fifth, Michael Shveima -- This 6'6" Notre Dame grad knows how to use the big lumber. Broke out the roller extension in the late innings and knocked out a couple of 11 and half foot walls in Sleepy Blue.
Batting Sixth, Gene Berry -- Another Ohio State grad who is known for his solid, consistent rolling. Only knows one color, Jersey Cream, but has it mastered!

Driveway

2008-12-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

Our driveway was poured last week...one more indication that we are getting closer and closer to a finished product. The paint colors have been selected and The Buxton Paint Company is getting its brushes, rollers and paint trays ready for the big trip next week!

Bathroom Tile

2008-12-15T04:00:00.000-08:00

The tile is currently being installed in the bathrooms. Drywall is being finished and painting of the interior trim is just starting. We are heading down to Hatteras with the kids after Christmas to do some interior painting of our own.

Drywall

2008-12-05T04:00:00.000-08:00

The drywall is being installed and the interior is really starting to take shape!

Calendar

2008-12-02T04:00:00.000-08:00

In case you didn't notice (look to your left), an availability calendar has been added to the blog. We are in the process of getting all the family dates reserved for 2009. July is already looking like a blockbuster month, with only five days remaining!

Porches

2008-11-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

The top floor screened porch is nearing completion...love that view! The trim to the main entrance porch is almost done as well. The drywall has been delivered and should be completed during the first week of December.

Looking Good?

2008-11-19T04:00:00.000-08:00

The exterior is almost finished...just a few minor trim items. So what do you think? Looking good?

Insulation

2008-11-17T04:00:00.000-08:00

It has rained a lot this month, which has created problems finishing the exterior and getting drywall delivered. The weather is supposed to cooperate this week (sunny, but windy) and we are hoping the exterior will soon be finished. The attached pictures are not real exciting, but it is what it is. Insulation has been the name of the game recently, so I am posting a few shots of the fluffy pink stuff! The last couple of pictures show the foam seal that is used to increase energy efficiency. The foam also helps the roof resist uplift during a storm, while keeping the rain out (i.e., the attic is unvented).

Interior Selections

2008-11-11T04:00:00.000-08:00

Carolee has been busy picking out faucets, kitchen counters and flooring. A few of the selections are attached.

Inspections

2008-11-03T04:00:00.000-08:00

Inspections for elevations, structure, mechanical, electrical, windows, etc. were signed off on last week which clears the way for insulation. Trim work on the deck continues and the fish cleaning table and rear lattice work have been completed.

Completion Date

2008-10-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

As you can tell by the pictures the house is coming together quickly. The completion date has been moved up to March 1, 2009...only 4 more months to go!!

October Visit

2008-10-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

Carolee and I made the trek to Buxton this past weekend for a progress check-up. We took a quick tour of the property on Saturday morning with Dennis and Alita before heading north to Kellogg Design Center to make kitchen and bathroom decisions. The property looks great! The deck has been installed and the balcony and stair trim work is coming along nicely.

The meeting with the Kellogg people went well and Alita has worked with them to design a very nice kitchen. Carolee made kitchen counter, kitchen cabinet, bath vanity and flooring decisions, and we were pretty worn out by the time we left.

After watching the Buckeyes fumble away a victory against Penn State on Saturday night, we met with Dennis early Sunday to go over miscellaneous items. We also met with Trent again to review lighting and electrical decisions, and finished up with another meeting to review the layout of the cabinets and shelves in the family room. We actually got to take a 10 minute walk on the beach before packing up the car and heading home!

Deck Work Continues

2008-10-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

The decks are coming along nicely. An additional 30 boards will be delivered this morning giving the crew the materials they need to finish the job. We are heading down to Buxton on Friday to inspect the house and meet with kitchen, bath and flooring designers.

Composite Decking

2008-10-14T04:00:00.000-07:00

Work has started on the composite decking. We are using Azek decking material and a concealed fastener system. Azek is supposed to hold up very well in coastal areas and should achieve our goal of a maintenance free deck.

Looking Good!

2008-10-09T04:00:00.000-07:00

From the outside the house is really looking good, with the siding and trim nearing completion. The siding/trim should be complete next week and the decking construction should start within the next couple of days. Banker Norm is doing another inspection today and we are slowly turning our attention to the interior details (faucets, flooring, etc.).

Siding Progress

2008-10-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

Good progress continues to be made on the siding, with the west side looking better every day.

Cedar Shake Siding

2008-09-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

We're using white cedar shake for the siding. It will slowly weather to the color of gray during the next several years, creating a different look from today.

Roof

2008-09-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

The roof, windows and doors have been completed. There are no hurricanes currently brewing, but we should stay dry inside from this point forward. Plumbing has been roughed in, and the HVAC, electrical and siding are next on the agenda.

Windows

2008-09-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

The rain from Hanna and lingering storms have made the going slow during the last week. Windows and roof shingles are being installed as the weather permits.

The Calm Before the Storm(s)!

2008-09-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

Hanna, Ike and who knows who are coming for a visit. We're not talking about Hannah Montana (missing an "h") or Ike Turner (he's dead!). Nope, we're talking about hurricane season! Dennis says we are structurally sound and as ready as we can be to take whatever Mother Earth decides to dish out. Windows and plumbing are being installed, and the roofer is putting down the protective coating that goes on before the roof shingles. Wish us luck as we watch the storms roll in during the next few weeks.

Labor Day Visit

2008-09-01T19:00:00.000-07:00

Carolee and I spent Labor Day weekend in Buxton. We met Dennis and Alita for a tour of the house Saturday morning and followed that with some shop talk regarding the great room layout. Apple uglies were on the breakfast menu Sunday morning after a run for Carolee and a bike ride for me. We also met with the Dennis and Trent (the electrician) for 3 hours on Sunday to go over lights, switches, fans, etc. We had great weather and were able to spend a lot of time at the beach. Casey (our Aussie) made her first trip to the beach and only had one wave get her the entire weekend!

Framing - Part V

2008-08-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

Framing continues and the roof is starting to take shape. Pilings for the decks will be washed in tomorrow and installation of the windows will start after Labor Day!

Septic System Installed

2008-08-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

The septic system is installed and inspected.

Framing - Part IV

2008-08-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

Framing continues, with the top floor walls almost complete. The septic tank is scheduled to be installed this week and the roofers should start within the next couple of days.

View

2008-08-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

That blue stuff on the horizon would be the Atlantic Ocean. This will be our view from the screened in porch.

Construction Loan / Framing - Part III

2008-08-07T04:00:00.000-07:00

We are signing the papers today for our construction loan. Of all the mortgage loans I've completed in my lifetime, this one gets the prize for taking the longest amount of time. Everyone has been very pleasant to work with, but it has been a slow process. Anyway, the latest framing pictures are attached. The weather has been good and excellent progress continues to be made!

Framing - Part Deux

2008-08-04T04:00:00.000-07:00

Framing continues, with the first floor platform in place and the walls taking shape!

Pouring Cement

2008-07-30T04:00:00.000-07:00

Cement was poured under the house on Friday, July 25 and Monday, July 28. The framers were back on the job on Tuesday.

Framing - Part I

2008-07-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

Framing started on Monday, July 21. Mark Jordan and his crew have banded the pilings together and prepared the site for concrete. Due to inclement weather yesterday (July 24), the concrete will be poured on Friday and Monday. Once the concrete is poured the framers will be back on site working full tilt.

Dennis & Alita

2008-07-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

A lot was accomplished last week due to the efforts of Dennis and Alita Carroll. They kept our project moving forward and the entire family enjoyed all of the activity on the lot. The only bummer was Dennis' speeding ticket while driving to Kitty Hawk to secure our building permit!

Pilings

2008-07-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

If you are looking to play Lincoln Logs or Pick Up Sticks, you probably wouldn't want to choose these puppies. Forty piles were delivered, washed in and set last week. Overall it was an extremely busy week, with the lot being cleared and filled, temporary power installed, building and septic permits issued, and piles set and inspected.

Golden Shovels

2008-07-21T04:00:00.000-07:00

On Monday of Beach Week our entire group gathered for a formal groundbreaking ceremony, complete with golden shovels (thanks Melissa & UVA!). The real thanks go to Carolee's mom, Carolee (think they are related?), for organizing the event. It is a real blessing to have the entire extended family supporting us on this project and we are looking forward to many more sunny days on the Carolina coast!

Bobcat Magic

2008-07-12T19:35:00.000-07:00

Look at this bad boy! He's a lean, mean, lot clearing machine! Knocking down the scrub brush and bringing in the fill dirt. Makes the testosterone flow!!

Beach Week

2008-07-10T18:46:00.000-07:00

We leave Saturday for our annual pilgrimage to Buxton. Lots to do during the upcoming week between spending time with family and finalizing construction plans. We also plan to meet our banker Norm (reminds me of Cheers) from East Carolina Bank. With a little luck this should be the last year we rent!

Ground Breaking

2008-07-01T06:09:00.000-07:00

My mother-in-law wants to have a ground breaking ceremony (complete with golden shovels) sometime during our family beach week of July 12. I don't think it is going to happen...the lot is getting cleared next week and the fill will be added the week we are at Cape Hatteras. Things are moving along, which means I'm writing checks!!

Interior Renderings

2008-06-24T06:21:00.001-07:00

Double click on the picture to view the slide show in full screen mode.

The DATE

2008-06-22T07:51:00.000-07:00

The floor plans are set and the preliminary budget looks good (as good as it can!). I know construction dates are normally a moving target, but it appears we are officially kicking off construction on August 1...with a tentative completion date of May 1, 2009. Worst case should be June 1, 2009 if all goes well. Just in time for next summer!!

Updated Views

2008-06-19T17:02:00.001-07:00

We've been out of town at the U.S. Open watching Tiger win (again), and are a little behind on the blog. Progress continues to be made and several views are attached (double click on the picture to view the slide show in full screen mode)!

Septic Approval

2008-06-07T09:07:00.000-07:00

If the only news I have to share is that the county approved our septic tank plan, it is pretty obvious there is not much going on these days (that is exciting enough to report on). Actually we are in a bit of a hold mode waiting for a rough estimate of the cost to erect the house based on the latest design. Numbers should come shortly, which could mean design changes or a forward ho!

Revised First Floor Layout

2008-05-30T13:31:00.001-07:00

We are getting a little bit out of control on the size of this house and will probably have to rein things back in after the cost estimates are developed, but this layout provides for an office/bunk bed/exercise area under the kitchen.

4.57 Square Feet - Part Deux

2008-05-28T06:11:00.000-07:00

The new survey has been completed and we are still 4.57 square feet shy of what we need. This is really no surprise since the new survey was completed by the same person who did the last one. At this point we are moving forward with the design using an average roof height of 35 feet or less.

Slideshow Added

2008-05-22T09:22:00.001-07:00

The most current exterior renderings and floor plans have been posted using a slideshow.

4.57 Square Feet

2008-05-15T07:03:00.000-07:00

Our lot is supposed to be 7500 sq. ft., but the surveyor says it is a slight parallelogram (yes, that Geometry you studied in high school is good for something) which reduces the square footage to 7495.43! Those extra 4.57 sq. ft. make a big difference to the building inspectors when in comes to the height of the building they will approve. Apparently the inspectors have recently decided to enforce this provision, which explains why I have several neighbors who have homes on smaller lots that exceed the 35 foot height restriction. We are getting another survey done (doesn't look promising), considering a variance request (looks less promising) and forging ahead with an adjusted home design that will meet the current building code (probably our best bet)!

Floor Plans - 1st Cut

2008-05-14T06:28:00.000-07:00

Feedback is welcome! Double click on any one of the three images to get a closer look!

Buxton Visit

2008-05-07T07:38:00.000-07:00

Carolee and I traveled to Buxton on April 19 to meet Dennis Carroll and his wife Alita. We walked our property and toured several homes that Dennis and Alita have built or remodeled. We were impressed with the craftsmanship and attention to detail of each property we looked at, and came away from the day feeling extremely comfortable with our decision to work Dennis and Alita. After reviewing our initial plans for several hours we ended the day with a nice lunch and a game plan of what needs to happen next.

Dennis Carroll

2008-05-01T07:30:00.000-07:00

We've decided we really need someone located in Buxton to run our project since we are 7 hours away in Roanoke and still have to work for a living. That's why we really want to talk with Dennis Carroll. He comes highly recommended and lives locally. I call Dennis out of the blue to gauge his interest in helping us with our project and try to determine if this guy is the "real deal". About 10 minutes into the conversation Dennis tells me he is an Ohio State graduate and I figure this is a really good sign...since Buckeyes are much smarter, better looking, talented, etc. than the average college graduate (take that Michigan fans!). Dennis is a semi-retired P&G engineer who only takes on 1 or 2 projects at a time and he's not so sure he has the time for our project (bummer!), but he decides to send me information about his services and a few references. After reading his literature and talking again on the phone Dennis warms to the idea of taking us on as clients and we decide to meet in Buxton on April 19, 2008.

Finding A Builder

2008-04-29T17:29:00.000-07:00

We have never built a home before and don't know any builders on the Outer Banks. So we decide to look for one on the Outer Banks Home Builders Association web site. What a bad idea...there are 500 builders listed on the site and another 250 associate members. How is a person supposed to figure out who to hire?

Plan B. We talk to Carolee's parents and they give us the number of a family friend who lives in Buxton. I call her out of the blue and we talk for 30 minutes (thanks Betsy!). Best 30 minute phone conversation I've had in a long time. I've got a short list of names and numbers, and least a place to start. One name on the list seems to have everything we are looking for (design, permits, construction management) and we decide to talk with him first. Things are looking up!

The Decision to Build

2008-04-27T17:15:00.000-07:00

Fast forward to January 2008. After some serious number crunching we come to the conclusion (right or wrong) that we can finally afford to build a house on the lot and not have to rent it out (one of our goals!). With only one year of Stephen's college left, by the time the project is done we will have only one child left in college (Eric..who subsequently tells us in March that he is leaving school to pursue other interests).

We also decide this time to be a bit more expeditious about breaking the news to the kids and let them all know within a month. Everyone in the family is excited and we even find plans on the Internet (see picture above) that seem to have almost everything we are looking for in a beach house.

Breaking the news…

2008-04-25T08:42:00.000-07:00

Just how do you tell your kids, family and others that you bought beach property? We really didn’t know how to tactfully do it, so we didn’t tell anyone for four months. When we finally told our kids Melissa (23), Stephen (21) and Eric (19), they were excited but were a little taken back that we didn’t tell them sooner…I guess we get a D- for how we handled this one. The one consistent question we did receive was, when are you going to build? The one consistent answer…as soon as we’re done paying for the kids college tuition!

Let's Buy Some Land!

2008-04-24T11:01:00.000-07:00

So, after vacationing on the Outer Banks each July for close to 30 years, Carolee and I get the bright idea in early 2006 to buy some land and build a beach house. Using my outstanding Internet skills, I scour the Dare County, North Carolina website GIS to find all of the empty lots on the street where we rent a cottage each year. I write all of the owners and get only one reply from some guy who wants to totally rip me off!

Back to the drawing board! In July of 2006 we make our annual pilgrimage to Buxton with an army of relatives and lo and behold, the lot across the street from our rented cottage is for sale. I contact the real estate agent who promptly tells us the owner no longer wants to sell, BUT she has a lot for sale one street over that is beaucoup bucks cheaper!

Next thing we know it is September of 2006 and we own 7500 sq. ft. of oceanside property that is 450 feet from the beach! Who knew that a lot filled with sand and scrub brush could cost so much...but we're pumped!