Trusses and Mailbox

The trusses are up over the shop. Where the tractor is sitting is nice and level. There were huge piles of dirt there. Now it's ready for a patio.

The mailbox is down the lane.

I love the cedar log. It's so pretty and reflects my style. We chose a huge mailbox because I love to shop online. As I put it, "I like happy mail."

House/Shop Update

Things are coming along. We have walls all around and a roof over the downstairs living area. The biggest news is that we have the walls up on the second story. That was a job that required some manpower. This morning John went down the mountain looking for some help. Folks on the road below us are building a workshop/garage and the three builders came up and gave John a hand lifting the second story walls. It's wonderful to see them up.

Just a little explanation of the design. The living end is two stories. There's 18 x 30 down and 18 x 30 up for 1080 sf of living space. The large open one-story end is John's woodshop. It's 30 x 34 for 1020 sf. There'll be a total of 2100 sf when we're done.

That's roughly half the size of the lake house right across the road where we still live. It's for sale, a beautiful 4300 sf bargain at $216,500, if you know someone who wants to be an Ozark Mountains Table Rock Lake dweller. And we're your neighbors.

Another important development is utilities. We have electric, which is great for giving the neighbors a break from listening to the generator. We have water too. Internet and phone is in place, just a phone call to hook it up when needed. Septic will be coming soon.

The rains gave way and it's been HOT. I encourage John to take it easy and wait for Autumn temperatures. Again, it's amazing what a person can accomplish. I'm very impressed.

The Next Stage

The next stage after concrete is framing and it's coming along just fine. I'm amazed at how one man can do all of this. The rains that fell over a few weeks have subsided. It sure makes it a lot easier to get things done. I loved that rain though. It was beautiful and cooled things down.

Here's Ponca on the job site. He's still wet after swimming in his pool.

So excited about everything!

The Right Place

This blog has been about my search for home and the dream of a log cabin. I found home in the Ozark Mountains. That was my first post. I've had a ton of posts devoted to real estate, that passion of mine. Always looking for that special place, just the perfect abode meant only for me. But knowing that what I really wanted I'd have to create for myself. There's no substitutes, but I sure wouldn't give up trying to find one.

I bought the two acres across the road. We got to building fast because after four years the lake house, as I call it, has sold. I'm very happy for the new buyers.

This is the work in progress. This will be a woodworking shop for John and a little two-story residence at the far end. Then in a bit we'll build a B&B-style log cabin.

I love it here and I don't want to leave. It's beautiful. I'm amazed every time I drive down the mountain. I like being in close proximity to Branson and Northwest Arkansas. I've never felt more comfortable and more at home in one place in my life. It's always been me looking out and wondering if the next place is it.

After toying with south of Little Rock and 10 acres in Omaha, AR (never posted about it) and coming back to the mountain in Cape Fair, I knew the right thing to do. I knew the right thing to do all along. Ever notice you know the right thing to do and then go about the craziest ways of getting there?

I love this mountain. I love Cape Fair. I love Table Rock Lake. I want to live here and I know it's the right thing to do.

Work Life in Branson

Every time I open my blog I want to make a new post. Considering what I've been doing most, I thought I'd share about my job.

I've been working Front Desk and Night Audit in a Branson hotel since November. It is the Grand View Inn & Suites just above Tanger Outlet. As I say to guests when providing directions, "Tanger is between Krispy Kreme and the Giant Chicken on the strip (76 Country Boulevard)."

The giant chicken belongs to Great American Steak & Chicken House. It's in good company with all of the other giants in town. I do believe King Kong of the Hollywood Wax Museum would be the most famous. New this year is the giant Transformer outside of Ripley's Believe It or Not.

Tanger Outlet is a world unto its own. If you love shopping like I do, it's a wonderful outlet mall. It's filled with well-known brand stores offering low outlet prices. That's one thing I love about Branson. It's a small town, but with big city shopping.

I've chosen some of my favorite photos of where I work. The drive from Cape Fair is not bad. It's 22 miles door to door. Highway 76 winds and curves just to my liking and it sure beats a city commute which in some cases would involve about the same amount of miles.

I have a wonderful manager. She reminds me of my boss in Boston. More than 20 years have gone by and we are still in touch. I love my job and I hope to be here until I retire.

A Bit of an Absence

I've been so busy this summer...  having fun. :)  I really have neglected being here and I have so much to share.  I think I'll spend the winter updating Ozarks Crescent Mural.  I just need to get motivated to go through my photos.

Here's a clue as to what I've been up to.

See you very soon.

P.S. That new car below from an earlier post, the Prius, has morphed itself into an Avalanche.  Much more useful for an adventure lifestyle.

Meet Ponca

This is Ponca, a baby Pomeranian, who looks just like a little fox. He just joined our family. He's from Valley Springs, Arkansas, just south of Harrison. He's named Ponca after the high mountain Ozarks town on the Buffalo River.

 I saw a 'POMERANIANS' sign on Highway 65 when we were heading down to float the Buffalo in our kayaks and I stopped at the little house next to the gas station on the way back.

Once a long time ago when I was riding my mountain bike, I stopped when I saw the cutest little black dog ever. I asked the owners what kind of dog it was and they said, "Pomeranian," and I knew then that someday I'd get one. Tuesday was that day.

Welcome Ponca!

Lucky For the Lake House

It never sold. Thank the heavens. It's great to be back here.

I love this house and I'd stay til the end of my days, but my best friend who built it wants it sold.  It's on the market if you're interested.  Look for zip code 65624 and $225,000 and you'll recognize it.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety-Jig

I liked Arkansas, but I missed Missouri. After only a few short months, I turned right around and came back.  I'm glad to be back home in the Missouri Ozarks. Honestly, I love Table Rock Lake so much I can't imagine living anywhere else.

YAY! Missouri!

Even if it was brief, I stockpiled some wonderful memories of living in Arkansas and I'll always cherish them. But I'm so glad to be back home.

That Inkling

When I left for the last time on my move down to Arkansas, I was in Branson West when it hit me. This picture captures it perfectly, even the direction I was looking.

picture provided by visittablerocklake.org

I was peeking out of my windshield up to the sky off to an angle over the buildings and thinking... Why am I leaving?  I love this place. Why would I want to live anywhere else?

And way back in my mind, not conscious, but wondering, will I return?

And I did. I returned. One of the best decisions I've ever made.

Back to the Lake

It's good to be back!

From that first moment in August 2011 when I drove across the Cape Fair Bridge over Table Rock Lake and to the Cenex gas station in town, I knew it was home. I'd never felt more comfortable in my life!

New Car

I'm driving so much for my new job that I needed to make a decision about a car.  I was standing out front looking at my beloved New Beetle Sport the other day and I knew that if I kept driving 340 miles a day six days a week in it that it would be gone by summer.  My New Beetle is the same car from this post.  It's been babied and I've only driven it every once a week or two.  I worked from home for a few years, so it was only used when I'd run from the lake to town.  I liked that lifestyle, but now I have a new one.

One of the people I work with has a Prius and when he trained me for his route, I got to see the inside of one and experience it for the entire trip.  I was sold.  I couldn't stop thinking about that car.

Not only do I need a car that can take a lot of miles and Toyotas are famous for that, but I need a car that gets amazing gas mileage and a hybrid is the perfect answer.

It was a big decision, but it already has over 1,000 miles on it and I love it!  It reminds me of a Buick I had a few years back.  It has that similar luxury feel and I forgot how much I liked that.

I love my job too!  It is so fantastic.  I deliver from pharmacies to nursing homes.  It is a seamless part of my life and that is so important in a job.  I've never been fond (who is?) of the dread of going to work when you don't want to.  It's a wonderful independent contractor position and I'm very grateful for it.

Since I took that picture of Ozark Cafe I've been up to Jasper several times now.  I enjoy driving around the town square to leave town and go down Scenic Highway 7 back to the Little Rock area.  The Prius handles the Ozarks like a dream.

First Flowers of Spring 2013 at Crooked Pine

Wow!  Flowers have bloomed!  It sure does it early around here.  These are the first flowers of spring in the woods right next to my house.

The first and last shots are mine and the close-ups are my friend's.  He's a talented photographer and has a very good camera.  It's always interesting to get different perspectives and two different photographers can provide that.

(That reference in the title to Crooked Pine is where I live.  The actual crooked pine is on my property and I'll take a nice picture of it later and post it.)

Happy Flowery Days!