Rutherford Island, South Bristol, Maine: 2010

It's our 1st year anniversary of owning the house. We closed the deal late September/early October of 2009. Still much to be done but we have come light years from that first trip in October 2009. I might have to start doing before and after pictures!

Our October trip was later than we originally had thought as our work schedules were not allowing us to come earlier. I thought the leaves would all be gone or very brown and ugly but that was not the case. It was even more beautiful than last year! We did the traditional staying with the family in Kennebunk the first night and then heading up to South Bristol in the morning. We're starting to get into a routine where we stay with the family, head north and stop at Shop n Save for all our supplies and food for the week. David, Gayle and, my grand nephew, Max came up for the day. The trip up was fun driving through all the fall color. It's fun sharing this with Bob who is still a novice at the New England living thing. He gets so excited about simple things that I take for granted! One of our first stops after the grocery store was at Clark Farms for some fresh pressed apple cider. It's a good thing we did because they closed the next day and we would have missed it.

House in Kennebunk all set for Halloween!

Max and his Grandma!

Downtown Damariscotta

Scarecrows on Route 1

Our contractor had been working hard and had accomplished a lot since our trip in August. All new electrical in the older part of the house, new walls and ceiling in the upstairs hallway, floors and ceiling fixed where the chimney had left a hole, new paint on all the outside trim, the outside trim repaired where it was rotted and missing, a new roof on the old part of the house, walls fixed in the upstairs bathroom, framing for the new windows and door as well as framing and doors on our upstairs closet, new framing on the master bedroom door with a fabulous barn door that we had requested(Great job designing it, Greg) and probably a few other things I'm forgeting at the moment. The list was long! I had hoped that our new windows and french door would arrive and that they would be installed when we arrived. We were disappointed as the manufacturer was having problems so that will wait until they arrive. They are promised for the end of November. It will be chilly putting them in! The dumpster is gone after a complete year of being in the yard. A good sign, I think. We really have accomplished a lot in one year!

Bob and I were like little kids running around the house, switching on lights where there had been none. We now have a grounded electrical outlet in the bathroom! The small things in life!

This is where the bookshelf will be!

Lights for the bookshelf. A sign there really will be one soon!

An outlet in the bath and I can now hang a mirror with the light moved higher.

Finishing touches in the Lafayette Room for our guests.

Light centered!

Framing in the bedroom with the new barn door that slides.

A real closet! These will be painted white except for the actual barn door.

Hallway walls and ceiling completed. The hole into the attic was enlarged so now there is a possibility that Bob might be able to get up there. There is also a light in the upstairs hall now.

Waiting for new windows and a new french door!

All the trim on the outside of the house was stripped and painted. Any places that were rotted or pieces missing were repaired. Now we just need some new windows and siding!

We were supposed to get the ceiling completed in the now expanded living room with beadboard but Bob and I both became ill with some kind of stomach flu. Bob was sick for 2-3 days so we did not accomplish as much as we wanted. We'll complete it the next time!

I had a few days alone at the house as Bob had to leave earlier than I. I wasn't sure how it would feel being alone. Not to worry! It was wonderful, very relaxing and I loved being alone, not only with the house but with myself. I actually had time to go to a flea market, poke around some local shops and pick up some fun things for the house. My sister came up one day and we went to dinner at a seasonal restaurant on Christmas Cove.