Building a Home

Wayne and I have decided to take pictures as our new home develops so that anyone who wants to share in the journey can. We were having a hard time finding a house that had all of the things we needed and wanted so after looking and looking and trying to decide what we would be willing to compromise on we looked at some new construction and then looked at a couple of builders. Quality Built Homes had features that we liked and had a floor plan that with some modifications looked to be the closest to what we were looking for.
Some of the photos we are taking are going onto my web gallery. We try to get out to the house about once a week or so and it has been fun to see all the differences from one visit to the next. The first photo above is Wayne looking at one of the marker flags on the property. The next one is after they started digging for the basement.
Here the basement walls have been pored. The garage is closest to the camera. When I left for Iowa that was were we were in the construction. While I was gone Wayne took photos and put them on the gallery so that I could see them.
Here the first floor gets framed in. and while I was gone the second floor and roof went up and the windows started getting put in. The photo below is from my first visit once I got back. The shingles are on and most of the windows were in. When I visited on Monday all of the windows were in and a lot of the air handling systems were in although not all of them. We also had stairs to get between floors.
I am planning on keeping this going after we move into the house so we can document the hardwood floors that we are going to put in and all of the painting and other changes we are going to make to the house to make it our home. At this point a lot of my creative energy is going into making decisions for the house. Picking out colors (only 13 or so at last count), fabrics for curtains and Roman shades that I will make and other fun choices. I occasionally wake up from dreaming about house colors so it seems that I am definitely invested in this project. I hope that you will enjoy the ride with us.

The Passing of a Great Woman

On the 30th of August my Grandmother died and I have spent the last 2 weeks at home with my folks going to the funeral and helping as much as I could. Although she was 106 she didn't die of old age but complications of surgery for skin cancer on her face. In ways it is surprising to have her gone we all expected her to be around longer. She had told me she would see me when she was 110. The thing is I wouldn't have been a bit surprised if I had seen her when she was 110.

Grandma had a great love of reading non-fiction and loved her garden and birds. Born to a later generation I think she would have become a botanist or something else to utilize her love of learning and plants and knowledge.

She lived for her family which wasn't small and could never wait for the next grand, great grand or great-great grand baby to come along. Her room was always full of the photos and letters that we all sent her and she was always so excited when she could say that she had a grand daughter living in Japan, Hawaii or the less exciting places that we called home.

She was an amazing person and she will be missed by all of her family and friends.

Good-bye Grandma

Leola Throne

Leola Throne, age 106, of Battle Creek, Iowa, died Sunday, August 30, 2009, at Horn Memorial Hospital in Ida Grove, Iowa. Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday, September 3, 2009, at the First Presbyterian Church in Battle Creek, Iowa, under the direction of Christensen-Huffman Funeral Homes. The Reverend Kevin J. Freese will officiate, with burial to follow in Mount Hope Cemetery, Battle Creek, Iowa. Friends may call at Christensen-Huffman Funeral Home in Battle Creek on Wednesday from 4-8 p.m. Born August 7, 1903, in Lebanon, Missouri, Leola Throne was the daughter of Daniel and Lavicia (Mizer) Thomas. She spent her adult life in the Battle Creek area and married Henry Throne on April 4, 1921. They operated a farm north of Battle Creek, Iowa, where they raised their family of eight children. Henry died on January 30, 1949. Left with young children to raise, Leola bravely met the challenge. She was a loving and hard-working mother; her family always came first. Leola was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Battle Creek and a charter member of the Neighborly Neighbors Club. Over the years, Leola has enjoyed traveling to visit family members and participating in several large family reunions through her 106th birthday. In addition to her family, Leola's interest was always in gardening, nature, and working outdoors. She is survived by five children, Donnabelle (William) Strudwick of Muskegon, MI, Nolan (Sandra) Throne of Muskegon, MI, Eugene (Linda) Throne of Stockton, MO, Judith (Marlen) Pellersels of Sac City, and Barbara (Roger) Welte of Aiken, SC; two daughters-in-law, Carlene Gehrts of Sioux City and Betty Throne of Colorado Springs, CO; 19 grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; five step-great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandsons. Other survivors include a sister, Alberta (Charles) Sherwood of Ehprata, WA; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband; three sons, Norman Throne at age 20 months, Richard Throne at age 69, and Ernest Throne at age 77; her parents; two brothers, Wilbur and William Thomas; and five sisters, Florene Thomas, Marie Thomas, Dorothy Weis, Doris Iwen, and Lora Williamson.