Week 15, 16, & 17


A couple of weeks ago, I called Jackson EMC and asked if they had a row boat that I could borrow for the job site at the Christian Farm….it seemed they had everything else that I have needed!  At that time, we were almost to a stopping point due to how wet it was out there.  Only 4 wheel drives could make it up our hill!  The rest of us put on mud boots and splashed our way up…and THEN… we were blessed with 6 days of sunshine and warmth!  Talk about “making hay”… with this wonderful weather, we are moving on to reality time.  Let me introduce you to those who weathered this time with us. 

Legacy Woods, Jeff Bell provided the white oak beam for the mantel.  It is an incredible piece of lumber and SUPER heavy!  It came from old growth there on his farm in Watkinsville.  Whether it is flooring, beams or doors, every piece of wood from their reclaimed stock is always an excellent accent piece.  Thank you Jeff for this.  I also want to thank Michael Tolbert, Billy Wilkinson, and Lawrence Tolbert for coming back to install the mantel.  Good job guys!

Our stonework continued inside and outside.  Sherman Meadows worked on the fireplace area for several weekends, and the finished product is just beautiful!  Being cousins, this was a true labor of love for Buddy on his part, and it shows.  Roy Dalton from Halloran Masonry Inc. was back to install our limestone front porch floor.  Both of you men are true craftsmen with stone, and we thank you for sharing your talents with us.  The stack stone and the limestone and mortar came from Mike Phillips and Specialty Stone.  Thank you…thank you Mike!  It is all just incredible!

Tom Edge and his guys with TDE Inc. Construction and Painting have certainly hung in here with us!  I don’t know how many weeks he has shared Rick and George with me now…I am sure that Tom knows….but these 2 men have almost single handedly painted the entire house, inside and out!  He did send in some replacements one Saturday, and we were blessed to have them!  Charlie Upchurch, Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty, treated these guys to a super lunch for giving up their Saturday.  Charlie was certainly a good sport, putting on his mud boots and walking the lunch in through our huge puddles!  I also want to thank Stephanie Doer, Make Mine Home, for sending out Michael Mills, Prestigious Painting to help with the paint in the garage.   All of this to say, we are STILL painting and Tom says that we are up to 20 color changes.  I am sure that Sherwin Williams knows this also.  That is what you guys get when you work with women!  Sorry Tom…. but bless you!

We have had a little metal work going on inside and out.  Tom Fletcher roofing was back to finish up the metal roofing after the brick was completed, and it is such a wonderful accent.  My own brother, Greg Bell, also joined this line up.  A talented machinist, he made the metal pan to house the 2 water heaters.  We also had Campbell’s Gutter, Randy Campbell and his crew, install the gutters for the house.  Randy and I always have the biggest fuss about where the downspouts are going on my houses!  He KNOWS I don’t like them on the beautiful columns….not that his gutters are not beautiful!  Melissa’s house was certainly no exception to our fussing!

As I mentioned before, we finally had a break in the rain and attacked the outside with a vengeance!  Charles Fleming and Calvin Fleming brought their equipment and helped with the grading and drainage issues around the house and also completed the pad necessary for the concrete slab outside of the garage.  Calvin stayed late one day and installed the gutter drain pipes as the rain was moving back in.  This type of commitment is what makes this project so special!

With Spring temperatures, we were able to get the concrete poured for the garage pad.  Thomas Concrete of GA, Darrell Kennedy, supplied us with 3 full trucks for that and the front porch underlayment.  I want to thank him and James Waycaster of Waycaster Concrete for such a great pour.  James made it a family affair as he brought 2 of his cousins along for help!  The very next day we had Garrett Paving Co., Rick Garrett move in their equipment and grade for the driveway.  Rick supplied the equipment and the gravel and once again Harris Trucking, Terri Harris came to our rescue for the hauling.  What an exciting week to get these 2 outside projects done in January!   I do need to stop and thank Ron Deal for taking time to come and lay out the drives for us.  He is in the process of drawing up the landscape design, so hopefully that will be next!  No pressure Ron!

We have had a few more specialty cabinets installed.  First, Webber Coleman Woodworks returned and installed our cubbies for the children at the garage door.  These are a beautiful oak and stained to match the kitchen.  Spag Cabinets also returned and supplied the laundry room cabinets and shelving.   We thank you both for these special additions and finishing touches to make this “home” for Melissa and the children.   Bella Maria, Staus Korsunsky joined us and supplied the granite tops for the upstairs bathrooms and for the laundry room.  I want to also thank Deanna Dooley for supplying the granite slab for the master bath vanities, shower accents, and Jacuzzi surround.  It is a perfect retreat for Melissa and has just the right “purple”!

A thankless job that is so necessary out at the job are the port-a-lets!  We have 2 from Peachstate Portables, Gary Armour and 2 from ASAP/Glenn Co., Robert Vaughn.  Both have been so loyal in the rain and mud to service us.  I even had them move them last week onto a more grassy area.  Both companies are always ready and willing. Thank you both for your continued support throughout this project.

Another very big help last week came from the Hull Volunteer Fire Department.  They were out and burned off the huge piles of debris from pre-construction fence clearing done on the farm.  Another super job by these men!

As I close, I would like to introduce you to one last person.  Those of you who have worked on the Christian home have received thank you letters expressing appreciation on behalf of Melissa, the entire Christian family, their friends, church family, the Athens Area Homebuilder’s Association and myself.  I want you to meet the lady responsible for those letters, Rachel Chandler.  I was remodeling the Chandler’s master bathroom on that fateful day last March 22nd.  Buddy and Melissa were members of the Hull Baptist Church where Mr. Paul and Ms. Rachel attend.  As that day progressed and through the weeks afterward, I was struck with the loss that they were all feeling.  Buddy was truly one of the “good guys” who should still be with us.  Ms. Chandler said she could still see him playing ball with the church children out on the lawn.  Most of you know the story of the sermon Doug and I heard on “community” and the nudgings of my heart that followed.  As things progressed and we were about to start the home, I had the pleasure of meeting the Chandler’s daughter Lisa.  She was on a ventilator and very sick but offered to somehow help me with the building of the Christian home.  Lisa passed away the week before the ground breaking…but help she did.  As the Chandler’s were dealing with their grief, they set up donations to go to the Christian Home build instead of to flowers for their daughter, and it was also put on Ms. Rachel’s heart to help us by writing appreciation letters for donations made to the home.  What a relief it has been for me to know that this very important detail is being handled with the kindest of words and thoughtfulness by this special lady.  More gifts to bring to the table….more “works” to share.  “You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did?”  Writing these letters and Faith is leading Ms. Chandler through her hard times of loss.  Your “faith through works” have helped Melissa get through her time of loss this last year, and we are thankful. 

As I continue to say…we do not all “nail nails”….but we all have hands to reach out and help others in some way.  May YOUR “works” be extra special in the coming weeks.

Continued Blessings to all,
Karen


Billy Wilkinson, Michael Tolbert and Lawrence Tolbert install mantel

Tom Edge with the TDE Painting crew - Matt Duffel, Jeff Lord (sitting), Tyler Williams, Carl Fowler, Chris Anglin, & Tom 
Greg Bell of Bell's Machine Shop and Mark Brannon of Brannon Plumbing installing metal drain pan for water heaters.

Tom Brand cutting stone for fireplace surround

Charlie Upchurch of Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty wading through puddles to deliver lunch

Charlie Upchurch, wet but happy to "feed the troops"

Michael Mills, Prestigious Painting priming the garage ceiling

Tony Wilkerson, Prestigious Painting cutting in the ceiling of garage

Kenneth Dispain lending a helping hand to Sherman Meadows for the fireplace surround

Randy Campbell of Campbell Gutters with Kris Shirey and Jacob Baumgardner installing the gutters

Steven Waycaster of James Waycaster Concrete and Gary Derryberry, A & G Framing readying to pour the garage pad with Thomas Concrete of Georgia

Doug Adkins of Peachstate Portables helping move the buildings

Thomas Concrete of Georgia, Darrell Kennedy supplied the concrete for the garage parking pad and the front porch underlayment

James Waycaster of Waycaster Concrete finishing the slab

George Whitley and Rick Nelson of TDE Painting reporting for duty

Rick Garrett's Crew of Garrett Paving grading for the driveway
Garrett Paving putting in the driveway

ASAP/Glenn Co. moving the portables for easier access

Terri Harris Joiner's trucks of Harris Trucking hauling gravel for the driveway and the white sand for the masonry

Spag Cabinets are back with the laundry room cabinets and shelving

Henry Lee Jackson Jr helps Roy Dalton of Halloran Masonry install the flagstone from Specialty Stone on the front porch

Mrs. Rachel Chandler writing thank you notes for the donations of labor and material

Ryan Crump and Carlene Banevicz of Spag Cabinets with the laundry install

Staus Korsunsky of Bella Maria delivering vanity tops and jacuzzi surround for the upstairs bathrooms

Hull Volunteer Fire Dept burning off the brush piles from previous fence install

The Christian Home at the end of Week 17

Specialty Stone's Fireplace surround and labor by Sherman Meadows with Oak beam by Legacy Woods and stained by TDE Painting, cabinets by Webber Coleman Woodworks and Heatilator Firebox by Porter Fireplace and Insulation.  It takes a community!

Bella Maria installing master vanity, sinks and jacuzzi surround

Webber Coleman Woodworks provided the cubbies

Jeff Bell and Jason Newberry of Legacy Woods cutting the oak for the mantel

Have you ever seen such a saw?

Tom Fletcher's crew of Fletcher's Roofing back to finish up the metal supplied by Georgia Metals

Charles Fleming of Fleming Grading and Calvin Fleming of County Line Enterprises working on the finish grade and backfill

Sunbelt Scaffold Rental and Halloran Masonry crew cleaning up the site

James Waycaster of Waycaster Concrete, Gary Derryberry of A & G Framing, and Calvin Fleming of County Line Enterprises forming the garage parking slab

Ron Deal of Garden South laying out driveway with assistant Nally Mountjoy

Calvin Fleming of County Line Enterprises installing gutter drains



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