Category Archives: BLOG

The lumber was delivered March 8, the day the foundation was poured, my day off, the day I was to meet Randy and bring lunch so we could watch the work; but first I wanted to color my hair. It was the morning I colored my hair (three times by the end of the day) a shocking burgundy with indescribable roots. I did take lunch to him with a provision NOT to mention my hair color … well, that’s another story without pics to share because the focus of this blog is the house, but that incident made a memory for that day. Thank you, Anita for saving the day and my hair and thank you, Randy and Leah for finding a professional! Although the memory of that day is an unforgettable hair color, I was still happy for the day our foundation was laid and the opportunity to eat lunch in the pick-up and watch it happen.

The next day was Saturday so Randy and his Uncle Steve worked to dig the trenches for the electricity and gas lines. The day started out with high winds so the framers weren’t able to stay and put up any walls. Randy and Steve dug a trench with a Ditch Witch from the utility pole and across the width of the gate so we can have power on both sides of the gates (Christmas lights) and then to the house. They also trenched 700 ft. from the gas meter to the house. This was pretty much a nine to ten hour job because the witch was old and slow, but eventually she got it done and they were able to lay the line and cover it. I brought BBQ brisket and fixins for lunch with plenty of ice tea to last them the rest of the day. I also baked mini chocolate bundt cakes … enough to feed the framers and Don and Marilyn when they came out. I’ve always liked harvest stories when they talk about the food that was taken out to the fields for the workers so I hope I can do that more often as the construction continues … work feeds your soul and food inspires memories.

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A cooler and calmer day day brought the framers out on Sunday, March 10th, and it was very exciting to see the walls going up. The four of us truly enjoy watching every detail of our home being built. Of course, we’re waiting for the day to move in, but there is much to be done before that happens. We’ve got to sell our houses, pack, have moving sales, and make decisions about what we want for the new house, but the process of building the house makes us live in the moment and appreciate the work that goes in to it. Once we’re settled, I hope we can reflect on it all with gratefulness. It’s like cooking supper, to fully enjoy the meal you need to enjoy the process of making it, and it’s always better when you have help in the kitchen!

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A little change in the weather happened in the next few days, but it delayed the progress for just a few days.

On February 18 after the house site was marked off, dirt movers came out to scrape soil from a terraced site of a few acres we have on the south side of the property. Hopefully some day soon, we can dig more from that area and create a pond for a water source. They carried the dirt to the site to compact and smoothed it for the compaction test that has to be done before the slab is poured. The compaction test passed at 98% and then they started trenching for the foundation footings on the 22nd. The concrete footings were poured on the 26th and by the 28th, the plumbers were able to rough-in the plumbing and Randy laid out the electrical that needs to be in position before the foundation is poured.

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Once, the decision was made at Don and Marilyn’s kitchen table to buy the land just outside of Pampa, we were all excited and speculating about a move to the country … how much of the 4o acres we should we buy, when to sell our houses and what type of house we would build. Earlier that week, my childhood friend, Sherry, had mentioned that she and her husband had their land for sale and some had already sold. Just curious, the four of us drove out and were immediately attracted to the beautiful pasture of green bluestem grass growing tall within a well-built 8-wire fence. That was on July 20, 2018 and by Sunday, July 22, the contract on 40 acres was signed … we felt that good about it. If you had shown me a piece of land further south, in higher humidity, without a tree on it, I would have left it without one regret, but on that July day in the panhandle with a breeze fanning the grass … it felt like it would be okay.

Randy is a thinker and a doer. He weighs decisions, makes plans, gets organized and does what needs to be done; wasting no time, especially when he feels it’s the right thing to do. He interviewed, researched and applied for financing immediately so we were able to close on the land exactly one month later. With tail gates down on two pick-up trucks and lawn chairs, he planned a picnic lunch with his parents, serving Kentucky Fried Chicken and everyone’s favorite milkshake from Braum’s. Then he placed a small American flag in the spot where we wanted to put the house. If we’re going to do it, let’s do it. In the next few days, we were stopping at Gebo’s for entry gates, picking up pipe and gates gifted by his aunt and uncle, hiring a fence-builder, leasing the land to the neighbor and downloading a house-building program on the laptop at our kitchen table.

He’s the best hand. Randy is the hardest worker and that is one of the things about his character that I love the most. I am so proud of the mental and physical strengths he possesses. The only time I have seen him idle is deservedly after a long day. I couldn’t have chosen a better partner, and I cannot ask more from him. I thank God for him every day, and I thank his parents for being a great example, raising such a good man and instilling so many virtues. It’s because of hard work at his real job and after hours that we are able to do all of this. Bless him for his service to family and country.

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Marilyn makes a hand, too. Her energy, spirit and servant’s heart are unmatched. Any suggestion of a project, chore or meal and it’s done. She’s always ready to pitch in and help. After Randy set the power pole and installed the electrical boxes, he had to hammer the grounding post 8 feet into the ground, and she was right in there with him swinging the hammer and then holding the post with the pliers. She’s telling everyone that she and I are going to build the chicken house, and I don’t doubt that she can do it (with or without me)!

So after creating designs for the house, choosing a builder and negotiating a price, we closed on the home building loan on February 15 and we’re ready to get started. Thanks for watching our progress and hopefully some day soon y’all can come visit!

When I think of a prairie, I picture a landscape of flat grassland without any trees as far as the eye can see in all directions and where the yonder goes on for miles. Well, from the center of our land, you can see Pampa, the prison, a few ranches, the local landfill (well-maintained), trains and the bend of a railroad off in the distance, and some houses across the road . Except for the few houses across the road all those other landmarks are miles away. We won’t be out on the “high-lonesome”, but far enough out to have a country view on three sides … less than 5 minutes from town, and less than 10 from Pak-a-Burger. It takes 15 minutes to make an order after you call it in … perfect. No worries for city visitors needing the comfort of town.

We’ll be moving a hive of bees out there by the end of April or first of May so I’ll keep you posted on their life on the prairie as well. City bees actually find more pollen and nectar than country bees, so we’ll need to plant more to help them out.

Randy and I have had a dream to live in the country, and it’s about to happen. By “we” I mean Don and Marilyn are coming with us … watch how we build a one-story house into a home with living quarters for each couple by the end of summer 2019, and once we’re settled this fall; I hope we’ll add chickens, a few calves and a puppy!

Groundbreaking will start on February 18, 2019 with our builder, Chaney Construction out of Pampa. It’s been a pleasure working with Jimmy and Amy to make this happen, and we pray for guidance, safety, good decisions and unity to build our home.

A walk down a country road is good for body,

heart and soul.