TRUSS SETTING DAY

 

 

It is NOT an April Fool's Joke....trusses began being set today! It only took about five weeks from the time they set the blocks walls to begin setting the roof trusses. We're told the remainder of the framing package (interior walls) should be delivered next week. It's slowing beginning to come together. 

 

Pool Is Dug and Poured

 

Over the past week, the builders and pool company came to agreement due to supply delays, they needed to begin the pool installation. They dug the pool and then days later shot the Gunite material which is a cementitious material used to form the pool. The finished decorative look and tile will be completed in coming weeks. 

Interior View With Block Walls

 After a two and a half month delay waiting on cinder block due to supply shortages, they set our walls yesterday. This view is of the inside looking from what will be our master bedroom toward the front of the house with the garage bays in the far distance. The two bathroom shower piping is visible on right and on the left will be the front door entrance. Due to the many material delays, the projected completion date has been pushed back until September 2022 now. 

We Have Concrete !!!

 

Yesterday, on what was our 26th wedding anniversary, the concrete finishers poured our concrete slab for our future beach home. The house will be an approximately 2100 square foot, three bedroom, two and a half bath three gar garage home. This is the view looking into the garage from street view. Our future neighbors will be closer than we are used too but that the life of living in Florida communities, everyone wishes to live in paradise. 

Our Future Home and Pool Renderings

The house and pool design we chose are here, with one exception, we did not choose to add the second story to the home, having steps in retirement seemed like a bad idea. With mosquitoes basically being the largest nuisance in Florida, of course we chose to add the standard Florida " bird cage" over the outside living / pool areas. We also added an outdoor kitchen near the left side of the lanai.

We Finally Did It

 

Today, we revealed to anyone that knows us we placed a hefty deposit on our future home, located in Venice Florida. We took this photo on our .25 acre lot of Florida sand that will hold our dream beach home. This was a dream come true after nearly sixteen years of planning, dreaming and saving. We will one day retire here and live in a small 71 home community six miles from the Gulf of Mexico beaches. Projected finsih date will be July 2022. They plan to break ground this December.

Animal House 1987

During the early to late 1980's, the Bronx in New York City was burning down, and these men here from the 183rd and Jerome Avenue firehouse known as the Animal House (Engine 75- Ladder33) were taxed with protecting a very busy area of the Bronx. I got to know many of these men very well while doing ride along's on weekends, going to more fires in 48 hours than some firehouses in the country do in a months time or longer. ALL of these men are now retired from the job, with all surviving the terrorists attacks on September 11, 2001. Ironically I choose this image on the 26th anniversary of the first bombing of the World Trade Center.

New Knee Please

Today, my nearly life long friend Tim down in Brooksville Florida gets himself a brand new knee. Too many years of fire trucks, farming and just plain ole old age caught up with him, so today, it's titanium knee time. Welcome to the club my friend. Get well soon brother!!

Fist Bump

A touching image I captured in 2017 of my friend, retired Hanover Police chief Dwayne Smith approaching the finish line. One of his former police officers escorted him to the finish line, congratulating him just prior with this fist bump. 

In Flight

A large pelican takes flight across the Gulf of Mexico in Clearwater Beach Florida recently while we were on vacation. These birds are large and fly with such grace.

A Drippy Pipe

A drippy pipe is never a good thing, but it makes for a fun middle of winter photo while out walking around town. This is a shot left over from early 2015 when it was still cold and wintery-like out side, not like this current spring-like December we have been having.

Bee Sex

Playing around learning my new Nikon D4s camera, I spent about twenty minutes watching a few bumble bees work their magic on our flower bed. The depth of field is spectacular, but I was a tad out of focus on the bee itself.

Spiders on the Hillsborough

While walking along the Hillsborough River near Brooksville Florida recently, I came across this rather large and intimidating looking spider on a huge web.

The Old Ball park

Spring is less than 35 days away and that means places like these need to thaw out and prepare for the rush of youth enjoying America's past time....little league baseball. For every over paid millionaire they all started on a field such as this one some where in the world. I played on this field when it was brand new way back in the mid 1970's, today, its only a wee bit fancier than when I played here, we didn't even have a fence to hit the ball over, we got all we could get on the long hits.

Old High School

Known as the old Peter Street High School in New Oxford, many of our older generation folks attended classes in this old gem of a building. Today it houses the New Oxford Borough decision makers as well as the library. I spent my summers here as a youth in summer camps, playing sports, and other events held my long time New Oxford High School teacher Mr. Ted Hise. 

Barns Delight

Every time I pass this old barn I always admire it, and almost every time I have a planned out door photo shoot with someone, I end up using this as a setting. I am not sure what it is about it, the peeling paint, the faded red paint, the overgrown vine attached, I juts love it. 

Winter Sky

They're not all grey and gloomy in Pennsylvania this time of the year, sometimes the beautiful blue sky peaks through and makes for a gorgeous sky. 

Still Standing

Oh the stories this canon could tell if it was able to speak. Can you imagine how many men it witnessed die a horrible death. Today, we would never leave our weapons on the battlefield, we would either retrieve them or destroy them so they do not fall into the enemies hands. Thankfully for history buffs, they left their weapons in place mostly when the battle ended in 1863.

Homeland Security

Spent the morning walking my camera around Adams County and came across this view on the battlefield in Gettysburg. I couldn't help but wonder, how different the battle of Gettysburg may have gone had it been fought in January verses July. I would guess the outcome the same with the north winning, but would it have been as bloody?

A Boy And His Olaf

Adam wanted a picture of himself and his Olaf. He just walked away from the family picture and stood....waiting!