For several days now, the smoke alarm on the second floor has taken it upon itself to wake us in the dead of night. It goes something like this: an instant surge of panic—are we on fire? Then silencing the alarm and cancelling the fire department in a haze of brain fog that rapidly sets in. Last night, I’d had enough—I pulled the detector down and removed the batteries just to get some peace.
Today marks a milestone: we finally start framing. I’ll share a photo or two once there’s something worth showing. Still, with our luck, I can’t help but wonder what surprise is waiting around the next corner.
There’s a bit of unplanned good news. Just over a week ago, a tree trimming crew arrived out of nowhere. If it had been any other day, I likely wouldn’t have been home. But, as luck would have it, I was. At first, I hesitated; their offer to grind a half-dozen stumps scattered across the yard seemed almost too good to be true. We walked the property, discussed the price I said yes—despite my reservations.
That small project soon snowballed. Over several days, they ground a dozen or more old stumps, removed seven dead or dying trees, and trimmed, lifting more than forty others. The transformation is remarkable. The large trees finally have the space they need to stretch and grow, and the whole yard feels brighter and more open. It’s a job that lingered on our to-do list, but never did I expect to get so much done so quickly or affordably. The only catch? The cleanup. Now, a sea of small sticks remains to be raked, collected, and burned.
That’s all for now—more updates soon!
