100th Episode: A Project Like None Other

Welcome to our 100th post! When a television series reaches its 100th episode, networks like to make a big deal of it by creating a special episode that usually involves more than the usual number of plot twists and one too many preview commercials dubbed with voice-overs of that guy (you know you know that guy) with the overly dramatic voice highlighting all the "must-see" moments to be played out in equally dramatic detail in the not-to-be-missed mega episode.

Well...this is something like that. Minus the guy with the voice. I promised a big announcement, and a big announcement you shall get. We are taking on a new project. A big. new. project. The biggest project of our lives. What is it, already?!?

How about a new house! And by new, I mean we're starting from scratch. Take a peek.

The front and back of the house - the back will face the farm (see photos below)

And where shall this new house be? How about on a farm, in the small town of Haddam, exactly where it all started, on Nason Road...right next door to Curt and Mandy!

Here are some shots from the vault of the farm back in the day when it was the original Chadwick farmstead.

And a few shots of where the house will be located.

Farm in the foreground, Curt and Mandy's House on the Hill.
The new house will be located on the hill above the farm.

L: looking up hill to site of house. R: looking out over farm from the main view from the new house.

Some work in progress.

Mapping out where the house will be situated. Summit looking on.

Driveway construction. Posts on left indicate the start of it. Feeling bad for the trees.

And a few goals:

1) Build within our means and needs. We are sticking to the principles behind the saying, "Too many people spend money they haven't earned, buy things they don't want, and try to impress people they don't like." While this is not a "starter home" (because we plan on being there indefinitely) it will never be a McMansion. Every house is an investment and unless it's literally a treehouse, it uses natural resources that are many times nonrenewable and carves up the landscape in a way that is unnatural. We are aiming to design ours to use only the space and resources that are necessary in a way that is both efficient and comfortable and the least amount damaging to the environment that surrounds it.

2) Build it green. In line with what's been discussed above, we've been researching methods, materials and techniques to make this house as sustainable as possible. You'll be sure I'll be blogging a lot about what that means!

3) Bring back the farm! Chickens, cows, horses, oh my! I can't wait to have our farm back.

4) Make it our own. Isn't that the whole point? This project will certainly put our creative skills to the test. I stay awake at night thinking about all the design possibilities!

So there you have it. It's all out in the open now. Phew, it's good to get that off my chest, we've been scheming this up now for several months and I've been dying to tell you all about it, but nothing had been made official. And now it has. I hope it was worth the wait and we hope you all stick with us as we take on this crazy, challenging, but totally rewarding process. It's going to be a roller coaster and we can't wait to take you all along with us!