I can still hardly believe my good fortune, even though it's been two days since he said it was MINE!!!! The building was initially planned for a potting shed and storage for garden equipment, etc. Years ago, I'd found a picture of a potting shed that was in a semi-Tudor style, with stucco walls and beams. I cut the picture out and saved it because Nigel also liked it and I knew with his talents, he could duplicate it. Skip forward to June and he started work on it. And the more he complete, the more beautiful it was and I kept thinking how it would make the perfect studio for my small business. So one day, just in passing (because it never hurts to let your feelings be known), I commented that he was more than welcome to let me have it for myself. That way, all my artwork, supplies and creative endeavors wouldn't clutter up the house any more! Well, his response wasn't exactly heartwarming to say the least. It was something like "Yeah, right!" So I didn't think any more about it.
Skip forward to a few nights ago, and out of the blue, Nigel commented, "So you think you can really get all your stuff in that small building?" My heart nearly stopped beating! But I remained calm and very casually said, "Oh, of course. No problem at all. It just looks like it wouldn't because there's all this furniture in here now (in the bedroom), which I wouldn't use." And that's all he said!
Well, you can imagine the restless night I spent - hoping against all odds, praying it might be so, and imagining all the things I'd do if only...... By the next evening, I was determined to corner him the minute he got home from work and find out once and for all if it was possible. For those of you who know me really well, you'll remember that patience is NOT one of my strong points, especially for something that's really important to me!
Well, I needn't have worried! Nigel said he'd actually been thinking about this for some time! So - being on the 99th cloud that I was on - I didn't sleep much that night either, because all I could think of was how I'd decorate it, what furniture I'd use in there, etc.! But it was a wonderful sleepless night this time! As a matter of fact, Nigel is making it even nicer than I'd imagined. He's putting in a tile floor (I was going to settle for painting the concrete slab that was the foundation!) and bead board paneling on the ceiling!! And my chandelier will hang from the center, and I have extra storage on top in a loft like area!!
Am I blessed, or am I blessed!!?? So.....here's where it's at in the construction process so far. It's 13 by 11 feet, with 4 lovely windows and French doors for the entry. We have to wait 60 days before the outside stucco walls can be stained to a darker "wet stucco" look we both liked and we thought about painting the white door and window surrounds, but haven't completed decided for sure on that.
Now for the pictures!!
The SPOT - Where it All Started!!
Foundation goes down!! The sloping step was originally to make it easier
to get a wheelbarrow and lawnmower inside! Oh well!!!
Now for the roof structure!!
That's my sweetheart, in the miserable Alabama summer sun!!
He really does love me!! A LOT!!!
Metal roof, French doors, and windows!
Nigel builds things to make them LAST!!
Now for the stucco walls and beams! Right side of building.
Left side of building. That bird feeder is actually hanging
from a tree in the foreground, not on the house itself. This also
shows the white window surrounds.
These are the pictures I have so far, which reminds me that I need to go take some more!! This time I'll take pics of the inside and of the gorgeous tile I found ON A FABULOUS SALE at Home Depot!!
Thank you Nigel!! From the depths of my heart and soul, I thank you! And "No ladies. This man is NOT available!! After this "project", he's building himself an outdoor courtyard with barbecue, fireplace and fire pit!! Then there's Isabel's playhouse and after that, he's building a greenhouse!! Then there's . . . .oh well, suffice it to say the man is a genius, and he doesn't even consider himself artistic!! He says he just "piddles around" doing this and that, a "Jack of all trades and a master of none." That's okay though. Who needs a master of just one thing when you can get Jack doing everything!!
So off I go, with camera in tow, for my next posting!
May God Bless, Jan
