Category Archives: Home Building

On June 24, 2026, wildlife sightings included a striped skunk feasting on sunflower seeds and a deceased mole unearthed by a mini excavator. The garage area was prepared for construction, with plans for wall building. A walking tour of Somerset, KY showcased beautiful neighborhoods, and a recommendation for stylish Meta Ray-Ban Smart AI Glasses was shared.

On Year 6, Day 54, the author completed the last corner of a garage’s foundation block laying and plans to begin the wall next. They reflect on the rapid aging of children while reminiscing about family. There’s a mention of stylish Meta Ray-Ban Smart AI Glasses, and affiliate links for products are included.

On Year 6, Day 53, the author reflects on a relaxing Father’s Day spent at Clifty Hill 3, enjoying healthy snacks. With July 4th approaching, they ponder if it will be a workday. They also share a recommendation for stylish Meta Ray-Ban Smart AI Glasses, expressing excitement about acquiring a pair.

Year 6, Day 52. “Living the Dream”. Sunday, 6/21/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Day 16 Block laying. Happy Father’s day everyone! Today is just another work day laying blocks. We had coffee watching this Momma skunk and baby skunk walk to the culvert to get a drink. Wonder where they are living. Please not under theContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 52 – Clifty Hill 3 – Day 16 Foundation block laying, Baby skunks”

On Day 51, the foundation work at Clifty Hill progresses, with one corner wall of the basement now at the right height. Completion is expected in about three weeks, and the foundation is becoming visible from the back deck. Daily reflections include a recommendation for comfortable Nike crew socks.

Year 6, Day 50. “Living the Dream”. Friday, 6/19/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Day 14 Block laying. Yesterday when the rain came it was like monsoon time. It was also a complete hummingbird frenzy before the rain came. Unbelievable, the guys running new Spectrum cable lines worked for hours in the pouring rain. In a fewContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 50 – Clifty Hill 3 – Day 14 Foundation block laying”

Year 6, Day 49. “Living the Dream”. Thursday, 6/18/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Woke up to warnings of bad storms coming today with flooding. Decided it was not going to be a productive block laying day. Steve figured it was a good day to fill in more dirt and stone around the foundation. It is goodContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 49 – Clifty Hill 3 – Filled in around foundation”

Year 6, Day 48. “Living the Dream”. Wednesday, 6/17/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Day 13 Block laying and picked up two more windows that need to be installed in the block. These windows are being placed in the five foot high crawl space under the master bedroom suite area. Today’s block work was around the garageContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 48 – Clifty Hill 3 – Day 13 Block Laying”

Year 6, Day 47. “Living the Dream”. Tuesday, 6/16/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Day 12 Block laying. New fiber optic lines placed on pole. Yay! – We have an internet line close to connect to. Daily reflection: Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4oTTknd Nike Crew Socks (6 pairs) No matter the age from youngContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 47 – Clifty Hill 3 – Day 12 Block Laying”

Year 6, Day 46. “Living the Dream”. Monday, 6/15/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Coming home after being away is filled with laundry, grocery shopping, plant tendering, and yard work. Our Phlox lining the walkway are bursting with flowers. They must be happy we are home. Daily reflection: Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4oTTknd NikeContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 46 – Clifty Hill 3 – Off work day after traveling”

Year 6, Day 40. “Living the Dream”. Tuesday, 6/09/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Another off rainy day. Loving my new hat. Getting excited for two upcoming cruises in 2027 from Galveston, Texas. Love those Texans. Our many upcoming cruises give us motivation to continue working. Daily reflection: Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4x00Dx4 iRobotContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 40 – Clifty Hill 3 – Rainy off day, planning Texas cruise”

Year 6, Day 39. “Living the Dream”. Monday, 6/08/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Rain was coming in this morning so foundation work was not started. The side of the driveway was leveled off where the water line runs. We have been letting the dirt settle in. Next step is grass seed. Daily reflection: Here’s a linkContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 39 – Clifty Hill 3 – Driveway water line site leveling”

Year 6, Day 38. “Living the Dream”. Sunday, 6/07/2026, Clifty Hill 3. A no work on the house build day. Since Steve was not working on the house. The birds sat on the electrical wires outside the office window and watched me on the computer. I think they are saying. ” where is big birdContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 38 – Clifty Hill 3 – Cleaning up around the Wellington”

Year 6, Day 37 “Living the Dream”. Saturday, 6/06/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Day 1 French drains and backfilling. No sump pumps in this house. Day one French Drains and Backfilling video: Daily reflection: Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4dnQgf0 Cetaphil Skin Activator Hydrating & Firming Body Lotion Fighting that old age skin. UseContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 37 – Clifty Hill 3 – Day 1 French Drains and backfilling”

Year 6, Day 36 “Living the Dream”. Friday, 6/05/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Day 11 Foundation Block Laying. In the mornings the gound at the build site always has lots of worm poop. This poop is worm castings (or vermicast). In the evening the worms borrow up and poop and then borrow back down. Steve saysContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 36 – Clifty Hill 3 – Foundation Block Laying Day 11”

Year 6, Day 35 “Living the Dream”. Thursday, 6/04/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Day 10 Foundation Block Laying. In the morning the area between the master bedroom suite and the main house foundation was plastered and tarred. Garage corners were started in the afternoon under sunny warm skies. Let’s talk about Mortar. Mortar is a mixtureContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 35 – Clifty Hill 3 – Foundation Block Laying Day 10, garage corners started”

Year 6, Day 34 “Living the Dream”. Wednesday, 6/03/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Day 9 Foundation Block Laying. Tranformer and light installed on pole. Garage stairwell block is completed up to 8 courses and plastered. Foundation Block Laying Day nine video: Daily reflection: Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4dnQgf0 Cetaphil Skin Activator Hydrating &Continue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 34 – Clifty Hill 3 – Foundation Block Laying Day 9”

Year 6, Day 33 “Living the Dream”. Tuesday, 6/02/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Day 8 Foundation Block Laying. It’s just another another Block laying day. Those L blocks are looking good. We hung another humingbird feeder and we have ten hummingbirds eating at a time. They are flying pigs. They empty the bird feeders everyday. WeContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 33 – Clifty Hill 3 – Foundation Block Laying Day 8”

Year 6, Day 32 “Living the Dream”. Monday, 6/01/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Day 7 Foundation Block Laying. Early rise and out to purchase some L Block. These will be used halfway up the foundation wall that borders the master bedroom suite. That is where the basement and crawl space will meet. We also picked upContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 32 – Clifty Hill 3 – Foundation Block Laying Day 7”

Year 6, Day 31 “Living the Dream”. Sunday, 5/31/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Day 6 Foundation Block Laying. 7 of the 11 corners are completed up to where scaffolding is needed. What is going on here?? Did you know that taking a cruise can give your brain a legitimate boost? Unplugging from everyday stressors, slow travel”Continue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 31 – Clifty Hill 3 – Foundation Block Laying Day 6”

Year 6, Day 30 “Living the Dream”. Saturday, 5/30/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Day 5 Foundation Block Laying. The new cleaning crew. The retired cleaning crew. Foundation Block Laying Day five video: Daily reflection: Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4dnQgf0 Cetaphil Skin Activator Hydrating & Firming Body Lotion Fighting that old age skin. UseContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 30 – Clifty Hill 3 – Foundation Block Laying Day 5”

Year 6, Day 29 “Living the Dream”. Friday, 5/29/2026, Clifty Hill 3. We forgot we had to be in Lexington this morning. So it was a rush to get out of the house by 7am. It was way to hot to start block laying at 1pm when we got home. So we did chores aroundContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 29 – Clifty Hill 3 – Lexington and Wellington chores”

Year 6, Day 28 “Living the Dream”. Thursday, 5/28/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Day 4 Foundation block laying. Beautiful sunny day today. The last few days we had over 7 inches of rain. I can literally see the flowers and grass growing. They are so happy that mother nature provided that long refreshing drink and nowContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 28 – Clifty Hill 3 – Foundation Block Laying Day Four”

Year 6, Day 27 “Living the Dream”. Wednesday, 5/27/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Day 3 Foundation block laying. Had to knock off a little early due to storms passing through at 2:30pm. The two corners that butt up to the garage and bedroom area lined up perfect. The sixth course should run right into the stepContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 27 – Clifty Hill 3 – Foundation Block Laying Day three”

Year 6, Day 26 “Living the Dream”. Tuesday, 5/26/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Another Rain day. No work today. The last few days have been pretty rainy. It is Julianna’s birthday. Time sure flys. This sweetie pie is 15 today. Happy Birthday Julianna. We retired our old Roomba’s and purchased newer models today. They seem toContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 26 – Clifty Hill 3 – Rainy Day no work”

Year 6, Day 25 “Living the Dream”. Monday, 5/25/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Happy Memorial Day! Day 2 foundation block laying. With the rain yesterday and more coming tomorrow. Steve decided to work through our little barbecue. He ate his meal quickly between building corners. I on the other hand spent time with Justin, Bobi, Koral,Continue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 25 – Clifty Hill 3 – Foundation Block Laying day 2”

Year 6, Day 24 “Living the Dream”. Sunday, 5/24/2026, Clifty Hill 3. It is a rainy sunday funday. The Hummingbirds are fully back. You can spend hours watching them. Our hummingbirds are Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris). They are commonly seen in Kentucky from mid-spring through early fall. The males have a red throat and theContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 24 – Clifty Hill 3 – Sunday, a fun rainy day with Hummingbirds”

Year 6, Day 23 “Living the Dream”. Saturday, 5/23/2026, Clifty Hill 3. Day 1 Laying the block for the foundation.The past two days we have gotten 5 inches of rain. We ended up canceling the open house. We didn’t want people walking through the Wellington with wet/dirty feet. The water has drained from the footing.Continue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 23 – Clifty Hill 3 – Foundation block laying day 1”

Year 6, Day 22 “Living the Dream”. Friday, 5/22/2026, Clifty Hill 3. It rained alot since yesterday. We have gotten more than three inches so far and it is still rainy. As you can imagine no block work is being done. The birds seem to be loving this rain. They are flocking to the feeder.Continue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 22 – Clifty Hill 3 – Rainy off day”

Year 6, Day 21 “Living the Dream”. Thursday, 5/21/2026, Clifty Hill 3. 7am in the morning Lowe’s calls and says the block order will be arriving in 11 minutes. Oh no. It is raining and it is a soaking cold rain. Lowe’s truck and a subcontracted tractor trailer arrive. Two moffets work to unload theContinue reading “Living the Dream Year 6 Day 21 – Clifty Hill 3 – Block Delivered, Spencer Kindergarten graduation”