Moved to Leadville

We made the final move to Leadville yesteday in the snow. It was raining in Avon, but we ran into snow on the way up. We have all the furninture moved into the garage w/some in the house. The refinished floors weren't quite ready. The floors have turned out real well. I actually should have sanded with a screen and added another coat, but we don't have time right now. I still need to get new baseboards and doors installed. I'm using the existing frames on the interior doors, so we'll see how hinge installation goes on the new door slabs.

We removed the old cabinets last night and were pretty grossed out by the amount of filth under them. I found an old package of rolling papers stuck between cabinets. I knew the previous owners had to be high when they painted the house. I plan to install new cabinets this weekend and maybe purchase a new stove. The gas stove that came with the house is shot, along with the dishwasher and refrigerator. However, we can make due with the fridge for a while and live without the dishwasher if we have to. I'm also going to replace several light fixtures and maybe try to add one to the living room.

After I get done w/the inside it will be on to the outside. We will start with repainting and garage door installation. Then I'll move into replacing the back yard fence and building a deck and patio. Lots of work this summer!

Snow

Although not that unusual for the mountains, we have had snow off and on since yesterday morning. I had about an inch on the cars this morning and the grass and trees all had snow on them. I'm sure the snow pounded the higher elevations. The golf course down the road is covered in snow with bright green putting surfaces showing through. The greens must be warmer than the rest of the fairways because they are cut so close to the ground, either way it's pretty cool looking. I'll bet Sean never mowed a green in the snow.

We planned to pave today on the Town's roundabout project, but the weather and the site conditions were not suitable for pavement. So, maybe it will dry up enough today to pave tomorrow. I've never stopped work on a construction site in late May due to snow.

New/Old House

We closed on the house last week 5/15 and have been working on it daily. So far we have removed all baseboards and interior doors, leaving the door frames. The ceiling and walls had to be washed down because they were filthy. I think the previous owneres must have smoked. I rented a paint sprayer from Home Depot and sprayed all the ceilings, so that was an easy job.

I have also touched up all the nail holes in the sheet rock and we have painted the three bedrooms and all the door frames and windows. Tonight we will put a second coat on the bedrooms and start on the living and dining rooms. I want to have all the floors refinished before we move in next week, so I'll be renting a drum sander starting Wednesday.

The kids are loving being able to run around in the house and basement and the small back yard. It all needs a lot of updating, but I think I can get it done this summer. I'll just be glad to get moved in.

I forgot to mention

I drew a sheep tag. Since I didn't have any preference points I applied for a ewe tag which isn't too terribly difficult to draw as a 1st choice. No one w/ preference points will apply as a first choice because they will lose them all if they draw their fist choice. Since everyone wants a ram, they keep trying for a ram tag and apply for ewe as second choice. Ram tags require a min. of 3 preference points. Some guys will draw a tag in as few as 6 years and I know of some who have applied for nearly 20 years for a ram without drawing. Hopefully I can get lucky and fill the ewe tag then start the long wait of applying for a ram tag.

My season will be Oct. 2-11, which is actually a rifle season. I will be hunting with my bow and will take a few vacation days along with a weekend. I plan to scout all summer and I've met a guy from Loveland that has killed a ram and a ewe in the unit I drew that has offered to help. I've also met a guy from north of Colorado Springs that has done the same.

I'm really exited about it. Sheep are at the top of my list for animals I wanted to hunt with my bow. I've included some pics I found on the web. I did not take either photo, but included them to show the difference between the ewe and ram.

This is what I'll be after in October and scouting for all summer.

This is what I'll be passing up and hoping to hunt some day.

A few pics from last months visit to IL

Sam/"Elvis has left the building"
Bicycles at Granny and Papaw's
Boyd w/Ben 10 watch
Jessie and Eli
Eli's already picking up chics w/his board

Lacey K.
Maddy
Isaac @ Noble Park
Olivia and Boyd @ Noble Park
Olivia and Jade

I'm finally getting around to posting a few of the pics from last months visit to IL. I didn't get pictures of everyone and some that I did get weren't any good, so I'm just posting some that turned out ok.

Weather is really nice lately. The sun will bake you and it is only 70 deg during the day. Leaves are almost all out except for up at the higher elevations.

Turkey hunting didn't go so well the weekend I got back. Hens were the only thing I saw and other hunters. I've got to find more birds in a larger area, but we are a couple of hours from any of those places. Was planning to make it out this evening w/ Isaac and camp between here and Grand Junction up in the mountains closer to more turkeys so we could hunt tomorrow all day, but I needed to check on one of the town projects I'm responsible for before hunting. Then we were going into GJ to buy a new bow. I haven't decided between the Bowtech or Diamand.

After checking out the job, we plan to drive out to GJ if they have the bows in stock then hunt and maybe camp then get up early and head back for Mothers Day. If the bows aren't in stock, we will just hunt.

Will probably be my last chance to go hunting although there are two more weekends left. We will be closing on a small house in Leadville on the 15th and then will be working on it for two weeks before moving into it by the end of the month. The house is only 1100+ sq.ft w/ 900+ sq.ft. basement and is mostly 70's era finishes. The house also has a one car garage they had enclosed but never finished for living space. I'm going to remove the window and put the garage door back in. I'm also going to refininsh the wood floors throughout the house and repaint the entire interior before moving in. The outside has to be painted a different color until we can re-side with a more modern siding (probably vinyl). The bathroom and kitchen needs to be modernized but won't happend until were already in. We will get everyone our new number at the first of next month when we get moved in.