December 2010 - The builder's have finished!

Well, here is the house with new foundations and fantastic new basement, rotted shingles replaced, and land pushed flat (to be proper lawns again someday)!  You can see that we lost the window in the process of lifting and the house straightening, but that is the only one damaged. 

The basement is now dry and sadly for the fox that wintered there, closed up tightly.

When you compare this to the boulder-filled, open to the elements, dank hole where you had to walk crouched over to avoid cracking your head, it is quite a wonderful transformation!  

We have just experienced a few days of snow here in England.  It caused chaos.  Without snow tires, plows or salt, it is very dangerous.  I didn't need to go out for the two worst days, but Brian did.  He had his first ever crunch, thankfully he is fine, but the railway van isn't.  

We are appreciating Advent in church and are anticipating the arrival of Emily (eldest daughter) and Maher (her beau) on Christmas Eve.  Emily has a blog you might be interested in if you like fashion:

http://www.tinfoilstiaras.blogspot.com/

Brian and I hope you enjoy your holiday preparations in whatever form they take, and if you are Canadian, remember to be thankful for snowplows and salt!