A LOOK AT MY HECTIC, EXCITING SUMMER

This is going to be a very exciting summer for me and Kaye: After years of planning, we’ve finally broken ground on our new house in the Texas Hill Country!

I can hardly believe it. Many months ago, Kaye and I purchased an 8.34- acre lot on a U-shaped piece of hilltop property near Luckenbach. (Read more about the town’s fascinating history on Pg. 2.) It’s right in the heart of Texas wine country with wineries, distilleries and dance halls only a few miles away. The land itself is a beautiful place, and we plan to build our new home on the hilltop overlooking our little valley. There are lovely rural views from that spot over the hills to the north and east.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with our current home, except that it’s a little too small. At 1,900 square feet, there aren’t enough bedrooms for all three of our daughters, their partners, and all of our grandchildren to stay with us at the same time. Our new house will be 2,900 square feet with a bedroom for each daughter and space for the grandchildren, too.

The location in wine country is a bonus. Kaye and I have a lot of friends scattered around Texas and even back in Wisconsin who won’t hesitate to visit when a winery tour is on offer. Plus, now we’ll have plenty of room to accommodate them!

As I write this, we’ve already selected all of the light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, appliances, and other finishings for our home. It was a hectic few months of decision-making, but now it’s time for us to hurry up and wait. As the summer progresses, the builders will lay the slab for the house and begin putting up basic framing, siding, and more.

It will probably be August or September before they get to work on the internal portion of the house. Kaye and I are certainly looking forward to it, but in the meantime, we have plenty of work and family to keep us occupied this summer.

Our oldest daughter, Shelley, is planning to come home from South Korea — where she teaches on a military base — and stay with us for six or seven weeks this season. We’re looking forward to seeing her for the first time in quite a while! Our youngest daughter, Monica, may also make the trip from California to Texas with her husband, Victor, and our grandchildren, Hank and River. It will be great to see them and enlist both Monica and Shelley in the process of organizing our current house for the move to the Hill Country.

I certainly see our new home as my eventual retirement house, but I’m not retired just yet! Between building questions and family time, I’ll be working hard for you this summer chasing those pesky IAQ problems in commercial buildings. I’m particularly looking forward to a bit more continuing education.

Building Science Summer Camp is coming up in August, and Kaye and I plan to make the trip to Westford, Massachusetts, for it. The event will be a good chance for me to catch up with friends in the industry who I haven’t seen in person for three years! Kaye and I may even go a bit early to visit family in Burlington, Vermont, too.

I hope your plans for this summer are as exciting as mine! Just remember that no matter how busy I am with family and friends, I’m never too busy for you. Call me any time with your IAQ questions and problems, and I’ll be out to your building ASAP.