CH 4
They had checked out of their hotel room and were pulling up in what passed for the driveway to their new home. It was still just a dirt road with a few rocks strewn about to try and compensate for the earlier rain that had turned it into a quagmire.
Rick looked around and saw there were contractors' trucks everywhere. The general contractor was here as well as contractors and their crews for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC. Even the security system installer guy was here. "Looks busy," Rick commented as they both look outside.
The movers were nowhere in sight. "Put the leashes on your puppies and don't let go of them for any reason. I don't want them getting lost out here," Rick told Alexis who crawled into the back seat to attach the two leashes and waited for her dad to open the door. Rick and Alexis with puppies in tow were walking towards their new home. "It's big Daddy." Alexis was amazed at how much space they were going to have.
Every outside wall was made from logs making it a log home. They were parked just outside of what was the double car garage that was on the lower level. From here the front door was up a set of stairs that turned into a ramp before going back to a set of stairs before another ramp came to a large front patio area out front of the massive wood double doors that were the front door.
The front patio was covered by a log A frame structure. There were three windows on two levels above the garage. The center one on what was the second floor was actually a set of French doors that opened out onto a small patio. One of the front doors was open allowing them to enter the home. Just inside was a sweeping stair case on their right that led to the second floor. The area under the second floor had a wood ceiling with logs acting as beams.
In front of them was the large curved window area that was two stories tall and was all window from floor to roof with open beam logs and a wood ceiling. There were 8 windows on each level. To the left was a huge natural rock fireplace that was also two stories tall. It had a wood burning fireplace in the center and areas recessed into the rock to store wood for the fire. The mantle above it was one continuous slab of rock. Rick could already envision the Christmas stockings that would be hanging from it in a few months.
There was even space in front of the curved wall filled with windows for a massive Christmas tree. He was definitely going to need a ladder to hang all the decorations.
Walking inside they could see the staircase that went down under the one that went up. To their right was a large opening that would lead into the kitchen which is where Rick went next as they walked across cardboard that had been taped down to protect the beautiful wood floors that were everywhere on this level.
The kitchen was partially under the second floor so it had the same ceiling as the entrance did. The cabinets were in, however, none of the kitchen appliances had been installed. It was something Rick had already anticipated; his solution to the problem was scheduled to show up today. He was going to need to find the general contractor soon to confirm that the contractor could lay down a base of gravel just outside of the garage doors to accommodate Rick's solution.
The granite countertop along with the island and stone backsplash was also missing. So far all of the windows still had all of their stickers showing the manufacturer: Anderson.
Rick was taking Alexis and her puppies back out into the living room and could see the dining room directly across the way. He also noticed that the western-style wrought iron chandelier hadn't been hung yet
"You must be the Rodgers," remarked the contractor. Rick recognized the general contractor coming through the front door. "I must have just missed you." He offered his hand to Rick who shook it.
"It's good to finally meet you. This is my daughter Alexis. I wanted to talk with you about the gravel at the garage entrance," Rick began. "Not a problem. I've got two trucks scheduled to deliver it in about..." He looked at his watch. "About 30 minutes actually. We'll have it all compacted and level for your trailer in time for its arrival. I've got everyone upstairs working on the bedrooms and bathrooms at the moment. From there we'll work our way down. The last room to be finished will be the weight and game room downstairs."
"What do you think? You wouldn't believe how many townspeople have been out here to gawk at it," he mentioned. "So I've heard. We got here a couple of days ago and stayed in a hotel room. It had a kitchen so I went shopping where I learned a lot," Rick told him.
"That's a small town for you, better get used to it. Everyone's going to want to know what everyone else is doing and if you don't tell them they'll just spy on you. It's all harmless. It's just that everyone is a neighbor no matter how far away they actually live," the contractor said.
"I trust you're still on schedule?" Rick asked. "Right now we're probably a day or two behind schedule. We had a very heavy downpour a few weeks ago that was unexpected but we've mostly caught up from that delay," was his response.
"The pods holding all of my furniture are supposed to show up sometime today as well." Rick informed him. "We'll be ready. They'll go right next to your trailer until you're ready to unload them. I've even got some tarps ready to cover them to keep the rain out in case one or more of them have a leak." Rick was impressed. This guy really was on the ball. "We'll get out of your hair and wait outside for everything to show up," Rick advised him."That'll be fine. Most everyone will be here long after the sun goes down working. Oh, the absolute last thing to be installed will be the blacktop driveway after the intricate pavers are installed at the garage entrance after your trailer is gone," he explained. It sounded to Rick like he had everything planned out.
"Save for the behemoth constructed on that tribal site a few miles up the road, this house is going to be the best looking home around here." The general contractor was impressed with what he was building.
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Rick and Alexis saw the two dump trucks arrive and dump their loads then watched a little bobcat move all of it to the area in front of the still-open garage since the doors were not yet installed. Rick knew what they were going to look like since he had a model rendering of the place on his laptop that his architect had provided.
Then they watched it all get flattened by a machine with large rolling wheels. "Flintstones Daddy!" Alexis pointed to the machine that was compacting the gravel. Rick started chuckling since Alexis was right. It did looked a lot like Fred Flintstone's car that Alexis had seen on Cartoon Network.
Rick had gotten out the food for their picnic and they were eating in the truck when the their trailer showed up. They watched it get put in place and leveled then get hooked up to the water supply using a hose from the laundry area just inside the house beyond the garage entrance.
Rick watched the general contractor wave to them when it was all done. Rick and Alexis started moving in all of their suitcases, puppy supplies, and the food that was left over from the grocery trip earlier.
It was a 41 foot Jayco brand trailer with all the comforts of home. It had a queen bed at one end and a leather sofa that was a hide-a-bed on the other end. There was an entertainment center located above an electric fireplace. It had a kitchen with a range, oven and microwave. There was a double bowl sink and two chairs and dinette area that seated four. A tub/shower combo, toilet, vanity, and also a stacked washer/dryer unit were inside the bathroom .
Each main area had a ceiling fan though the trailer had two A/C units on the roof and a single heating unit that Rick hoped they wouldn't need. The main way in and out was through a sliding glass door. Everyone's clothes went into the wardrobe area of the single bedroom.
Someone had to come out and pump out the waste tank every 2 weeks for the next 2 months. They would be living in the trailer until they could move into the house, even though it still wouldn't be entirely completed.
There was an unexpected problem that had to be corrected. Rick's new truck was too long to fit in the garage. The solution was relatively simple. Rick lost the storage on one wall that was the laundry room in order to extend one side of the garage. He now had to always park his truck on the right side of the garage. Rick blamed it on the crew cab section. He got lucky when he selected a truck that had a short bed instead of an 8 foot long bed. If he had done that they might have been screwed. Even if it had been an extended cab.
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"Ready to go Alexis?" Rick looked over at her sitting on the floor playing with Midas and Maggie with a squeaky plush toy. "More camping?" Alexis deflated and stopped paying attention to Midas and Maggie which did not sit well with them, so they attacked her and got her laughing and playing.
"We're going to go buy a trailer so that we can go camping later. We need to buy one now while the prices are lower. It's only a 2-1/2 hour drive to get there." Rick corrected her thinking. "You can bring Midas and Maggie." He dangled a carrot to get her moving.
It seemed to have worked since she was sitting in back with Midas and Maggie. "I asked you to use the bathroom before we left," he reminded her. "I'm sorry Daddy." Rick pulled her into the gas station so she could use the restroom, leaving Midas and Maggie in the truck. He felt guilty so he spent a whole $7 to top off his truck with gas before leaving.
Three and a half hours later Rick was learning how to drive with a travel trailer hooked to his truck.
Jayco Eagle with floor plan 314TSBH. 37' 10" long, gross weight of 10,750 which was fine since his truck was rated for 15,100 pounds. Granted he still had to fill it with clothing, linens, cooking supplies, and countless other items which would add to the overall weight.
It had a bedroom with a queen-size bed up at the hitch. There was a sleeper sofa made of leather like the one in the rental trailer, a U-shaped dinette that could be converted to full size sleeper (both part of the same pull-out), an entertainment center on one wall. The kitchen had a double bowl sink, a propane fired range and oven that might just maybe fit a turkey (a small one). Also a refrigerator/freezer that ran on electricity or propane. There was a tub that he didn't fit into and could barely stand up in it to take a shower.
In back there were 2 game chairs that already had an X-box and TV installed. A fold-down bunk bed was located above them. (pull-out) The other side had a single upper bunk bed. Below it, accessible from the exterior, was the outside cooking range, and prep area. Sink and mini fridge (pull out).
Midas and Maggie's kennels were going to be placed in the back where there was space.
"What do you think pumpkin?" Rick asked her as they pulled up to their house where he was going to have his first lesson (self taught) on how to back up with a only took him 8 tries to get it parked right next to the trailer they were still living in for another few weeks. "It's not as big Daddy," Alexis pointed out, comparing it to the trailer Rick had rented for them to live in while the house was being worked on. He stuck his tongue out at his daughter who giggled.
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It is now 2 months later:
"You take Midas and Maggie for a walk and make sure you stay outside til they both do their business while I start work on dinner," Rick told her and went inside the rental trailer to start work on dinner.
They were both eating when there was a knock on their door. "Don't mean to interrupt but I wanted to inform you that we can get you out of this thing and into your bedrooms tomorrow. The kitchen is also scheduled to be completed tomorrow provided that the appliances show up on time. So you'll be able to move out of this thing if you want," the general contractor told them. "What do you think pumpkin? Ready to move into our new home?" Rick asked her and watched her nod her head with enthusiasm.
The next day the general contractor volunteered 4 of his men along with himself, for a price, to get the bedroom furniture out of one of the pods and into the house. It was all the stairs that had them moaning. First there were the stairs just to get to the front door followed by the stairs to get up to the bedrooms. Still they never noticed that Rick had left Alexis behind in her room until they came downstairs and found three large pizzas and a six pack of beer from the Pizza Barn in town waiting for them. That and the cash soon soothed their aching muscles.
Rick and Alexis were left to move everything out of the pod and into the kitchen after those same workers installed the appliances that were delivered late. "It all works and we'll be back in the morning to finish the ground floor before moving downstairs," the general contractor advised him.
Alexis fell asleep while Rick was undressing her; she was lying on her own bed in a bedroom filled with boxes. He all but sleepwalked himself down the hall and into his bedroom where he still had to put sheets on the bed and find his pillows before he could strip and fall onto the bed.
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Rick was happy at least a little to be no longer doing what he had been doing for the previous 2 months:
Rick was picking up Alexis from school yet again which had become a weekday ritual. Twenty minutes into town in the morning to drop her off at the elementary school then twenty minutes back home. Take Midas and Maggie out to make sure they do their business and go inside their rental trailer to work on writing his next book. The trailer was a quiet oasis where he could work away from the continued construction noise. Eat lunch and take Midas and Maggie back outside for a walk. Then go back inside to get some more writing done. Load up Midas and Maggie into the truck and drive twenty minutes to the elementary school to pick up Alexis and twenty minutes back with her in the back playing with Midas and Maggie.
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Today was going to be different. For one it was Saturday and the contractor had finished fixing the things on Rick's list from the walk through of their new house. He had pulled up stakes and was gone.
The house was done and they were all moved in!
It was early, really early in the morning. Rick was turning blue and was almost completely out of breath. "Stupid town doesn't have one single helium tank?" he wheezed as he blew up the last of 40 balloons and punched it to send it flying, all of 3 feet.
Next came the glitter. Since all he had that would do the trick were a few boxes of tinsel that went on their Christmas tree, he used that and hung it from the railings across the walkway on the second floor that overlooked the living room and down the staircase. Then there were three colors of ribbon that were taped to the railing above the living room and thrown over the side and ended with the end tucked under a piece of furniture. Rick got out a ladder and hung the banner from the wrought iron chandelier.
Then he went upstairs to get his daughter out of bed and into the tub for her morning bath. He left her to put on the clothes laid out on her bed and waited outside her door.
Alexis came out the door and into the wonderland of a display. Her dad pulled a horn out of his back pocket and blew it. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" She saw tinsel, balloons, ribbons, and a banner hanging in the middle of the living room that said HAPPY BIRTHDAY. "Would the birthday girl like to have her birthday breakfast?" Rick asked bubbling over in excitement.
"Are there presents?" Alexis asked instead. "Not until after your birthday lunch, birthday cake, and birthday ice cream with your friends from school," Rick told her. Alexis looked downcast. She didn't have that many friends at school. In her eyes she only had one who showed any signs of wanting to be a friend.
She ate her breakfast and went outside to play with Midas and Maggie. Rick watched, feeling a little down, and prayed mightily that everything would work out like he had planned. That was when he heard the doorbell and was very thankful Midas and Maggie were outside. They went nuts when there was someone at the front door. You would think they wanted to rip whomever it was limb from limb. Only to end up sticking their noses into whomever it was. If you passed the test they hung around and tried to get petted. So far he hadn't seen anyone they didn't like.
Rick answered the door. "Hi welcome, come on in." He invited the little girl and her mother into the house. "I'm hoping you're Paige," Rick said. "This is Paige and I'm Vicki, her mother, and this is a present for the birthday girl. Where is she anyway?"
"She's outside playing with our 2 dogs. Not to worry - I'll keep the dogs away if they get to be too much." Rick was going to ask if Vicki had brought the girl's sleeping bag but then he saw it. "You're sure you're up for this?" Vicki questioned him. "Piece of cake. I've got lots of plans and ideas to keep them busy, enough food to feed a small army, and gallons of coffee to keep me awake and going," Rick chuckled.
"I'll be back at 7:00 in the morning to pick you up sweetie. Have fun and be nice." Vicki kissed her daughter and saw herself out just as the next woman showed up with her daughter.
Rick went to the door. "ALEXIS! Time to come inside and bring Midas and Maggie with you," he yelled. Alexis came running towards him with the dogs chasing and jumping.
"Happy Birthday party pumpkin." Rick waved his arm at the 4 girls her age or a year older. Next to them were 6 wrapped presents, 2 of them from Rick.
Midas and Maggie wasted no time in sticking their noses into each of the girls, 2 of whom didn't look to happy about it. "They're harmless, they're just trying to find out if they like you," Rick assured them. In seconds the dogs were going from girl to girl trying to get petted and bellies rubbed from all of them at the same time.
Rick let them talk and went into the kitchen and came out with cookies that he and Alexis had made together just the day before along with a pitcher of homemade lemonade and 5 glasses.
He disappeared and came back with a small TV that had a built in player and plugged it in while the girls ate and talked. Next thing the girls knew they had blankets, sheets, and pillows raining down on their heads while Midas and Maggie were running around barking, causing the girls to laugh. All of that was followed by Rick hustling down the stairs. "Okay girls. We're going to make the biggest and most awesomest blanket and pillow fort the world has ever seen with the TV in the middle," he announced.
He started pushing furniture around. "A little help ladies?" Rick asked and soon had 10 little arms and legs helping him push furniture around. "Now Alexis here is a master at blanket and pillow fort building so we are going to use one of her pervious masterpieces. You four are going to add your skill and make it even bigger and better than ever achieved before," he encouraged.
It took them an hour but soon they had the most awesome fort any child had ever seen. "Now we just need three more things," Rick informed them as he picked up a remote and pressed the button. The girls watched as blinds came down over all 8 windows on the wall plunging the room into an almost twilight darkness. It was only going to get darker when the sun went down later. "COOL!" Paige shouted.
"Now for number two," he said and walked over to a closet, pulled out a bag then reached in and handed each of the girls their own flashlight.
"And for number three." Rick went back to the same closet and came back with 5 games: Trouble; Chutes and Ladders, Hero addition; Headbanz; Jenga; Spirograph.
"Has everyone had lunch yet?" he asked them and watched all of them shake their heads. "EXCELLENT! Five sandwiches and chips coming right up," he declared and headed to the kitchen to make BLTs for the girls.
By the time he was done all he saw were the flashlights clicking on and off from inside the fort. The games were missing from where he'd left them. Even the dogs were missing. Rick slid their lunches into the fort one at a time followed by the glasses of lemonade that they had left behind. Pleased with himself, he left them to do what little girls do. "Absolutely DO NOT feed the dogs girls, we don't want them to get sick!" Rick was more worried about diarrhea though vomiting was also a possibility.
Then he had an idea and hurried to the kitchen. He came back with a bag and pushed it into the fort. "If you want to feed the dogs give them these, but no more than 3 per dog," Rick told them and watched a hand grab the bag and disappear beneath the blanket into the fort.
He was satisfied it would hold their interest for at least a little while. He planned on what to do next as he sat in the kitchen and contemplated his strategy.
"Bathroom?" Jenna asked standing in the doorway to the kitchen. "Right this way," Rick answered and took her to the half bath that was at the front door. "Push the button on the left for number 1 and the one on the right for number 2," he instructed her and left her to her business. He was in the doorway to the kitchen when he heard the toilet flush and eventually the little girl ran out and crawled back into the fort.
Rick was hauling a floor fan up from storage in the basement when he saw Stephanie run from the half bath and crawl back into the fort. "The word must be out," he guessed as he chuckled.
It was getting dark outside and the only light was the light from the kitchen and the lights shining though from inside the fort.
Rick had 3 floor fans set up and plugged in. Next he had a tambourine in his hand. He really wanted some of those cymbals that drummers would hit, so he hoped this would do. He set up the stereo system, picked up the remote, and walked over to the old color wheel that he used for one of their fake Christmas trees and turned it on. Then he quickly went to each fan and turned them on then pressed the button on his remote.
He started shaking his tambourine. "There's a powerful storm brewing Captain. It looks like a big one. …What do we do Captain?" he yelled. He hit the table with his tambourine. "The main mast has broken Captain! The storm is getting bigger," he hollered, went to each fan, and turned the speed up from low to medium. Just as the lightning cracked over the stereo system, he cranked up the volume so that the next ones were really loud. "We're going to be swamped Captain!" he shouted as Midas and Maggie barked at him. Rick was grinning wide as he heard the girls giggling and the dogs barking as he turned the fan speed up from medium to high. "What do we do Captain? We need a hero to save us!" he yelled.
Rick was shocked when Midas came scrambling out of the fort's entrance and started barking. "Look Captain, it's Super Dog!" He went with it. He turned off the stereo, put his tambourine down, went to each fan to turn them off, and finally turned off the color wheel. "We're safe Captain," he announced and could hear the girls giggling louder as Midas just kept barking. "Midas," Alexis called and Rick watched him work his way back into the fort.
Rick pulled dinner out of the oven and called the girls to the table. "Anyone allergic to cheese? How about chicken? Pasta?" he inquired and got 5 head shakes. "Cheesy Chicken Casserole it is then." Rick scooped out some for each girl and gave them a glass of milk.
"Save room for cake and ice cream," he reminded them. The girls ate dinner in silence. When they were finished eating they gathered around Alexis to sing Happy Birthday. She blew out the candles with one breath as she made her birthday wish. Rick cut the cake into small pieces then gave each girl a plate with a piece of cake and a scoop of ice cream. Then Alexis opened her birthday presents.
Present number one from Jenny - Basket of Hair Accessories - Hair Ties, Sparkley Clips, Head Bands, Bows.
Present number two from Stephanie - The Curious Kid's Science Book: 100+ Creative Hands-On Activities for Ages 4-8.
Present number three from Brandi - Books: Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun; Having the Courage To Be Who You Are; Sleepover Sleuths (Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew #1); Summer Pony (A Stepping Stone Book(TM)).
Present number four from Paige - Yummy Nummies Mini Kitchen Playset - Sundae Maker.
Present number five from Rick - VTech Grade School Learning Nitro Jr. Notebook.
Present number six from Rick - Barbie Pop-Up Camper.
"Here's your movie girls." Rick handed over a tape. "Alexis knows how to use it." And he watched them crawl back into their fort. He stopped the dogs. "Not you two! You two need to go outside and do your business," he said as he took them outside and watched them both pee and poop.
Back inside the dogs both made a beeline for the entrance to the fort. Rick meanwhile put his storm-making equipment away, poured himself a glass of wine, and sat down to relax for a bit.
"Here are your sleeping bags girls. I suggest you come out and change for bed and use the bathroom." He stuffed each sleeping bag into the fort. He hoped the mothers had rolled sleepwear inside each of their sleeping bags like he had asked them along with a toothbrush. There was soon a line formed for the half bathroom as the girls waited with tooth brushes in hand.
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The next morning Rick was up and waiting for them as another line formed for the half bath except for Alexis and Paige who went upstairs. "There's another bathroom downstairs," he informed the girl at the end of the line who promptly ran downstairs.
"Corn Flakes, Raisin Bran, or Froot Loops?" Rick asked each of them and poured what they selected into a bowl with milk. There was juice and toast as well.
While the girls ate their breakfast, he rolled up each sleeping bag with their clothes inside and had them waiting when the first mother showed up. Rick got a "Thank you Mr. Rodgers" after their mothers prompted their daughters. "You're welcome. You can come visit anytime," he replied.
Rick overheard a mother asking "Did you have a good time?" Her daughter replied "It was so cool Mom!" And Rick's head got bigger instantly. He was definitely the fun dad.
"How was your birthday party pumpkin?" he asked after everyone was gone. His little girl launched herself at him and hugged his legs. "I love you Dad."
That told him all he needed to know.