This is water coming out of a hose. Big deal you say? Darn right it's a big deal! While our well was completed last year, and set up for temporary use at that time, we've not been able to access our free water until now. Our pressure tank is now in place, and we are ready to have the necessary water treatment equipment installed. The University of Iowa Hygienic Lab tested our water for E. coli, fecal coliform bacteria, and nitrate levels, and all were within acceptable levels. In fact, there was no trace of any of these undesirable things. Further testing by water purification businesses revealed that our water is hard, which means we'll need to don helmets while showering. Just kidding. It means there's a fair amount of lime (like limeSTONE, not the kind in your bottle of Corona), and a small amount of iron, which means we'll have a softener, and a reverse osmosis (this is where I get lost) system to keep deposits from forming on our plumbing fixtures, and to make it taste good. The good news is that the water doesn't have a sulfur smell or taste, and the flow is strong. Stop by for a drink!
We're all decked out! Deck the halls! On deck--our new deck! These are all stupid ideas I had for titles of this post, which is why they didn't get used. If you have any ideas, I'll revise the post. In any case, this is the east deck and sliding door off of the living room that we've been so anxiously awaiting. We anticipate spending a lot of time here--coffee in the morning, contemplative moments for lunch, and stargazing at night. This deck is sheltered from the prevailing winds by the house, and affords a beautiful view to the south and east. We'll be enjoying soothing music from exterior speakers concealed in the overhang over the sliding doors.
Variation on an insulation theme: This is a view of the insulation in the basement mechanical room. The plastic covering over the insulation is present throughout the lower level, and though we've not specifically asked why, we imagine this has something to do with keeping moisture away from the wallboard that will cover these walls. If we're wrong, feel free to post a comment saying so. But do so nicely--we're sensitive that way!
This is, perhaps, the most important insulation in the house. At least as far as our feet are concerned. This is the underside of the dining porch, which will allow this room to be a four season room, rather than a three season room. And with Joanna's amazing cooking, it will be a well-seasoned four season room! Concealed behind the yellow fiberglass bat insulation that you see here are four heat ducts that will carry warm air into this room. These ducts are also individually insulated, so heat loss will be minimal as the air travels to the heat registers in this room. Additionally, this room will experience substantial solar gain during the winter months, as it is oriented to take advantage of the sun's low trajectory across the southern sky at that time of year. 
