Big work begins...

Casey, my marvelous contractor, breezed in on schedule,bringing his infectious smile and good energy with him. He also brought a dump trailer and a bunch of tools. He is taking siding down, making a lot of noise and making me grin insanely every few moments! It has begun!

// One last look at the porch- "BEFORE." I can hardly wait to post the "AFTER!"

Special delivery...

Artist and long time friend Steve made the trek from Massachusetts to Maine with his lovely wife to deliver the signs he gifted me. It was fun to show them around our little farm, and we had a nice lunch together. I am so far beyond delighted by these wonderful signs!

Let the sun shine...

This week I signed the contract with the contractor and gave him a deposit. I also ordered 12 new windows. I have a love/hate relationship with the windows currently on the porch. Only 4 of the 12 windows open,and they don't open easily, far or well. That is a pain. However, I love the old, wavy glass and even the crumbly paint on the ancient wood. I will be sad to see them go, they are rich with character. The new windows lack soul. That being said, the new windows will open and shut, they are insulated, and will be super easy to clean since the grilles are inside the glass. Let the sun shine in!

Ordering...

I just ordered my bathing system, my dryer, my amazing grooming table and grooming bath tub. I am so excited I feel a little shaky! Today my goal is to clear the porch off so demolition can begin when the contractor is ready. It will take about a month for the larger items to arrive. I have done a lot of research and have chosen products that I know will work beautifully for years to come... and are WHITE. I also paid for my web site design and a year of hosting. Next I need to send a check to pay for my logo. Then I might have to go hang out with my goats for a while to re-ground myself!

Funding...

My sweet husband tackled the funding of the project. Dealing with bankers and borrowing money makes me anxious, so he kindly took that chore off my plate. Two days ago we met with the banker and signed papers for a small home improvement loan. The funds will be put into an account next week and I can then:

*Order the new windows

*Order my bath tub and grooming table

*Give the contractor a deposit

*Pay the artist for my logo

And the ball keeps on rolling! Each step of the project adds momentum.

Meanwhile, sign maker Steve added to the delight of my business sign (see previous post) by making this incredible piece of art to hang on my garage-

It is achingly beautiful and I feel so blessed.

The sign is done..!

At work today my phone told me I had a message. Steve sent me a photo of the finished sign for my dream grooming studio. It was hard to work... I just kept looking at the picture. It made my dream feel... real.

/ Then tonight Chris gifted me with a brand new, whiz bang iPad Air. He put a lot of thought into this... wanting to support my new venture. I can use this to keep customer records, do my book keeping, take photos of the dogs I groom,even accept credit cards. My dream continues to fall into place, one happy step at a time.

Logo...

When this idea of having my own grooming studio popped into my head I thought I'd need a logo. And I thought that a dog and a cat in a rocking chair would be fun. I contacted a woman who I used to work with who is a marvelous artist. She started coming up with ideas and the final copy of her work arrived this week. I like it lots, but some of my family do not. My grooming friends love it, however. I like the whimsical aspect of it... anyway, here it is!