Your Life

Be sure to check out this Friday's edition of the Lancaster New Era, as the "Your Life" section will feature photos of the mansion by Marty Heisey (who took the great photo below back in March) and an article by Susan Jurgelski (who read most, if not all, of our journal, poor girl).

A quick update:

• The heat is off. The steam boiler was backfiring, so Dawn had it shut down, and turned on the hot water boiler, which is providing radiant heat to the kitchen only. Not surprising, lots of work is being done in the kitchen now. (Just kidding.)
• The plasterers were here today, dropping off materials and getting ready to apply the blueboard. I'm still somewhat saddened that we're not replacing the lath and plaster, but given the cost of the blueboard (which they say takes about half as long as applying plaster) and the amount of plaster work that needs to be done, I'm quite sure we couldn't afford anything else.
• Bob Sipos of Old Guard Mortgage has found someone willing to finance this little project of ours. Obviously, they haven't read this journal.
• During my Thanksgiving visit, we completely failed to resolve the outstanding issues with the lighting, paint colors, kitchenettes, storm windows, sign, lightning protection, and flooring. (But we did get away to New York City for two days, which qualifies as our only real vacation this year.)
• I have taken out our first official advertisement, a small 25-word listing in Preservation magazine, a publication of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It reads in whole: Speedwell Forge B&B, Historic Elegance in Lancaster County, Pennysylvania, opening May 2006. Read about our renovation of this historic 1760 ironmaster's mansion at www.speedwellforge.com