We're building a lake house

More than likely almost everyone who reads this blog already knows Brenda and I are planning to build a house on Richland Chambers Lake southeast of Corsicana, Texas.  We began talking about and looking for lake property several years ago. Now, we've moved beyond just talking and looking.  Now, we're about to turn over some dirt and actually begin the building process.

About one and a half years ago I mentioned that I was looking for a lake house to a good friend of mine (Don Van Dever) and I was surprised when he said, "I'll sell you my lake house."  Don told me where it was and said I should drive down to see it. Brenda and I took our grandson Boston and drove there during the spring of 2008.  I remember the weather was quite cold and damp that morning but that did now dampen our spirits at all.  In fact, we were quite interested.

Don later offered for us to spend some time there in his home, stating that he had only spent about two weeks there during the entire previous year.  We took him up on his generous offer and spent Spring Break 2008 there.  The lake was so cold that even the wetsuits didn't help.  Still, it was so peaceful and quiet there we decided to have the property appraised and pursue the sale if Don was really serious.  

We returned for another visit later that summer with about 20 family members converging on the lake house during that week. Brenda's sisters - Leslie from Palm Coast, FL and Cindy from San Antonio - both visited.  Brenda's mother Betha flew in for several days from California.  My mother and father drove over from Mississippi.  And our children and their families also came to visit.  We had another in the continuing series of wonderful family vacations to build memories.

Last fall when I contacted Don again about his house he told me of the fateful events of his life.  Don had fractured a disc in his spine and was very close to being paralyzed.  He was to spend a year in recovery and because of that, he and his wife were spending much more time at his lake house.  That event, along with the depressed housing market lead him to decide not to sell.  I understood completely and would probably have done the same thing had I been in his situation.  However, that left Brenda and me back where we began, wanting a place on a lake that we could call our own.

This spring we contacted a realtor about finding some lake front property to purchase and gave her several requirements.  First, the property had to have a GREAT view.  We didn't merely want lake access and a view of other houses on a canal.  We wanted a view of open water and the ability to build a pier, or dock, or boat house.  That would rule out most of the lakes in Texas that are controlled by the Corp of Engineers.  Many other lakes which allow boat houses are either very small or already fully developed or too far from Dallas which would make driving to the airport for work a problem.

We looked at dozens of pieces of property and some existing houses.  Nothing appealed to us until we finally found the perfect place - the property we bought - the place where we are now about to build our home.  The property is near the south end of a peninsula and is situated on the west side with views that extend about 12 miles to the west and 7 miles to the east.  We believe it will be an ideal place to build a home where our family can gather for years to come.  We hope it will be a haven from the world.

For now the land is hard clay with native grass and some trees. There are pecan, oak, and mesquite trees already there, but very few of them are large and stately.  We hope to save the largest ones by situating the house among them - especially the oak and pecan trees.  The mesquite trees have thorns which grow to two inches and do not provide much in the way of shade or beauty.  Most of them will have to go.

Over the coming months we will share photos documenting the construction as it proceeds.  For now, we'll begin with the empty lot and road leading to it.