The Results are in!

20/03/13 12:13 AM

We have been MIA since Saturday!

I have to tell you that we have been without internet access since Saturday! I have tried to do some things by cell phone, but we all know how much fun WordPress is on a smart phone! Luckily I had prepared two posts to publish and got them done by smart phone! I was able to get on Brett phone and publish them, but forget about answering comments or reading any other blog. You don’t realize how much you miss the internet until you don’t have it for several days…

But the big news!!

Tonight we had our final public hearing for our zoning permit! And the results are in!

5 voted for approval with no votes to disapprove!!

WE HAVE OUR ZONING PERMIT!!

But now the work really begins!

We are ready to hit the ground running tomorrow!

And we will really need to run hard until we open the doors in May!

We got out of the meeting late tonight, so we are spending one more night at Belle Grove. Then it’s up at the crack of dawn to head back to Chesapeake. I have to be back at the old job by noon tomorrow. Then tomorrow night we met with our web designer again to sign our contract and to get our deposit to him so the team can start the website! Yes it will be coming soon!! We will also be waiting for the final proposal from the interior design team. They are sending us the proposal by fed ex. We met with them this morning at Belle Grove to walk through the mansion and discuss likes and dislikes I had for the furnishing. Wait until you see what we have coming! Wow! They have done a great job in a short time!

Thursday we will spend the day at our current jobs and the night catching up on things at the Chesapeake house. We also pick up a truck we are borrowing from a coworker of Brett’s to pack up some things to bring to Belle Grove! The move is getting started! Then Friday after work we head back to Belle Grove with the items for the mansion. Unload and crash Friday night!

Saturday we have some great things going on! We have a gentleman who is coming to do a little medal detecting for us. Since we are going to be installing the parking lot and grading the grounds, we want to make sure we aren’t plowing under something important. Don’t worry! We are going to mark the areas items are found and we will be keeping them at Belle Grove! While he is doing that, Brett and I will be pulling up bricks. Oh so much fun there!!

Also we will be putting together a platform for our osprey nest. Yes, James and Dolley have returned and have already started adding stick to the nest on the chimney. But we have a chimney company who will be removing the nest and placing chimney caps on the top in the next week. But don’t worry! The osprey have not laid eggs yet (we have until April to get it done) and we can still move it without the department of wildlife being involved. But the best part is that we have to move a telephone pole that is located too close to the main driveway. The power company will be replacing it with a new pole located a little farther from the drive. They have been wonderful to us and allowed us to keep the old pole and will be “planting” it for us!! So all we have to do is have the platform ready and the nest can be moved to the new platform near by the old location! So James and Dolley will still be able to have their nest and be near Belle Grove!

Whew… And this is just the next four days!!

So please forgive me if I am not on as much in the coming days!

I will try to get on and let you know what is going on!

But get ready!

Opening day is just 41 days away!

We can’t wait to meet all of you!

Thank you some for your support!!

Please visit our Facebook Fan Page

Facebook Link

Don’t forget to get your Cookie Recipe Submitted!

Deadline is just 15 Days away!

Click on James Madison to find out how to enter!

Cookie Contest Image

No Entry Fee!

Please Consider Donating to our “Restoration Fund”Ā 

to help us restore our 1700-1800 outbuildings!

Ā 

Posted by Michelle Darnell | in Darnell History | 46 Comments »

46 Comments on “The Results are in!”

  1. seniorhiker Says:

    This is great news. Congratulations.

  2. Thank you!

  3. cookazido Says:

    I am so happy for you! Congratulations!!!

  4. Thank you so much!

  5. This is just so wonderful. I am so happy for you and look forward to visiting you!

  6. Thank you so much! We can’t wait to meet you!

  7. So glad to hear all the news. What a lot of work to do in four days. Sounds like my work life! Ha! This is getting more exciting by the minute!

  8. Thank you Deborah! It’s getting closer and closer to opening day!

  9. Congratulations!

  10. Thank you so much!

  11. hideaheart Says:

    Wonderful news to lift all hearts with joy for you!

  12. Thank you so much!

  13. marydpierce Says:

    Happy news, indeed. I marvel at your persistence and stamina! Congratulations!!

  14. Thank you so much!

  15. Big excitement. Well done. Your grand opening will be here before you know it.

  16. Thank you so much! Yes, we are already feeling the excitement building!

  17. Good luck in your final stretch to opening. Can’t wait to see the furnishings!

  18. Thank you! The pictures will be coming soon!

  19. colmel Says:

    CONGRATULATIONS! You are SO right – about a couple of things! One, yes the real work begins. Of course, it will be a labor of love, so any amount of toil is worth it. The second area in which I heartily concur is how darned hard it can be to post blogs on WordPress from a phone (no matter how smart it purports to be).

  20. Thank you so much! I agree on both points! šŸ˜‰

  21. Dianna Says:

    Oops – I missed this post last night. Congrats!

  22. Thank you!

  23. Jane Sadek Says:

    counting them down with you!

  24. Yes we are! Thank you!

  25. So exciting!

  26. Thank you!!

  27. nerdtrips Says:

    Congratulations to you! I know this has been a long time coming and that you’ve put in a lot of work. I look forward to visiting.

  28. Thank you so much! We can’t wait to see you!

  29. lynnwyvill Says:

    Congratulations!!! Wonderful news. Enjoy the process now. I’m looking forward to visiting.

  30. Thank you so much! We can’t wait to meet you!

  31. terry1954 Says:

    Congrats and now it’s a rush to the finish, or to the beginning!!!

  32. Yes we are running! Thank you!

  33. And the race is on! Congratulations. So happy for you.

  34. We got our running shoes on! Thank you!

  35. Amy Says:

    Congratulations, how exciting!

  36. Thank you!

  37. maricia Says:

    I do “thisisyourbestyear” on my phone sometimes. It is not easy. I am going to try the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. It seems like a good combination. I will let you know.

  38. Please do! We need a new phone!

  39. tommiaw Says:

    That is fantastic news!!

  40. Thank you so much!

  41. Jen Says:

    Oh, congratulations! I know you’re going to be going nuts for the next month or so, but it’ll be so worth it. How exciting!

  42. Thank you so much! Yes, I may need a vacation before its over! šŸ˜‰

  43. Congratulations!!!! That is wonderful news and also must be a tremendous relief. Here’s to one step closer!

  44. Thank you! It is a relief and yet its the start of a mad race… whew I am tired already!

  45. joanspav Says:

    How exciting! Do you expect to be open by October? We’ll be in DC and exploring the civil rights sights in the area. It would be a wonderful experience to stay at the plantation for a few days. Do you know your rates yet?

    Joan

  46. Thank you Joan! We will be open in October. The rates are being reviewed and will be posted in the next couple of weeks!