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This is the Cooley House in Central Vermont
My name is Sylvia Shepard Cooley.
I am the self-assigned project coordinator... an old family house
that has to come down but will be rebuilt
as closely as possible to the original.
Check out the blog posts to see the process.
Add your ideas. Please comment!
For more information: "About"

Blog Categories:


Sleigh Ride in the 1990s
Charles H. Cooley with his horse Lexa (Fern Hill Alexandra) which became my horse later in life. What a great horse. I'm sure it wasn't as if she was used every day. Here she was going out on the road, Ridge Road, with traffic, then down Skyview Road, giving several rides to family members. She was so good. A Lippitt Morgan. Here you can see the barn which is still there. I love getting to see the exact fencing Charles was using. Here is his special horse Suzanne Royal
Nov 61 min read


Demolition & Building
Upon seeing the East Wing of the White House get demolished, I understood how family members felt who had a hard time seeing Grampa Cooley’s house go up in flames and dissolve before their eyes. White House East Wing Demolition One family member told me how angry he was, others couldn’t watch or be there on the day of the controlled burn, others were there and sad. I understood. Ridge Road House Demolition It’s actually not fun to have that much power. The memories, the old
Oct 313 min read


The house rises
As I drove down the Ridge Road, I told myself, "don't expect too much...maybe one new wall or so." But I was actually hoping that I...
Oct 103 min read


Thoughts on how a house changes as it is being built
It sounds like stating the obvious. Of course a house changes...builders are hammering on new parts on a daily basis. But it is more than...
Sep 181 min read


The house's first floor defined
First floor framing...when the house is done, the driveway will shrink to the right. There will be a little backyard lawn next to the...
Sep 122 min read


Juggling skills needed to build a house
My materials list is 28 pages long Making decisions, trying to stay organized, maintaining clear communications, keeping everyone...
Sep 104 min read


Timeline for building the house (note...edited & updated August 24, 2025)
photo courtesy of Jane Howe August 7, 2025 I had a great talk with my builder. I got to ask about a clearer timeline of the whole build,...
Aug 86 min read


Details and Architectural Drawing
I met with Phil Godenschwager in his studio on Wednesday, July 30 th , for design discussion. I can’t stress enough how helpful he has...
Aug 13 min read


Cellars vs. Basements
We have a basement floor! Concrete trucks arrive, contractors depend on them The floor in process, who knew cement could be beautiful?!...
Jul 243 min read


The Vermont garage
Mostly I want a space to park our two vehicles out of the snow. We have never had a 2-car garage...this will be a first. But I don't want...
Jul 92 min read


Ready, set, GO
I delivered a very large check $ today...it can't be ALL fun and games. Foundations are basically ready. Backfill in. Pouring of...
Jul 71 min read


The needs of a house…septic, water, a solid foundation
Yesterday the 2 nd test pit digs for the septic system were successful. I was a happy house builder! The four holes showed a drier...
Jul 33 min read


Dump runs, barn clean out, ready to backfill foundations
Backfilling will begin Friday, after applying tar to the outside of the foundation The concrete foundations are in. Tomorrow the builder...
Jun 252 min read


Progress
Garage from the 'front'...looking straight north Garage: The footings and foundation wall for the garage is all up, the floor will be...
Jun 172 min read


The end of May, the beginning of a house
Eric Henderson working his magic to pull out and save the old stones from the foundation I want to be in Randolph Center to watch all of...
May 291 min read


Drumroll please (or maybe a Revolutionary War snare drum)
View from the house site of the Green Mountains May 2, 2025 How appropriate that spring has just arrived, opening buds creating a...
May 32 min read


The boundary between winter/spring
The wind is blowing outside and a few flakes of snow flutter down but the sun is beginning to have some warmth. The mud is appearing. ...
Mar 83 min read


Nobel laureate economists, anxiety, diminishing dollars, building a house
February 14, 2025 Not the happiest of days, though I do still love my husband dearly. It is Valentine’s Day. Have I gone through the...
Feb 143 min read


Dear Contractors, Builders, Jack-of-all Trades, Artisans, Fixers, Repairpeople,
Thank you. You are the unsung angels of the middle class. You are there for us when we need you. This past year I have often thought...
Jan 203 min read


Death, Chaos, Million Dollar House...
My AI image should not have neatly placed backpacks, or tidy pencil cups. Instead imagine many adult-sized High School students...
Jan 43 min read
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