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1-1-2010 This is what the castle looks like at the beginning of 2010. We've had more than the usual amount of snow so far this winter. It's also colder than usual. The snow is pretty, but it's a lot of trouble removing it from our half mile long driveway.

1-9-2010 We now have our first suit of armor. Not sure what to call him yet, perhaps Sir E-bay.

1-20-2010 The queens chamber tower is now almost completely finished. The queen will be able to sit in her rocking chair and read as she likes to do in the afternoon.

1-20-2010 The work in the entrance tower is coming along. I still have not decided whether to install a hardwood or vinyl floor. I've been looking at samples of both.

1-28-2010 There are still some places in the castle that do not have the drywall installed. This is half of the hallway on the kings level (third floor). I guess I'd better get to it.

1-31-2010 The drywall is now up in this area and I have finished putting up the drywall tape. A little drywall sure makes a difference in how a space looks. I still need to put up another coat of mud, do the sanding and put on a coat of primer. The near door on the right goes to the computer room, and the door at the end of the hall goes to the Duke's Suite.

2-10-2010 We've had a little snow up here. First we had about 26 inches, and then a few days later, we had another foot. I have had to spend a lot of time shoveling snow off our flat roof, and digging, blowing, and plowing snow off the driveway. I can only imagine how much worse this would have been if we didn't have global warming.

2-13-2010 Well, today is my birthday. I am now officially an old person (65). I was greeted at breakfast by a happy "French toast person" (I'm not sure, but I'll bet queen Patty had something to do with it).

5-9-2010 I have not had much time to work on the castle lately, but I guess it's time to get back to it. We just purchased the hardwood flooring for the "greeting chamber", gathering chamber", and "feasting hall". You can see some of the boxes containing the oak flooring in the photo. We will need at least 42 boxes. They weigh a total of about 2,800 pounds. I have placed them in small piles in many places around the castle. If I were to pile them all in the same place, it would cause stress on the floor joists.

5-11-2010 Before I can install the oak flooring, it needs to just sit in the rooms where it will be installed for a week or so. This allows it to get accustomed to the temperature and humidity of the place where it will be installed. This helps prevent cracking, swelling, etc. after installation. Because I have to wait a while to install the floor, I decided to spend a little time working on the hallway up on the third floor. This half of the hallway is now finished except for final paint and flooring.

5-16-2010 Our friend Limpy lost his antlers last year (see photo at 12-21-2009), but he is growing them back again this year. This is a photo of Limpy and his half sister mini-socks.

5-18-2010 The 3/4 inch oak tongue and groove flooring is being installed over a 3/4 inch plywood sub-floor. After sanding the sub floor with a belt sander, I covered the plywood with tarpaper. Then I started nailing down the oak flooring. It's not difficult when you have a flooring nailer such as this one. The nailer places the nail at the correct angle and to the correct depth automatically with a couple blows of the hammer. Sir Galin is watching, but he did not offer to help. The guy behind me didn't offer to help either, he said something about trying to find his friends the cowardly lion and the scarecrow.

5-19-2010 I am now finished installing the flooring in the feasting hall.

5-21-2010 I am now finished installing the flooring in the greeting chamber. Wizard the cat is checking it out. I still have one more room to do, but I think I'll take a little break before starting. This doesn't look like all that much work, but I've lost 2 or 3 pounds in the last week or so, I guess it's good exercise.

5-30-2010 I am now finished installing the flooring in the gathering chamber. Wizard the cat seems to love being in the photo. He is on the back of the couch. I have some flooring left over, so I am thinking about doing the second floor hallway with the same oak.

6-15-2010 Patty's cousin Vickie and her husband Tom came by for a short stay. This is the first time they have been to the castle. They seemed to enjoy it, and we all had a good time.

6-20-2010 Our friend Socks showed up this morning with her two new children. Now we need to think of two more names. Babies are so cute.

6-25-2010 Helen and Foy stopped by to see the castle. They are in the process of driving around the country in a motorhome to see all the important places. We are pleased that they think our little castle in important enough to spend their time for a visit.

7-2-2010 Ryder, Charlie, Berni, and Klaus stopped up to see the castle. Charlie was a neighbor of mine for over 30 years. Bernie, Klaus, and Ryder are from British Columbia, Canada. I think they enjoyed their visit.

7-5-2010 Mike and Jenny, friends of ours from the D.C. area stopped up for a visit. Jenny smiled a lot, she said she was very happy to be in a castle. If Jenny is happy, we are happy.

7-12-2010 We know this is a blue tailed skink. What we don't know is how he made it all the way up to the third floor of the castle, and why he ended up in the cat's litter box. We put him back outside, he seemed to be pleased to be there.

8-8-2010 I've gotten lazy again, but I did manage to get the small angled wall next to the stairs installed as well as the stairs. Until now, we have been walking on 2 by 4's for steps, so this is an improvement.

8-9-2010 We saw the twins this morning. They came with their mother (Socks) and their half sister (Mini-socks). We're not sure what their names are, I think I heard Socks call them Dasher and Dancer.

9-20-2010 Caspian is closely examining the chandelier before I install it in the greeting chamber.

10-2-2010 It's been a while since I got anything done, so I decided to get started on the hallway on the queens level (second floor). I will be installing a hardwood floor here.

10-7-2010 The hardwood floor has been installed. I still have some molding to install around the doors and the floor. Also, we haven't decided what color to paint the walls. It may be a while before we do that, there are more important things to do.

10-30-2010 There has been a murder at Dupont Castle. Sir Reginald was killed. To see the complete story, go to Murder Mystery at Dupont Castle

11-23-2010 Well, here it is just two days before Thanksgiving and some of our friends showed up in the yard. They heard that we were having a turkey over for dinner and I think they thought they might be invited too. When I explained the situation to them, they all made a hasty departure. As well as I could count, there were 18 of them, the most we've ever seen at one time.

12-18-2010 Betty, the Subaru lady, stopped up to deliver our new license plate and take a tour of the castle. She seemed to like the place. We're glad she stopped by.

More Photos will be added as time permits.

Click here to send E-Mail to Jim or Patty.

Princess Patricia and I would like to say a special THANK YOU to the following people who have volunteered time and energy to help with the work at the castle site.

Bill Postlethwait
Mariann Postlethwait
Mark Eastwood
Barbara Gay
Jim Eaton
Carol Eaton
John Miller
Terry Robinson
Shereen Robinson
Brad Hurliman
Rob Dekarske
Shirley Mandler
T.O. Galloway
Bill White

I would also like to thank the following people for advice, technical assistance, encouragement, and moral support:

John Miller - Bull Run Castle
Ron Bigbee - Castle Avalon
Sir Randy Michael - Chateau LaRoche
Peter Wing - Wings Castle
Sue Maxwell - Ravenwood Castle
Mike Freeman - Castell Gwynn
Roger Greim - Kataryna Castle
Bruce Busboom - Busboom Castle
Meme Hardin - Hardin Castle
Wyatt C Mortensen - Sleeping Beauty Castle
David O'Connor - Castle Anam Cara

We would like to thank the following people who donated either money furnishings, or building materials to the Dupont Castle building project.

Bill & Mariann Postlethwait
Shirley Zimmerman & Bob Hampl
Mark Eastwood & Barbara Gay
Frank & Beverly Frederick
Bentley & Pam Westfield
Al Dumit
Frank Bredimus - Berkeley castle
Mack & Mattie McLaughlin
Terry and Rick Moody - Sky High Castle
John & Pat Beno
Terry and Linda Jemison
Tientje Willis
Carl & Christine Hanfling
Charles Klusarits
Rick & Shirley Rutherford
Andrew Hopkins
T.O. Galloway and Shirley Mandler
Bill White
Annamae and Ron Ankeny
Keith Nolan
Foy and Helen Varner

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