See inside Hilltop Grand Village's construction

It was cold, but not as cold as standing outside. Walls and windows blocked the wind. But the chill seeped up through the concrete into our feet.

We were standing in what will be a one-bedroom apartment at Hilltop Grand Village, looking at walls, counter top placement, outlets, light fixture locations and cable drops – among other things. The owner and her team were doing a walk-through to make decisions before wiring begins. I was along to take pictures and video inside.

I try to get to Hilltop Grand Village once a week to take video, but I’m usually just getting quick shots of the building going up from the outside.

But being inside is pretty cool. It’s neat to see it become real from a picture on a page. I’ve looked at the blueprints enough I know where the “shops” will be on Broadway, and I can see them in my mind. Actually walking through makes it all more real.

It was loud as compressors and machines ran, hammers rang out and saws cut wood. The smell of fresh-cut wood hung in the air. Someone swept up, pushing sawdust, dirt and dropped nails into a pile. Someone worked in the rafters to install pipes for the sprinkler system. Workers framed interior walls, finished floors and worked a crane and forklift to set up exterior walls. From high atop the two-story peak, workers paused in putting on sheets of plywood as I took pictures below. They didn’t want to risk dropping anything on my head, even with a hard hat.

Workers atop the roof peak at Hilltop Grand Village.

The floors throughout the building’s core are still mostly covered with snow and ice, packed down by workers. When they are ready to prep for concrete, they cover the area with some sort of black material and pump heat in to thaw the area. The core is still too open for this – they need to install windows and at least temporary doors to enclose it. They are working methodically, from one end to the other, allowing many workers to spread out and get the work done.

It’s amazing how quickly the build is going. The supervisor on site is pleased with the progress in the month he’s been back on the job. He had started on this work site but was put on another job for a while before returning to Hilltop Grand Village.

He should be pleased. It’s progressing nicely. As far as I know, we are still on target for an Aug. 1 move-in for residents – or members as we will call them. In some ways, August seems a long way away – we’re not even to spring yet. But in other ways, that time will fly by. Marking the building’s progress is a sure way to speed up the calendar.

Alzheimer's Association conference a must-attend event

I sent in my registration for the 30^th annual Wisconsin Network Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias.

Don’t let the long name fool you into thinking it’s going to be boring. The annual event sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association is a great opportunity to learn a lot about Alzheimer’s, caregiving, research and more. It is billed as “one of the largest education forums in the United States dedicated to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.”

This year’s event will be May 1-3 at Kalahari Resort Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells. It’s close enough for us that we can go down for a day – or two or three. The Kalahari also offers room deals, if you’d like to stay over.

If you are a family caregiver, that might not be feasible. But maybe you can get away for a day. There are sessions geared specifically for people caring for loved ones at home. There are sessions for professional caregivers, administrators and anyone interested in learning more about Alzheimer’s. I especially like going because of working with the Alzheimer’s Support Group in Wisconsin Rapids. As a co-facilitator, I am responsible for planning guest speakers. This conference provides lots of ideas for speakers and discussion for our members. We bring back brochures and information to share with them.

One of the most difficult parts is figuring out which workshop sessions I want to attend. There are five sessions, each featuring eight workshops. A couple repeat, but most only are offered once. Choosing five from 40 is tough -- there are so many I’d like to attend.

Then, there is the expo, where providers of all sorts of products and services set up booths and offer giveaways. I think some people go just for the goodies. I actually like to see what’s new in the industry and if there are things we can implement at our facilities or partnerships we can make. This is often where I collect information to share with our support group.

There is plenty of time for you to register for this event, too. The deadline is April 10. You can register online or download the brochure and registration materials at http://www.alzwi.org.

If you are a caregiver – family or professional – or someone who works in the industry, you should attend this conference. I highly recommend it!

Squeals for Hilltop Grand Village

The word is getting out about Hilltop Grand Village. The work being done on the building every day must be helping.

I am amazed each time I go out. I make a point to get there once a week to take pictures and video. Invariably, I am delighted by what I see. There even have been times I’ve driven by and squealed out loud! “Ooh! A wall!” “Ooh! The roof is going on!” “Ooh! Trusses!”

Well, you get the idea.

I don’t usually squeal when I actually go there to document it. I’m too cold. It’s often a frosty, chilly or windy day when I make time for a visit. I’ve been out in the snow, tromped through snowbanks to get from the parking lot to the walking path and frozen my fingers trying to get my iPhone to zoom.

I even bought gloves with the touch-sensitive finger tips so I don’t have to take them off – but it doesn’t always work.

It doesn’t take too long, though. I know where my marks are to get the same overall shots, and then I do detail stuff, depending on where the action is at.

It’s about time I got a peek inside, too. The windows were going in last week, and as soon as the doors are in, they can heat the south wing and start interior work. Last time I was actually onsite, about half the roof trusses were up. Now the south wing even has shingles. As the snow melts, you can see the green roof!

Last week, the walls were starting to go up on the one portion of the building that will be two stories. Our offices will be on the second floor in the main section of the building. I also could see the metal frame of the port cochere – the covered driveway at our main entrance.

August is coming quickly. We’re still operating under the assumption we’ll be open for residents by Aug. 1. Look at how quickly January flew by! And there is a lot for us to do on our end, too, to be ready.

The port cochere frame is visible in front of the second story, where
offices will be located. The dining room gets a roof, at the right.

If you get a chance, take a drive past on Highway 54. Or, stay warm and watch our videos on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6H-73YAFm0KKsj23UW-LaA or follow our progress on our Facebook page by liking us at https://www.facebook.com/HilltopGrandVillage.