More Legacies

These are bits and pieces from our kitchen floor! Curious as to when exactly the house was built, this gives us a closer answer. The newpaper is 1884! The paper was between layers of flooring in the kitchen. The old linoleum was under the cast iron kitchen sink cabinet. So a bit of history is always fun. Dave plans on keeping the old newspaper between some glass for preservation.

New Windows!

This turned out to be pretty amusing to Christina! Poor Dave put the first window in while Christina held it in place and he hammered it in to secure it. The window didn't go in properly, so Dave had to take it out, readjust it, then resecure it! The second window Dave used a string to plumb it level, without the string level! He put the window all in and it was an inch off. So out came the window and he rebuilt the framing and then reinstalled it. So both windows took 2 tries to get them in right!

Most Amazing Man!

There is a light at the end of the tunnel! Dave and Christina were starting to wonder! Two skylights were installed in the process. Didn't he do a great job??

In The Midst Of Chaos!

In the midst of chaos! Dave went to work one day in the middle of the roof, as usual. Christina's son was planning on a surprise for Dave and had planned to come up in the middle of the week to do some rip out. Nick was running late and Christina looked up to see Dave coming through the door BEFORE lunchtime! No sooner did Dave walk in Nick did too. Surprise was blown! But why was Dave home? His boss and co-workers had a fishing trip planned out on the Atlantic in the boss's boat! Dave was one of a very small handful that had been invited! He was home to get his fishing rod! As you can see he got lucky...so to speak! AND the only one to catch a 'keeper' AND the first one to ever catch ANYTHING on that boat! So he won!Proud of it too as you can see. He for sure has bragging rights now!

The hardest part

The hardest part of all was to put the rafters in! Especially alone! This was extremely tiresome and monotonous to watch. Weather-wise Dave and Christina got purdy dern lucky! they had mostly smooth sailing. When there was threat of rain, they cut open garbage bags and covered everything from the kitchen and wrapped plastic grocery sacks over any electrical outlets. It only rained twice, one was very brief! Oh what a mess! They had wet cellulose insulation remnants clinging all around, brown icicles formed in the freezer from dirty water dripping through..you get the idea! Christina frantically swept the puddling water off the new particle board on the dining room floor! Cooking wasn't of much an option..dirt, flying dust, unorganized chaos at best!It was horrible and it didn't get completely for several weeks. A very trying time!

And Then There was Light!

This was the most grueling project of all! This project was started on August 5th. Dave started promptly after work on that Friday evening tearing off all the shingles. What a mess he made in my yard! But it needed to be done as the photo interprets! There was no tar paper underneath, nothing but a scrap, as you can see above. There was never a soffit built, which led to the overheating and curling of the old roofing. Poor Dave worked almost a solid month on this project. Christina's Dad and oldest son came to help the first weekend. Dave was hurried and anxious to finish this, so ultimately he finished and did ALL the work all by his lonesome. His anxiety chased his help away hehe

Rebuilding The Floor

The rebuild is on! Nick and Dave got immediately to work once they finished tearing it out. My bowels feel very light! hehe (Psssttt-that is my new furnace! WOOHOO!) They diligently put me back together, shimming where necessary. Nick had to leave in early afternoon, so Dave carried on. Christina told him to put his tools away and soak in the tub about 8pm. Long weekend's work!! A path to the kitchen was made and he parked them. Ahhhhh...now for some ceramic tile and beautiful pale bamboo hardwood flooring! What a hoot! (I feel good..da-da-da-da-da-da-da [a bit of James Brown thrown in there *blush*])

Don't Look Down!

Houdini did it again! This time it wasn't a wall, but an entire floor!!All those beams came out except one, closest to the chmney. It was the only one that anyone had secured! Dave's finger pointing is to yet again a gorgeous full beam cut to make a flat wall! The beam used to fill the square hole he is pointing to. There were three layers of floor on this!!! About 5-6 beams held the three layers! Remember too that only one beam was secured! How this floor withstood the hands of time is beyond Dave and Christina! I am very glad they tore it out. It was weighing me down! Now for the rebuild!! They have their work cut out! They as in Dave and Nick hehe Christina had to stay ou tof the kitchen for about 24 hours, while the monkeys swung from beam to beam hehe

Front Entry Tear Down

This wall was torn down sooner than anticipated and as you can see someone cut my corner post to make a flat wall!!! Dave found severe water damage when doing this little project! On the wall to his right near the side light windows, it was pretty wet! The porch ceiling/roof meets right there and the gutter from the front of the house dumps out on the peak of that roof, which in turn dumps water through the roof because the roof was never flashed! So they are going to have to fix that roof real soon so Dave can insulate and sheetrock that wall!Giroux Oil, out of Portland, started installing a brand new heating system on July 18th for Dave and Christina. For various reasons, they all decided to wait on putting in the baseboard part of the system. Dave and Christina want to put a new ceramic and bamboo hardwood floor in my dining room and kitchen area. They have torn out some walls to accomodate the new baseboards and had planned on tearing out the rest down the road. To make life easier for all involved and be nicer to the new equipment, they all decided to wait. It would be easier to install the new baseboards if all the floors are going to be done and if the exterior walls were all finished reinsulating and sheetrocking, plus less chance of ruining the new baseboards from debris and possible dents, etc. Which actually works out just peachy for Dave and Christina. Less to do downthe road and more efficient heat over the course of their first winter here. So Giroux is coming back in September to finish up. Meanwhile, they did accomplish hot water off the furnace, so they don't have to use the substitute hot water heater anymore. I feel warmer already hehe

Old Old Wallpapers

Now these go back! The one above on the left are from my front entrance and the one on the right is from the dining room. On the left, keep in mind that there is nasty colored paint still surrounding the sample. On the right, Dave and Christina have determined five layers of different wallpaper!

Just call Dave, Houdini

Now you see it now you don't! Tearing down walls, something Dave has become quite good at!! Why have 10 tiny rooms when you can have one great big one??!! Dave took out an eyesore and an obstruction. Now the breeze flows through me better too. My walls are permeated with bad smells so with him tearing out all this I am going to smell sooo much better!

Dining Room Atrocities

Now these are two different atrocities! Most importantly, someone many years back, cut my center posts down to achieve a flat wall! That took some of my structural support away and may have had bad outcome in several areas. WHAT were they thinking???!!! The second atrocity is above! This was NOT a mouse either! It is from the cheese eater family though and it was a RAT! When he died in my walls I could have barfed! He smelled for so long, I thought it was going to be permanent! He has been dead for many years now and is almost mummified! Glad to be gone and GOOD ridance!!! Hope his buddies got the hint!

Dining Room Wonders

Ok, now this took several days with help for Dave from Christina's son, Nick. This room was my darkest dingiest room and I am still appalled that my walls were painted brown with 'gold' leaves embedded into stucco type stuff. I was thoroughly embarrassed to be seen! Thank God Dave and Christina had the vision to see beyond some of my atrocities! As you can also see, I had some rotting window sills going on, so I am very grateful they are doing this remodel properly!!

1st EVER Sheetrock Job!

This was Dave's first ever sheetrock job! He did a mighty fine job too! Could never tell he had never done it before! The people who lived here many years ago nailed up the sheetrock, so when Dave took it off my walls it just came right off without a problem and very little breakage. I am very pleased with Dave and Christina taking care of me. They have good heads on their shoulders and are going to do fine by me!!