Four More Checks

I am checking off lots of little aggravating tasks that are keeping us from being finished inside. I got the last section of the stairway trimmed out leading into the wood stove area as well as around the chimney in the laundry room. I cold have done this months ago but as I always say...why do it now when I can take care of it in a few months. Kids...don't procrastinate! I got the closet repainted from the puppy birthing project and a spankin' set of shelves made. I painted them red for Maranda and used some more recycled ash flooring for the trim and border pieces. I had to use an old sign to cover teh upstairs water shut-off valves but you would never know once they get filled with junk. I got the varnish work done in the downstairs bath and made a set of shelves in the cubby out of leftover stair treads. . . they were left over because I screwed them up and had to tear them off. I knew I stored them for a year for some reason. It is starting to feel close now... we will keep plugging away.

I Might Do Dishes Now

My buddy Jason came by last night to hook up the range wire and outlet because I am too much of a weenie to do it. Out with the old, hello convection. We can't believe the kitchen has an oven. The plumbers came early this morning so the fridge and dishwasher would be done by the time I leave town today. I had to epoxy a wood strip to the bottom of the granite in order to fasten the Dishwasher, buy hey, if it went right in it would not be our house. I also had to notch one of the drawers so it would go by the handle. Yes it has caused a little stress in the last 24 hours but it is all good now and Maranda has my kitchen...I mean her kitchen.

Are You Serious

So we went to Charlotte because we found such a good deal on a fridge and I went through all the specs with the salesman....sure everyone has heard that before. For some reason this fridge had some goofy electrical box on top of it so it was 1/2" short of fitting in the hole. We spent so much time on the cabinets I was not going to modify them. In my furry and impatience, I cut out the hardwood floor under the fridge and what do you know...a perfect fit. We have been doing some lst minute things to get ready for the hardwood floors to be refinished but I am traveling some so it could take awhile.

Almost a Kitchen

Well...we got plumbing and sinks and hose bibs and all that other normal stuff now...well most of it. Maranda is in hog heaven having a sink to do things in other thatn that laundry sink that is so low. I got the Chestnut trim run downstairs as the back splash and window over the sink. I ran all the base board in the living room and prepped the rest of it for next time. Mom was up and she did all the brush work while I cut and sanded. We are using white pine for the trim mostly which is not available in trim sizes so I have to mill and sand everything. I was able to use the bi-fold doors from Center Grove Baptist Church, where us kids grew up, as the surround for the bar. They worked out perfectly and it is so cool to have another historical piece in the house. These doors witnessed my baptism and things like that so they are special. I roughed out one of my cherry slabs for the bar top with a live edge facing the dining room. I have to do some planing on it to flatten the bottom and sand until my heart is content and then the kitchen will be ready for floor refinishing and appliances! Thins are really coming together.

Dog Approved

Maranda is away at the beach this weekend so a perfect opportunity to make some noise and put some hours in. I swapped an old double sideboard sink for a high flange model and spend most of Thursday cleaning it and roughing out the stand. It took several tries because I couldn't measure it in to well and moving it by myself was not an option. I had to wait for Chad to drive by and flag him down any time I needed to adjust it. I finally got it pretty good and I finished the trim out and support on the stand Friday morning. I have to wait for the plumbers to hook it up before I can box in all the pipes and build a shelf under it. I spent most of Friday running trim in the kitchen and dining rooms. I got the crown down and all the other ceiling details which proved to be quite a pain. I trimmed out a couple doors as well until I ran out of finished trim. I have some more in the wings now but while that was drying I started running the deck boards. They were soaking wet and being by myself progress is slow. I finished up the road side except for the outside run and I am getting ready to leave for the ball game. The dogs seem to love this new smelling clean area for them to hang out on...I think they love it...it is probably the pig ears I laid down so I could get them still for a picture.

Closing In

Well, we are creeping up on completion with every day. The counter top guys came and templated the granite last Wednesday. I have been busy patching up all the last minute floor issues before they are refinished. I had to cut out the partial floor where the old bedroom wall was. I had to fix the end of a rotted joist to get the bounce and squeak out. I used the recycled ash flooring I got from Larry for that. I also used it to make the bedroom trim downstairs. The back band is on and the base is run so that room gets one more coat of trim paint and it is done. The closet got its finishing touches as well...nothing fancy just a shelf and some hanging space to make the bank happy. I got the barn wood chair rail completed in the living room and it is sweet. The downstairs has just enough rustic touches to make it feel unique. The puppies are awesome as ever and "tugs" is growing like a weed based on how Maranda is eating. Still looking like end of October should be about it.

I turned 30 and forgot about everything

So the day after the last post I turned 30 and spaced out for a month. We have been getting alot done but with a kid on the way, puppies always yelping, and working out of town I have been real slack on writing. I got the downstairs trimmed out mostly...I have to wait and run the back band on the trim before I can finish the baseboard. I really like the one room in the house with white trim it offers something different. I finished out the closet in there as well and got the first coats of oil applied. Mom has been motoring along on the poly work on all the T&G in the downstairs high traffic areas. I am working away from home Mon-Wed so I am now getting two days a week to be here full time so we are looking to wrap things by the end of October...maybe. The cabinets turned out wonderful and I am so excited about the kitchen. We have our counter top ordered and sink so by the end of the month the Kitchen will be complete and ready for use. I am going to focus on finishing the closets downstairs now so we can move so much of our stuff to permanent storage inside. Anyone who wants to help finishing the exterior paint give a shout.