THIS AND THAT

SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

While Frank continued cleaning the logs on the outside of the house, I gave the bathroom door and trim another coat of finish. Then it was back to sanding dry wall. I eventually completed the stub wall by the stairs in the great room, the laundry, and our bedroom. Then it was time to paint ceilings--laundry, bedroom, and at the bottom of the stairs.

Meanwhile Frank put the stain and "bug juice" on the outside of the house. We think it really brought out the "character" of the logs. They look great, don't you think?! Notice the roof on the car port.

Frank also took away the ramp we've been using to go in and out of the front door. He built a "stoop" and placed it up against the house. (Did you notice it in the picture above? He sanded the deck on the main floor in anticipation of putting down floor coverings.

Tonya generously gave several hours of her scant "free time" to come down and paint. With her help I finished the painting in the laundry room, our bed room, and the stair well. Our bedroom is in the foreground (dill) with a little of the laundry/pantry showing in the background (canary.) Notice that it actually looks yellow instead of chartreuse. I think the difference is the natural light that comes in the door.

People were here today to connect our TV to "dish," and install our Internet and telephone.

Frank serviced the car in preparation of going to New York to help our son Daron put a new roof on his house. He "practiced" his roofing skills by putting metal roofing on half of the car port. It then decided to rain (or perhaps more correctly mist) all day today, so, instead of roofing, he went to Morgantown, picked up the chimney parts, flooring, and other supplies.

Now we have lots of things to work on. No rest for the weary. But the end is in sight!

FINISH ONE: START ANOTHER PART III

SEPTEMBER 20, 2010

Since the bathroom was entirely painted, it was time to start something else. I began painting the great room. I put one coat on the kitchen and the hall. Tonya came to help on Tuesday and Wednesday. We were able to put both coats on the entire great room walls, including the stairway down as far as the landing. Trying to reach the last high corner, I fell off the ladder. My head landed on the my loaded roller, so no harm there. I landed on my back--knocked the wind out of me. The worst was my elbow, which must have hit several steps of the ladder on the way down. I am sore, especially ribs, but back at work--no broken bones.




Frank finished the spackling work in the study, laundry, and garage. He installed the bathroom.




























Then he went back to tongue and groove. Since the kitchen wall was painted, he put up that ceiling, and the last couple boards against the middle hexagon on another side. Thursday he finished another side on the middle hexagon, and completed the ceiling above the stairwell.










































He had also cut wood and trim to install the bathroom door. I began sanding and staining. I was able to apply one coat of finish before he hung the door.

























Trish, Tonya's friend, came another morning and began taping and spackling our bedroom. Frank now has the second and third coats in that room. He also finished spackling the stub wall by the stairs.


I went back to dry wall sanding. Frank cleaned the wood on the outside of the gazebo and under the carport. We both spent time trying to clean up the construction mess in the house. Frank mowed. We wanted the place to look spiffy. Notice the difference in the logs.




Why? Today Mom, Phyllis & Eric, and Eric's parents came to visit. While we ladies visited, the men installed both sky lights in the great room.
























See the gazebo?


Mom says that the house is "pretty fancy." It is beginning to look and feel like a real house. Come and check it out for yourself.

FINISH ONE; START ANOTHER: PART 2

SEPTEMBER 13, 2010

Having finished sanding the kitchen and bathroom, I dusted the ceiling and walls, and taped the log wall in the kitchen. I primed and painted the ceilings in the hall and the bathroom. All our fire alarms have red shower caps on them to keep the dust out. We're not sure how we will finish the attic door to the gazebo--maybe tongue and groove.

Saturday Tonya came over to paint. She painted in the bathroom. This is called "canary," but I think it looks like chartreuse.

I sanded walls in the great room, and then in the stair well. Then it was time to dust and tape the rest of the great room and the stair well.

Meanwhile Frank began to put up the tongue and groove in the Great Room. What a difference it makes! He finished two sections as far as he could until the great room is painted. Now it is easy to see where the sky lights will be.

He then went back to applying coats 2 and 3 of joint compound in the study and the laundry room. When that was completed, he began the same process in the garage.

My next project was to paint the walls in the kitchen, hall, and great room. This is how far I got today with the first coat in the great room. The kitchen and hall are painted, and I am cutting in for the next part of the great room. This color is called "dill."

We continue to be excited and eager. Our dream is really taking shape!

FINISH ONE; START ANOTHER

SEPTEMBER 6, 2010

Having finally finished the sanding and first coat of finish on the tongue and groove ceiling boards, I immediately started the second coat. Since we had to change our finish, this meant another light sanding before the second coat of finish could be applied.

By last Tuesday Frank had finished hanging the dry wall. Here he is hanging the last piece. He immediately started the process of taping and mudding the dry wall.

By Saturday Vangie finished the second coat on the tongue and groove. After a quick clean up, she started sanding the dry wall that was ready to do--the kitchen and bathroom.

On Saturday a friend of Tonya's came to help Frank. She just likes doing that type of thing. Frank greatly appreciated this! She worked in the study and the laundry room since our bedroom is full of tongue and groove.



















Frank put the third and final coat of "mud" on the rest of the great room walls and the stairwell. He also made a table for sawing the tongue and groove.


















Monday morning we left for Lancaster County to visit Frank's Dad. His 94TH birthday was on the 7TH. We had a family get together in his honor and for Frank's sister Edna's 70Th birthday coming soon. Since we came back on the 8TH, that will make two short weeks of work already this month.