Busier Than a One-legged Cat in a Litter Box
Posted on November 7, 2013 by
The title of today’s blog is one of Jack’s favorite sayings at a busy time like this… but we couldn’t be happier! I don’t think he was referring to me as the one-legged cat, but I could be wrong!
As I blogged earlier this week, we have had the good fortune of being mostly on schedule and having the scheduled contractors all here (seemingly at once).
As promised, I want to share a series of pictures to SHOW you what is going on. First the outside. All Pro Earthworks did a patient, calculated job of grading, seeding, mulching the yard and building a drain system and dry creek bed. They were a gentlemanly crew and I would recommend them to anyone. Here is a progression of their work.
Before and After
We needed a distinction from the house to the driveway. Out lot is narrow so we didn’t have much room. There are actually tiny box woods planted in the mulch.
Steve had already installed a culvert, but we tied into that culvert from the yard with another drain under the dry creek bed. Each of these rock were hand placed. Then I added a little bridge to cross the bed. The front steps and a short paver sidewalk yet to come.
Once the dumpster is gone, I will show the other side of the house!
Now the inside work:
The deck became the worksite for Jack, and the Koontz’s to prepare each piece of Tongue and Groove for the kitchen and dining room ceiling.
Bill running the planer to shave off just a bit of each piece of T & G.
Jack and Carolyn pause, but just for a moment!
And a glance at their work! This is the Dining Room. I was mainly taking a photo of the ceiling to see the T & G so the angle is a little weird! But doesn’t it look spectacular!
The Hardwoods
The hardwood crew got the rhythm of laying the great room and front hallway flooring. Flooring provided by Interiors by Kris at Smith Mountain Lake. Joe, the ever patient hardwoods expert has been helpful all along during this project! Todd, the crew leader, had this crew well organized.
Just beginning
Standing at the fireplace looking toward the front door.
Look how far this shot has come from the May post of the front door newly stained!
PAINTING AND TRIM CARPENTRY
The painter must paint around what has to be installed, like HVAC systems, trim, and tile. Tom, the painter and I have both been painting spots so other work can proceed. Doreen even chipped in this week to paint so a window could be trimmed, so then the tile could be completed for one of the bathrooms!
Here are some shots of the painter and trim carpenter. The trim carpenter is working to install bull nosing (I stained it) and stairs to the theatre room downstairs (I stained the stairs too). Railings are going up and there will be wrought iron balusters. Can’t wait to see how that will look!
The painter. The paint is called Natural Wicker. I am doing one color all over for now.
Brian, the trim carpenter cutting into the bull nosing for the posts for the stair railing.
Bull nosing from the second floor. Bull nosing is that trim piece all the way around. Carpet will go on this floor next week.
Railings are up!
These oak stairs lead to the lower level and will have a carpet runner on them.
Tile Work
Jeff Enslow and his mighty assistant, Jason are installing tile. I love to watch what they bring for lunch. These guys don’t just eat out of a can, they often bring a little crock pot of chili or soup and make a plate of and sandwiches, serving themselves on a nice plate and eating on the porch! Class! And their tile work is classy too! Take a look!
The fishing room bathroom has a green tile with iridescent (like fishes!) accents.
The Forest Room bathroom has a darker tone with an accent at the door threshold.
I picked up the accent tile at Black Dog Salvage in Roanoke over a year ago. Jeff worked it into the design with this tile that has a swirl of blue in it for the Flying bathroom
The Fourth Room has a gas fireplace. Glenwood Propane completed the front and Jeff tiled the area in front of the logs.
The Fourth Room is a white on white décor. I love what he did with this whirlpool/shower area.
I sure hope you are enjoying following along with our B & B progress! I am so enjoying watching all of the decisions I made about color and décor coming together. But today, I will be gone as Jack keeps on working. I get to go to Raleigh to pick up my grand daughter, Destiny, for the weekend! Yea!
I could entitle this blog one of many things…”When it rains, it pours,” or “Loaves and Fishes” or “Blessings abound!” Many of you know I have been praying for Loaves and Fishes as we complete our house. And God is bringing forth answers to prayers in so many forms!
Following my surgery, I was “down” and stayed in a reclining position for at least 3 days. Then I could take it no longer. I figured if I had been walking and working on a fractured hip for 6 weeks without screws, then with screws, it should be even stronger. But I am going slowly and easily, using the golf cart, the crutches, sometimes a walker in the hangar, and those riding grocery carts! So, don’t stereotype grocery cart users! But I have noticed, I can’t reach everything and I am seeing new products at knee level!
I went to the house Sunday and pitched a fit at the mess! I am gone for a few days and it is an unsafe mess pile of window jamb wrappings and straps, soda bottles and pizza crusts! Grrr! I rolled around on a “shop” stool and picked up some so there were fewer tripping hazards. Then I crutched upstairs and scooted around on my butt to stain the bull nosing that the trim carpenters had installed. Railing comes next so that needed to be done.
Then Monday, the parade of contractors began. We tried to count just how many contractors woke up Monday morning and said, “I think I will go to Bedford Landings today!” Today, shout outs to everyone trying to make our dream a Thanksgiving reality, and Thursday, hopefully I can get around and take photos.
This is who showed up yesterday:
Blessings abound and our Loaves and Fishes are just starting to overflow! Y0u ain’t seen nothing yet, we will be in by Thanksgiving (she said determined!)
I just had to blog! There was so much activity today, it just warmed my heart! And I just had to share!
The drywall crew is nearing completion and will be done by Wednesday. They had to get the stained glass window installed so they could complete that wall. Here is what it looks like installed. They wall drywall around the bracing. I made this when we were still in NC. For those who live here, you know that shape is Smith Mountain!
Jack has been water proofing the star gazing deck so that it doesn’t drip on people who may be on the screened porch below. A slow and tedious (but very necessary) process!
The pavers called last night and wanted to come prep the driveway today. I was delighted with this news. These photos shoe looking toward the runway and looking toward the road from the front porch.
The HVAC guys (Cundiff Heating and Air) were installing the big units under the front porch.
Wednesday will be a big day!
This is so exciting! Well, not the hip part! But not using crutches will be exciting!
Thanks to Tom who stopped by to hunt this week, got cold, and decided to warm up by helping Jack put up the joists for the star gazing deck! He traded his weapon for the preferred tool for this job – a pneumatic palm nailer. Thanks Lisa for that invaluable tool you gave us!
This week on the menu, we have drywall, drywall dust, and drywall paste. Working around the drywall crew of six, is a two-man tile installation crew. They have laid the tile in each bathroom and are covering it so as not to get drywall goo in it!
Jeff is doing a great job with the tile! This is the Flying Room bathroom floor under construction.
Working around the tile guys and the drywall crew are two homeowners. Jack has completed the floors on all of the decks. That’s a good thing so I don’t fall through again. He is starting to build the upper (star gazing) deck.
I have been hobbling around still doing some exterior painting, admiring the stonework that was installed next to the driveway, and scheduling our final contractors for paint, trimwork, flooring, and kitchen. My sweet sister has been here this week contributing time to helping stain window trim and stain concrete. Since stone is too expensive to do all around the base of the house, I have had to investigate alternatives for covering up the drab gray concrete. I have been told that staining (instead of painting) will allow us to still adhere stone if we decide (or win the lottery!) to add stone later. Some areas are getting a creative flair. For example, this is where the guest hot tub will go but instead of full stone, it will receive an Italian piazza treatment, once complete.
Prepping for my creative flair!
Hobbling now for over 4 weeks, I did go have an MRI yesterday afternoon and after a quick glance, the on-call doctor immediately called. Apparently I have a hip fracture and I should be on crutches or using a cane. But as (those faithful follower) readers know, I have been pulling wire, climbing ladders, and not really stopping for the past 4 weeks. I can’t really imagine how a cane might help now. Nonetheless, I found a walking stick at the thrift store. Tomorrow is the Orthopedic appointment for the more inclusive reading.
So…for today’s blogging pleasure, we have a little fun photo identification activity (sorry, I am a teacher!). I am going to post photos of tools that have specific jobs. You try to decide what they are and then I will tell you what they are. Fun, right?!
Name these items!
If you said wet saw, scratch cutter, mixer, stand-up automatic screwdriver, square, ½ drill and pump-jack stilts you would be correct! Here are some of these tools in action.
Wet saw: Used to cut tile to size.
Stand up screwdriver: Saves your back somewhat on deck work, right, Dave?
The drywall crew looks like robo cops! Pumps them up about 4 feet.
Just like a cake mixer, I have seen several crews us this mud or concrete mixer.
But this is my favorite one. I often catch Jack looking like this. Name that tool, Jack!
“I know I have seen this somewhere before.”
Why isn’t it called a triangle? That’s what I want to know!
