Sheet Rock is Almost Done

Sheet Rock is Almost Done.

Sheet Rock is Almost Done

I have lots of pictures.  Went over and walked through the house this afternoon, after the quilt show.  I am just amazed at how fast the sheet rock has gone up.  Every thing is done except the gazebo ceiling.  I think that is going to be challenging.

Did shopping today and stopped by and spent an hour at the quilt show.  Could have stayed all day, but Lynn was slowing baking in the car, so alas I had to leave.  Next year I promise to spend at least 2 days just learning all I can about making quilts.  The quilts were simply amazing.  I am a novice quilter, but am in awe of the talent out there.  Did buy a project to work on in the evening.  That is the only way I can control my eating is by putting something in my hands that I don’t want to get food on.  I think that is the worst part about dieting, is to find something to keep my hands busy.  Most of my eating is mindless in front of the TV in the evening.  As a bonus I usually end up with an acceptable quilt.  I like sewing on my lap, so most of my quilts are hand-stitched.  Just finished one for my oldest son, and have been looking for a suitable project for my youngest son.  The Walla Walla Quilt Show was a big success and so amazing.

Back to the porch posts after my little field trip to town.  They are glued-up and one is sanded and ready for the Bondo.  Did get a side done before I was thoroughly exhausted and quit for the night.  Made a healthy supper and updating my blog, then killing time until “Outlander” comes on.  Only 2 more episodes this year, but will get to watch the next 8 episodes after the first of the year.  My favorite book series, made into a Starz series.  Hugely successful.

Back to the house, just wanted to let you know that there are a few distractions from working on the house.  Very few.  I said I would rest in December.  I don’t think so, I will just be moving indoors.  Can’t believe all the painting I will have to do.  Maybe a room a month.  What do you think?  The trim will be fluted and rosettes which will all be painted white, and I have to choose colors for the rooms.  My granddaughter has asked to decorate one of the rooms as she wants to be an interior designer.  So when she comes to visit in December, we will pick a room and let her have a go at it.  I think that will be fun.  We can go bargain shopping (as I expect to be broke) and see where it takes us.

Okay, now for some pictures:

Looking up the stairs to the French doors leading out onto the upstairs porch

The kitchen pantry

Dining Room

The bottom of the stairs looking into the living room

Looking down the hallway toward the master bedroom

Standing in the living room, looking at the coffee bar and the French doors to the back porch

Living Room windows looking out to the back porch and back pasture

The study/library/office. Look how sunny. Going to love that room

This is a window seat in the master bedroom.

The master bedroom. The windows on each side of the bed.

The master bath with closets and shower

Master Bath, the area for the vanities

Looking down from the stairs to the front door. I’m thinking that for the door to go with everything else, it may need to be painted white.

Puncture Vine & Posts

Puncture Vine & Posts.

Puncture Vine & Posts

Not a very exciting day, pulling puncture vine and scraping down posts.  But I can do boring, and enjoy it.  The weather was beautiful, in the upper 70’s or low 80’s with a 10 mph breeze.  Decided to pull puncture vine and try out my new big wheel trimmer.  It worked great.  I pull the vine and try to clean up as many seeds as I can so it won’t be tracked all over the yard.  That is a nasty weed.  If anyone knows how to get rid of it, I am open to suggestions.  Oh, and the trimmer works great on everything else.

Managed to get two of the posts apart and have one almost glued-up.  The other one I will be gluing up tomorrow.  One of the things I enjoy doing, but it eats up a lot of productive time, is scrape the paint off the posts.  To me that is about as much fun as popping bubbles on bubble wrap, doesn’t take a lot of mental work and allows you a bunch of time to just be cathartic and let your mind wander.

Brandon from O’Conner’s Carpet One came out this morning to get on-site measurements to confirm his estimate which was taken off the plans.  There wasn’t much change and we discussed when the flooring would go in.  Gabe from  S & K Mountain Construction said we would be looking at about mid October for that to happen.  I believe the floor will go down then the doors and trim and cabinets.  Then electrical fixtures and plumbing fixtures.  It is getting a little more real every day.  I’m glad I took the week off to work on my part.

We had a couple of runs to the Dr. for Lynn, but the rest I have spent outside doing one thing or another.

Now for some pictures.

This is the new home of the washer and dryer

The downstairs furnace

Another view of the reading balcony. What can I say this will probably be one of my favorite spots.

The bonus room windows looking out over the back pasture

One of the claw foot tubs in the main upstairs bath

I am really excited to get the claw-foot tubs refinished as that will add a lot to the Victorian look of the house.

The bonus room will house Lynn’s pool table (or billiard table) which has been crated up for more than 29 years.  I guess he will get his exercise climbing the stairs to play pool.  That’s one way to get him to exercise!  He thinks he will be spending a lot of time sitting on the back upstairs deck watching the deer and other wildlife in the back acres.  To tell you the truth, that is one of the things I am looking forward to.  It faces North and really doesn’t get much sun so it is a little shady and comfortable.

Well, I guess I need to go and spend some quality time with Lynn.  The crew is working on more of the drywall so I will be posting more pictures this weekend.

Annie, The daydreaming post-scraper.  🙂

 

2 Posts Go Up and 2 Posts Go Down

2 Posts Go Up and 2 Posts Go Down.

2 Posts Go Up and 2 Posts Go Down

Good Afternoon Everyone,

Spent the morning trying to put up the 2 latest posts I finished repairing and painting.  They sure came out a lot easier than they went up.  Ended up having to use a house jack to raise the roof up about a 1/16 of an inch to get the post back in.  Being two semi-old coots trying to tackle a job we shouldn’t even be trying to tackle, we finally did it.  Not without a little drama when one 4×6 fell over and just barely missed hitting the front window.  That got my heart racing.  But with a sigh of “it’s all good now,” we finished the job.

Removed two more and they are on the saw-horses to be repaired.  I am chomping at the bit to do some real painting on the house so I can see more progress.  I’m afraid that the winter is going to show up before I can accomplish much.

Stripes on one and the other masked off and ready

This is looking at the porch with the finished porch posts done.

Enough about posts, already.  Now on to the sheet rocking going on inside.  The upstairs bedrooms; the baths; and the bonus room are done.  A little bit of the stairway is done.  While we were putting up the posts, the contractor showed up and is installing the scaffolding in the entryway so the drywall installers can reach the 22 foot ceiling.  This is going to tie a lot of it together.  Preston (a faithful follower and co-worker) said he wanted more pictures, so his wish is my command.

Sheet rock going up the stairway

The bonus room sheet rocked.

Outside the Bonus room. There will be french pocket doors in the opening.

Looking down the upstairs hallway to one of the baths

This is looking from the top of the stairs toward the front of the house and the little reading balcony which will have spindle rails around it.

This is looking toward the back upper deck from the reading balcony.

The last two are my favorites.  The balcony will have a lot of natural light from the north over the back deck and from the south the way the house faces.  Oh I am getting excited.  The dream house is becoming a reality.

Tomorrow the flooring guy will be coming to check his measurements.  A flurry of activity is happening.  Just love it.

Annie, a semi-old coot.  🙂

 

 

Sheet Rock Ceilings – Looking Good

Sheet Rock Ceilings – Looking Good.

Sheet Rock Ceilings – Looking Good

Though I am but a witness to the sheet rock going up, and not actually having to do it, it is exciting.  This is the time  that things are becoming real.  The rooms are taking shape and it’s all starting to come together.  The ceilings are almost done.  The one ceiling left is the gazebo room, or family room is what I like to call it.  That one being the most difficult is saved for the last.

Gazebo ceiling is the last ceiling to get done.

The living room looks so much bigger than before, I can’t imagine what the walls will do for it.  I guess this would be the time when I should be looking for paint samples.  I will be doing most all the painting as my budget just won’t stretch that far.  Sounds like a winter project to me.  Now for the living room.

Living room ceiling is up

I am hoping to take the week off and get work done around here.  I can’t believe it is already Sunday.  Where did Saturday go?

Status on the posts.  One is completed and drying.  The other one has one coat of the white, it needs another coat of white then taped-off for the colored stripes.  We will be putting both posts up tomorrow and taking down 2 more to finish.  As soon as those are done, I will begin the painting on the outside of the house until the weather runs me inside or I need to paint the walls before moving.  E-gads, moving, that is another expense that I don’t look forward too.

When you come into the entry way the ceilings are vaulted to about 22 feet and the staircase is the first thing that you see.  Then the living room and there is a small bar that is located under the stairway.  As Lynn and I are not much for drinking, we will probably use it more for a coffee bar.  It has a little sink and a place for drinks to be prepared.  This is what you are seeing in the next photo.  Plus Lynn is doing his inspecting.

Lynn, the inspector, is checking it out.

One of the things I am really excited for is the stairs.  There are 3 sections with a 2 small landings, and we added a small balcony that is just above the door.  Spindle rails will go up the side of the staircase and in front on the balcony.  Will post photos when that is done.

Now I need to talk to Gabe to see what comes next after the sheet rock is mudded.  Is it the trim work or the flooring or the painting?

Grassi Refrigeration has installed the two heat pump units.  One for the upstairs and one for the downstairs.  I don’t imagine we will be using the one upstairs very much, just when we have company.  Maybe you are wondering why we are building such a big house for just the 2 of us?  I always wanted a big Victorian house, and when it is done, we can have the kids and grand kids come and visit.  We have been so cramped for space that we had to always bring out the inflatable queen size bed and put it in the living room.

More pictures tomorrow.

Annie, looking for Saturday 😦

 

 

 

 

 

Boring weekend, just working on the porch posts but excited about the future.

Boring weekend, just working on the porch posts but excited about the future..

Boring weekend, just working on the porch posts but excited about the future.

I have spent about 8 hours on Saturday and 8 hours on Sunday just working on the posts.  It is boring and tedious work sanding, filling with Bondo, sanding some more, filling some more……  ugh.  Working on two this past week, and there is just no way of speeding along the process.  I broke the palm sander.  I know, I know if I get near anything mechanical it breaks.  On this, the rubber pad came off so I had Lynn check to see if he could order a new one, but they are discontinued.  Only had it 20 years, what’s with things nowadays?  I can make it work for now, just have to treat it gently.

On a lighter note, I got a new big-wheel trimmer.  Sears had them on sale as it is the end of the season so I had to have it.  It was $80 off, so, hopefully, if I can ever get done with the posts, I will trim up some of this weedy mess around the place.  I am truly embarrassed at the way things look around her.  Even with Lynn being sick in the past, he has always been able to keep the pastures mowed so it at least looked inhabited, instead of abandoned.  Can’t stand it, as it is driving me crazy.  I’ll take a picture next week (of the weed wacker).  It sure is purty.

Update on the house.  We have a few plumbing changes that we need done.  Smith Insulation is  installing insulation with a vapor barrier.  The ceiling and attics and under the house are left to do.  Sheet-rock will be delivered tomorrow.  It is going fast and I am starting to picture it actually getting done.  S & K Construction has been awesome along with their subcontractors Grassi Refrigeration & HVAC; Hays Electric;  Alden Plumbing;  and Smith Insulation.  I couldn’t be more impressed.  They are very professional and are getting it done.  Those are the ones that have been onsite and working on the house so far.

O’Conner’s Mr. Carpet out of College Place will be doing the floors and installation.  I took pictures of the samples and will show some of the on this post.  Probuild will be doing the doors and trim and stairs.  They will instal a spindle rail stair system with fluted and rosette window and door trim.  Oh, I can’t wait.  I am clapping my hands together.  Just imagine a kid on Christmas morning and you will know how I feel.  There will definitely be pictures as it progresses.  As for now, here are some photos of the flooring samples:

 

This is the laminate flooring. It is various size rough-hewn boards, distressed to mimic real wood floors

This will be in the in the entry, dining, breakfast nook, kitchen and family room.

This is the carpet that will be in the rest of the house. It looks brown in this photo, but is actually an olive green color

The one in the corner.  It will be in the entire upstairs except the baths and it will be in the study and master bedroom.

This is laminate vinyl for the baths where there is the chance of more water

I really like this vinyl planking.  It has such a beautiful wood look to it without all the maintenance.

Living room and stair runner carpet. This is in the classic Victorian style. It will only be in this one room.

This a focus carpet that will be in the living room and as a runner up the staircase.  It’s busy, but will look wonderful in the Victorian house.

So tell me what do you think?  Can’t wait to show it all to you done,  and actually live in it.  I don’t know what the finish date it, but I’m hoping before Thanksgiving as Lynn’s daughter is coming from California.  She will be our first guest.  How exciting.  I forgot to ask if she can paint?  Just kidding Diana.  🙂

Annie, Posting away, but happy