Homestretch...........

I have managed to use the 12" mitre saw without losing any of my fingers.  I've also used the jigsaw without losing any digits.  I've been under-the-weather these last couple of days.  I went out to the house with full intention of breaking out the paint brush for final coats of paint on doors, but I elected to sweep and take random pictures.

This sink along with the countertop will be trashed.  It has served, admirably, as a work sink. My daughter cleaned my bucket screen last, and I was not happy with the job that she did. 

New countertops should be installed next week.  I neglected to inquire about the lead time on the Formica...(because I did not think that there would be one!).  I had a bead on some countertops that I could "re-purpose".  That turned out to be a total bust (time waster).

Below is the room of a thousand doors--4 pairs of bi-folds cam in and I'm painting them.  You can also see the kitchen cabinet doors in the second pic along with the air compressor.  At least the bi-folds were primed, but they need two coats.  This is what I had planned to do last evening, but I could not muster the energy.

That damned air compressor jolts on and makes enough racket to scare every evil out of your body.  It's a purgative experience, and I'm certain that I'll be much more saintly when all of this is done.  The left over Floor Muffler  (green stuff that I calculated exactly!) makes wonderful floor protection along with the cardboard from the floor boxes. I ended up with 8 boxes of flooring left over.  Since I put the flooring down in the utility and bathroom area...these boxes might come in handy in the event of a water issue.  However, I had a piece of flooring outside for several days (that included rain) and nary a warp or whittle in the finish or structural integrity.

Mark came along shortly, and we took measurements for the base molding and shoe molding.  We re-used most of the base, but the shoe moulding was largely too nasty to reuse being victimized by whatever was used to soil the carpet so badly in the rooms.

On Friday, the electricians were working hard hanging light fixtures, putting in new switches and receptacles...the room above has been used to store trim and other sundries.  I went out with the truck with the bed extender to get shoe moulding.  I bought red oak scotia which I stained using Helmsman Provincial stain.  The engineered flooring has enough variation in the colors that it blends in nicely enough.  It is pretty moulding, and looks terrific.


Today, a first coat for some and a second coat of paint for the bifolds.  Tomorrow I plan to finish the bi-folds.  I also painted the stairway.  I had a stairway ladder, but I was not planning on being on it without a spotter.  My daughter, the former cheerleader, was an able spotter.  I painted the stairwell, and managed to use the last of the Hawthorne Yellow.  I didn't expect the stairwell to take an entire gallon, but it did.  I'm basically done painting all of the walls.  What a great feeling.

Now, to finish the many doors....and the cabinets... But second (and thrid) coats are easy coats, so I'm expecting it to go quickly.  As I sit in my office, I think about what color to re-paint if I were to do so.  I have a very nice office that has always intended to be an office.  It is right off the kitchen and the great room and has a 1/2 bath.  It faces north, so unfortunately, there is no great natural light--not like our southern exposed rooms.  But it is an amply-sized room that has afforded me the opportunity to work productively from it for many years.

The walls are Lancaster Whitewash with Peale Green trim.  I like the colors, but it needs to be freshened up. My room also contains a large, 1929, walnut encased Victrola.  It was something that my Grandad (my mother's father) bought.  I never met him.  I'm glad to have this beautiful behemoth in my home.  It does take up lots of real estate, but I love it.


I told my daughter that she should have made a shadowbox of the disgusting things in this house, so that she will always remember them.  She said the photos and the memories were enough.  Here's the front of the house with the new shutters, and the newly-painted door.  The brown and yellow have been freshened up to green black and yellow.  There are remnants of brown...but that is just the way it will be.

My sister is visiting soon.  She saw the house in its former state.  I cannot wait to show her the home in nearly-finished condition.