Still More Progress

Following a working party Saturday, we have torn quite a bit more out of the old home. All that remains on the first floor is the kitchen and the mud room. The carpeting has been removed from the upstairs thanks to John and Julie and some of the plaster has been taken out.

We found some interesting things during this last few days. I found a cabinet under the stairs to the attic. It will come in handy for linens and towels. Also, Sara found some old hand-written notes on the plaster surrounding the chimney. She took several pictures and will post them later.

So, everything seems to be going well. But the August deadline looms. We have to keep at it.

Back in Action

Since February was on of the coldest ever, thank you global warming, I did not get much done last month. March, however, is showing itself to be much more productive.
In the past month, I was able to use an eight foot 2x4 to pull down most of the ceilings on the first floor. This wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I hated removing the plaster, but it was cracked and areas showed what appeared to be water damage. Also, with the need to rewire and possible run HV/AC duct work, I felt it would be best.

In the dining room, there was blown in insulation between the first and second floors. It was the only room to have this done and I still don't understand why they did it.

Yesterday, I cleaned out two rooms and almost finished a third. I think I could have finished it if I had not punctured the tire on my wheelbarrow and had to use a smaller one later in the day. I finished the room today and started on a fourth.


Here is a good picture of me and one of the many things that distracts me as I work. It is also a good look at the work left to do on the overhead. For each one of those boards hanging down, there are two nails that need to be removed. Add in the nails left behind by the boards totally removed. Now multiply by five rooms, just on the first floor. If you have a claw hammer, you can stop by anytime in the next week for a step ladder and free soda.

Finally, I thought I would share this photo with you. There was a rotted out deck on the back of this house, built out of untreated 2x4s and plywood. Following a bathroom break, something told me to get a sledgehammer and take that deck out. So, never one to shy away from haphazard destruction, I did. Once the wood was gone, I removed some grating and roofing tin my son Matthew and my wife Sara had been walking on and found this.

This is a cistern. For those who don't know what a cistern is, I will explain. When this house was built, the cistern served as the source of water. The houses guttering directed rainwater into these underground bell-shaped concrete containers. The water was then pumped into the house.

This one was about, oh, I'd say twenty to twenty-five feet deep and looked to have about three to five feet of water in it still. Very dangerous and I am very happy that I found it before someone was hurt.

In about a day and a half, I was able to fill a thirty yard dumpster and had another one delivered. The local trash service wanted $250 for delivery and $50 a ton. They would only give me the dumpster for four days. Sara hunted around and found one that delivered for $175 and $50 a ton and let me keep it a month. The cheaper service is also 30 miles away. As I said above, I filled the dumpster in a day and some change. When I called them to pick it up and bring another, they said they would knock $25 off the delivery charge. I didn't have to ask, they just did it.

God bless capitalism and God bless Sara.