More exterior work meant starting to install some of the beauteous exterior pine siding. If only there was a way to make either the old siding look brandy new - - or make the new siding look weathered and aged - well, that would be ideal. But GC Paul assures us that no one will be able to tell the difference between the two when we are all done. Me? I'm gonna play that wait and see card. Still, gotta admit that it's thrilling to watch it become a bit more of a house again unlike the war zone construction site it's been since they shoved a couple of steel beams totally through the house.
Just like the first window, the second window makes Henry's room look bright and shiny. I'm considering not putting any window treatments in here. That would sure get his happy butt up a little earlier now wouldn't it? In the upper left portion of this pic you can see that Henry's escape route to the upstairs is still in motion. He still thinks that we are going to close it up. Instead, GC Paul still has plans to install him a little secret ladder....
This is a simply another view from the bottom hallway (right in front of George the Younger's room) up to Henry's door way. The light is SO much better than we had imagined!!
Moving upstairs, the door-that-was-supposed-to-be-removed-but-was-forgotten-to-be-removed - - well, it's now removed. So, our teensy-little master bath is now just for us and cannot be accessed by any other way but through the master bedroom. Just for kicks, it's interesting to remember that for nearly a year all four of us shared this bath together. Just for kicks, I am going to announce my unadulterated GLEE that I don't have to do that any more. Boys are pigs. Their aim sucks at everything from peeing to spitting. I know I'll still have to clean up their bathroom - - but at least I can close their bathroom door and let them step in their own pee spots if I'm not in the mood.
Here's the other side of that door where it used to open up in to what used to be the boys' bedroom. Of course, now the boys' bedroom is the library / office where we also usurped the space in the wee tiny Bindery room. Saw the final plans for the lots and lots and lots of shelves that will line these walls. What would a library be without lots of books?
This is the view from the upper hallway down to the kitchen. See nice rectangle all ready for the window? See nice big space all ready for big glass doors to the atrium? And, we just found out today that the hall windows (the ones you can kinda see in the right side of the photo) have also been delivered!! The replacement of these windows was a 3Q game decision. We knew they were old. We knew they had some rotted wood. We just didn't want to accept it. In the end - change order #17 was born.
This is the highly complicated and complex operating system for the radiant floor heat and the hot water heater. In order to operate this system to its highest efficiency I am going to need to return to college to get my engineering degree. As this will take at a minimum of 4 years - - and remember, we're talking about me here - - the one who does algebraic equations by drawing stick figures and smiley faces - - it is likely to take oodles longer. Instead, I intend to ask GC Paul for a big sign with neon flashing arrows that says "For More Heat Turn Here."
Here, in the utility closet (which in order to meet code, must be called a utility "ROOM") are the terminus of all the orange radiant heating tubes from all over the house. Some how someone, much smarter than me, will surgically connect all of these tubes to the corresponding valve on the above pictured very complex operating board. It's stuff like this where you know you are getting your moneys worth. Stuff like breaking through your old bathroom tile with a sledge hammer? Not so much. I can wield a sledge hammer with the best of 'em.
You know those cool theaters called black boxes? Everything in them is black and movable and infinitely artistically open-ended? Now that all the dry wall is in - - well we've got our own version. The rumpus room / pool room is now officially the White Room....
This photo is simply for posterity (or evidence should things not go the way they say it will go). Underneath all this white crap and blobs are our very beautiful polished concrete floors. I have been assured that everything on it is water soluble and will be easily wiped away to once again restore them to their former luster. Yesterday, Henry brought home a smallish 1'x2' segment of dry wall. In the span of approximately 2 hours - - and various "experiments" later - - he managed to get dry wall schmootz all over the kitchen (walls and all), as well as to create a big pile of it in pieces and scraps from dust-size to small rock-size on the back patio. It took me approximately 2 days to almost clean it up. Easily wiped? I. don't. think. so. Hence the photo for posterity (or evidence).
This is a perfect shot of the wooden skylights. Imagine the light. Imagine being able to see right up on to the atrium behind it. Imagine being 14 and having women in short dresses standing up on the atrium? Hmmm. Perhaps we need to rethink?
Another view of the skylights from the inner corner of the rumpus room. See nice light coming from stairs to kitchen? Try to visualize that light, plus the window that's going to be there, plus the glass doors and SHAZAM!! Amazing what a little digging and a lot of windows can do.
And finally, an RIP to our old porch beam. It's laying here on the front walk ready to go to the old compost pile in the sky. I went over today and GC Paul helped me take off the numbers. We'll add them to the little history niche in the garage where the original building permits are going to be preserved. Yet another small reminder of the history of this house that we are making our own changes to. It'll be a tiny wee "195" time capsule.
So, we continue to march onward. I was told today that we need to be ready with all our interior paint colors by next week!?! What??? I was kind of speechless. Paint Colors??? We can choose PAINT COLORS??? Per-itty big change from deciding whether or not to jam steel soldier beams behind the back of the house to keep the soil from caving in, eh?? Sheesh -- what a difference 6,027 weeks can make....
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