I had other plans...

Life had other plans... 

Frozen drain = no showering or laundry (which isn't good since we all stink and I need to wash a certain unnamed young man's bedding for the 4th time in a week)

So with Patrick giving instructions Duncan and I turned off water valves, baled water out of the bathtub and plunged the drains, we ran heaters next to the new plumbing fixtures and Patrick went under the house to add more insulation wrapping to the pipes.  

Frozen pipe = no cold water.  (Unless we wanted scalding hot showers, we had to wait.

Signs of mice = have to empty the cupboards, wash every dish and bleach the cupboards, board up the back of the cupboards and now go on a hunt for how they're getting in.  (The signs of mice were neat rows of cat food inside my baking cupboard with ... droppings!) These cupboards were empty and clean just two weeks ago when we moved them for demolition day so this is a very new circumstance.  

So.. much of the day was spent washing dishes... once we had water and drains restored.  The cupboards are all smelling of bleach and the back of the cupboard has been more solidly covered... but I still don't know what the point of entry to the house is for the rodents.  We plugged in a high frequency rodent deterrent that we used successfully in the green house this summer.  Perhaps the vermin will simply leave.  

Covid19 exposure (Patrick) = quarantine everyone to their own corners of the house and now have to deliver food, water, supplies.. keep the fires going and find entertainment for boys in separate areas.  Also need to sanitize all dishes that come back from Patrick so I don't accidentally pass the covid fork or plate at the next meal.  (trying to keep exposure risk at home to a minimum to keep severity of the illness at a minimum)  Loss of job means he's not missing work I suppose... But he can't find work either from his confining corner of the house) He did drywall his confinement quarters though.  

Still not finished with the renovations = need to keep both wood stoves stoked.  (it's warm in here!)  So I'm cooking many of the meals on the wood cookstove.  Much greater appreciation for the women of yesteryear who literally slaved over hot stoves to cook their meals.  The whole stove radiates and the fronts of my legs get toasty when I'm browning meat or stirring soup.  

My actual plans for today had included taking a shower, planning Dec. menu's and finalizing the shopping list for the upcoming Utah trip.. (which is now postponed..), chat with Miles when he calls, tidy up and organize my office area in anticipation of moving to a new location..  prep a few meals for ahead in case I end up with Covid so we can all still keep eating.... help Whittaker finish up his crochet project and do some writing and watch a pre-recorded class on natural yeast bread making and maybe even try baking some.  

Maybe tomorrow!?

A second bathroom

 One of the reasons we embarked on our renovations ( besides the sinking, stinking pantry off of the only bathroom), was to build a second bathroom.  A second bathroom has been needed... a few times.

As construction progressed it became a much appreciated comment anytime there was a wait for the bathroom for people to call out loudly, "Build another bathroom Patrick!"  

It was our delightful way of letting him know how much we appreciated his efforts.. to encourage him to get to the 2nd bathroom completed stage faster and add a little fun to his life.  This calling out has been going on for 5 months.  He's definitely not tired of hearing it 😆.

A couple weeks ago, the plumbing was at the stage that the toilet could be installed.  

We may have been more excited than should be allowed for a toilet.  He thought it would put an end to our cajoling.

HA HA HA HA... 

We just change to, "sure would be nice if there was another shower... or it's not much fun using a toilet in a room without any lights... the ambience in here isn't what we had in mind"...  but mostly we say... "Bathrooms ought to have walls Patrick." 

Our support is indispensable.

But it's true... Bathrooms really ought to have walls.

There was a time almost a year ago.. when guests were coming to visit for Christmas.  The only thing they requested of us was if it was possible that the bathroom door could maybe, if it's not too much trouble, could we please get a lock on the bathroom door.  I can't imagine their comments on this bathroom situation!  

It really is an open concept bathroom.  I can stand in one place and see the living room, the kitchen, the bathroom and the front door.  I've heard open concept is all the rage these days.  Perhaps they aren't referring to bathrooms though...

We solved the lack of privacy issue simply enough.  A quick sheet hung did the trick.  Walls really are overrated.. I hung the sheet in under a minute... it's taken Patrick weeks to build walls to this state.  

As penance for being such a slow wall builder, when he was put into mandated quarantine from his Covid19 exposure we set up his cot in his yet unfinished area.  It's really ideal for him.  He has access to the new bathroom and is able to continue building the walls and finishing the interior work while staying in his designated quarantine space.  We have even hooked him up with lights and opened the windows from the living room so there's heat flow.  We are generous and caring after all. 

Phase 3, 4 and into 5

Phase three:  Build new pantry and kitchen space to the enclosed stage.  

Phase four:  New Roof 

Phase five:  Interior drywall, electrical and plumbing. 

Did you notice?  No more time frame or projected dates of completion. I don't even make any wild claims anymore. I just go forward knowing that it will at some point... be completed...

...when it is completed.

Regardless... Phase 3 and 4 are as completed as they can be now that winter is here.

The exterior walls are all up and exterior is painted... 98%.  The area around the front door is still unpainted.  Painting requires a minimum of 4 hours a day of above 50* temps... won't be seeing that until.. May maybe June.  But don't cry for me... there's plenty to do until then!

The roof is COMPLETE!  Thankfully.  The phrase 'we have a roof over our heads' has never meant so much.  The firewood has been collected and now it needs to be chopped and stacked but it's here which is the important part.   So we're keeping warm in our new spaces.... our very unfinished new spaces.

Electrical, plumbing and drywall are all very important.  And tedious.  And dusty.  And as soon as they are completed.. I swoop in and paint which makes all the difference and looks fabulous.  Of the 7 areas inside that need completing... 2 are 99% complete.  The pantry and the new bedroom.

Phase 5 is going forward... in stages... 

Phases 6-10 may even pop in and out before Phase 5 is fully finished.  (Obviously my phases were not the best outline of construction.  I've hung up my hard hat and am resigning as project manager time scheduler.  I'm working on my new title.)

Kindred Spirit

I hope that some day when someone discovers our wall of famous signatures indicating our presence in the Utah house, that they are filled with a happy moment of contemplations about who we may have been.  Hopefully our decision to write on the wall (and date it) will inspire them to pause and reflect upon the mark they are leaving in the world.  Hopefully it will bring a smile to their face of the happy people who once spent time in the dwelling where they now make their memories.

It certainly brought a smile to my face when I saw this...

I don't know who Michael Brown is/was.  I wish he had dated his exclamation of presence. I'm ever so grateful that I saw it.  Patrick didn't mention it when he was doing the demolition of the kitchen wall.  I'm also pleased that his 2x4 post will be remaining.  If it had been 6" over either way, we would have been oblivious to his message.  6" left and we wouldn't have exposed it.. 6" right and it would have been smashed and removed before any examining would have found it.  (The garbage truck happened to be coming down the road as Patrick completed this demolition and the remains went straight outside)

I have every intention of signing our work in some fabulous locale before we seal up our renovations.  Perhaps we'll enclose a small time capsule within the walls.  What should we include?

Phase 5 - A - Pantry

Phase five:  Interior drywall, electrical and plumbing.  (projected completion Sept 14){maybe Nov. 1st?}

Okay... no question about it.. I am not able to judge time frame on renovation projects AT ALL! 

Phase 5 will need to be broken up into many sections.

• mud and tape drywall, paint, flooring in new bedroom
• electrical, mud and tape drywall, seal floor, paint, flooring in pantry... and build a door
• finalize plumbing for second bathroom and install venting.  
• remove dining room window and install in new kitchen corner, enclose new kitchen exterior
• knock out interior walls from kitchen area, electrical in kitchen, insulation, drywall, paint, 
• paint kitchen area and arrange cupboards.  
• electrical in 2nd bathroom/laundry, build interior walls, insulation, drywall
• knock out wall between bedroom to closet, knock out wall between kitchen and new dining area.
• finish drywall in knock out areas.  finalize wall between dining room and crannies, insulate crannies, knock out walls from living room to crannies, drywall crannies and dining room
• mud and tape all remaining drywall area. 

And I have learned my lesson on trying to create a sense of timeline anymore... so instead.. I'll just post updates.. 

So update on Phase 5-A -- the Pantry

From beginning to end... outside was a huge transformation... but inside was just beginning.

Framing.  Roofing.  Insulating!!  Drywall.

Wyoming provided ample cold weather for us to appreciate the difference it made when the insulation was installed.  

A friend had this drywall lift and what a cool contraption it is for raising 12' long drywall pieces to the ceiling.  

Even with insulation in the pantry area, without any heat source and the outside temperatures still dropping, we had a few days of frozen water lines.  

We began the process of heating the new pantry by putting fans in the kitchen windows and drawing the heat in the house out into the new addition.  It meant needing to overheat the house.  (normally I don't complain about having to warm up the house, but it was like going from equator to the north pole from one end of the kitchen to the other) 

Another new delight was the food.  Not our day to day meals, but the reason we're building the big pantry is because we have a lot of food to store.  Some of it is in jars.  These jars did not withstand the freezing temperatures in the non heated addition.  The exploded apple cider vinegar jar left a lasting odor.  We added some space heaters to our heating efforts and soldiered on.  (FYI, moving all the food from one side of the house to the other for the third time is quite a workout!)

The weather stopped throwing below freezing nights at us for a few days and that was helpful as we embarked on the next process.  The mudding, taping, mudding, sanding, mudding, sanding and finally painting.  

Working by spotlight isn't ideal for finish work but it was what was available. 

Although it seems that we work.. work.. work.. we tend to find moments of levity and delight in the mundane.  (And I'm always eager to capture it!)

The soundtracks for work were varied.  I listened to podcasts. Duncan had earbuds and listened to books.  When Jim worked alone it was often hits of the 70's and 80's, but when he worked with Duncan.... 

The ballads of Disney.

The floor went in SOO fast!!  Really.. the lights and floor took only a few hours. It was so rewarding!

Patrick was installing it while we prepared to perform our Halloween dance number in the new space.  We partied away the evening in the Pantry.  Then the next morning we got back to work.  Demolition took place on the kitchen wall and I began assembling shelves and washing every jar and can from it's layers of drywall dust.  

The pantry still needs more shelves but they're currently unavailable until further construction is completed.  The doors for the utility closet need to be built and a shelf installed above the freezers, but prioritization of renovation says that other projects take precedence and the pantry is in a holding pattern.   A delightful, bright and large, mostly useable, holding pattern.  (All these items were in our day to day pathway until now, so completing the pantry was a huge relief to life operation.)                                                      

Phase 2

Phase one:  Build new room off of living room to the enclosed stage. (projected completion July 17)

Phase two:  Build new combination bathroom/laundry and dining area to the enclosed stage. (projected completion Aug. 3rd )

Leaving Phase 1 incomplete to begin Phase 2 is difficult but I do understand the necessity of the order for exterior completion before winter.  The other option is not to do so much in one year.  That is not how I rumble!  So, more chaos and eager anticipation.

Difficulties with Phase 2

• Our deliveries were missing essential material
• Our deliveries were delayed
• Plumbing!
• Rain, leaking in Phase 1 area since the roof is incomplete until Phase 2 is completed
• Damaged items had to be reordered, more delays
• Chimneys

Phase 2 compensated all its difficulties by providing helpers.

Caleb surprised us with a visit for his birthday.  We poured concrete (he loves to work with concrete!). We also put together the beginning of the new floor for the laundry/bathroom.

Liam spent the day at our house.  He thought it would be fun to see Duncan after an absence of 5 months.  Not sure if he still thinks it was fun.  They climbed under the house to put the vapor barrier on the underside of the new flooring.

Missionaries popped by to see us.  They saw that we were doing a project and asked if they could come back to help.  We weren't sure if they were serious but told them they can if they want.  Saturday morning three of them, masked and wearing work clothes,  knocked on the door.  They were eager for something to do.  They aren't allowed inside because of Covid and when it began to rain they sat on the porch to wait it out.  I kept everyone supplied with fruit and cookies and water.  For one, this was the first time using a drill, a chalk line and a power nailer.  The walls were partially up and needed cross pieces put in.  They also cleaned up all the demolition debris and then started putting up the plywood and the walls really took shape.   It was Grandpa Ted's birthday so they lucked out and we served Voreniki and Root Beer floats.

Meanwhile... on the roof, 

Derek hopped up on the roof a few times to help Duncan.  He didn't last long after he sunburned terribly, even though he wore a hat.  Long sleeves were found for him, but he wasn't eager to get back to working. 

Between progress there was a lot of needed research and discussion.  Plumbing issues to solve, roofing angles to get right...  likely a lot more.. but it begins to sound the same to me and I had other things to work on.  I had to empty the old pantry and make decisions on bathroom fixtures and lighting placement. 

It's exhausting!

Listening to all the discussion and watching all the construction!

It does eventually all come together and begin to resemble a house.

Amusing moments of Phase 2

Since plumbing was out of commission while they ran the new drains, we created a temporary outhouse behind the barn in the ravine.  We gave strict instructions DON'T use the toilet!  The restrictions lasted a few hours.  In a quiet moment in the evening we suddenly realized.. someone is in the bathroom.  "Whittaker, DON'T FLUSH!"  

"I forgot.  Okay I won't flush."  

A few minutes later he emerged from the bathroom... rushing water noises behind him... "Oh NO!.. I forgot.  I flushed!"  

No one wanted to be the one to let daddy know that when he returned from town with the plumbing fittings there was a surprise awaiting him under the house.  

The theme song for the evening came from a little ditty Jim began singing. 

Oh dear, what can the matter be...

7 old ladies locked in the lavatory

they've been gone Sunday til' Saturday

Nobody knew they were there....

Sunset over construction site

Phase two:  Build new combination bathroom/laundry and dining area to the enclosed stage. (projected completion Aug. 3rd )

We didn't quite make the projected date of Aug. 3rd.  On Aug. 14th, since Phase 2 was at yet another stalled point waiting for materials to be delivered, we began demolition on Phase 3.  The materials arrived on the 20th. but Phase 3 was not at a stopping spot, so now there's two projects on the go for a bit.  Hopefully Phase 3 will go quickly and get us back on track.  The weather is cooperating.

Phase three:  Build new pantry and kitchen space to the enclosed stage.  (projected completion Aug. 31st) {or possibly Sept. 15th}

Construction Bloopers

All work and no play... 

No worries there.  There has been plenty of play.

For some it seems to be their job.

They have managed to find delight in cast off building materials.  These are extra pieces of the concrete forms... otherwise known as robot walkers.

The tubs have been very useful for collecting scraps for burning, garbage, moving dirt and obviously for rolling around in.

The new ripstick backyard stage was enjoyed, for the few days it existed, before pesky things like walls, roof and plumbing were put in the way.

Then there was Duncan.  He found amusement on the actual jobsite... It was his personal jungle gym.  They delighted in calling to me to come see how he became stuck under the house!  It looks like the house in the Wizard of Oz when it landed on the Wicked Witch.  He was neither, dead nor stuck... but definitely wicked!  The tubs also doubled as a place to sit for the few seconds between tasks.  

Take a Gander at that!

 

Part of the renovation required that a few bushes needed to be moved.  While we had the backhoe seemed the best time to move them.  

Bushes and trees are not something I'm willing to waste.  So.  We transplanted them.  

We opted to plant them around the goose pond.

While we were transplanting them, we decided that the geese would like an expanded and deeper pond. 

Instead of the two weeks of digging by shovel that it took Duncan last year, it was twenty  minutes by backhoe.  

Now it is a daily task to keep the bushes alive.  This first year after transplanting is crucial to their survival.

The new and expanded pond was refilled and the boys decided to enjoy it before the geese soiled it.

It may have been a good idea to keep the geese in the corral until the boys were through.  

The boys didn't seem to mind though.

In fact they all seemed to enjoy their water play.

I believe it's because the bushes added a delightful and irresistible ambiance to the pond.

The geese gave their inspection and seal of approval on the pond and left in search of a snack.

The boys lingered in the pond.

Before and 'almost' After

When we first came to clean and paint the house before moving in, we reached the bathroom.  After a very long day of cleaning, I determined that there wasn't any point painting walls in a room that really needed to be gutted.  So clean enough to move in and 'usable', we let it be. 

At first I was determined to 'make the best of things'. 

Then as times went by, we adopted the mantra, 'use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.'  We had no trouble using up the items we found left behind by previous tennants and owners.  As for 'wear it out'... it was pretty worn out upon our arrival.  As you can see with the state of the bathroom we embraced ..'make it do'.  but 'do without' we could not stomach. 

The floor only worsened and we became good at walking around the middle of the room so that we didn't feel the floor giving way beneath us...  

The bathroom lasted six months... well not exactly.. it lasted about 3 months with a few duct tape patching and bitter complaints about showering in a dark small stall with water spraying all over the bathroom.  And bathing in an RV size tub wasn't even exciting for the little boys... 

When the pipes froze under the shower and it began to back up and we had to shut it off so bathing became the only option... Patrick was more than unimpressed with the mini-tub.  In order to rinse off he had to reach around into the shower and pull the shower head around into the tub area.  Less than ideal.  

.. the floor kept getting worse. 

When the ozone levels increased in March (2019) and the EPA shut down the oil fields until levels decreased, we made a trip to Rock Springs.  We spent two weeks, without tub, shower and for a while no floor at all.. (only floor joists and a piece of plywood in front of the toilet)  But we were genuinely delighted to have a functional shower/tub and proper (INSULATED) floor.  So one half of the bathroom was improved.  Then Patrick went back to work and summertime had a long to do list and time and projects took over and the bathroom once again was pushed to the back burner of tasks... until a year later.  March 2020

It was high time to finish the bathroom... well almost.

We've had a perspective shift since moving and while we would dearly have loved to have built our dream home dome, the allure of no debt living and simplicity have won the higher place in our hearts.  Other than the eternal winter and cold... the tranquil solitude has us embracing the new mantra of 'Blooming where we are planted."

So, we improve our immediate surroundings and live the dream.

I must admit, as we began the process of completing the bathroom renovation, the adage, 

"you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear" rang through my mind on many occasions.  

After new walls, new paint, new cabinet and counter and sink, new mirror and tiled back-splash and light fixture, it may have to be admitted that you CAN make a decent bathroom out of squalid one.

An unrecognizable upgrade!... except for the gaping hole in one wall that still leads to the pantry... hence the 'almost'finished status.  But there is progress on that score... excavation has begun on the new pantry so by the end of the summer hopefully we'll be installing an actual bathroom wall.  

My favourite part... 

the mirror was $1.00 at the thrift store.  I sanded and re-stained it

the door was a clearance item at the local lumber store because it had a small nick in one edge

the cabinet, counter and sink were free on the side of the road.

the flooring was a clearance item at Home Depot

the paint was left over from painting the rest of the house when we first moved in

Only actual expenses were the ceiling paint, the light fixtures and the tile for the back-splash and tub surround.  

NEXT...

Crash, Bang, Boom.. Ta Da

Kenzie may have crashed the party... and the window but it has led to the next bit of noise here.

Once the area was cleared out...

A more careful demolition took place.

Then the new sounds of crashing and banging began.  And the countdown to having the 7' x 6' gaping hole in the side of the house to be filled... as snow flurries began to fall outside and we stoked the fire and kept it roaring in attempts to keep what little warmth inside the house that we could.  

The progress was well anticipated and each step applauded  

Finally enclosed again, the temperatures began to rise again and moral was boosted.... or at least blankets and coats were no longer needed as we huddled near the fire.  

It was late at night when it began to finally take the appearance of a finished project.  Everyone was eager to try out the new nook... 

Exactly how the new alcove will be used is still unknown entirely... but it's been put to good use... even if it is still lacking a coat of paint and a few final finishing details.

I'm not certain if we have become so accustomed to tighter quarters or are simply giddy to all squeeze into our window seat and enjoy the views outside. 

But somehow the sight of the two littles enjoying a quiet evening moment was the most delightful to see.