Adventures in renovations... again

[lighter]

Contractor didn't make it in yesterday.  He brought Robert today.....should move fast.  I already moved the step stones, moss, bench and Hostas, so they can roll right through.

I'm still struggling with paint or stain on pine beadboard.  Will make selection today and keep moving.

Lighter

[lighter]

We're about to finish a little door trim and vent adjustment in the first bathroom.  Whew!  So ready to be done with that!!!!  Monday the upstairs bath gets torn out.

I introduced contractor to Villain Charlotte, as she looks stressed and very much alone clearing her house.  He'll help with some small things, mostly electrical.  Charge her $80 instead of the $300 quoted by electrician.  Tomorrow morning he'll help her move stuff into basement.  We moved her heavy heavy mattress earlier today and I'll put some stuff for sale in neighborhood message board.

Her eyes are shiny again..... she's over the 🌙 happy, in this moment.  Didn't cost me much.

Lighter

[lighter]

Charlotte(neighbor) is paying $15K to have a crew scrape popcorn ceilings, remove wallpaper and paint interior....they say next week.  I think that's a fair price, but golly....I can't imagine she'll have the house emptied by then. 

DD's bf moved his music stuff into the jazz shed today.....and it's a glorious fall day to do it. So beautiful out!

I took an outdoor shower and used that bathroom today.  Felt luxurious to have the door open, with trees, sky and sound of birds flooding in.....sunshine and the breeze too.

I have caulking to finish, and to freshen up in kitchen and dining room.  Will paint later...maybe today.

The draperies are painted, split and ready to be finished with trim.  Brackets painted. Drapery rings on the table.

The upstairs bathroom gets torn out Monday.  DD23 giving me the vapors.... she's not sure what she wants.  Is wishy washy.  I'm making choices today.

Lighter

[lighter]

Bathroom emptied. New tub in the space. DD and I shopped tile last night.  She likes delicate/light blue bathroom picture....tiled shower/under chair rail with the light blue paint above.  She likes crown moulding.  Flooring looks to be small ish black and white mosaic tiles....marble. She wants to paint the vanity the light blue.....has decided the black granite countertop is perfect.

Will install nooks in shower, by toilet and for access to shower/tub plumbing.

A third toilet getting installed behind the upstairs toilet....in the office/studio.  I'm trying to get a small corner sink in too.

Material run filled garage with green rock, plywood, electric and plumbing stuff.  We pick up the orange Schluter tile backer board/fasteners tomorrow.... and wade through warehouse of mud covered tile.  Again. 

Changing out a door. Reusing for the new water closet. New door in garage.

Figuring out the tub/shower faucets not going well.  I want a showerhead, tub filler and handheld sprayer mounted on deck, as well.

Lighter

[lighter]

DD23 and I voiced up the balance of the white and black basket weave marble tile for up bathroom floor and tub deck.

Will lay it out, in my bedroom, as DD planned a border, laid on diagonal, and a black 1/2" black pencil trim, with balance laid straight in the middle. DD can do the math this time.

She's loosened up and has her sense of humor back....notes how difficult it is to renovate....fetch and figure.

We also picked out paint, got samples and parkoured over the hip high rug stack, large enough for 2 rapid rolls.  Well.....I rolled, popped up, said "parkour!" Think The Office....then ran after DD, who picked up my pens and markers after I parkoured a second time. Highly recommend, but maybe remove hip bag, tape measure and phone/pen pouch first.

The water closet's up and running.  Needs a little paint and trim to finish.

Bathroom is ready for tile and last coat of sheet rock mud.  Electric and plumbing is in.
4 panel, folding shower door sits in living room, along with the fixtures and lighting.









 

[lighter]

Trim is finished in water closet.  Need to caulk and paint it now.  We used an already stained stair tread remnant, as a shelf over the toilet/next to sink.....looks great.

The sound absorbing boxes (6) we're finished yesterday.  They'll go in the jazz shed.  Drapes need stitched at the top, then will be installed.  The sewing space was just put back in order, after water closet build.

Ready to make costumes and get on with planning cousin visit. We have use of neighbor's freshly painted house..... I'll be staging it for sale.  That's 4 extra bedrooms and 2 bathrooms for our company.  We'll have a house full this year.

[Hopalong]

Did I understand that DD23 is staying in your present house,
and you're going to move somewhere new?

hugs
Hops

[lighter]

Yup, Hops.  Both daughters staying in present home.  I'll move to the lake, and travel as necessary. 

The Cottage housekeeper asked me to take her 15yo rising 11th grade DD....maybe for 2 years.  She's US born.  Her US Auntie can't keep her longer......and neither can I.  I don't have anyone I can depend on, at the lake, when I'm gone.  I think I'm done raising children.

The water closet trim is caulked and ready for paint.  Porch electrical sorted and done.  Huge PITA, but now everything on their own switch.....new outlet in the ceiling.

Contractor also fixed the rocking clown in a cage.  It works, but the cord is about shot.  I ordered a new one, and will put little feet, on cage bottom, to preserve new cord.

Tomorrow we cut tile!  The final project will be done soon. 

I have pressure washing, window cleaning and quite a lot of touch up paint to finish, as well. 

The journey continues.

Lighter

[sKePTiKal]

Not a bad way to support your Ds while giving them enough space to flex their independence, Lighter. What are your plans for you? Do you have enough of a network at the Lake to have dependable people to call on, as you age? Or do you have alternate plans?

For some reason, I have the idea you're 10 years younger than me (gonna be 70 next year). I know that's not an indication of health and ability (my friend who just turned 60 and my 'little bro" are both worse off than I am). But along the way, with the passing of years, one does have to accept that we don't bounce as easily and it takes longer to recover when we do owies to ourselves.

Maybe you haven't had time yet to ponder that. I'm sure not getting B to slow down much. In his case, moving and focusing on projects helps him ignore the pain better.

[Hopalong]

Your first para just posed half the questions I was going to ask Lighter, too.
I guess practicality and adaptability and accessibility are much more interesting subjects in the final quarter for all of us.

I too imagine Lighter as a very spry 60s, in a cape, flying from strenuous task to complicated task to endless task. You too, Amber, though your teeth might be a tad longer.

I serve as humble contrast to you both. Aerobic reading. Pooch cuddling. Slow puttering in my saggy Prius.

hugs
Hops

[lighter]

Whew boy.  I imagine myself living as my mother and Auntie P lived.  Out and about.  Walking dogs, for Auntie P.
Shopping, for my mother, who created circular pivot marks, on her right shoes....all of them.  Such busy bees, doing what they loved, till their ends.

We've had this discussion, you and I.  Every time I go up stairs, I think about staying strong.  Every time I lift heavy groceries/things.....I commit, like it's a precious ability I need to preserve.

It IS, for me.

Lighter

[lighter]

The basket weave marble tile floor just went in yesterday.  Contractor and I beaten up....feels like I've been rolling in Jujitsu class for a week.  Up and down stairs.  Hands hurt from cutting tile....so dry.  Feet have been cold and wet too long.  Carrying heavy things.....up.  Down.  Up.

So, today contractor giving his knees a break.....he was bleeding pretty badly yesterday.  So hard on his knees to lay tile.

He's working on the vanity, which I think he enjoys.

Will be done soon and he'll move on to driveway jobs and two house builds.

We're ready for a break, I can tell, but he'll always come when I need him.  I'll always call when I do.

Have to put black pencil trim in floor. Finish bullnose around shower niche and lay bottom row of wall tile THEN grout.

Vanity should be here in the morning, with granite top.....to paint vanity?  Or not to paint?  Maybe DD23 will learn how to paint on this job?

I feel pretty good on timeline.....guests arrive on 30th.

The neighbor's house, however, is a dusty cluster foch.  I intended to put guests there, over Halloween, but her contractor has ONE worker there, not every day, and is 3 weeks past his promises finished date, with no noticable attempt to finish till my d next month. 

I always called that neighbor the "nice neighbor" bc she really IS too nice.  Contractor weaponized her empathy with a lie about worker being ill.  New worker said the guy was fired for working too slow.

Oh well....will make it work....and have access to her 2 fridges, when needed.

Lighter