An Element of Design

The upstairs is getting close, so close! This week is all about trim and flooring as I attempt to keep RJ supplied with sanded, stained wood. I should specify that a particular part of the upstairs is taking FOREVER. It's the master bedroom--also the area that has wonky-ass, crooked shit ALL over the dang place. So each piece of trim has to be custom cut, placed, and manipulated so it looks...not crooked.

Detail.

This is looking up. There will be four angles that look like this, meeting at the top.

RJ is on his third day of this sodding trim and I'm about to pull my hair out. Not because he's slow, (and it looks SO COOL), but because it takes a ridiculous amount of time to get everything placed right so that you fool the eye into thinking you see a straight line. I am getting to the point where I have to see progress and if I don't, I have a mild panic attack. BUT, I have been assured that the downstairs--being all right angles--and even the upstairs addition, will go extremely quickly. And the great news is that other than a few pieces of trim and baseboard in the upstairs bathroom, it is pretty much done and ready for the plumber to come in and hook everything up. We are also painting the main part of the claw foot tub black. OMG, an actual stylistic element!

Another Pinterest Inspiration. (Photo by: Brittany Ambridge)

 

 

This above picture is of a Manhattan apartment complete with $300 rug. Ha. Hahahahaha. Anyway, we'd originally wanted to go with some subway tile in the upstairs bath, but ultimately decided (and going with what supplies we already had--something RJ is brills at doing) on painted tongue and groove on the walls, a wall of cedar to back the tub, blue stained pine on the ceiling, and dark stained wood flooring.

The painting of the tub.

The Claw Feet! They kinda look like busts of a lady up close.

The floor of the bathroom, the cedar siding used the wall behind the tub.

I don't even want to start on the downstairs. It's got most of the drywall up, but is mainly just a workspace for cutting, sanding and staining. And once again, that will be the easy part...once we get to it.

And now: Angry Crutches Game Face: Sanding Edition!

For those who don't know, Angry Crutches Game Face started last year after I got my hip surgery and was starting on my PT and damn sick of my crutches. This type of selfie has come to represent: "things that are sucky, but by god you're gonna get that shit done!"

It's Crunch Time, Folks.

If I'm reading a theatre review, I tend to dislike it when the reviewer gives a "synopsis" of the play. Instead of writing about the play, how it made them feel, etc., they give a run down of the plot. Snooooooooore. But...this is not a play. It's my house. And a lot has happened, so I feel like some of what I have to say is, a "synopsis," but by god I will try to make it entertaining. And throw some of my thoughts in there too. SO:

I returned to Creede yesterday after a few days in the big city of Denver. I went up primarily for some auditions, but it ended up being a nice "escape from THE PROJECT". We have now moved into the home stretch. Our optimistic end of October move in deadline is not happening, but we are confident that not too long after that, we'll be moved in. Some major developments in the last couple of weeks:

Last week my stepfather, Gerry, spent six straight days helping us. RJ's father, Roger Sr., came in for a few days later in the week as well. Their help was invaluable. While I cleaned, sanded, primed and insulated, Roger tinkered with the furnace vents, and RJ and Gerry put up drywall upstairs, downstairs and on the ceiling (that actually required 3-4 hearty gentleman to accomplish).

Lots of hands.

We had the tankless water heater hooked up, got a blue tag from the inspector (the blue tag story is longer and not terribly interesting, but VERY IMPORTANT), and Monte Vista Co-op hooked up the gas line from the propane tank to the house. We ordered flooring, a storm door, one entire extra package of roof shingles though we unfortunately only needed a few to finish the job. While in Denver, I bought us a refrigerator and gas range. And my mother and step-father have graciously gifted us a dishwasher.

Behold, The Gloriousness. Especially for propane, the extra initial expense means that we will end up using way less propane since it heats the water as it goes through the heater. It doesn't store it, like traditional water heaters.

Now I have to rave about Sears Outlet. I may eat my words if the stuff ends up being crap, but it's a pretty awesome feeling to acquire a new stove that is 50% off simply because a contractor installed it in a house, the owner didn't like it because it wasn't self cleaning, then had it removed so they could exchange it. You can't sell something full price once it's been installed so who benefits? WE DO! The fridge was the same deal. Brand new, but returned. Slight dents on the bottom sides that no one will see anyway--at a third of the regular price. Winning!

Fancy schmantz fridge

So...A LOT is happening and we're seeing our construction loan balance get lower and lower, which is terrifying. When you initially apply for a construction escrow (or loan) you have to create a budget ahead of time to include in your application. When you are working on the house in reality, certain things gain higher importance, others become an after thought. For example, plumbing has been WAY more expensive than we originally thought because RJ thought he might be able to do a lot of the plumbing himself. But because it's not an area he's particularly skilled in, we decided to hire a plumber, got the best products we could and in the long run, it'll be great. However, it's going to end up being more than 20% of our ENTIRE budget. Also, the amount of insulation in that house continues to be staggering (YOU'RE WELCOME). But we'll hopefully save in the long run because the house will be nice and toasty.

The goal by the end of the week is to have the upstairs (master bedroom and tv room) pretty much completed. RJ is tackling the bathroom and today, I donned my painters cap and put color on the stuff I primed last week--a white with a slight blue tint to it to bring out the blue stained pine and in the barn wood we used. I bought a shop vac at Home Depot on my way out of Denver so I can FINALLY clean how I wanna clean.

I'm not gonna lie. This project, especially the last couple of weeks, has been one of the hardest things I've ever done. I'm tired. I'm pissed. I don't want to do it anymore and I wish it was just fucking DONE. Trying to keep up morale when you both feel like it's never going to get finished is really hard. Drywall helps a lot because you can actually start to see the shape of things. That said, drywall dust is a whole new level of hell. Not that it's dangerous, it's just messy and hard to clean up without something like a shop vac. It occurs when you apply "mud," to cover up the seams between sheets of drywall and then sand it so looks smooth. And in some places, even out some non-straight surfaces. The fine, white dust from what you've sanded just sits on the ground as well as on you and makes you look as though a shipment of cocaine exploded in your face. It also tends to clog up the shop vac if you don't have a bag. (I did NOT find that out from experience. Ahem.)

But...it will get finished. Things slowly but surely come together. I have to remind myself that, on average, there are only two people working on this house. Many times, less. We have had some awesome help from friends and family--the thanks are endless. But I was gone for almost all of last week so RJ was mostly on his own. Luckily, my trip left me somewhat refreshed, or at least refocused, and I started off today with a lot of vacuuming.

And in a shameless act of begging: if you are in the area and want some hang out time while you do something with your hands, come on over! We can't provide much more than food, adult beverage and gratitude, but, as it is said, someplace by someone, "it takes a village."

ONWARD!

When The Magic Fades...

Pass the fucking pinot grigio.

Taken a year ago and I'm STILL dealing with insulation. I will be happy if I never see another piece EVER.

As RJ and I both shout obscenities at the old part of the house, which seems to have been built by a drunk person, we stop and reflect on the fact that...it was. But more on that later.

Once the euphoria of actually getting through the refinance and the construction loan wears off, the reality of Everything (with a capital E) begins to sink in. We have a time frame, we have a budget (that things don't always like to stay within <coughplumbing>), and it feels like it's getting colder in Creede every minute. So...we're getting short with each other, we're swearing at uneven walls and sometimes at each other. The fact that we have given ourselves a deadline of getting the house liveable by the end of the month is, well, stressful. We're getting a lot done, don't get me wrong. The shingles are up on the addition and insulation is full steam ahead. Plumbing was roughed in recently and it passed inspection.

The new shingles on the addition. The color is not an exact match, but was the closest we could find.

Roughed In Plumbing Montage

Floor insulation. Probably the easiest to do. Because...no angles!

But unfortunately, moving forward right now is contingent on other people. We've gone through the steps to set up power, but the San Luis Valley Electric Company (SLVEC) is the only game in town and is only open Monday-Thursday. So, we're looking at early next week to be hooked up to the grid and hopefully this weekend we'll get the final rough in done. Once the electric rough in is finished, we get inspected and the guy only inspects in Creede on Tuesdays. Only then can RJ really start to do the drywall and FINISH THE INSIDE, which is most important for moving in. Duh.

Which brings me to the state of the working relationship between husband and wife. I've always thought RJ was a great boss. He's patient with me. He helps me. But we now have a self imposed time limit. Mainly because, starting this month, we are paying mortgage AND rent plus utilities. Mighty expensive. Mighty sucky. But that said, you can't let the pressure you are putting on yourself or your woodworker husband get to you. Otherwise, things get frustrating very quickly. Part of being comfortable with someone is being comfortable bickering, and I've always attempted not to take my personal frustration out on my partner, but when you're working as a team...it happens. At least there are plenty of soft things to throw.

We actually attempted some drywall yesterday afternoon in part of the upstairs (in a spot that doesn't need inspection) because that's one place we would like to be pretty much done by the end of the month. Not everything has to be done for it to be liveable, but having a finished place to land and sleep is important to us. But, as many of you who have seen the top floor know, the ridge lines of the roof intersect in several places and that gives us many cool, but frustrating, angles to deal with. That, plus the fact that nothing is straight up there. Or standard anything. Everything is either a little or A LOT off. When you've spend most of your time on a brand new part of the house that is, for the most part, straight (we did use unfinished wood in several places because it was cheaper, and isn't always completely straight, but it is easily correctable as you go along). Our best guess is that B (the former owner, then tenant) was most likely drunk when he worked on this place.

This is what we know about B: A lot of it is hearsay, though from fairly reliable sources. In any case, this is what we know from the information we have. He's a genius at design and woodworking. RJ has been heavily influenced by his work, some of which has appeared in Architectural Digest. The below images are from a commissioned work. The house he lived in, that we bought, was severely neglected.

B's Epic Work. The Boathouse in Creede, CO. Based on Norwegian stave churches. (Photo by David O. Marlow for Architectural Digest)

Inside of boathouse. This shit is amazing. (Photo by David O. Marlow)

He's originally from Kansas and is an extremely shy person with a lot of ideas and talent. He is also a SEVERE alcoholic and hoarder. I've mentioned him before in this blog. How he put up a fight over the sale of the house, at least partly to give himself more time to get his stuff out. How when we actually closed, 6 months after starting the process, RJ would not let me inside the house until he'd cleaned it out completely and gutted it.

B came to Creede from Kansas like a lot of people in his age bracket--now in their mid-60s. The Creede Repertory Theatre was started by KU students in the summer of 1966. As the theatre grew, a lot of friends and family from that area began to populate the Colorado mining town, especially in the summers. According to a neighbor, B bought 112 E. 6th Street in the early 90s from an elderly woman in declining health whose family wanted to sell the house and move her to a old age home. Once this happened, B started making some major upgrades. He put a foundation under the main part of the house and replaced a lot of siding. And about 10 years ago, he re-shingled the roof. Both of these things gave RJ faith that we at least had a house he could work with that wouldn't leak or sink into the ground. But over the years, perhaps because of B's extreme shyness, or his genius, he developed a very unhealthy alcohol problem. He's known around Creede as a "drunk". And when I say "drunk", I don't mean he hangs out at the local bar every night and drinks until he's drunk. I mean: a man whose dog would have to be cared by others for several weeks because B was trapped in his house, unable to get up. A man who would walk into friends' houses to take their alcohol. Who, more than once, had to be dragged out of his house full of junk in order to be taken to the hospital because he'd been drinking a bottle of vodka a day for two weeks. He'd have periods of sobriety, usually an average of 18 months, but then fall back off the wagon into a stupor. The house had no running water or electricity for years. He borrowed power from a neighbor and probably used the gas station bathroom on the next street down to clean himself. It's rumored he would pee in bottles when he was on a binge and stuck in his house.

About 10 years ago, a wealthy family in town who B had done a lot of work for offered to buy 112 from B (because he'd been unable to make payments) while letting him still reside there. The deal was that he could remain in the house IF he would pay property tax and utilities and keep the house clean. He did none of these things. For ten years. As the disease worsened, so did the hoarding. Again, I never saw the inside, but it was packed to the walls and ceilings with stuff. Most of the windows were broken. B started putting aggressive and accusatory signs and artwork up in the backyard because he felt he'd been wronged by everyone: the town judge, former friends, former employers, etc.

Oddly, those signs are actually one of the main reasons we have the house. The city had ordered the owner to take down the signs and clean up the backyard. She hired RJ and a couple of his friends to do this. One friend who regularly works for the owner on other projects heard they just wanted to sell the property, and mentioned this to RJ while they were working. That started the whole process in motion.

We keep hearing B is trying to get back to Creede from South Dakota, where he'd most recently lived with his mother until she passed away last winter. We also hear he's been sober for almost two years (since the selling of the house). He still has a few buildings full of his...stuff...in Creede. Seriously, good luck to the guy. In the few times I'd dealt with him, he'd always been pleasant and interesting to talk to. And when he was sober, he made truly amazing art. But when he wasn't, he built a dang crooked house.

In other regrettable news, this house project saw its first significant injury. Two weeks ago, I smacked my left pointer finger with a tack hammer while putting in insulation. I actually broke the tip of it. It's my second broken bone, the first being my pinky toe when I was 12. Not too shabby. The finger is slowly healing and I may lose the nail, but that remains to be seen. Onward!

I altered this glove to fit my "bird cage" which helps one avoid re-smacking one's finger.

This project is a HUGE undertaking and doing it yourself, even with a skilled laborer, is fucking hard. I know it will turn out really great, but the end is just far enough away for it to be aggravating that more isn't done. Luckily, we'll get a few more hands in a couple of weeks, as RJ's dad and my stepdad will be coming to town to help "get 'er done". And I wish I had more photos to show, but the changes have been much more subtle since the addition went up. Though as the inside is finished and more design elements come through, there will be more excitement to share.

Cool old heating vent.

PS. FUCK YOU, TACK HAMMER!

Fuck You, Insulation: And Other Tales

Hey, hey, hey...cool things happening on the house front, people. But alas, insulating the addition is not one of them. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know that insulation is trés important, especially in the freezing Alps...I mean, winter in Creede. But Styrofoam insulation is a little bitch.

There are many different types of insulation--Styrofoam, fiber glass, spray foam. And it all comes in different sizes and thicknesses. The first step in insulating the roof is cutting out and shoving this Styrofoam stuff into these lovely slots in the ceiling. This is something I get to do because it doesn't require tons of construction knowledge and is the shit RJ doesn't have time for (aka: doesn't want to do). For good reason. Because it sucks.

I think it sucks so much because it requires SOME type of calculation, so you can't just zone out. You have to measure the length and width of each space, size it down slightly, and shove. And pound. And shove again. All, ideally, without breaking it. And depending on its thickness, it can go pretty easily. It isn't a HUGE deal if it snaps, but it sounds like a popping balloon and somehow makes you feel like a failure. Also, when you cut it up, it's a bit like nails on a chalkboard. It squeaks and squeals. Plus, it's frickin' messy and you end up with tiny bits of it all over your clothes and in your eyeballs. I've had to wear my glasses all day because several pieces got stuck in my left eye this morning, making contacts really irritating.

The Necessary Evil that is Styrofoam insulation.

Next, you use spray foam insulation to seal up any holes you've left via breakage or miscalculation, and then you add fiberglass insulation on top before sealing it all up with drywall.

Ah...fiberglass insulation. I'm told it has become less hazardous over the years, but still makes your skin itch like hell if you're not careful. All of this bullshit will totally make your home toasty and warm in the winter. And I can tell you: after spending several years in a log cabin, in the colder months, in the mountains of Colorado (read: cold as fuck), consistent warmth is very exciting. So I do it. For me. For us. For the world. For the baby seals.

Gentle Readers: As you may have realized, the installation of insulation means that the addition is now closed in! Yay!

The dormer RJ added to his "Mann Cave" on the second floor. He has fantasies of filling this space with an incredibly large (ahem, obnoxious) flat-screen TV. Boy, am I married to a MANly Mann or what?!

RJ is now working on adding and finishing interior walls and other smaller things before the plumbing goes in. His plumber friend stopped by this afternoon and they talked through what was going to be happening over the next couple of weeks.

The plumbing will most likely be our most expensive investment into the house, to date. We really are starting from scratch with both this and the electric.  I'm not sure how long B (the previous tenant--genius and severe alcoholic/hoarder) was without either, but it was at least a couple of years.
***I really want to write an entire post about B, but I feel like I need more facts to do so properly. All I can really do is talk about what I've heard from other people. He sure is a tragic legend around here.*** 

I think once we get water and electricity flowing to the house, I'll feel a bit better about moving in at the end of next month. The end of October is the goal because it is also when we have to start making mortgage payments, and that PLUS rent at the cabin is no bueno. And though I have said in the past that I did not EVER want to live in a house that wasn't finished--when rent + mortgage payments are staring you in the face, you re-evaluate real fast.

One thing I love about RJ is his artistic spirit when it comes to building. And what creativity can come out of doing things cheaply. It forces you to think outside the box. RJ remembered recently that he had acquired a bunch of old windows several years ago. They aren't practical to use as actual windows--they're old, single pane and not entirely straight--but they are really useful for decoration. Therefore...we've added several inside the house!

A half wall, on the other side of which will house the washer and dryer.

View from the Mann Cave. The staircase is right behind the windows. 

Since my last blog, we've added the sheeting (OSB) and Tyvek to the roof, which is a bit thrilling and scary to do. I know 'cause I helped! And RJ has built a brand new staircase with railings made from an old fence (another creatively re-purposed item).

In the midst of all this continuing progress, only two weeks remain in CRT's 2013 theatre season. This is both good and bad for me. I have no job lined up yet for the winter, so I'll be in Creede until at least the end of the year. After this month, I can spend most of my time helping RJ with whatever he needs, plus making him meals and being generally supportive. Not because I'm a "wife" but because this is his thing--this building thing. And he's doing it for us. And honestly, it's one of the most satisfying things I've done outside of theatre. And the wonderful difference is that it's a creative outlet that will last long after we finish it. And we can keep creating it, be it a garage or a new coat of paint or the addition of a painting or piece of art.

Right after the creation of the front porch many weeks ago, RJ mentioned that we should get a couple of chairs for said porch--to relax and enjoy the view. After a couple months of lazily searching, some friends who live in Mexico most of the year but own an Airstream trailer in Creede, let us borrow a couple of their teak folding chairs to serve this very purpose. So tonight, I bought a couple of 24 oz cans of cheap beer and we sat out on our porch, on these chairs and admired the view.

The chair. And the Banquet of Beers.

A Week of Breakneck Progress and Gnawed Fingernails

Last Monday, RJ had a construction friend, Ben, come and help with the building of the addition in trade for our crappy 20 year old black Audi. 50 hours of work and the car was his. And this guy...was AWESOME. The difference between having one and two skilled laborers on a project like this is MASSIVE. By the end of the week, we had almost all of the addition framed in. And after a much deserved day off yesterday (it's pretty dreary and drizzly anyway) RJ and I spent some time today framing the roof so we can close in the entire structure. Well, I held some large boards in place while he did everything else...

I've documented the addition process in pictures on facebook but I thought I'd go through it in a bit more detail. I have done minimal work like holding things, cleaning and sanding, so my energy mostly goes into wasting time on Pinterest fantasizing about design elements I can't start actualizing for another couple of months. But by god I FEEL like I'm doing something.

By the time they started Monday, RJ had spent the last week or so pouring foundation and completing the "deck" which was covered in OSB, which is like plywood, but made by smashing together wood chips. It's pretty hefty stuff.  We also ripped off the last remnants of the old house.

The "deck".

Buh Byeeeee!

I had a fairly busy week, though things are slowing down in Creede and at the theatre somewhat. I did manage to check in daily at midday and again close to quitting time, and every day there was something exciting happening. Midday on Monday, RJ called me down to help them lift up the first wall. I was happy to and it was pretty symbolic:

The first wall!

This shit is heavy

I came back at the end of the day and there was THIS: Almost two walls out of the total three!

Tuesday, there was more...all three walls were up, the rooms divided and OSB on the outside. The hole to the right is the access to under the house, which will be in the second bedroom closet.

Walls!

RJ also made the decision a few days ago to move the stairs out of what is to be the kitchen and put them in the addition--the laundry/sun room. Also on Tuesday, they added the closet/utility room.

Weds, they moved the stairs and replaced a wall that was not even remotely straight, something we realized after tearing the old siding off. Like most of this old house.

More room for da cookings

Thursday, I sanded the support beams and they installed them as well as the thick tongue and groove which will be the floor and ceiling. Everywhere else in the house will be insulated so this ends up being way cheaper as well as looking nice. It will be stained eventually.

The upstairs floor...

Downstairs ceiling...

Proud, as they should be, of the work.

Same stuff!!!!

I helped sand those beams. Me. I did it.



















Das boot and the view from the ladder. You can see how thick the wood is for the floor/ceiling.














Friday, they put up the supports for the roof.

And took down the blasted and decaying bowling pins. This has been hard for some people to take. It's classic B, the previous tenant. A tribute perhaps to his creativity. Alas, they were falling apart.

But wonderful stories don't always have happy endings and on Friday afternoon, tragedy struck. I want to say first off that no one was hurt or killed. Luckily. But the black Audi, that had been traded to Ben for all is hard work, came back from the shop Friday afternoon. It ended up being an easy fix that only cost RJ about $60. It hadn't been running and had been sitting in front of our cabin for most of the year. Upon its return, the guys decided to take it out on a test run. Now, having driven it for three weeks last year, I know that the Audi is a finicky little bitch. Once the gas gauge hits a quarter tank, you have to refill because it doesn't read after that point, so you don't know when the car is getting close to empty. On their way out of town, the car started to feel like it was running out of gas. They pulled off on the side of the road right after a curve in the highway. Distracted with the gas gauge, and because the car has a pretty bad blind spot, when they pulled back on the road, a truck was barreling down the highway and clipped the front of the car, spinning them across the road. Thankfully, again, no one was hurt, but another couple of feet and they would have both been toast. And alas, the Audi is completely totaled. Ben took it in stride, chalking it up to a nice vacation in Creede, and went home without his Audi. Poor. Friggin'. Guy.

But...life goes on. The build goes on and we end today with this:

I held some stuff. And took pictures. I was also there for morale!

Not too much more to go!

RJ will continue to work on the roof and should have it closed in by Tuesday or Weds. And then, on our next episode: THE PLUMBING!

Foundation For You? Foundation For Me.

As I contemplate this blog post, pick the latex from today's zombie makeup out of my hair and travel back in time with some recently downloaded music from my youth (Genesis' Land of Confusion happens to be playing right now--can you say Ronny Reagan puppet?!), the subject of foundations weighs heavily on my mind. HA! Foundation...heavy...anyway...

One interesting thing about Creede is that a substantial number of older homes here lack a foundation. They simply do not have one. You see, Creede was originally a mining camp for silver in the late 19th century. People built one room shacks and log cabins to serve their temporary needs. But most of those structures still exist today. The 100 year old cabin we currently stay in, which RJ also renovated, had no foundation when he started working on it in 2008. I remember him having to deal with the structure's extreme fragility and a particularly tense moment when he and his crew thought the cabin miiiiight actually fall over before they even poured the foundation because it was so unstable. The addition still doesn't have one and is literally sinking into the ground. There are some squishy spots on the floor and the north end of the room sinks down about an inch or so each year.

Fortunately, the house we bought had a foundation added to it in the late 1990s. Since we'd like to keep our house indefinitely, it's obvious we would create a foundation for the addition. And, in modern times, a foundation is actually required when building any new structure. Little did I know how much goes into this. It seems simple, but requires many steps.

First, RJ built a wooden frame around the edge of the huge hole he dug.

RJ using his special tool. (no, not THAT special tool)

Then, he added these steel poles called rebar. They stick straight up and when you pour the concrete they keep the foundation from cracking. Genius!

Rebarrrrrrrr!

We did the first "pour" last Friday. You then wait for it to dry (about 24 hours), remove the wood frame and build another level. Once the additional levels are poured and dry, which we did yesterday, you can start to build the "deck", which seems to be a fancy word for floor. Maybe because it's not yet closed in...anyway, not my area. In fact, none of this is my area, but is endlessly fascinating to me. Because it's MINE.

Also in boring-for-you-exciting-for-me news, the concrete is officially the first thing we have used our construction loan for. Since it has to be paid in cash on delivery, a reimbursement check should show up early next week. Word.

First pour complete.

Second pour. I'm told this is a bit messy, but it's functional and no one will see it, so...meh

The beginnings of the FLOOR.

Deck building starts tomorrow. Oh happy joy. To be continued...

Phase Two...Start Your Engines

On Thursday, August 1st, we were able to put an end to the more than three month ordeal of paperwork, insurance, bullshit insurance, proving our intent and more paperwork. We closed on the refinance/construction loan for our house on 6th Street. We finally met Pam, the wonderful and patient loan officer at San Luis Valley Federal Bank, who put up with my multitude of questions and concerns and always responded positively and quickly. Seriously, anyone in Creede needing to do something similar with their property, Pam knows all and is familiar with the area, etc. She rules. Anyway, she sat us down and took us through everything and about 20 minutes later, we had a house. Again! But this time with funds to finish it.  (I am aware that I am married to a contractor/builder so when we say "finished" that is a loose term. Is a builder's house ever really done? Anyway, for our purposes, let's just say: liveable.)

With this in mind a few days before our closing, 99.9% sure we were good to move forward, the back of the house fell off.

Weeeeeeeee!

I had one friend initially think that this was a bad thing. I admit that the way I phrased it on facebook DID sort of make it look like this was an act of god. But after many congratulations from others, said friend realized his error. With all of my parents and step-parents in town last week, my step-father Gerry and a neighbor's backhoe helped RJ pull down the old addition. God it was ugly. It made me sad to look upon it. I did take a photo and even though it's gone it still makes me cry a little.

This isn't even in all its true shitty glory. It was bad. BAD.

Buh bye, ugly.

Eight loads of busted up house to the dump later and more digging by RJ, he will now begin preparing the dug out hole for the concrete foundation. This requires building a framework that is leveled and carefully measured so that all the concrete goes to its proper place. Then, you can start to put in floor joists, which are the foundation for your actual floor.

Oooooooh

Ahhhhhhh!

 

Once we put up the frame of the addition and close it in, we can do plumbing and electrical for the entire house and RJ can then focus on the front. We don't have to have the addition completely finished to move in, and we want to move in as fast as we can so we're not paying full mortgage plus rent on top of it. But...I'm getting ahead of myself. Much, much more to come, friends. And thanks for reading.

I am back to feeling a bit useless again. Or at least back to simply cleaning for a while. Although I do have my eyes on some fabric for curtains...too soon?