Running up and down

YAY! We have stairs whose treads don't tumble down on our heels. No, it's not finished - still need a few pieces before we even work on the spindles and rails - but today was a red letter day! It makes me feel so confident.

Both sides of the house

Today we made some progress on both the rental side and our side. Some sweet friends from long ago came and brought cabinets. He, along with a new friend, made them for the rental unit and I just love them! I now want to just drop everything and put on stain and poly - though I can't. Also, though Bill spent half his day working with the cabinet installation, he got some of the stairs finished today!! Have a look.

Looking good, huh?

More to go - but soon!

Part of the cabinets

I'm trying the "pickled" look

Another good Saturday

We still have no stairs because Bill has been sick all week, but today was a productive day. Mike took on the biggest job of all: cleaning out the rented storage shed. He got most of the tools moved into his little storage shed and did a massive amount of cleanout. It was a job that I should be able to do well, but he had to look at all the little bits and pieces because I could not tell treasure from trash. No pictures of that job, but it was a major one. He then hung the microwave!! I no longer have to get down on the floor to put stuff in it. Then he came to join me at the job I'd been doing all day - and would not have finished without his help. We got all of the bricks laid for the back patio. Well, we have all the small corner pieces to do yet, but all else is laid. Though we finished after dark, most of these are shots from this morning. Now for chairs and coffee and the paper!!

Big day!

Other than making 3 trips to the dump, a couple of Home Depot/lumber yard runs, and a little bit of painting, I spent most of my time running back and forth between the back yard and our living room going, "Wow!" or "That's great!"

The day began like this in the back yard and the living room stairs:

But Jake came with plants and a plan

After much discussion there was a meeting of the minds on how to do the stairs.

And the yard/patio began to be REAL!! We have a bit more brick to lay, and there are some potted camelias to sit around the A.C.s but there was huge progress made. AND, though I didn't get any finished shots - and the stairs won't be finished before Tuesday - the stringers are in place; the stairs will be "to code" and they look like they're going to be really good.

Three incredible guys doing huge amounts of work! It was a really big day!

Floors!

So our part of the house was finished by Saturday night. The small bedroom and kitchen/hallway in the rental side was finished before that. Then we began on the master bedroom of the rental side - and saw that we had a 4 day job in just that one room. We worked on it a bit yesterday but knew that there was so much left to do. Today Bill came with lots of energy and he and Vicki worked hard all day sooooo when I got home from work, there was not only the master bedroom all sanded, but the living room of the rental was ready to go too!!! Vicki had just put on a coat of finish on the master and was starting on the living room. We had planned that I would put the finish on the living room, know that we probably couldn't finish. But they worked like machines! I got to help just a bit on the last coat of one room this evening but mostly this was a Bill and Vicki day!

Living room is totally a bonus - I surely didn't expect it!

There are more flattering shots of Vicki, but here she is with some of her labor.

This is my cameo. Hey, but I learned to sand and put down finish.

E. spent another day pointing the bricks.

A bit more

While Mike works on plumbing, the washer is running!!! Can you hear it?

Our living room after 3 coats.

OK - shutters- open. Because I got all of them, now.

Shutters closed.

Not much more to post today, partly because we went to a reception and then to visit with my parents for a few hours today. However, Mike did do some more plumbing and has only one leak to stop! We figured out today that if he were paid the same way Buck pays his plumber i.e. by the installation, Mike has saved us at least $8500!

What a day!

Well, the day really began with a full and busy day yesterday. But today a lot of the results are showing, so look and be excited with us. In addition to all of this, we have our washer and dryer working and our bath almost finished (after all, it's only 10:30 at night)

On Friday, our bedroom, etc. was finished with 3 coats of finish.

Another shot of our bedroom.

Mike used Vicki's help to hook up the rental washer and dryer - and then she crawled out!

There it is: washer and dryer in the bath. Maintenance means moving the toilet!!

Bill did a lot of sanding, but for expert finish, it was VICKI!!

While work was going on inside, E. pointed the bricks.

The small bedroom on the rental side has great variety in the wood.

It's a shame that much of the kitchen floor will be covered with cabinets!

View from the kitchen toward the bath.

Last bits of the kitchen/hall.

Moving to our side of the house, Vicki has our living room almost finished.

Here she is, putting coat two on our living room floor.

Rush again

Today was momentous in many ways. We talked with the bank and made progress there; we found out some things about final inspection; we rented a good sander and Bill has done a lot on the floors. However, the most wonderful part of the day is that our girls conspired to help rescue us from the panic of not having time to finish everything. Together they are sending in the troops i.e. Vicki, who is the hardwood floor finisher for Sands Contracting!! And she puts tile on countertops. Both of these skills are sorely needed at this point. Mike is working long hours at school but tonight he managed to get home in time to install the washer and dryer!!!!! And he worked on the shower/tub upstairs while dear friend Trish helped me begin to clean up grout around that tub. We're aiming to finish in the three weeks we're supposed to!

Cabinets are coming along - soon!

I love the floor upstairs! Sanded today - tomorrow??

Probably the best thing of the day! No more laundromat tomorrow!!!

Still more cleaning to be done on this, but it's gonna be something I love!