Happy New Year!!!

The motto for 2012 around here is:  no new demolition until we finish something! We have learned that it takes much less time to destroy things than to put them back...

T is busy rebuilding the walls of the office.  It looks like two of the original windows have been removed and filled in with scraps.  He has the outer wall insulated and is working on the back wall which a carpenter's nightmare and requires a lot of new framing.  We are going to insulate the back wall as well (originally it was the end of the house).  The room beyond it was an old porch and has very little insulation and is always cold.  We usually shut that room off in the winter, but right now it has no door.

Fantastic new years discoveries:

1. While ripping out the back wall framing, T managed to put a hole in the baseboard pipe.  So now we have to empty a drip pan every day. He tried clamping it, but it still leaks.  In fact I think his fix made it leak more.  It looks like he may need to shut down the furnace and drain the lines to repair it.  What a great time of year for no heat...
   
   [caption id="attachment_598" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Leaking Pipe"][/caption]


2. During a particularly heavy sideways driving rain storm we discovered that we have a leak.  Because the back wall is torn apart we could see the rain dripping down the inside of the wall.  This means yet another delay as he has to fix the flashing where the old porch (aka playroom) attaches to the main house.  There is no end to the fun.


3. We ripped out all the old wiring and many, many junction boxes buried in the ceiling and walls, not to mention a live wire that disappeared into the dining room ceiling and didn't go to anything.  So while the new wiring is roughed in and inspected we have to wait until the wall board is up to connect it.  Basically we now have no power in that room.  Not sure when we will be back on the grid (see #1 and #2)...and yes Virginia, this is affecting progress on the bathroom.
   
   [caption id="attachment_601" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="The current state of the bathroom"][/caption]

Here are some quotes for you...

T:  "So, what do you want for Christmas this year?"

Me:  "A floor in the bathroom"

T:  "No...really."

I did not get one.

Me: "I need to take down the Christmas tree soon."

R: "If you leave it up the mice won't chew it."

After getting pulled over for speeding...and finding out my license had expired (another reason I hate January birthdays - don't worry he did let me go straight to the registry to get it renewed):

R:  "Mom, can we go slow this time?"

Jack bought Rory a Christmas present this year with his own money.  Rory was dying to know what it was, but Jack would not tell him anything because he wanted it to be a surprise.  Rory was trying to wheedle some clues out of him and finally came up with this:

R: This isn't a question about the present.

J: Okay.

R: Where did you buy the present?

J: ???!!!

2011 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.



Here's an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,500 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 25 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

The Hoarder Among Us

With the fast approaching holidays, the need to reclaim order around the house is becoming more pressing.  Stuck at home on Friday with a sick kid I decided to try to tame the chaos.  Things were going well, laundry was put away, sheets changed, cobwebs vacuumed off the ceilings until I hit my four-year old's room and faced the drawer.

When you are four, the drawer is a special place to store treasures.  It is a big pull-out drawer under the bunk bed on wheels.  When you are an adult the drawer represents something entirely different.  Mostly I avoid the drawer.  I know it is there and I have a sense of what is in there, but as longs as it is shut it is easy to ignore.  The problem was, it was becoming difficult to close...

So, Mom tackled the drawer, and yes, Mom won.  Here is what I found there:

1. About 50 cardboard toilet paper rolls squirreled away from the bathroom


2. 8 sticks


3. 2 acorns


4. a plastic egg


5. Very large pile of artwork, craft projects and paper with scribbles (aka more art)


6. plastic Sutter Home Chardonnay bottle (?!)


7. Miscellaneous assortment of small toys, silly bands, etc.


8. 1 whoopee cushion


9. 1 yellow plastic Lei


10. 3 feathers

Once I was done and order was again established I realized that when a certain small someone opened the nice, neat drawer there were certain to be repercussions.  I decided a confession was in order under the guise of making more space for Christmas.  Thankfully the purging was met with approval.

[slideshow]

Before and (almost) After - Front

Can you spot the difference between these two photographs?

[caption id="attachment_31" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="September 2010 - house hidden by shrubbery"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_561" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="December 2011"][/caption]

Hint:  Windows, Walkway, attic vent, tree/bushes...

To answer your questions...

1. Yes it's primer to be painted this spring.  I was going to paint it back to its original white, but everyone seems to like the contrast and the way the trim stands out with the tan.

2. Please don't even talk to me about why the top is gray and the bottom is tan...

3. We will be re-roofing over the door and window and scraping and painting the trim this spring.

4. Yes, I promise to hide the footings with lattice and plant some shrubs!

In case you can't see it, Tristan hung up my plaque.

[caption id="attachment_565" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Newhall Farm Circa 1900"][/caption]

Holidays Under Renovation

Can you believe it is December 1st?  Aside from a freak Nor Easter in October, the weather has been down right balmy by New England standards.  We are lucky too because not only is the front not finished, but the office is all torn apart down to the studs.  I am hoping the insulation fairy will have it buttoned up before the real cold weather begins, but I wouldn't want to rush things...

I have been getting some questions lately along the tune of "how do you live like that"?  So I thought I would provide you with some tips for Enjoying the Holidays while living in a construction zone.

Tip #1 - Take cleaning right off your to-do list.  Chances are as soon as you've got the place spotless someone will decide to saw up something or rip down something and coat everything with dust and sawdust.

Tip #2 - Invest in a blindfold and walk around the house.  After you bump into a few sheets of blueboard, trip over a ripped up floor and knock over some fixtures you will be so grateful to have your eyesight back that you might not notice the mess (for a day or two).

Tip #3 - Stop entertaining.  Better yet, deadbolt the doors and shut the lights out even when you are home.  This will discourage even the pop-in visitors and that way no one will ask any questions.

Tip #4 - Go on vacation.  When you can't have a conversation with your spouse without arguing and your life has become a giant to-do list... it's time to take a break.  Preferably somewhere else!

Tip #5- Ignore #3 and have a big party.  It's a way for you to give back - give guests a parting gift of appreciation for their own homes that they aren't living your life.  Priceless.

Tip #6- Imbibe lots of Spiked Eggnog

Tip #7- Try not to work with power tools while practicing #6.

Tip #8- Focus on those less fortunate (war, famine, disease) and you will realize how insignificant your renovation project is in the big scheme of things.

Tip #9- Always look backwards, never ahead.  Focus on what you have done.  Invite over friends that will say "Wow, you've really done a lot since I've been here!"   Never think about all that is left to finish or how many years lie ahead of you to get there...

Tip #10- Don't stop believing that in the end it will have all been worth it.  Did I mention the eggnog?

This old House project submission

Well...here goes nothing!  I just submitted our bathroom project to This Old House Projects.  Now we wait and see... wish us luck!  It is too bad you can't vote for us!

---email submission Nov 9th 2011-------------------------------------------------

In September of 2010 we bought a circa 1900 farmhouse.

The house has only one full bathroom which is in dire need of renovation.

The ProjectThe bathroom was carved out of the existing rooms.  The floor plan is awkward.  One wall is slanted (there was a window in the way so they cut the wall around it) and another big chunk is taken out of an adjoining bedroom to recess the toilet.

The bathroom has no window so it is dark.  There is an exhaust fan from the 1970s but it does not work.  The ceiling is a drop ceiling and we can only imagine what is under there.  The plumbing is a disaster.  The pitch is incorrect, the toilet is not properly vented and there is a contamination of hot water lines crossing into cold water lines we think somewhere near the shower or sink.  The tub is undersized with thin plastic on the walls around it and grout caulking that looks like toothpaste (thick and sloppy).

Current HomeownersWe are a family of five - with three children (ages 10, 7 and 4).  We bought the house for its lot and location and knew about the massive project we were undertaking...although maybe we have bitten off more than we can chew?  I love old houses and my husband is very handy.

Budget and Time frameWe would like to stay under $10K. Our time frame is flexible.  The project could be started at any time.  It is our only shower/bathtub so I am not exactly sure how to deal with that.
Please check out my bathroom photos on my blog at

http://antiquefarmhouse.wordpress.com/2011/11/09/ode-to-the-one-full-bath/
Thank you for reading this and considering us!  I love your magazine and television show.

---automated response Nov 9th 2011---------------------------------------------------

Thank you for your recent e-mail.   We are currently accepting applications for projects in the Boston area for the 2012 season.

TOH will review proposals starting in November, 2011 with hopes of making a final decision by March 1st , 2012.  Please note that the renovations are completely funded by the homeowners and not This Old House, though the show coordinates product discounts and donations where possible. All donated items are considered gifts, on which the homeowners pay taxes.

To be considered please make sure you have submitted all of the following:

Brief description of the house including house style and year built
Architectural plans, if available
Low-res digital pictures of the home's interior and exterior
Brief description of the current  owners
Low-res digital pictures of the homeowners
Scope of the renovation
Project budget
Anticipated schedule

Please send proposals to:

Pickmyhouse@thisoldhouse.com

OR

Project Proposals
This  Old House Productions, Inc.
P.O. Box 130
Concord, MA 01742

***PLEASE NOTE:  Select homeowners will be contacted by show producers for interviews. Due to the large volume of submissions and proposals received, This Old House will not be able to respond personally to everyone or return submitted materials. Producers cannot accept or reply to phone calls.

Why the half bath is taking so long...

It's only been a year...well okay we didn't really start working on it until the summer.

Perfection takes time you know.

And I have to wait for Tristan to finish building his gigantic shed.  Sigh!  Oh yeah then I have to wait until he insulates all the walls we ripped down - the heat is on and oil isn't cheap.  And he is getting ready for the electrician to come back and wire up the bathroom fan, light and plug.  Not to mention all the foolish permits and inspections.

I did buy the tile and guess who is going to put it down (yes, me silly) but I have to wait until the sub-floor is all set with backer board and layers of thin set...

Oh yeah and Rory keeps distracting the plumber!  And I keep taking him out to lunch...

[caption id="attachment_535" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The engineers hard at work..."][/caption]