Christmas Come Early

Dan J. Inspects for drywall errors on the first floor

Another fantastic weekend of work was given this past Saturday. My brother Sean, his fiancee' Sarah, her brother Adam, Lola K., Jane M., Ryan V., Ron V., Dan J. and I put in a good five or so hours working mainly in the basement and living room on the first floor as the drywall hangers completed hanging drywall in the kitchen. It was great - people just kept arriving and I kept finding more work for them to tackle.

New soffets were framed in the basement to cover the new drain lines from the kitchen, and the wall behind the bar was framed. The flooring in the basement was extended into the 'man cave' but it has not been fastened down via concrete screws yet. The remaining original wood base boards and crown were sanded so that Grandpa could continue with the staining without having to waste his talents on sanding. It was a flurry of work that got a lot of 'little things' done that without the help of good friends and family really make the move in day much, much later. As it is now, I'm staying at a good pace that is close, if not the same as those working for BH&G - which makes me feel goos because then more of my house will be completed at the same time and I'll live in less dust (and can hopefully take a break sooner).

The drywall installer starts to mud/The kitchen with drywall

Working to hide the seams/Dan & Ron frame the bar area

Sean and Sarah install flooring/ Jane M. cuts studs for framing

Measure twice - cut once/Adam sands the 100 yr old window


Then on Monday night a co-worker, Margie, stopped in to help me sand the entryway to stay ahead of Grandpa VR (because he had come up Monday during the day and stained). It was great to see the finished work in the living room by Grandpa and Grandma VR as it really is starting to look 'rich' and warm. I'm falling in love with the space again and can see the original workmanship coming back into view. As Margie and I were sanding away sucking in a dust storm, we talked about how far this house has come even in the last month or so. I have to admit it was difficult to see for me because I see it every night (and day). But as I sat there I looked into the living room and took it in, not really knowing what it would lead to.

Margie sands the door window panes/Still at it...

The kitchen before painting from the Dining Room/The other view

Workers' tools

Mutton bars for the windows/Grandpa's 'tools'


Yep - foreshadowing there...

I walked through the house last night after I left my weekly small group meeting, just looking at the progress that had been made this week. In the empty house every footstep echoed and every silent corner was all that much more quiet. I looked and saw new cabinets in the family, living and dining rooms that will be installed today and tomorrow in the kitchen. The kitchen had a coat of primer that was tinted with the cool green that will be much richer in its final viewing, but was an amazing contrast to the all-white walls I'm used to seeing. The color of the newly-stained wood work in the living room and family room was so melted-chocolate rich and highlighted the raised quarter-sawn grain. The French doors to all of the first floor rooms were standing as proud as they once did at the turn of the century. Great entrances into separate rooms of living, entertaining and stories of the past. I walked upstairs to the second floor to turn off some lights in the extra bedroom and Ellie's room where there are new built-in shelves for Ellie to place all of her teddy bears, toys, books, music players, charms and jewelry and I'm sure years of treasures that become a part of her life as she grows into a young woman in this house. Wandering into the master bedroom suite I touch a light switch that luminates a master bath that will surely wake me from a solid sleep in the mornings and afford me a calming end to many days ahead. Moving to the third floor, the trim guy's tools were lay on the floor where they left tham after working to finish the 'base and case' - as they say - that wraps the entire room in the same wood and architectural style of the second floor. The look seamlessly flows from one floor to the next with the attention of detail extremely high with no square inch untouched by caring hands and scrutinizing eyes. Throughout the house, I turned on lights to check the progress in a room, I see a house transforming before my eyes.

I don't really know why a mere 24 hours seem to make a difference in how things are perceived, but it did. I was walking out the door as I turned out the last light in the entry hallway and thought to myself, THIS is one hell of a Christmas I'm having. This moment is my Christmas. Every hand that has gone into making the walls straight, making the windows beautiful, making the yard alive and rejuvenated, every hand that carefully painted the primer or ran wire and every hand that fixed the meals that filled my belly throughout the year made this moment what it is - a gift. The readers of this blog had everything to do with making this gift a special one and one that I will never forget.

As I locked the door and walked down my stairs, the cool air filled my lungs, but the warmth of everyone's time, effort and love filled my heart. Thank you all for a great year. Thank you all for a great house. Thank you all for being there for Ellie and I through this very difficult time of my life, we would not be where we are without you. I hope that everyone has a great Christmas. If I could be so bold as to ask for one more thing for Christmas, I'd ask that everyone who reads this give the 'gifts' in their lives a big hug Christmas morning. Then give them one for me.

Merry Christmas everyone.

It's All About Perspective

A coat on the banister seems like home already...
This past week I was surprised by the turnout of volunteers. We had a total of six volunteers and the electrician (Paul) who is moving the electrical lines in the kitchen to match the new layouts - more on that later though. The crew of six were Elisha, Ryan, Shana D., Ron V., Debbie R., and a good friend from High school days Kevin B. (he made a guest appearance a couple of weeks ago when Todd was in town). It was nice to have a full table for lunch again. We really tore into the list of to-dos and made great progress.

The group pulled up the cardboard on the first floor and swept the mess so we could really start sanding the woodwork. The group also framed in the door that will conceal the 2nd story furnace in the wash room. They moved all of the carpenters' tools up to the second floor (as it turned out they needed to bring it up to the third so the painters could start on the 2nd - oops). We installed some more plumbing in the kitchen because the plans had been changed by Better Homes & Gardens Special Interest Publication - I think it's Kitchen & Bath Ideas.

Lincoln D actually came on Thursday to help fill holes

Elisha preps the 'important' area/Kevin & Debbie pull up cardboard

Debbie moves carpenter tools/Newly cleaned entryway stairs

Ron & Ryan prepare to install the wall/Good concentration by Ryan!

Debbie & Kevin fill holes/So does Elisha

Debbie sands the details/Debbie puts her shoulder into it

Paul moves electrical wires


I said in earlier posts that I'd give you more information when things were more concrete because I still feel a little uneasy talking about it. In no way do I want to seem boastful, but I do want to convey my gratitude. Better Homes and Gardens SIPs have come forward (mainly through the efforts of one person - Jeni W.) and have agreed to remodel a number of different rooms in my house for their numerous different publications. It's the publications you see on the the store rack at home centers, book stores, etc. like Kitchen & Bath Ideas, Storage, Remodel, Etc. As I know more I will share more details, but for now I feel safe in saying that they will be doing my kitchen, Ellie's room, and the master bedroom suite. There are others in the works, but none confirmed enough to really say. I am absolutely dumbfounded by this opportunity as 'these things never happen to me'. In many things, in looking back at this year, I fortunately can no longer say that about anything really. This whole year has been a year of 'I can't believe that this is happening to me.' Yes, it is very true that the circumstances that created this special situation that I'm in were the worst I could ever imagine, I don't think that I would have ever imagined the blessings and great love that has been given to me over the last year either.

With BH&G taking on these rooms I've had the great pleasure of working with Jeni on the planning and initial steps of seeing the makeover come to life and making my home more beautiful than I could ever have imagined. The textures, colors, layout and feel of each room is truly something I hoped it to be when Leslie was 'in charge' of that part of the process. I have said it before that now is the stage where Leslie would be taking over and I would be the support role of painter, plumber, tile guy, 1-2-3 Book reader and she would lead with the vision of what could be. A vision that although I am a creative person, it's not a vision that comes easily to me and I struggle with. Along came Jeni and BH&G and that vision has continued to grow through someone who is as talented and forward thinking as Leslie was. I hope that you all stop in one day in the future (about 3 months or so from now) and see the house that has been carefully turned into a home.

Speaking of carefully turning this into something more than the usual house, the carpenters that have been working in my house for the past four weeks have done an amazing job at turning this house back into something of beauty in the details. I know of few occupations where so much care and precision is taken and is appreciated by everyone who sees it - educated or not to the skills of the craft - you know when you see good craftsmanship in woodwork and you can appreciate it right away. These three guys have poured themselves into making the woodwork in my house every bit as gorgeous as it was when it was first installed almost a century ago. The ability to cope the corners so that they are tight and without gaps, to patch holes in base boards where outlets once were so you can't see them, to scribe all of the window jams to the varying depths because the windows still aren't all exactly the same is truly a thing of beauty. To worry about 1/32 of an inch is something deep down in my soul makes me smile because I know these guys don't do the work because they need to have a job, they do it because they love the work they do and the creation of a beautifully finished product. It's rare to find that these days and how I found them is another story of the Lord taking care of me.

As with most things in this process I 'let my fingers do the walking' right into the Yellow pages. Per usual routine I called no less than 6 carpenters/woodworkers and of course Mike and crew were one of two responders. In going through the initial walk through of the house with Mike I knew he might be a bit 'off' , but it was in a way you want your cabinet maker to be 'unique'. The dude loved to talk about wood, what makes it behave certain ways when you cut it this way and that and how one species is completely different than that one and so on. I felt a good vibe with Mike and I told Jeni that I had found the guy for the first floor that she may also want to use him for the second floor rooms she needed work done in. Amazingly she thought the same 'off-ness' was a good thing and they started rolling four weeks ago and haven't stopped yet. (There is a TON of wood work in the house - they are starting on the third floor this week.) To say that I was right - and that they do great work is an extreme understatement, they are absolutely the best trim guys I've seen in a LONG time - and I notice when I go to other peoples' houses how well the woodwork and painting is done. Truly these guys are a rare breed and I would recommend them to anyone (as soon as they are done with my house).

From the beginning of their work I felt blessed that it seemed like the Lord had once again 'picked' them for me. With so many messages left for so many possible vendors, how did I end up with three of the most talented cabinet makers, and they had time, and they fit my budget, and they are nice guys who don't steal my other tools, and they show up on time and work hard all day? Yes, some of those things seem a bit 'basic' but those who have had to contract out work know that they are all necessary and not always easy to find. I felt the Lord had once again taken care of me in a very personal way when I needed it most. There is no way I could have done the work they have done and gotten it completed anytime before St. Patty's Day, never mind the level of skill at which it has been done. But then the other day when I was talking with Mike I had another thought, maybe it was for them as well. You see Mike has just this week been diagnosed with MS. Although he has suspected for some time, it hasn't ever been confirmed. He was saying that normally his job is in a wood shop where all of the work surfaces are waist high and easy to use and that there's not much physical exertion beyond moving pieces of wood laterally from one bench to another. This job on the other hand has been up, down, crawling on his hands and knees, carrying heavy equipment up and down stair cases, long days of hard work and I haven't seen anything but a huge smile on his face which is always followed by 'we really appreciate the business'. Here is a man in pain - real pain that won't ever go away - and he's thanking me for a job that beats him up physically every day. For someone with MS the longer you can exert yourself, the longer your body will continue to work. Mike knows that and is grateful that he can still do what he does because it's what he loves to do. The work at my house is a blessing to him because honestly, his days of being able to do this are becoming more numbered by the day. Now looking at this I see the Lord isn't just caring for me and using this house just for me, He is using this house for Him, I just open the door and let people in.

Hello Again Floors

Aptly named 'Century' wood company that all the original trim came from - the history is so rich here

Are kidding me? That's right, after ELEVEN months of dusty brown floors, we finally pulled back the multiple layers of cardboard on the second and third floors to reveal the beautiful hardwood floors! Honestly, I had forgotten what they looked like. Then I remembered how quiet the floors are for being 90 years old and hardwood. It's just as amazing today as it was the first time I walked through with Leslie. The uncovered floors are a huge sign of progress that there won't be any more major chunks of wood. plaster or metal falling on the floors! From here on out there will be people that tread lightly and carry a small hammer as it were. The thought of stepping into the phase of worrying about finishing touches is something I cherish. The first floor still has the cardboard down because the trim is still being installed and there are still sheets of drywall that need to be installed in the kitchen. It's progress and it's exciting. In the next few weeks it should go something like this:
Plumber and electrician move things in the kitchen to match the BH&G designer's layout of the kitchen. At the same time the framing of Ellie's bedroom closet doors will be completed. Then I'll hang the drywall in both places and finishers will come in and mud those walls. Then wood trim guys will trim everything and the painter will paint it all by the end of next week. Then the kitchen cabinets should be in and they will get installed. Hopefully by then the tile company will be on board and we'll have tile waiting to be installed. It's a crazy time line but it's one that has to be dealt with. All this while I try to concentrate on getting the basement sub-floor in so carpet can go in too. It sounds a bit hectic and I guess it is, but there are no other options.

The 'old' trim in the Dining Room, reinstalled

The Main Entry with reinstalled trim

Second floor landing floors/Guest Bedroom floors & trim!

Ellie's Room closet door frame/Master Bedroom floors & trim

More Master Bedroom floors/Kitchen walls still needing work

'The Guys' installing more trim/Completed installation of new trim on the windows

Cool 'original' builder's notes on the boards/Misc tools



I was talking with a friend's mom last night that went through her own life crisis a few years ago when her house burned down while they were away on vacation. A hundred year old house that she had spent many hours and years pouring her effort and time into restoring.So it's fair to say it held quite a few of dreams for her and her husband and it was gone in a few minutes. The part that struck me was how she spoke of the vast numbers of people that came out to help them too and how the Lord's hand was present throughout the entire process. They would run into a tight spot and inevitably the Lord would provide a person or gift or a provision that they desperately were praying for. Even that I can not only relate to but also can attest is one of the most amazing feelings to have - that bittersweet humble feeling that you get when you are so grateful to the friends, family and others that many times without mention show up and do great things for you. I sometimes get chills thinking "yeah, yeah I know" as I listen to those kinds of stories, many of which I've heard over the past year.

To carry on the discussion she went on to describe the feeling of anxiousness and impatience that she felt toward the end - about the last six months. Time lines inevitably kept extending beyond the original plans, the helpers began to drastically dwindle in numbers and the number of decisions to be made didn't shrink in numbers, they actually continued to grow. The pressure almost began to increase as the got to a certain point before completion and it wore on them because they were already exhausted to the point of weary knees, sore backs, heavy eyelids and rough, worn hands. It became a situation of steel-like resolve and persistence, one of strength and single-mindedness. It was one of the toughest time throughout the whole process and one that changed her forever.

I couldn't help but to listen and think to myself that I feel some of those very same things right now. I feel as though I'm a man walking in the stiff desert wind in the early afternoon and although I have made it through the worst of heat and dry sand, I have yet to either see the oasis or even know what is still in store other than more of the single-minded process of putting one foot in front of the other in hopes of finding a place of rest. I no longer hold all of the pieces that determine how this will finish because I now need to rely on a few people to help me complete this house and I don't know those processes or what to expect as a final product. I don't know when this all will be complete as time lines are always vague and I can't always read how concrete the promises are. I have to trust that the way others do their job is just as efficient and effective as the way I would do mine because it IS their job to do. It's just difficult for someone (me) to give up the reigns with no real understanding of where this is heading. I'm tired, worn and short of patience which is rarely a good mixture of success. I must rely on my faith that things will work out and that I will soon be living in my house with my little girl who seems to be growing up more and more every day. The moments not shared in my house are quickly adding up and that is a stress for me. I want so badly to have those moments with Ellie but I know that I need to keep focus on the end product and not cut corners with the end so close. It may still be a few months before everything is complete and I need to keep that in perspective of how great all of this will be years down the road. I'm sure I'll look back with great appreciation of the efforts, love and time of those that are helping me and won't remember the frustration or exhaustion. I am inching every day closer to an end, I thank you all for helping me get there. If I seem tired, cranky or a bit confused, I probably am. Just don't give up on me, I still need your strength, your prayers, your thoughts and some times your patience. I cannot say thank you enough for getting me here, I look forward to walking into that oasis, grinning, opening my arms wide and greeting you after this long day is over.

Temperature Drops, Trim Goes Up

This week it got cold and thankfully I had the heating turned on by the Heating company! Right now we have roughly 4 inches of snow on the ground and I refuse to shovel the drivevway yet. It supposed to get up to 40 tomorrow and I'm holding out for the snow to be melted rather than removed by my sore back. Sore back because we've been busy at it again this week, getting a few steps closer to moving in.

This past week the installers of trim and molding began installing the trim for the second floor for Meredith. They got most of the master suite, the extra bedroom and Ellie's room started and in some areas even completed. The rooms are really starting to morph into rooms that actually resemble livable spaces. Although everything is still primer white and natural wood, they are now starting to show their original charm that Leslie and I first saw as we walked through together over a year ago. The craftsmanship in the details is everything in this house and some of those things are beginning to be put back together.

The master bedroom mess/A man's breakfast!

The master bath windows/Directions for drywallers

More directions...


The crew I had last Saturday (17th?) did a great job in prepping for this week's work as well as moved along the progress pretty well. They began the installation of the sub-floor in the basement, Great GPA V.R. finished staining the first floor windows and varnishing everything with a first coat. The sub-floor on the third floor also got repaired on top of the stairs where the major water damage happened before I bought the place. It was also installed in the bedroom up there so that carpet can be installed at a later time. There's really only some minor fixes left and then it's ready. The crews have really been the right size for the jobs that are at hand. It is amazing that the Lord provides what I need to get the next step, even when I'm not always sure that that will be from one week to the next.

Today I worked with a small crew that consisted of myself, good friend Todd V., and Ron V.Ron continued the work in the basement while Todd and I tried to sort through the boards of the original woodwork. That is one daunting task of figuring out what was where and how it all cam apart 11 months ago. We found 90% of what we needed and the remaining 10% will probably need to be re-cut from the wood not being installed. That's eludes to a rather large bummer we came across on Friday, none of the window trim can be re-installed because the new windows are larger than the originals. So hopefully staining new wood won't put us too far back in the schedule of painting and then moving in.

Friday's 'crew' talks it over/

The mess of trim in the dining room/BUT there IS a map ;-)

Dave cuts some trim to fit/Mike measures another piece

Don talks the details w/ Mike/There's more waiting

Their machine waits for another day/As do the hand tools


Every night I go to the house to clean and straighten and do small jobs. It really is amazing at how quickly the house is once again moving ahead. It not only is 'looking more and more like a house' but it's really starting to build the excitement of living in my home. Hopefully that home is mostly ready for Christmas ;-)