The Header Is Fixed!!

You know what - small miracles sometimes happen on Saturdays. We were all just moving along doing the jobs on the list for the day, installing the subfloor in the eat-in area, then starting the DuraRock in the Eat-in area and the laundry room upstairs, Sean was scraping away the top 4" of soil in the yard and then it happened, just like that, John T the brick layer, showed up and saved the day!

As I had stood earlier in the day under the header that was still a conglomeration of layered wood scraps holding the brick precariously above my melon, and Matt and Sean were yapping about something not being safe (again) if we were to start taking the blocks out again, I had an epiphany - I'll call a professional to do this! I know it seems a bit odd considering the situation, but I thought I didn't have anything to lose at this point (besides another 7 weeks of time and a couple grand in finding other things that needed fixing along the way). So Angie H had a friend who is a brick layer and who I was expecting to use for the re installation of the facade brick outside the eat-in area foundation. Just so happens he was near town working on someones fireplace and was needing a challenge, so he stopped in.

Before we know it he was mumbling that, "This would fit there and that would support that and bam, that should hold there and bam it'd be good to go like no worries, just some mud and some scaffolding we're done here." What?! Huh?! Did he say bam this and wham that and we're done? Does he realize that these are words I haven't heard for over 6 weeks and didn't think I'd hear for another 6 weeks the way things had been going? I could barely stop tripping over myself to get that freaking scaffolding up so we could move on. Just like that, in two days time (b/c the first set of brick needed to set before setting the 2nd set) I had a new header over my kitchen that will last another 100 years! Man what a great weekend I tell ya. Maybe this is that proverbial 'corner' that I keep hoping we're going to turn soon and start being able to move forward toward hanging drywall and such. Time will tell.

The finished beam/Sean wrenching on lag bolts

I also wanted to give a shout out to the folks who worked nearly 10 hours on Saturday with me because we were few but we definitely accomplished a lot. thank you!

Finally, I had my church small group over last night to help. We also got quite a bit done in the few hours we were together.Strung a little wire in the basement, cleaned up after the cement work in the kitchen, cleaned and organized floors, laid down more DuraRock all kinds of good stuff.

Kevin F measuring Header support/Sandra organizing things

Measure twice, cut once!

Ryan N making sure things are connected correctly


We were short a few folks because they were busy adding to the group. On Monday May 14th, JACK ISAIAH LEE COVINGTON(might be Jack Isaac Lee, Kevin took the info and seemed unsure!) was born at 8:44pm, weighing 10 lbs, 13 ozs. SERIOUS PROPS go out to mom Laurie for working so darn hard and for dad Sean for not getting the way. Watching Leslie give birth to Ellie, I gained an enormous appreciation for the hard work, effort, strain, complete exhaustion that women go through to give birth. Never have I seen such a display of God's love and grace as that. Congratulations Covingtons (including now big brother Shannon) on the new addition to the family, we look forward to welcoming Jack into our small group family.

That seems like a great way to end this week's entry. Have a great week everyone.