Nine Months Into It

Master Lumberjack Sean atop his conquered victim

Going into the Labor Day Weekend I wanted to catch everyone up on what we've been doing in the last 20 or so days (since the last entry really only covered the last part of July). We've been hard at the plumbing and have finished completely the drain lines except the pan for the master shower and punching through the roof with the 2nd system vent pipe. So that's about 30 minutes for me to do as I have a professional creating the pan for the shower. Then last week we started in earnest installing the supply lines for water (wet lines) after putting the new water heater in the utility room in the basement. My uncle Tim and cousin Teryn spent all day Saturday last week pulling main lines on the main floor and started a good number of the off shoots to the fixtures. I hope to complete the rest this Saturday as a crew of eight has been lined up. The idea is to be done by Tuesday so I can have the whole house inspected late next week and we can start the insulation install next Saturday. It's ambitious, but what of this project wasn't?
Red/Blue supply lines to master bath/Lines to existing bat


I also have had a professional install the heating and AC as I don't have that knowledge nor could I find an 'advisor". Which after seeing the effort in the oppressive heat of Iowa in the last three weeks and amount of skill needed, paying to have that done is looking like money well spent. That should also wrap up this weekend as part of the eight-man crew will be pouring concrete into the small pad next to the flagstone patio so the AC units can be installed early next week. With that wrapping up, I won't have to worry about hanging drywall or painting in subzero weather like we did when we started nine months ago!
More plumbing and the heating ducts/Pad for AC units


While all of the great work was being done inside, we of course had folks that wanted to work outdoors and I happily put them to work too! Along with continuing to plant things and kill the yard - that's right I no longer need to mow - we cut down )hopefully) the last mature tree last night. My brother and I took the chainsaw to the old ash tree that we REALLY hoped would live but it just didn't pull through like we wanted and it needed to go before... We finished grading and prepping the yard for irrigation! This was a major decision to make and has other implications, but if I ever want to be able to actually play with Ellie in this huge yard and want plants to live, I needed to install irrigation. This also will be worked on this weekend (most likely by Sean in a skid loader) so we can start to install water lines and sprinkler heads next week. (Notice a trend yet?) Which brings us back to our little fun story of my brother and I cutting down the tree last night.

I left to go get sandwiches and as life always has it, it took me much longer to get back than expected. When I drove up the driveway almost 40 minutes later, I see my brother leaning on 40' of rope that is tied to the arm of the tree, looking as though he's praying the wind doesn't pick up much. I calmly walk out and see that he's cut a sizable notch in the base and he's explaining how the tree is weighted too much to one side - unfortunately the same same that leads to the house. So he stopped and started praying... I said I'm sure I can get it to fall right by enlarging the wedge cutout and get it to fall away from the house. Soon after cutting another 10" from the trunk, the wood begins to snap, crackle and pop. Thing is Sean is screaming that I need to get on the rope and help pull. I get there just in time to take a good hold and then proceed to have a fantastic view of the possible carnage as we were both dragged roughly 15' as the tree GRAZES the edge of the porch. This was one of those times that you're so scared at the end and realize the heap of mess that could have been, the only option is to laugh. At least I did, Sean quickly informed that if he'd done that while I was away I'd have ripped him up and down for weeks after. Man, that sounds like he's bitter (or knows me too well). We laughed at our good fortune and ended the tense moments with a great quote by Sean as we looked to bring in the stump cutter "Well, I guess the O'Bannon Brothers shouldn't be left alone too long or they'll mess up the whole back yard."
Sean atop the tree / See how close it was to being a mess!

It never hurts to be LUCKY/The 'skid marks' of John and Sean

It's not a Vermeer, but it did the job


It was a great evening of working and getting things to a good point for this weekend. There's a lot planned for this Saturday and I have a feeling that a great majority will be done and that will be in no small part due to the huge effort of my brother. I have told him before, but I feel compelled to tell everyone here that I am extremely proud of my brother and would not have been able to get anywhere near where I am today without his knowledge, talent and strong back (nothing to say of his tolerance of my sometimes grumpy attitude eh Sean?). Sean is soon moving to the great wide north of Minnesota in the next week and I will miss him dearly. We have become so close in the last 9 months that I feel extremely fortunate to call him my brother and will miss him greatly.

We have one more weekend before the move and I hope it is not only productive but also full of more great memories like last night. I love you bro, take care and don't forget to call and if you ever get a hankering for breaking/fixing stuff, you know where I live.

I hope everyone else gets to enjoy the Labor Day Holiday and take some time to enjoy your family. A year ago tomorrow, this whole dream began when Leslie called me to say she had found 'it' online and we needed to drive over to take a look - I hope you find your inspiration start a dream of your own.