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.