The OTHER Uncle

Last week I had uncle Tim, this week it was uncle Al - the O'Bannon boys are doing the name proud! I know my dad would have given anything to be here to help with this project and it's great that the Lord has made it possible for the changes in everyones lives to actually spend MORE time together now that we ever have in the past. It's actually kind of cool that I am getting to know my uncles from an adult point of view instead of what most have is a child's point of view. I praise the Lord that they have changed their lives somewhat to 'loop through' Des Moines when they are close. It's just that in the past, life hasn't really allowed that to happen easily, I'm glad that it does now. I get to see 'my dad' more often now in these men as the O'Bannon male personality is very recognizable in each of them as I'm sure it is now in me. It feels good to connect with family and stay grounded in who I am and where I came from.

My uncle Al stopped in after calling Friday evening as he was about to 'pass through on the way back to MN'. Just like that I had a crew of two and the dry wall might just make it up onto the bulk heads Ron framed last week. Then Brittany and Russ called and said they could give me either the morning or the afternoon - I of course took the afternoon - so I could get materials! THEN out of the blue Lola showed up in the afternoon! It was crazy, on a day when I started with no one specifically committing I ended up with a great group that really accomplished a ton.
Russ & Lola talk/...while Britter works

Britter put on finishing touches/Lola shows off the filler mess

Under threat of the painters coming, I finish varnishing the ceiling


Al and Russ took on the bulk head drywall - after I re-wired the 2 can lights that had to move to accommodate the new ceiling height. Then I moved into the basement bathroom and hooked up the water and waste lines and cut a few pieces of drywall that Russ screwed in place. Upstairs Brittany was working away at finishing (almost) the remaining staining and varnishing of the fist floor in the dining room and stairway. She, Grandpa and Grandma VR had come up twice during the week and had varnished those two rooms and really make a dent in what was left. So Britt went to work on that and Lola showed up later and helped with whatever Brittany needed (tack clothing and hole filling I believe).

After I have gotten back from the store with more plumbing supplies, I turned on the water and waited...nothing at first. Then I got good new and bad news. The good was that I now know that my floors drain to the main drain in the utility room - the bad news I had a good sized leak. The only up side was that I only had one sheet of drywall to remove to fix the problem. It seems that 'someone' didn't crimp the collar on the pipe leading to the fixture. Oh well, easily fixed. Next on the list was then to clean up after everyone so that the painters could start priming the basement woodwork on Monday. Man I knew starting the day it was a mess, but holy cow was there a ton of crap everywhere. It took me most of the afternoon on Sunday to put things away, hang two more sheets of drywall to finish out the basement bathroom and sweep. It was a great weekend of accomplishment and I can hopefully once again start to concentrate on the 2nd floor bathroom plumbing - that means a shower in the near future!! I mean I take showers now, just not at my house. ;-)