Calling All Martha Stewarts

Now that we've gone to all this trouble and expense in putting a new roof on both houses, we have a conundrum. We don't think the gray roof works with the purple house, though we like the purple.

Our next decision will be to decide what color to paint the house, as well as the barn. Bear in mind that we are deep in the woods, so we are leaning towards earthier tones. I.e., white and yellow go well with a gray roof, but they are more fitting in a suburban setting on a nice tree-lined street.

In the woods, however, they might not work as well. So, maybe something more along the lines of red, blue, or gray.

Whatever be the case, we'd love to hear everyone and anyone's opinion, so please come out and speak up. Tell us what color you think would work best. We'd appreciate your feedback.

Until then, thanks for reading.

FEBP Keystone

To the untrained eye, it looks like just a board laying on a surface, but to a real man in training, it is so much more.

In fact, as JH said, it's a "keystone," the first step in the FEBP, and a monumental achievement for the likes of yours truly.

JH came over the other day and we set about getting the door re-framed. The first, and perhaps most challenging, was to get the initial sill plate down. This involved taking a PT board and attaching it to the floor joists below with 4 inch screws. This involved a little trial and error in pinpointing the joists, but to JH's credit, and to a lesser degree me, we found them after only one failed attempt. After the first one was located, we measured out 16 inches on center and found the rest. I love when that happens.

In an example of bad planning on my part, I had not yet removed the nails from the siding after I had removed the shingles, so that took some time, but after it was done, we went to work. Once the sill was secured, we were business and had earned a moment of self-congratulations because it was a fairly significant first step.

In other words, we now have until next year to finish this thing... just kidding. If that happens, I guarantee you that I'll be sleeping in the car.

Now that the keystone is in, we can make the frame, and then get to work on that door. Should be interesting, for lack of a better term. Thankfully, JH won't be going on vacation until the third week of September, so I get him for two more Thursdays, thus increasing the odds that this will get done sooner rather than later.

Until the next time, thanks for reading.

The Sink and Being a Real Man

In a move that is sure win me the approval of my Mentor and JH, I actually dove and attempted to fix the sink, and it wasn't that bad. We've been having leak problems, not in the sense that there is a constant leak, which is bad, as I've learned because it can fry your pump, but more so that when the sink is turned on, somewhere water is leaking down into the cabinet. It's a drag because we use the sink so much and get mold and rot, and eventually carpenter ants.

My original plan was to hire a plumber or ask JH what he thought, but then decided, "What the heck, I'll give it a go." This was not an easy decision.

I went under and think I've located the problem. Whether or not I fixed it is another question. The leak may originate from two locations. The faucet has a gasket that was off a little, potentially allowing water to seep in during use. The seal is not great, I must confess, and may require replacing the unit, even though we just replaced it about a year and a half ago. I bought a decent unit, a Delta, but didn't go high end. So I was frugal, but not to a fault, which is my usual MO.

Anyway, it could stem from the entire sink, which is not very solid and tends to bend and give. Whatever be the case, the leak has been stemmed somewhat, though I'm still seeing a little water. Not sure where it's coming from, but I'll investigate. We are also having garbage disposal issues, and my need to replace it.

I also put some teflon tape on the connections, and voila, I was done. Regardless of whether or not I fixed the darn thing, I went for it and didn't let fear prevent me from acting like a real man. I love when that happens.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to RIC for the pic.

Front End Beautification Project (FEBP)

In the spirit of the federal government, especially when it comes to military campaigns, I've decided to give our new project the recognition that it deserves. This, of course, entails an official moniker: the Front End Beautification Project (FEBP). I hope JH and my Mentor approve. We held focus groups across the country in order to arrive at that designation.

The project will involve finishing the dormers and then the daunting task of translocating that door. The new framing should be fairly straightforward, it's the removing of the door from the framing that worries me. It was easy doing framing on the barn because I could most of it with a sledge hammer and reciprocating saw. This time around, I have to omit the sledge, which means we'll have to employ finesse and grace. We could be flirting with disaster.

The goal will be to finish the FEBP before the frost sets in. Otherwise, it's going to be a cold winter. This should be within the realm of possibilities, though if things don't go according to plan, there will be certain individuals who will not be amused, even if it's the fault of the dumplings.

Until the next time, thanks for reading.

Too Good to Be True

What a bummer. I thought we were home free with the track lighting, and there was a world of opportunity in replacing those darn lights, but we were once again denied. I get a sense that MG didn't go mainstream when she built and decorated this house. In other words, things like materials and fixtures were not purchased at Home Depot, but rather were custom built or procured at specialty shops. Case in point, these lights. I went to HD and they have an entire wall of track lights, but they all have a slightly bigger insert and don't fit into our track.

Now I have to go out in search of the right size, which is difficult when you have no free time. Also, I need to bring the light with us in order to make sure I get the right thing, because as I've learned first hand, it's a drag when you get something home and it's the wrong thing.

I did in fact bring the light to HD and used it as a reference for the new one. The pointed out that the insert was slightly big, but it was probably not a problem, which of course was wrong. In all fairness, he was up front and open about this fact, I was just too eager to believe that a solution was so easily at hand. Live and learn.

For now, the search continues. Until the next time, thanks for reading.

Ready, Set... Go!

Boy, if I could find the time to just replace the final clapboard, then I'll be ready to paint. I caulked the vertical seams on the side boards, and we're ready to go. Our goal is to make the front of our house beautiful once again, and before the cold weather sets in.

Set your timers and let the games begin.

Thanks for reading and thanks to Daino_16 for the pic.

More Simple Solutions

We've had this dilemma for quite some time, and it took the keen observational skills of none other than JH to help us realize that a simple solution lay right in front of us.

Our house suffers a bit from being too dark, and I wonder some times if the previous owner had a thing for being in the dark. It's fitting if it's true, she is a rather somber individual, but that's beside the point.

The kitchen in particular is dark, with dark walls, dark wood cabinets, and an overall lack of bright lights. There are track lights that aren't the nicest things and don't really illuminate the place. We've wanted to replace them for some time but assumed that it required professional help.

Well, the other day JH was looking at it, and deduced that they could simply be removed and replaced. He even reached up and loosened the thing, then pulled it out. The guy is like Superman, though he might want to avoid the red tights.

Now we can maybe get new lights. Of course, I have to find a place that sells them, which could take another ten years, but at least there is hope, and I'll take it.

Until the next time, thanks for reading.