Home Projects, etc...

Grading the Yard and Grass Seeded

2009-09-30T20:14:00.002-04:00

Well, we finally have the grading of the yard done, and I was able to get a good part of it seeded before the last couple of rains. So, we are really, really getting close now!

Today, one of the neighbors from across the street was out in our yard, so I decided to go out and take some pictures... Ok, so it is a llama, but it does live across the street...

Anyway, you can see the yard is in much better shape than before...

Our "Neighbor" through the front window...

Again -- through the side window...

From the driveway across the front of the house (llama friend still in the yard)

Deck side of house...

Back behind the house -- there used to be three piles of dirt back there...

From the driveway out front...

Llama in the driveway...

From across the road...

Visitor out by the road...

Finally -- Counter Top Completed!

2009-08-25T21:45:00.000-04:00

Well, after some problems that we had to have fixed, we were able to get the counter top completed today, and it really looks great! Here are several pictures... Have to wait to finish connecting the plumbing just to be sure we don't disturb anything before it dries completely.

Master Vanity Top

Master Vanity Sink

Kitchen Island from Dining Room -- Note the "bar" or "quarter table" sticking out on the left... The hole on the backsplash is for an outlet.

The kitchen sink...

The stovetop -- the interchangable bays are removed...

The "quarter table" -- room for three bar stools. Same height as the counter.

Holes are for outlets...

This is what the faucet will look like...

More done in the library...

Shelf over top of the kitchen door (from the dining room)...

Counter Top and Vanity Top -- In Progress

2009-08-22T22:44:00.001-04:00

We finally have the counter tops and vanity tops partially installed, but they were unable to complete it on Friday. So, it should be finished either Monday or Tuesday of next week.

We also had to build something for the quarter table on the back side of the island to sit on. It isn't finished, but it is coming along. I didn't realize until the counter guys were here on Friday that we needed to have such a sturdy frame for it to set on, but since they couldn't finish on Friday anyway, I had the weekend to work on this. We have to stain the boards that will show, and I can add stained boards around the 2x4s later so it will look nice...

And, Dawn has worked this weekend on unpacking her books in the library, and so here are a couple of pictures of her bookshelves...

Island Counter -- Kitchen Sink is taped while the silicon hardens.

Backsplash and mantle top is also not installed yet.

Frame where quarter table will go -- same black granite...

Master Vanity -- sinks aren't in yet, backsplash isn't installed yet.

Finally Home!

2009-08-20T09:24:00.000-04:00

Well, we have had our official Certificate of Occupancy for a few weeks now, and we are getting settled in -- finally! Here are a bunch of pictures of the house furnished (even if still full of boxes in places)...

Dawn's Nook

Kitchen Hutch

Kitchen Cabinet / Counter

Laundry Room / Door to Deck (From Kitchen)

Buffet in Dining Room

Dining Room Wall -- Shelf with Pictures, Nooks on the Left and Right

(Couch will go in the Library Someday)

Nook with Buffet

Living Room Couch

Living Room from Behind Couch

From Living Room Looking into Entry Way (left) and Dining Room (right)

Entry Way (left side) Looking into Kitchen

Boxes, etc, in Family Room

Hall Vanity

Hall Vanity Floor

Dining Room -- Looking across into Kitchen

Dining Room -- Nooks, etc.

Master Bedroom

Master Bath Whirlpool

Master Bath Whirlpool / Window / Shelf

Master Closet (Hers)

Master Closet (His)

Master Vanity Cabinets (Sinks not yet Installed)

Building Authority Final Inspection

2009-07-28T23:35:00.000-04:00

We have reached a major milestone this week! Pending the final inspection on the plumbing (which is done by the health district in this county), we will have our Certificate of Occupancy!

Still have several little things to finish up, but nothing more that is required to satisfy the Building Authority.

We have made progress on the panels that go around the whirlpool -- they should be done this week, except for maybe painting them.

We have to put up the curtain rods which will be trivial.

We have to take the windows out of each window so we can finish staining them.

We need to have some finish grading done in the yard (looks more like a jungle right now -- can't mow it the way it is).

We are waiting on the kitchen countertop and master vanity top. That should be done in a week or two. We are also still waiting on our cabinet makers to come back and finish the trim on the cabinets. They had to have a saw repaired which created a delay. I need to call them or go see them...

Home Improvement in Tennessee...

2009-07-23T22:18:00.000-04:00

This may not be a TV episode, but a lot of improvements have been made to our home in Knoxville... Our pastor there has been a very busy man and has made a lot of progress!

My wife took lots of pictures, and I'll just post them here...

Shutters -- Finally...

2009-07-20T10:57:00.000-04:00

So, today, I had a few minutes to kill, and decided to please my wife by putting up the shutters out front... It really gives it a nice, finished look, and she is indeed pleased :)

Vent Pipe and Deck Skirting

2009-07-18T17:55:00.001-04:00

Well, the work is definitely starting to slow down here as we near completion... There is still more to do, and today we were able to make a little more progress.

We now have just one more of the boards to put around the deck as skirting, and that part will be finished -- well, with the exception of gluing the decorative railing top down. Trivial job once I get to it... Maybe yet today -- who knows...

And, we found out that a metal roof with 6-12 pitch is very difficult to scale, and so my dare-devil son volunteered. We threw a rope over the top and he tied it around himself (trying to keep from strangulating himself), and he went up, drilled the hole with a hole saw. Then, after I put the vent pipe through, he put the boot over the pipe and caulked it, and then screwed the boot down in several places. So, now to wait for rain and see if it leaks... I should note that we had one partially used clear caulk, but it was clogging up, and simply would not squeeze out. So, we decided to go ahead and switch to a new one which was white. We had no more clear, and the clouds were quite ominous, so we didn't feel we could afford to wait.

So, right now, it looks a little like Big Bird landed on our vent pipe... There is a nice size white splotch that he had trouble trying to clean up without it just smearing even worse... As long as it doesn't leak -- that's the main thing! Sorry, but I'm just not going to put any pictures of Big Bird's mess on the internet! You'll just have to come visit if you really want to see it ;)

Stairway Details...

2009-07-14T20:44:00.000-04:00

We are getting close to being finished with the building of our home, but things seem to continue dragging out... My immediate goal is to get pass our final inspection and get our Certificate of Occupancy. There are only a couple of details holding us back (as far as I know) -- the banister on the stairway, a few unfinished electrical outlets, and the vent pipe still needs to be put through the roof. The outlets can be finished easily or just a blank plate put over them (until they can be done later), and the vent pipe won't take long to finish -- once I get up on the roof and cut a hole (finally got the hole saw to do this).

So over the weekend, I turned my attention to the stairway and the details associated with it. It goes up into the attic, and there were no walls up there on the sides, so I needed to add some walls on both sides of the hole. They are framed and drywalled on one side, so that should be ok. Then, one side of the stairway was opened, and needed a handrail, and so I had to figure out exactly how I was going to put that up, satisfying the details of the code. So, I now have most of that done -- not quite complete yet. I need to install the newel at the bottom and finish the balusters on the side at the top -- most of them are on, but there is still a hole at the top.

I decided to take a 2x4, rip it down to a 2x2 (1.5x1.5 actually), and then use the router to round off the corners, and then use it as the banister. That really worked great, and I have talked with a builder friend who actually suggested that I do this -- since this is just an attic stairway and not in the living area where a quality finished look is not really necessary.

Here are some pictures -- I am working on putting drywall in that storage room, but I mainly needed to get the drywall on the walls above the stairs. The drywall looks a bit like patchwork because I'm having to fit it in behind the stairway, and the walls are 9' -- I don't have any more of the 54" pieces like they used in the house...

When It Rains, It Pours!

2009-07-13T09:01:00.000-04:00

And it definitely poured Saturday morning! More on that later...

Made some good progress on the stairway handrail this weekend. It isn't finished yet, but at least I know what I'm going to do. This stairway is in the storage room leading to the attic, so it doesn't have to be finished quite like an interior stairway.

I plan to actually use a 2x4 for the rail itself, ripped down to a 2x2 (actually 1.5 x 1.5 inches), and then rounding the corners off. I will use a 4x4 as a newel at the bottom for the rail to end at.

Then when it was about time to wind down for the night, we discovered that the sump pump float switch had gotten stuck, and the heavy rain had flooded the basement floor -- about 4 inches, maybe a little more.

There was a lot of stuff down there, but a lot of it was up off the ground far enough to not get wet. There were some things that were ruined, and that is a pain, but the water heater, the well pump, and the radiant heat water tank were all up off the ground far enough to not be affected.

We ended up spending a good part of Sunday afternoon bringing things upstairs and cleaning them off the best we could -- us with mud all over us, too...

So, we made some real progress this weekend, but we had to take some of our time to just deal with another one of those frustrations that happens in life...

HVAC Finished / Deck Rail Finished

2009-07-09T22:30:00.000-04:00

The Wenig's were here for the last two days, and they have completed the installation and testing of the HVAC system -- the register covers, bathroom fans, and thermostats were the main things they had to finish.

Meanwhile, I worked out on the deck and front porch the last day and a half finishing the handrail all the way around... The only thing not done on the handrail is gluing the top decorative piece down. They are fit pretty tightly, so they aren't falling off, but they do need to be glued.

And, then I also need to finish the skirting around the deck, but that is mainly cosmetic, and my goal right now is getting the Certificate of Occupancy...

Here are some pictures... Almost forgot to mention that I put up the house number on the front the other day -- it looks pretty nice, too...

Cooktop...

2009-07-06T12:34:00.000-04:00

Well, today, I have worked on making sure the cooktop is going to work with the cabinet (wasn't sure because of some miscommunication). So, I cut the hole in the plywood temporary "countertop", and we have the stovetop setting in place now. No electric or vent hooked up yet, but for an idea of what it will look like...

Here are two pictures...

Oven, Dishwasher, and Warming Drawer Installed and Working!

2009-07-05T23:27:00.000-04:00

We were able to get the Oven / Microwave Combination, the Dishwasher, and the Warming Drawer all installed this weekend. They look pretty nice with the black fronts and the dark cherry cabinets... We're just waiting on the countertop now which will also be black quartz with sparkles in it...

Here are some pictures...

Cabinets Progress...

2009-07-03T16:30:00.000-04:00

We still have some work to do, but we have the cabinets well under way. There are some unplanned adjustments, but nothing too drastic...

Here are some pictures of the kitchen, one of the shelf on the dining room wall, and a couple of the master vanity cabinets. You'll see that we temporarily put plywood on the cabinets since the countertop will take some time.

Cleaning -- Awaiting Cabinets!

2009-06-27T20:25:00.000-04:00

We (or should I say, my wife) worked hard today to get the tools, sawdust, etc, etc, cleaned out of the house today, and then cleaned and mopped and waxed the floor -- or about half of the house anyway.

So, here are several pictures now that the floor is clean and waxed -- with the complementing dark trim...

The Living Room -- light coming in the North side in the evening...

Kitchen -- can't wait till the cabinets cover the island framing!

Family Room...

Hallway...

Half Bath...

Dining Room...

Window Sills and Trim -- Just About Done!

2009-06-25T22:04:00.000-04:00

Today, I was able to get all the window sills, and all of the trim -- except for two small pieces on each of the windows that go underneath the sill to keep the end of the bottom trim piece from showing... Here are a couple of pictures showing one of the windows I did today, and a closeup of the bottom -- and then a picture of one of the windows I finished last week...

Family Room window I did today -- unfinished bottom...

Closeup of the bottom...

Closeup of the completed Kitchen window...

And, here are several pictures I found on my wife's camera... She probably wanted me to post these yesterday or the day before...

One of the porch lights...

The French Doors into the Family Room -- note the baseboard...

This is for the baseboard -- not the boxes :)

This was about three quarters of the baseboard... Window sills are on the left...

Washer and Dryer are working... Yea!

Kitchen with baseboard and finished window...

Hall baseboard, and door trim...

We chose to put in two 30" sinks -- same model number, but DIFFERENCE backsplash sizes

You can see the backsplashes better below...

The hall shower / bathtub...

The baseboard in one of the bedrooms -- the door on the right is a closet door.

The Living Room baseboard (before the window sills and trim were done)...

Baseboard Done!

2009-06-24T20:28:00.000-04:00

Well, I have worked on baseboard the last three days, a nd I was able to get it completed today. For the most part, it looks really nice. There are always places where things happen -- wallboard is bulges, concrete has a hill or a dip, or I made some minor error -- cut a board just a little short. Most of the problems are either in closets or in corners that won't be seen much. There nine splices altogether, but they are almost all in places where people won't see them.

On the bright side, I had only a small pile of scrap pieces -- I was able to use most of them up as I went. I have six uncut pieces of baseboard left! I do have the storage room that I could put baseboard in and the computer server room. These rooms are not finished yet (no wallboard, spackle, paint, etc). I do have wallboard left that I can do some or all of those rooms, and if/when I do, I can use the baseboard I have left.

Next, I'll be moving on to the remaining windows. I have done two of them, and I have eleven remaining. These should not take all that much time, but there are some precision cuts where I have to notch out the sills where they will rest against the wallboard. These are extended jambs, and so the sill extends in about an inch to the window itself.

There are some other odds and ends that I've been addressing also. I worked on the removable panels that will go around the whirlpool. The ones behind the whirlpool -- in the master bedroom -- are done, but the ones in the bathroom on the front side of the whirlpool are not finished yet. I have one of them done enough to test fit, and I'm working on sanding it down so it fits better before we paint it. It is basically a piece of wallboard framed using 1x2s. We plan to paint the whole thing the color of the bathroom walls. The top will slide up behind a piece of trim, and drop down behind the baseboard that I have going around the whirlpool.

We are anticipating the kitchen and master bathroom cabinets being installed this weekend, but our communication with the Amish has been difficult...

Tune in again, and maybe I'll have some pictures of windows and baseboard along with the door trim, etc...

Door Trim Finished!

2009-06-20T15:55:00.000-04:00

Well, I have finished the trim around all the doors inside the house! I didn't get any for the storage room for garage, so if / when we decide to finish that out, we'll have to get it ourselves, and probably paint it instead of staining it.

Anyway, we are pretty pleased with the way it looks so far. Next, I'll tackle the baseboard. I have done most of the master bedroom baseboard, so I have an idea of what I'm in for. I really dread it, but I know it won't be as bad as it seems once I get started.

Then, after the baseboard, I'll work on the windows -- sills and trim.

We have also put on most of the door knobs and all the bedroom closet shelves and rods are up. So, we are definitely making good progress...

We have the vanities for the hall bath. We decided to use two 30" vanities for now to save money as that can be upgraded later. They are white, and so they match the wall plates. We have interesting colors, but the dark wood contrasted with the light paints and white really looks nice.

Trim and Window Sills

2009-06-17T21:17:00.000-04:00

Well, today has been a pretty good day. I am improving in getting the corners of the doors and windows to line up pretty well. We are anticipating getting the kitchen cabinets within the next few days, and so we wanted to get the windows and doors in the kitchen trimmed so we don't have to work around the cabinets...

So, today, we finished the door trim in the master bathroom, master bedroom, office, and library. Then, we did the doors in the laundry room / pantry and the kitchen. And, we braved the window sills and trim around the windows.

I followed the advice of Owen Yoder who did the finishing of our doors and trim, and it all seemed to work out pretty well...

These four pictures are attempts to capture the kitchen window that will be over the counter -- between the refrigerator and freezer. The lighting just was not working...

From the laundry room looking into the kitchen (where the cabinets will soon be ;)

One of the pocket doors -- not sure which one.

Pantry looking into the kitchen again.

Kitchen window again.

From the library, looking through the cased opening into the office.

The door from the library into the dining room -- office is to the right.

The double kitchen window. The windows themselves are not yet finished -- we will take them out and do them on a rainy day...

Kitchen window again.

Door Trim, Baseboard, and Wainscoting

2009-06-16T22:22:00.000-04:00

In order to make the walls in the master bedroom look a little more "complete", I decided spend today working on finishing the wainscoting on the wall backed up to the bathroom whirlpool. We did this because we needed to leave access to the underside of the whirlpool, and having a piece of wainscoting that slides up behind the chair rail and then drops down behind the baseboard was a really nice way to hide the fact that these panels are removable.

In order to do this, I had to first put up the trim around the doors that border the wainscoting so that the exact sizes of the panels, the chair rail, and the baseboard could be determined. Then, I had to put up the panels, followed by the chair rail (made specially to fit the panels up behind), and finally, the baseboard.

With baby blue walls and white wainscoting (not to mention the dark trim), the finished product looks sort of like a beach house... It is really looking nice!

We also put the sink and toilet into the half bath (should I say powder room), and that is looking pretty nice also.

While I was working, my wife went around and put in light bulbs. The electric cooperative was nice to provide us with the energy efficient lights we needed since it is a new construction.

My wife was gracious enough to provide us with some pictures again today...

Far side of master bedroom -- French doors open to the deck (left) and the pocket door on the right goes into the bathroom... The whirlpool is behind that wall.

Same wall, bathroom door is closed, and the closet door is opened.

Powder room sink...

Sconces on the master bedroom wall -- the bed will be centered between them with the switch conveniently located on His side ;)

Access panel removed -- underside of the whirlpool exposed.

Progress on Door Trim

2009-06-15T23:49:00.000-04:00

Well, I was able to get the inside of all 6 closets (3 kids bedroom closets, entry closet, linen closet, and master closet) trimmed today, and it doesn't look too bad either.

I then got brave, and started in the master bedroom -- did the bathroom frame and the French doors that lead out to the deck. My real motivation was to get the doors done where I'm putting wainscoting, so I can get that done next. It will be nice to have all the walls in the master bedroom finished, and in the process, I'm also getting the trim done.

I have not yet braved a window sill and trim, but that will be coming soon... I have to notch out the sills to fit in where the extension jamb was -- took that out so the sill could fit all the way to the window frame to make it a little stronger.

No pictures tonight -- it's dark, and my wife doesn't seem to trust me with her camera... I wonder why...

Maybe pictures tomorrow!

Finished Interior Doors and Started Trim

2009-06-14T21:56:00.000-04:00

It has been a while since I have posted, and really, much progress has been made. We have 99% of the electrical completed -- lights, outlets, etc. There are a few things not working, but I think they just didn't put a breaker in for a few things.

My parents came to visit a little more than a week and a half ago, and we planed and sanded the window frames down to be flush with the wallboard, so that will make the trim work a lot easier. The house wasn't quite to the point where they could actually stay overnight here, so they stayed in a motel.

My brother, Terry, came to help me put in the interior doors at the end of this past week, and we were able to get all the doors set, and two of the five pocket doors cased in. After he left yesterday, I was able to finish the pocket door casing, and also put in all 5 of the cased openings (we like the open feel)...

Today, I decided to try some of the trim around the inside of the closet doors, and I was able to get three of them done. Let's just say, I'm not a pro at trim, but it looks respectable. There are a few cracks showing, and I'm not sure I want to do all the doors that are visible all the time. I'm sure I'll get better as I go, so maybe I'll just do it anyway... My wife and I have decided that we're not going to be as picky as we may normally be...

I am currently unable find my camera, so my wife took some pictures with her camera... If you think there are too many, you'll have to blame her ;)

Looking from the dining room into the family room...

Looking from the dining room into the living room...

From the laundry room door looking across the kitchen toward the road...

From the kitchen looking at the coat closet in the entry way...

One of the seven ceiling fans...

The master bedroom (wainscoting not yet finished)...

Master bedroom looking toward the bathroom, with the closet door opened (on the right)...

Same as above, but with the pocket door of the bathroom vanity mostly closed...

One side of the closet in the master bedroom -- my clothes are starting to get dusty down in the basement!

The family room light...

The closet doors in one of the kids bedrooms -- others below ;)

The linen closet doors in the hall bath (pocket door partially showing leads to the toilet / bath area)...

Same as above -- looking from the hallway...

From the living room -- looking at the entry way on the left, and the dining room on the right (there I am -- typing my blog)...

Chandelier in the dining room...

One of the many sconce lights (we like these a lot)...

Family room French doors (looking across the messy table)...

Is that enough pictures for one day? Thank you, Sweetheart, for taking pictures today :)

Let There Be Light!

2009-06-01T14:26:00.000-04:00

Well, our electricians are here today, and we finally have some light! Here are just a couple of pictures of the hallway -- one with the lights off and one with them on...

It obviously gives it a whole new look -- the beginning of the "finished" look... Cabinets, doors, and trim will obviously bring the whole thing together... Sounds easy in one little sentence, but the doors and trim will obviously take some time and effort...

Painting -- Almost Finsihed!

2009-05-25T13:08:00.000-04:00

To all my patient peeps -- and those not so patient (you know who you are ;)

Here are some pictures of the finished rooms -- I'll put a little caption with each -- very difficult to get good perspective inside the house (especially with a broken LCD screen so I can't see the pic before taking it).

Guess?

In the dining room -- looking into the Family Room (and the Living Room is at the right edge of the picture).

The front Entry Way (looking in from the Living Room)...

In the Kitchen -- looking into the Laundry Room.

In the Library -- looking into the Office (work in progress)

Master Bathroom.

Breanna's Bedroom.

Kendrick's Bedroom.

Bradley's Bedroom (the White Room for the men in White Coats).

The long Hallway. The only Hallway.

The garage -- actually, the workshop side of the garage (not painting it right now).

My Name is Mud...

2009-05-15T11:03:00.000-04:00

Well, this morning, we were able to finish getting the paper on the floor, and the guys got here to do the tape and first coat of mud.

I hope they are as efficient as the drywall guys were... So, finally, I get to a lull in the time and effort I have to put in -- at least for a couple of weeks.

We will be taking a trip back to Tennessee this weekend to get a load of boxes and furniture. Life is never dull!

Hopefully, I'll have some pictures of the house with walls partially finished later tonight.

Drywall Hung!

2009-05-14T20:30:00.000-04:00

Well, today has been a long and busy day! I'll just say that earlier this week, I had a little problem, and had to make a change...

Today, my new drywall guy had a crew come in and hang the drywall. They have finished the garage (the ceiling and the firewall -- I didn't want the outside walls finished out with drywall). They have 95% of the interior finished now also, and they are still working. They arrived at around 9AM, and boy have they worked!

Yes, they are a crew of three Mexicans, and they are all the nicest guys (from what little we can understand ;)

The mudding is to start tomorrow, and will take about half of next week, followed by the texturing for the ceilings, and then the priming... They plan to tint the primer for each color, and then we'll have an easier time covering the primer with fewer coats of paint.

The painting should take part of the following week, so we should be less than two weeks out from having the painting finished! You can imagine that we are pretty excited! We will then have the cabinets and trim to do... Of course, there will be a lot of things that come up, I'm sure, but we are really starting to get close!

I spent today trying to move things from one part of the garage to the other (as they did the garage ceiling so they could move their stands, etc). I also had to help with the garage door hangers because I used nuts and bolts instead of lag bolts (don't ask me why)...

Then, I've also been sweeping out the finished rooms so I can lay the heavy brown paper down in the rooms to protect the floors from the mud. We don't want them scraping that up! I have all the paper laid except for the kitchen, living room, dining room, hall way, and half bath. I guess I also have to do the pantry and laundry room -- had forgotten them :( That sounds like a lot, but I did the entire master suite (library, office, bedroom, closet, bath, and vanity area) in just a few hours yesterday... I really need to finish the rest tonight, and considering the time, that may be difficult.

So, we're getting ready to take a trip back to Tennessee -- probably leaving Saturday.

Drywall Progress

2009-05-08T10:33:00.001-04:00

Well, today, the guys got here around 8:30, and they swept the entire floor -- not really sure why at this stage, but hey, it is much nicer with it swept. And, now, they are working in the master closet (which is about the size of the kids bedrooms -- actually, more walls because of the wall dividing the "his" and "hers" sides... Or, is it "hers" and "hers"?

I went around counting the outlets, switch boxes, and light boxes in the walls and entered them in my computer so I have some record of whether they miss any... Of course, I've got some pictures, but it is really difficult to get good pictures with the wallboard leaning against many of the walls right now...

I'm going to finish the last of that insulation around the storage room today. I'm not doing a whole lot here right now, but that was the plan, right? Now, to find a job!

Anyway, we're moving forward...

Political Oddities

2009-05-07T19:06:00.001-04:00

Some of the recent happenings in politics force me to make a few observations...

1) Obama is going to quadruple the amount of money spent on finding and prosecuting "tax evaders", yet how many of his own cabinet appointees are tax evaders, and yet no consequences... We can help find them! They are in his regular cabinet meetings... Oh, they paid their taxes after they were about to be discovered... When my kids refuse to acknowledge their wrong choices until I find out myself, they suffer consequences...

2) Homeland Security has warned law enforcement about those of us who believe in the right to life, God's design for marriage, lower taxes, and less federal government power, yet we are (again) decreasing our defense budget (which would be used to fight real terrorists).

3) After a month or so of pushing a huge budget -- so many trillions of dollars that we can't imagine -- Obama now says he is going to give Congress a "pay as you go" policy... I think we call that a "Do as I say and not as I do" policy...

4) Of course, the "apology tour" cannot go without mention -- I mean, it sounds to me like, "I'm sorry for being Americans"... Next, we'll be surrendering to Britain for that ill-conceived attempt to become independent a few hundred years ago... Nevermind that Americans have been responsible for spurring on the industrial revolution, etc, etc. We don't hear Britain going around apologizing for occupying countless peoples of the world through the last several centuries. Somehow, the success of America is a big mistake, and we're sorry! Sort of like the success of the individual American is to be punished by our own America!

5) "Job creation"? Right... I lost my job, but Obama isn't creating a job that could pay my bills even if I did want to go out and do road / bridge construction, and it would only last for a little while anyway...

6) "Jobs created or saved"... Let's see -- all these companies are out there volunteering "we would have let these XXX people go if Obama didn't help us 'save' their jobs." We can't count things we can't know... That is a claim that can never be disproven -- any more than it can be proven.

7) Ever heard of "robbing Peter to pay Paul"? Take money from tax payers to give back to tax payers... Someday, this "pyramid scheme" (or maybe it is actually a Ponzi Scheme) is going to fall apart... If you tried to start a company with such a scheme, you would be breaking the law... You can break the law as long as you are ABOVE the law! (Al Gore: There is no controlling legal authority... Such a legacy! We didn't know Obama would make Clinton's presidency look like child's play.)

8) Can't even start to discuss the federal government ownership / strong-arming that is going on. Scary is just not the word. Lord help the CEO or board of directors that gets on the bad side of Obama... I would be tiptoeing around trying not to O-ffend... Glad I'm a jobless nobody!

9) Instead of cutting these existing programs, let's go back through the stimulous bill and the proposed budget and cut some of that planned waste... Then, let's talk about cutting existing waste...

10) "If you vote for me, I'll GIVE you free health care, etc, etc" -- I think they would call that sort of thing bribery or "buying votes"... I think that might be illegal in some jurisdictions...

11) The cheerleading of the media has been an utter embarrassment, only to be exceeded by the embarrassment of so many of those media members joining the Obama rock group...

This whole thing would be funny if not so incredibly scary!

There are far too many oddities to point out in this really strange political environment... Glad God gives us a clue as to the FINAL outcome -- though it may or may not be right around the corner.

Drywall Pictures...

2009-05-07T18:25:00.000-04:00

Not a ton finished on the drywall today, but I did take some pictures.

They did the ceilings of all the bathrooms, the pantry, and the laundry room -- except for a few partial pieces they will have later.

Then they did the walls of the master bath so we have a little privacy without having to put up a sheet...

It is surely bright in there with the drywall!

Master Vanity Area

Master Bath (Whirlpool)

Library / Hall Bath (past the wall)

Drywall Started / Whirlpool Hooked Up

2009-05-06T21:18:00.000-04:00

So, today, they got the ceilings done on the family room, living room, kitchen, library, office, and master bedroom. He used 16' boards on all of those rooms to avoid butt joints (not butt cracks). There will be only two of the guys here the next two days, so they will concentrate on the smaller rooms now.

And, the plumbers came back today to connect the whirlpool and test for leaks. There was a problem with the drain, but they got it fixed, and so now we could (theoretically) use the whirlpool...

No pictures tonight, but things are starting to look good with the ceiling going up.

We have lots and lots of work left, but things are definitely moving forward...

Drywall Delivered -- and Started...

2009-05-06T13:43:00.000-04:00

We finally have drywall in the house, and they are hanging ceilings today... We had some fun with the guys that delivered it -- and the crane they use to unload it... They were real nice guys.

They should get quite a bit of it hung this afternoon, and we'll see how it goes for the rest of the week.

The plumbers are back to finish hooking up the whirlpool... Maybe we'll get to try it out soon :) Well, maybe not...

Insulation Inspection, etc...

2009-05-05T22:27:00.000-04:00

Well, the insulation inspection passed today -- he was here for about 5 minutes, and when he left, he said, "See you when you're done"...

So, that is a great feeling!

Worked today on some of the blocking in the bathroom vanities. Seems like I've got a lot of little things to finish up, but nevertheless, the drywall will start tomorrow!

I let the other two kids try the stilts out today... Bradley is a natural on them. I didn't even want to walk without holding on, but it took him all of 2 minutes to be pretty well walking on them...

Then, Dawn and I went over to see our Amish friends, and they gave me permission to take a couple of pictures of their kids... Cute little girls with their Daddy's eyes!

Finished with Firring Strips

2009-05-05T00:08:00.000-04:00

So, today, I was able to completely finish the firring strips along the top edges of the interior walls. And, I had the building inspector come to inspect the insulation, but I had to fill the holes in the tops of the walls with foam to act as a fire stop. I didn't know that before, but I was able to take care of it today.

And, I used the RESCheck utility online to demonstrate that our insulation will pass code (since R-38 would be required otherwise), and I had to print it out and get it ready for him when he comes back. I have all of that ready, and I put a call in to schedule a re-inspect tomorrow... So, other than finishing up some blocking in the walls, we should be ready for drywall...

Here is a picture of one of the drywall clips -- followed by a picture showing that I used them to put these strips up and attach them to the walls. This will allow any truss uplift to occur without cracking the drywall at the corners of the rooms.

The drywall is scheduled to be delivered on Wednesday morning, and my drywall guys hope to get several of the ceilings put up that day, and then they'll do the bathroom walls, which will be nice to get that done...

Done with Firring Strips! (Almost)

2009-05-02T15:06:00.000-04:00

We were able to get the firring strips finished in all the rooms. The only loose end I have to tie up is whatever I'm going to do along the interior walls to avoid truss uplift from cracking the joint compound... I have drywall clips, but I'm not sure I want to go that route. I may use these firring strips, but angle the screws into the wall header instead of going up into the trusses.

Anyway, this is still a major milestone -- or almost to the major milestone of starting the drywall. I have to finish the blocking in the walls, and then we will be ready... Well, I have to get the insulation inspection done, but that should be trivial...

Meanwhile, Kendrick tried the stilts out, and he decided he won't be playing on them! He had to keep hold of the walls / ceiling the whole time... He found out it is much more difficult than the Amish made it look...

Firring Strips...

2009-05-01T18:17:00.000-04:00

Well, two of my Amish friends came back for a half day today (one wasn't feeling well -- let's hope it's not some odd strain of the flu)...

They were on stilts, and so I was running around making sure they had everything they needed (since it is difficult to reach the ground on 4 foot stilts), and making sure each room was ready for them to go work in...

They were able to get a few screws in each strip for nearly all the rooms -- all the big rooms. That way, I can go around now and finish the screws without having to get the strips in place, etc. So, I have now finished putting all the screws in the family room, living room, dining room, entry way, kitchen, laundry room, pantry, half bath, library, office, and master bedroom. The strips are ready (but not all the screws) in two of the kids bedrooms. They were not able to finish the strips in one of the kids bedrooms, both full baths (and vanity areas), and the master closet...

I am trying to first get all the screws in the strips that are already up, but then I'll have to put the strips up in the remaining rooms... Probably needing some help from my son just trying to get them straight, etc...

John left his stilts here, and I could wear them, but it is very difficult to get accustomed to walking around in them -- let alone trying to carry a heavy cordless drill, screws, hammer, etc... So, I have opted to just move the step ladders around instead...

Here are some pictures... It is really looking like a house now, and I have also noticed that (with no air conditioning on), the garage is extremely hotter than the house! It rained all night, so the house was cooled down, and it really has stayed really nice in there all day long even though it is very hot in the garage...

Unfortunately, I have dropped a hammer a few times, and made chips in the floor. That is a pain, but things will be dropped, and the concrete will chip -- that's life... We do live in a very imperfect world! Our floor (and everything else in our house) will be a testament to that fact!

However, this is also a wonderful reminder that we are "looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ"! (v.13 from Titus 2:11-13) There is coming a day when we (who know this Savior) will no longer be living in this imperfect world!

Foam Insulation / Firring Strips

2009-04-30T18:45:00.000-04:00

I had four of my Amish friends come over today to put up the 1.5" insulation sheets, and they got that entire job done (in the living area of the house). We also put a few of the firring strips up just to see how it is going to work... They snapped chalk lines on the insulation so we can find the trusses easier.

While they were working on the insulation, I was working on getting the strips cut to length for each room, and drilling holes into the ends (so they won't crack). We were able to put screws through the centers of the strips without them cracking which is great since it saves a lot of time.

Here are some pictures of the insulation and the strips...

Ceiling Insulation

2009-04-28T22:13:00.000-04:00

Well, I had two guys (who work for my drywall guy) come and work on the insulation in the ceiling today. They worked around 4-5 hours, and probably have 90% of it done. They skipped over the parts that have to be cut and pieced in, so they are almost finished, but not quite...

I have also set up for two of my Amish friends to come and work on Friday and Saturday of this week to put up the 1.5" foam insulation and the firring strips. It will be interesting to see how long that will take... I have to get those firring strips cut to length and I would really like to get the holes drilled in those before John and Elmer come on Friday... That will be a lot of work particularly because I won't get the replacement motor for the table saw until tomorrow (probably late afternoon).

My wife and two of our kids went back to Tennessee today, so Kendrick and I are here alone now. It was nice to have the family here, but there are things they need to do back in Tennessee, too...

Blocking and Burned out Motor

2009-04-27T21:53:00.000-04:00

While working on cutting boards for blocking in the walls, my table saw motor burned up, so I am getting a replacement motor. My dad happened to have a motor that will work (probably better than the one that was on the saw), so I am looking forward to getting that by UPS on Wednesday this week. Thank you, Dad...

Meanwhile, I was able to put several of the pieces into the various walls, and I started going around measuring all the various wire locations in the walls, and also the "stud" locations in each wall... Also taking pictures of each wall so I will have both a catalog of this information as well as photo records.

My wife finished the staining of the window frames and the grilles, but we will have to do the windows themselves later. They can be taken out to do them in the workshop later on...

Things continue to "crawl" along at snails pace, but we are still moving forward...

Loose Ends Before Drywall...

2009-04-25T22:42:00.000-04:00

Trying to get some of the last minute details finished up before the insulation is finished so that I'll be ready for drywall by then...

Worked on the blocking in the walls today -- still have a lot to do, but I have worked out a pretty good solution. We bought some more 2x4's today for that, and also the plywood -- hope it's enough!

And, I wanted to add some extra strength to the ceiling fan boxes, and I've got two more of those to finish.

We have the bottom front wall to finish putting these straps on the studs / sill plate.

My wife worked on staining the window grilles again today. She has done the front of all of them now, and has to finish the back (which will show outside)...

We did get the rest of the 1.5" insulation sheets delivered today, so now I should have everything we need to get from here to drywall!

Wall Insulation -- Done

2009-04-24T20:20:00.000-04:00

Well, today, I was able to complete the installation of the wall insulation. There is always a caveat -- I dohave some more Styrofoam insulation that I need to put around o ur storage room that is technically part of the garage.

I also nearly completed attaching those metal straps to the wall headers / studs. I have to put them on the sill plates / studs, but that can be done while the guys put the insulation in the ceiling.

That process should start tomorrow morning... My drywall guys are supposed to be here at 8AM, and get the ceiling insulation started...

Lots to do yet before drywall, but the list is definitely getting shorter... I have the blocking to finish in the walls, and I have to catalog the wall locations of the wires (that I'm leaving inside the walls for now).

Also, I would like to predrill the holes in the firring strips to keep them from splitting...

My wife was very helpful this week -- she worked today on staining the window frames and assembling and staining the grills that go into the windows. We'll have to take the windows out to stain them each one later, but that doesn't have to be done right now. We wanted to get the frames stained before the drywall / painting. We'll see if that turns out to be a mistake or not...

So, now, it's a race to get the drywall started... Thought we'd never get this far!

Wall Insulation, Etc

2009-04-22T10:16:00.002-04:00

Update: Added pictures below -- my descriptions may not have done the job without pictures...

Well, I am still just sort of putzing along, but making progress... We are now a little more than half done putting in the wall insulation, and that really won't take that much longer.

I have also done some other things -- just sort of whatever I feel like... I had some wires that I still needed to run... I changed my mind where to put the future intercom in the master bedroom, so had to run a wire. The intercom system that I would like to get (someday) requires power to each keypad (because the keypads also have audio amplification capability for whole house Audio/Video), so I ran almost all of those wires. Several could have been run later, and the three that I didn't get done because I ran out of wire can be accessed from the attic, so I will likely wait to finish those.

We have also continued to make progress nailing those reinforcement straps on the tops of the walls -- still have more to do... It wouldn't take long if I just ignored everything else, and did that one job...

I also have been planning to put some blocking in walls for hanging pictures, etc, so, I cut a 2x4 down and put a notch in it so that I can use my nailer to put it in the wall, and then a piece of half inch plywood will set right in the notch. That way, I can use the nailer and an electric stapler, and get those done in a hurry...

Here are two 2 foot sections of the 2x2 that I cut the corners out of (front corner is for the plywood -- back corner is for any wires that happen to be running up the stud)...

Here is a wall that I put some 1' sections into -- just to make sure my nailer wasn't going to split the 2x2 too badly. Seemed to work great!

I can work on several of these things when my guys come later this week or next week to work on the ceiling insulation -- prior to drywall, but I wanted to figure out what I'm going to do while I have the time...

Also made a neat "jig" to cut the insulation lengthwise... I set two 2x2's down (attached about 1/2 inch apart), and then I lay the insulation on top of them (positioning where I want the cut over top of the 1/2 crack), then use another 2x4 on top of them to compress the insulation -- actually, I put one on each side, and then use my homemade "knife" or "saw" to just cut it... I'm sure the pro's have something similar, but I'm not a pro, and I didn't want to spend money on a tool I'll only need for a week or two...

Here are the 2x2's on the ground -- the third one is just to give me something to set the 2x4 on top of...

Here is the insulation with the 2x4 on top of it -- I added some boards on the ends to hold this 2x4 down for me -- hard to hold it and cut at the same time...

Here is the 2 inch piece cut off -- for some of those places where the stud ended up right beside a door / window...

Anyway, my family is here this week, but yesterday and today, the kids had to go take the standardized achievement tests, so it has been a little lonely -- can't even talk with my wife on the phone as she is a volunteer proctor for the testing! So, I'm putzing around and drinking a lot of coffee...

Wall Insulation

2009-04-20T08:50:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned Saturday, we were able to get started on the wall insulation. In just a few hours yesterday, I was able to get almost a quarter of the wall insulation done. I still have the "partial" cavities to do, but I am making good progress.

I went around and put some of that spray insulation in the holes where the wires for the exterior lights go through the sheathing, and also around the back of the exterior outlet boxes. Just to cut down on the breeze coming through the wall.

And, I decided that the "nailers" (extra studs in the corners of the walls for nailing drywall) on the exterior walls created a "void" that I would be able to insulate behind, and so I decided to turn them sideways in order to eliminate those voids.

So, we can honestly say we are "started" on the wall insulation. I'm sort of putzing along, but it is starting to go a little faster as I work.

Glad to say that my family has come back to Ohio for the week. Hopefully, we'll all be able to do some work this week, and we'll get at least all of the walls insulated in just another few days. Cheap labor...

Insulation Started...

2009-04-18T18:50:00.001-04:00

Today, I haven't worked hard all day -- took a little break...

I couldn't help but take a picture of the used cans of spray insulation -- Look like a herd of aliens or something -- "Pick me, Pick me"...

But, I did get some work done... First, my son did some more of those reinforcing straps on the top of the walls. And, I started the work on the R13 insulations in the walls. After fighting with the utility knife, I took a few minutes to make myself a "knife" out of a piece of the aluminum corner cap I hadn't thrown away yet. It looks sort of like a butcher knife -- I put a board on the ground, and a 2x4 on top of that, and then laid the insulation on top of that, and another 2x4, and then I used the knife like a saw... It worked great...

And, here is the wall -- I've decided to do the "easy" cavities first, and whatever I don't finish before my guys get here this week, they can finish...

And, yes, I know I'm supposed to fold the paper over the 2x4, but my drywall guy specifically told me not to so he can glue the drywall in place (in addition to the screws). I'm not concerned about a continuous vapor barrier there because I have 2 continuous vapor barriers on the outside of the sheathing (both a house wrap AND the foam insulation with a mylar coating on both sides).

Speaker Wires, Door / Window Insulation, and Extra Security

2009-04-17T20:00:00.001-04:00

We got a lot of little things done today -- still seems like we're not doing a lot, but we did get the speaker wires finished today -- we are now about 99% finished with all the audio/video wiring. Part of the rest is just getting the wires secured inside the walls.

I have a computer spreadsheet which I'll use to document the locations of these wires in each wall. I could put boxes in the walls, and let the drywall guys cut them out when they hang them, but I would rather have the option of leaving some of these until someday in the future when I'm ready to finish them out. I have speaker wires in all bedrooms and living areas -- including the master bath (where the whirlpool is located). The speakers alone will cost a lot of money, and wiring the connectors will take a lot of time, so I can delay both the expense and the effort until I am ready to do a given room... We'll get there eventually -- until then, the wires are in the walls, and will patiently wait for me to cut a whole :)

And, we were also able to use that cool expanding foam around all the rest of the windows and doors in the house -- it is difficult to get the right amount. I would rather get too much and cut it off than not fill the cracks up... Here is a picture of one window (the light outside caused this to turn out rather dark)...

And, I had some help from my son on attaching these straps of metal to the studs and to the wall header boards just to add a little security in case of extremely high winds. We will do the same type of thing on the bottom of the studs also to keep the house firmly attached to the foundation (since only the bottom board is actually bolted to the concrete).

Here is my helper...

Insulation, Vacuum System Wire, Speaker Wire

2009-04-16T18:46:00.000-04:00

Well, today I was able to complete the vacuum system wiring -- the low-voltage wire that turns the unit on and off when the hose is plugged in / unplugged. So, another task checked off the list...

We have a couple of rooms that I didn't finish the speaker wire in earlier, but I bought wire today, and will hopefully will be able to get this done in a day or two. I have more than half of the rooms done, and some of them are accessible from the attic in case I decide to wait and do them later -- though, it is so much easier to just do it now while the walls and ceiling are open...

And, I went back to Home Depot to get the last load of the fiberglass insulation, so I have almost all the materials here now to get through to drywall. I am waiting on the foam insulation -- a bit frustrated to find that the company was claiming it would be 2-3 more weeks! Outrageous since I called the guy 2 weeks ago. I think it just didn't get ordered when I first called him.

Anyway, I am going to be pressuring him to get the company to rush the order, so we'll see what happens...

I also bought some metal strapping to use to reinforce the wall headers to the studs. I just didn't like the fact that the roof is attached to the wall header boards, and each stud just has two nails into the ends (which is relatively weak because it is with the grain), and then the sheathing and wallboard are the only additional thing attaching the roof to the foundation. I suppose I should do the same thing at the bottoms of the wall, and I may... But, I did get the metal strap today, and the roofing nails go through it just great, so I will feel just a little more secure when / if there is tornado weather...

And, last but not least, the drywall clips for the ceiling were supposed to be delivered today, but there was a "delivery exception" -- no attempt was made (according to the website), so those should get here tomorrow.

So, I once again have PLENTY of work to keep me busy this weekend and next week. I am having my drywall guy come in next week to help with insulation, but whatever I have done will be great to have done... Just that much less labor to pay...

So, even though I didn't get a whole lot done today, I sure feel like I did... Now to actually do all these little jobs I have lined up for myself!

Tax Cut to 95% of America? Is He Serious?

2009-04-16T09:52:00.000-04:00

So, President Obama claims he has delivered his promised tax cut to 95% of Americans? Where is it?

And you say you're helping American's by cutting taxes -- raising tax on tobacco affects a lot of Americans. Cap and trade policies will raise (probably double) most of our energy costs -- may not be actually a "tax", but it will cost most American's a lot of money.

Our hard earned money is not like peanut butter that you "spread around"...

American's are a generous people. If their neighbor needs something, generally speaking, American's will help -- with food or money or clothes. Charity is about voluntarily helping people... Government "spreading the wealth around" is not voluntary and it is not charity.

If Obama thinks he is going to change our opinions by getting on TV or the internet making clever speeches (with a bunch of "uh's"), then he must really think we're stupid! I think we're just a little smarter than that...

Transparency? Did you say you will have the most transparent administration in American history?

This is like one big "Presidential Shell Game"... Where's the money?

Odds and Ends -- Will it Ever End?

2009-04-15T20:39:00.000-04:00

There are a few details that I have to finish up before insulation and drywall are done -- a few additional low-voltage wires, spray insulation filler around windows and doors, and of course, I have to get the insulation here so they can put it in...

So, in addition to continuing to rip these firring strips, I have been getting some of these loose ends tied up... It just seems to never end!

Nothing really new to take pictures of, so it will be a few days before I post any more pictures...

BOLO: Rightwing Extremism

2009-04-14T21:59:00.000-04:00

A little time out from my normal blog context... Some things just deserve a comment...

An official Department of Homeland Security "assessment" document has somehow made it into the public arena, and you may have already heard about it... In addition, some of the copies of it seemed to be suddenly (and conspicuously) unavailable... Of course, once in the public arena, it cannot be somehow deleted...

Here is the "scope" statement:

This product is one of a series of intelligence assessments published by the Extremism and Radicalization Branch to facilitate a greater understanding of the phenomenon of violent radicalization in the United States. The information is provided to federal, state, local, and tribal counterterrorism and law enforcement officials so they may effectively deter, prevent, preempt, or respond to terrorist attacks against the United States. Federal efforts to influence domestic public opinion must be conducted in an overt and transparent manner, clearly identifying United States Government sponsorship.

You really need to read all 10 pages of this document, but suffice it to say that this document seems to classify most Americans who believe in things like states rights, right to life, and capitalism as "rightwing extremists".

Read that last sentence above carefully -- "Federal efforts to influence domestic public opinion must be conducted" -- in other words, the Federal government has a responsibility to influence your opinions! That sounds to me like they think they have to introduce propaganda to influence your thinking!!!

The problem here is that this sounds a lot to me like the sort of propaganda that Hitler put out there in pre-WWII Germany specifically about the Jews...

We are being labeled as rightwing extremists and assessed as a threat. Now, just one crackpot needs to do one stupid thing, and they'll say, "See, we warned about this."

Tomorrow is the Tax Day Tea Parties all around the country. Doubtless there will be some "event" that will be exaggerated by the left wing media, and the left wing will define the rest of us Conservatives by that one "event"... Even if there is no "event" for the left to coalesce around, I expect the radical left (like Acorn) to come out and taunt some lawful protester with a temper, and that will be the one event that will show up on the left wing evening news...

We may have to wait two years until the next election to see the balance of power shift... But, I think that is exactly why Obama and his "administration" (read cronies) are trying to get so much of their radical agenda pushed through so quickly with no debate whatsoever (they don't even have time to read what they're voting on most of the time)! They know they have to do this while they have the power. But, what they are miscalculating is that these extreme policies are waking a sleeping giant -- once called the moral majority. We have been silent too long! We have got to show up tomorrow, and we have got to show up at the polls in 2 years and again in 4 years!

Bob & Andy...

2009-04-14T20:44:00.000-04:00

Stopped by John and Lilly Miller's this afternoon to let John know the status of the house (since I had talked with him about the possibility of having him help me with the insulation and the firring strips)...

While I was outside talking with John (and his two little girls were running around and falling in the mud a time or two), out of the house comes Lilly carrying a pie... They weren't expecting me, so she had made a few pies, and she gave me one of them. She told me it was "Bob & Andy Pie".

Not being Amish myself (at least not yet -- I may be next year if I can't find a job), I was telling my wife (back in Tennessee) about it, and asked her to look it up on the internet (amazing how much information about the Amish has made it to the "information super highway")...

Sure enough, she found it first thing... Here is one of the recipe pages that has a brief description of the origin...

So, I just had a piece, and I think I'll need three more before I can tell you how it tastes :) Actually, I would have to describe it as a custard pie -- it is good, and I probably will have three more pieces...

On the home front, I was able to get a bunch more of the 1/2" strips ripped today, and I have decided to get some drywall clips to attach the drywall to the side walls to help avoid cracking of the corners due to truss uplift (since trusses bow due to changes in temperature and humidity).

And, I went to Home Depot, and bought all the fiberglass insulation 12 months same as cash, and because I went to the contractors desk, they were able to save me $80! They were very helpful and friendly, and it all worked out great! I couldn't get it all back here in one trip, but I have enough to get started...

Unfortunately, there are a couple of other things I need to finish in the walls before we can insulate, and certainly before they can do the drywall...

In addition, I talked with Shad Guy -- my drywall guy (appropriate) -- and they are needing some work, so he agreed to come and put up the insulation and these firring strips for very low labor cost. It really helps to be able to get some help getting through this phase... Once they get started, I expect the insulation to take them just a few days and then the firring strips shouldn't take too long. Then, the drywall plus the painting, and we'll be ready for doors, trim, and cabinets...

The light at the end of the tunnel is getting a little brighter, and it doesn't sound like a train...

Firring Strips and Warm Floors!

2009-04-13T22:54:00.001-04:00

Well, we got started ripping the firring strips yesterday... Actually, I am ripping 2x6's down into half inch strips, so each piece will be 1.5" x 0.5". I will also need some that are 1.5" x 2", so I have several of those also.

Because of the varying sizes of the rooms, I have calculated how many of each I need at various lengths, and so I can get them done ahead of time, and then we can cut them to length as we put them in each room. The following table shows how many of each size I need:

Length	0.5" wide strips	2" wide strips
10'	75	17
14'	98	19
16'	17	9

So far, I have the following cut:

Length	0.5" wide strips	2" wide strips
10'	34	0
14'	23	0
16'	17	9

So, I have a bunch more to do, but it is coming along -- in just over a day!

Here is a picture of the pile of strips I've cut -- the 2" 16' boards are in the middle. The camera appears to have something on the lens -- probably sawdust from ripping all these boards...

And, the heat is set for 40 degrees, so it does come on at night quite a bit, and so I took my shoes off to walk around on the floor tonight, and it feels pretty nice! We are going to enjoy that in the mornings! Without the insulation on the ceiling, the heat does seem to be sapped out of the slab pretty quickly, but I was happy to be able to feel the warmth...

Passed Rough-In Inspection!

2009-04-13T12:10:00.000-04:00

Praise the Lord! He is Good! And greatly to be Praised!

I finally called the building authority to have the rough in inspection -- fully expecting to fail because I have been told to expect him to find something wrong in a house this big...

I don't know if it was my utter honesty or the fact that I have been consulting with Todd Mobley or what, but he told me he was going to pass me right now... After he left, I was brought to tears at God's answer to prayer!

Not that I have anything I'm trying to hide, but I have heard too many horror stories about building inspections, and I knew there had already been some problems... But, I did go ahead and replace the headers over the 6' openings (2 windows and a door) -- and he saw that, and I think that may have helped him know I wasn't trying to hide anything...

So, we are now on to the next big phase -- insulation... I have to go out and buy that... I have already started ripping the 2x6's for firring strips after we get the insulation up...

So, we are ecstatic right now, and just rejoicing at how good God is! Now, if only He will help me find the right job to pay for all this!

Whirlpool in Place -- FINALLY!

2009-04-11T15:14:00.002-04:00

Well, we were able to put the trim around the whirlpool today, and lower it into place -- as straight as we can get it. It is primarily setting on this decking, but I have lowered the feet underneath it to be snug against the concrete to prevent the water weight from shifting it or any chance of moving the decking. You can see the extra little decoration of the trim piece around the front of the tub -- this actually goes underneat the edge, and is holding the tub up.

And, here are some pictures of the boxes where the outside lights will mount -- they are nice large flat areas since siding doesn't provide much of a surface... This first one is outside our French doors from our bedroom onto the deck, and then the second one is outside the laundry room door on the deck. Only the boxes (without the covers) are shown by the laundry room door... Note you can also see the doorbell wire beside the laundry room door. That will probably be our "normal" entry door for company.

Less Productive Friday...

2009-04-10T21:09:00.000-04:00

We didn't get much work done on the house today. We swept and mopped nearly half of the floors today, and we're getting ready to put down heavy brown paper to (hopefully) protect the floors a little bit during the next phases (insulation and drywall).

The trim for the decking around the whirlpool is almost dry enough to put in place, but we'll probably have to do it over the weekend.

We did work on cleaning up the garage / workshop area, but there is still a lot more cleaning to do...

So, not really a productive day on the house, but a little progress is better than none at all!

Sorry -- no pictures of the outdoor light boxes yet :( We'll get to it soon...

Preparation for Inspection

2009-04-09T21:30:00.000-04:00

I'm sure you're about as tired of reading about us getting ready for rough in inspection as I am of writing it... We're really getting close, but we still have more things do finish even after the inspection before we can have the drywall started (such as insulation)... We can't start insulation until the rough in inspection is done, though...

So, the last couple of days, we have finally finished getting all the outdoor outlets and light boxes installed in the siding! And, we also bought and installed the light fixtures in the shower enclosures. We also had our electricians back to finish a couple of minor things like wiring the shower lights and the outdoor lights. Tomorrow, I'll try to get a picture of the outdoor light boxes as they are unique, and they provide a nice flat surface to mount the lights on...

And, we are just about finished with the extra "trim" we had to put around the whirlpool to fix the problem where I had miscalculated the decking height... I think that will turn out too look good, and I know it will fix the problem, and allow us to have the plumbing (finally) connected on the whirlpool!

So, things have dragged along, but we are finally starting to get things moving forward toward insulation and drywall...

The Wenig's

2009-04-07T21:12:00.000-04:00

For our HVAC system, we had the Wenig's put in a geothermal system along with radiant heat pipes running through the concrete, and forced air for A/C.

The Wenig's are a family of five brothers who are as professional and efficient as anyone I've ever met. They know what they're doing, and they get the job done always neatly and orderly...

They have always been friendly and courteous. They upgraded the furnace unit holding the price to the original quote, and they have billed me to the penny what they quoted.

As I list our contractors out, it should become apparent that we have really had an awesome group of people to work with. The people we have met here really have been as friendly as anywhere either of us has ever lived.

Slowly, but Surely -- Finished Bracing...

2009-04-07T21:01:00.000-04:00

We were able to finish the bracing today, and we also worked on fixing the latest little problem with the whirlpool. The problem is that I made a miscalculation, and the decking is about a quarter or half inch too low. And, the way I attached the backsplash to the studs, I could not just raise the decking up.

So, I'm having to improvise -- I'm adding what will turn out to look like a 3/4 x 3/4 inch shaped molding around the whirlpool. It will be poplar with the same stain and the same glaze coat, and then clear caulking around the tub at the top of this molding...

So, we bought the pieces of poplar, I cut the angles for it to fit around the odd shape, and made a little gadget to mark the contour 3/4 of an inch out from the edge of the whirlpool. Then we took the boards to the Bontrager's, and they cut the pieces on their bandsaw and sand the edges for me.

Now, we have started gluing them together using biscuits. Next, we'll route the same shape around the edge, and then stain and glaze it...

We should be gluing this to the decking under the whirlpool edge within a few days, and then we'll have the whirlpool in place!

Seems like I've been spending a lot of my time fixing mistakes or at least problems... I don't always broadcast my errors, so I haven't mentioned some of the problems I've had to fix...

Bracing...

2009-04-06T18:33:00.000-04:00

Not a lot to report on today, but we were able to get 85% of the remaining bracing finished today. Difficult to show in pictures, but it is mostly done... I'll just say that I am very thankful for the framing nailer that my wife got for me for Christmas... The intention was for me to build a small barn, but this works great for the bracing!

We have some loose ends to tie up with the outdoor light fixtures -- we need to get and install the outside surface -- I don't know exactly what it looks like, but it is basically a flat surface which will mount on the outside, with the wire going back through into the inside. It doesn't sound like it will be quite the same as we went through for the outdoor outlets, but until I see the part, I won't know. My electrician should be bringing that over tomorrow...

We are finally nearing the rough in inspection! Can't wait until that is over! We will finish the bracing tomorrow, and then I've got some other problems with the whirlpool and deck footing to fix before inspection...

What Do You Think of the Cross?

2009-04-06T09:43:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was Palm Sunday, and the sermon at our church posed the question What Do You Think of the Cross?

There are three basic views that people have of the cross:

It could be a "stumblingblock" -- to those who expect God to show Himself as the Almighty that He is, they see the lowliness of the Savior being born in a stable and then being crucified on a cross as weak and contradictory with Him being the All Powerful. And so, some reject the cross itself because it doesn't fit with what they want to see in God.
It is outright ridiculous to many -- really, it is not just the cross that is ridiculous, but the whole idea of God and of Him sending His Son to die. The sign over the cross embodies this view, "This is The King of the Jews".
For some, the cross is the symbol of Jesus sacrificial death to fully atone for our sins.

On the front of the latest Newsweek magazine, there is a cross formed by the words, "The Decline and Fall of Christian America". What a statement at the beginning of this week during which we (as Christians) celebrate the Via Delarosa -- The Way of Suffering, and the victorious Resurrection of our Saviour. I think we know which view the editors at Newsweek take...

One day, Jesus will return as King. I wonder what the front page of Newsweek will be on that day?

Some Saturday Progress...

2009-04-05T09:30:00.000-04:00

While I am definitely making progress as I look back each week, it is no where near enough! But, I can only get so much done each day, so I plod on...

Yesterday, I finished putting in the outdoor outlets that have to be in on the living end of the house. I have two I want to put in the garage end of the house, and that will be easy (now that I've had the practice I've had), plus they can be done any time. I should note that on both the front porch and on the deck, I've had them wire a switched outlet for us to plug Christmas lights into. They are up high on the wall by the porch / deck headers. So, those outlet boxes are in also.

Got back to working on getting the whirlpool set in place, and ran into a slight problem -- where I didn't make the decking quite tall enough, so I end up with about a quarter inch below the rim of the tub. For reasons that are difficult to explain, I really can't just raise the decking up, so I'm going to have to have the tub set on the feet, and have shims to support the tub itself, and then just caulk around it to fill the gap. I really don't like this solution, but I made a pretty significant miscalculation... It will be good to have the weight of the tub setting primarily on the concrete directly, and I can fill the gap to prevent water from leaking under the rim...

Anyway, I have so many things to finish, it makes my head spin... So, who knows which I'll work today!

But first, I am ready to go to church this morning and focus my mind on the Creator and Sustainer of life and all that is and the Provider of all our needs and so much more!

Second Coat of Sealant

2009-04-01T20:13:00.000-04:00

Well, today I accomplished one thing -- the second coat of the sealant. I sure hope this one dries a little faster than the first coat did! I have a bank inspection tomorrow so I can get some bills paid, but she just might have to look in the windows this time... Or, maybe look from upstairs.

So, that is one huge item I can check off my to-do list! Cleaning and sealing the floor! Now if I can only get through drywall without it getting scratched and marred...

No pictures today, and if I did include them, it would be very similar to the last set of pictures...

Wren's Plumbing

2009-03-31T19:13:00.000-04:00

One of the contractors that Todd Mobley referred us to is a character... Aaron Wren is a very interesting person -- he is a good, hard working plumber with good people working for him, but he is a very interesting person... Let's just say he has a whole list of pretty good jokes, and he likes to share them...

When Aaron's guys come over to work, they get after it in a hurry! And, they do a good job.

So far, the plumbing has been about the quickest parts of construction -- prior to pouring the concrete, and then again after the framing was done.

We appreciate Aaron and his guys, and his jokes as well :) The kids look forward to going over to his place to fish sometime as he has a very large pond full of fish...

Radiant Heat is Turn On!

2009-03-31T17:36:00.000-04:00

Well, it is going to take a LONG time for the floor to get warm... But, we are very happy to have the heat actually operational!

Here are some pictures of the rooms that I sealed yesterday, but couldn't get pictures of until it dried...

The Miller's

2009-03-30T21:16:00.001-04:00

One of the next contractors that we met here in Ohio are a family of Amish builders -- Daniel, Ervin, and John Miller. They primarily build pole barns, but I contracted them to frame our house, and also to do the roof, siding, and put the windows and exterior doors in.

15 miles for the Amish gives new meaning to "commuting"... They would drive their horse and buggy for an hour and a half every morning and then again in the evening, and they worked from 7:30 to 4:30 -- that is one long day!

These guys are some of the hardest working people I've ever met. They got the job done very quickly and under budget! And, generally, they did a pretty good job. They are fast, and there are things that another framer would have done differently, but all in all, they were well worth the money I paid them.

We have gotten to know this family personally, and it has been extremely interesting to discuss life and differences as well as similarities.

During the building process, two of these brothers had new children born, and the third brother is expecting another child in May. They are in their early to mid twenties, so they are pretty young.

All in all, we are very pleased to have made these new friendships, and we very much appreciate the hard work and very fair price...

Finished First Coat of Sealer!

2009-03-30T13:51:00.000-04:00

Well, we were able to complete the first coat of the sealer today -- it really looks pretty good... Though, I am disappointed to find that perfection continues to elude us...

I hear there is going to be a new helmet law on the books in Logan County -- just for our hallway! My wife envisions sliding contests down this 36' hallway!

This is the only good picture I can take today because I can't walk on most of the floor!

I would like to actually put down 2 more coats of the sealer, but time and temperature may make that difficult...

At least we have the first coat on, and the next coats will be easy to get done -- time is my only problem...

Logan Construction

2009-03-30T10:27:00.000-04:00

The second contractor we met when we first came to look at the land in December, 2007, was Todd Mobley, yes, the brother of Dave and Kelly. Todd has done my excavation and has subcontracted the installation of our septic system.

Todd is a builder -- has built log homes for many years, and has spent more time in recent years focusing on the excavation part of the building process. He loved building, but he felt he was short changing his family getting home at 7PM and having a stack of 15 or 20 phone calls to return, so he decided to make a change in his business.

He has been one of the many people whose knowledge I have regularly drawn upon all through this building process. Todd has been a huge help in pointing me to several other contractors for plumbing, electric, etc, in addition to a specific bank that he knew would work with us. He has worked with the people that he referred me to, and so he knew they were good people.

The Mobley family is one of those pillars of the local community, and if the rest of the people here are anything like them, then we couldn't have chosen a better location! I have a feeling that the Mobley's are generally a cut above, but there are still plenty of good people here.

Thank you, Todd, for your help and patience!

Sealing Floor

2009-03-29T19:24:00.000-04:00

We have made much progress today, though we aren't quite finished with the first coat of sealant. It is really turning out just about as nice as we had envisioned. There are flaws, and I get frustrated when I think about them, but I'll spare you and just let you believe it is perfect ;) Actually, some of the "flaws" give it the character and uniqueness that is our home...

Here are some pictures from earlier when we were first applying the sealant.

Then, here are several after it has had more time to bring out the color... It isn't dry yet. The temperature has dropped drastically today, so it will take longer to dry than we had hoped, but we will be patient. We may need to even wait a day or two to finish the first coat due to low temps... The flash seems to have made this look a lot lighter than it looks in person, but lighting is everything with the look of the house... Guess you'll just have to come and see it personally!

M&M Concrete

2009-03-28T22:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I mentioned that we have met many people who have been so helpful and friendly since we first decided we were going to build a home here in Ohio.

The first contractors I contacted and met with in December of 2007 were Dave and Kelly Mobley of M&M Concrete. They happen to both live within a couple of miles of where we are building, and they have been some of the best people to work with...

We are using concrete as our floor, and so we colored the concrete (as you can see in the post I made earlier this evening). All through the process of pouring the foundation up to the slab itself, Dave and Kelly were excellent to work with and worked long hours every day to get the job done.

We have continued to be in contact from time to time -- after all, we are practically neighbors! My wife and I have definitely found some new friends in our new town, and the Mobley's are among the first...

Thank you Dave and Kelly, and we look forward to being neighbors soon!

Cleaning the Floor

2009-03-28T21:17:00.000-04:00

We spent the entire day today cleaning the floor... We are pretty happy with what it looks like -- when it is wet, but it seems to be returning to a dreary gray when it dries. So, the question is what will it look like when we apply the sealer... There are imperfections and irregularities, but that is sort of what we wanted. There are some lines where I had put plastic down, and it caused irregular color variations.

We believe the sealer will darken and bring out the color, but we'll find out tomorrow... We bought a mop to damp mop it before we apply the sealer. We will actually apply the sealer while the floor is still damp. They tell me they often apply the sealer early to help keep the water from evaporating too soon, so there shouldn't be any problem -- as long as we don't have water setting on top.

We do have to caulk the stress cuts that run across many of the doorways and two across the hallway...

We tried to capture the floor color on camera today, but it is really difficult.

Why...

2009-03-27T21:36:00.000-04:00

As I have mentioned before, we are in the process of relocating from the beautiful foothills of the Smoky Mountains in Knoxville, Tennessee, to the rolling (relatively flat) farmland of western, central Ohio...

Since we first came up here to look at the land and start the process of lining up contractors, we have repeatedly faced the one question from many different people: Why in the world would you move from Tennessee to Ohio?!?

Well, we had our reasons -- primarily, we wanted to be closer to our families. It is really difficult to get to visit with family often when you have to plan an entire day to drive to most anyone. Our families live in states surrounding Ohio, and so that reason made sense enough to us...

But, that was before we knew there was another really good reason to live here. Actually, there are many good reasons to live here -- the people...

Starting from the first contractors we met who did our concrete and our excavation, we have found people to be consistently friendly beyond what we have really ever experienced before.

Don't get me wrong, we have both lived in several different places, and we have always found that people in general are friendly. It may have something to do with us being friendly -- it takes a friend to make a friend.

But, there has really been something different about the people here in Ohio...

Over the next days / weeks, I plan to spend a little time telling about some of these people who have made our building process such an enjoyable experience...

Cleaning Floors and Installing Outdoor Outlets...

2009-03-27T21:23:00.000-04:00

Well, I seem to never complete anything in one day, but we sure have been making progress on a few different things every day.

Today, I started out working on the outdoor outlets. I marked and cut the siding for all of them (except for the one that will go outside the garage). Then, I drilled the corners so I can find the places inside the OSB that need to be cut out... And, I went ahead and installed one of them on the front porch. I had done one a while back to see how bad it was going to be, and so now I have two done...

Then, we started to prepare for cleaning and sealing the concrete floors. We looked for a "water broom" attachment for my power washer, and the closest one we found was more than an hour away. So, we spent a lot of the day driving to get that -- and as it turns out, I had a problem getting it to work. I think it is clogged, so I'll have to either take it back, or figure out a way to clean the spray heads out.

After getting back from getting the "water broom", we went to get the concrete sealer because they are only opened for part of tomorrow morning, and we had to make sure we had it when we get ready...

It was around 3:30 this afternoon before we actually were able to get started cleaning the floors, and we were able to get almost a third of the house floor washed by the time it was too dark to see... We used the power washer, a squeegee (with a handle for floors), and a wet/dry vacuum. We are hoping to be able to get it sealed first thing tomorrow, though the way the water was pooling in places, that may not work out as we plan... It really cleaned up well -- just a little power washing, and the squeegee and vacuum together really made quick work of the dust / dirt that has built up...

I really wish I could have found my camera to take pictures. I used it the other day to get pictures of the whirlpool decking, and I'm not sure where I put it... It was probably too dark to get good pictures by the time I started looking for it... You'll just have to tune in tomorrow or Sunday -- whenever we find the camera and get around to taking pictures.

All in all, it was a pretty profitable day... Lots to do yet, though.

Truss Bracing and Water Softener

2009-03-26T21:30:00.000-04:00

Yesterday and today, I made some good progress on putting in the bracing for the trusses. Still have about half of it to go, but it is coming along well...

We also were able to get the water softener turned on today, and that has been recharged. So, I am currently draining the hot water heater (turned off for now) so that we won't have hard water in it... We used the test strip that came with the water softener, and it said we have very hard water -- like 60 GPG -- the highest level on the test strip. So, we will be interested to see how the soap lathers once we refill the hot water heater with soft water...

We are preparing to wash and seal the concrete floor tomorrow or Saturday. We have to sweep it all again, and we also need to go get the sealer, and then we'll be set... Shouldn't be as big of a deal as we are anticipating, but we'll just have to try it out... Hopefully, we'll have some good pictures of a colored floor in a day or two...

Whirlpool Decking -- Nearing Completion (Warts and All)

2009-03-24T12:46:00.000-04:00

We are generally happy with the results we're having for the decking around the whirlpool -- it isn't quite as perfect as we would like, but nothing else is either...

We took a break yesterday sitting in the whirlpool relaxing, and then today, you can see that I was able to get the shelf put on the top of the backsplash... Now, we just have to lower the whirlpool into place on top of the decking. That will be a definite challenge, but we'll just go slow and easy, and hopefully, we won't make too many marks on the decking... The trick will be to have it exactly positioned when it first makes contact; otherwise, the surface will mar...

Working on bracing today along with getting the chair rail put on the bedroom side of the whirlpool wall so we can have him drywall down to the chair rail...

Whirlpool Decking -- Glaze Coating

2009-03-21T23:07:00.000-04:00

We were able to do two coats of the glaze on the backsplash and the bottom of the shelf. We would like to get the backsplash boards in place tomorrow afternoon or evening -- glued to the OSB we put against the wall. That way, the wallboard will come down to the edge of the backsplash.

Here are some pictures of the progress today...

This is after the first coat of the glaze, with plastic (carefully) suspended over the work to keep it warm...

Three pictures after the second thicker coat of glaze -- before we put the plastic back in place (you can see the racks to that we clipped the plastic to -- tightly strung across)...

The little white blob was not on the shelf -- it must be a reflection... Note that we didn't have to go all the way to the edge of the shelf bottom because it will sit on top of the backsplash.

Whirlpool Decking -- Staining!

2009-03-20T19:44:00.000-04:00

Well, I am pleased to have company today -- my wife, Dawn, is here and the other two of our kids are here also... And, it worked out so that I was completely ready to do the staining just shortly after she arrived...

We went over to Owen Yoder's (our doors and trim guy), and he had matched stain on poplar to the sample of cherry from our cabinet makers, the Bontrigger's.

So, we brought home a half gallon of stain (turned out he didn't have to do any mixing -- it matched Washington Cherry on poplar almost exactly to the Huntington on cherry)... We were able to get all the staining done, and we put plastic drop cloths over top of the pieces partially to keep dust off, and also we put a heater under the plastic so we could keep them warm enough to dry quickly -- it is around 40 degrees here today, so we needed to get them warmer...

Heat rises, so it is working great -- keeping the plastic up off the stained wood... We will be able to do the glazed coat tomorrow and Sunday (have to do the backsplash first and then put it in place so we can glaze the decking around the tub. We will be basically ready to lower the tub onto the decking by Monday! Then, we can finish the plumbing and the whirlpool will be ready for rough in inspection! Maybe we'll even put our bathing suits on and try it out, too!

Here is the plastic over the backsplash and shelf in the garage...

And, here is the whirlpool with the decking covered with plastic...

Early Mother's Day Thankfulness

2009-03-19T18:53:00.000-04:00

Today, I pause to say "I love you", Mom.

Some nine years ago, we nearly lost her due to complications in breathing after repeated bouts with sinus infections that descended into her lungs. She was in ICU for over a month while recovering, on a respirator for a lot of that time.

Of course, no one wants to think about losing their Mommy, but one can scarcely realize the blessing of a Mommy without having lost or nearly lost her...

As I have mentioned before, I lost my first wife suddenly nearly six years ago. It was watching my children -- particularly our then 7 year old and 11 year old -- that I relived the near loss of my own Mommy with a lot of guilty feelings mixed in. Guilty feelings because I still had my Mommy to call up and ask questions about whatever or to relate whatever is going on in life. And, of course, my children no longer had that opportunity...

Today, my Mom had a sinus surgery that is long awaited and probably long overdue to help relieve her of the constant sinus problems... She came through the surgery with little or no packing, and has little pain at this point. We are anticipating great things in her future!

I also pause today to say "I love you" to my wife, Dawn. Thank you for becoming the Mommy to my children -- all of them. My adult step-daughters and adopted daughter that live in Texas as well as to all three of our children in our new blended family. Thank you for helping me give them all a "normal" family, even though all three of them can barely remember that time before they lost their "real" parent...

Having step-children, I have often contemplated through the years that Jesus knows just exactly what it is to be a step-child and to live in a blended family. And, of course, God knows what it is to adopt children and choose to love them in spite of the fact that we are not His "begotten" children...

Anyway, I am truly thankful today that I still have my Mommy... And, I am truly thankful that my children have a loving Mommy-figure...

Whirlpool Decking -- Awaiting Stain!

2009-03-19T18:35:00.000-04:00

Well, I now have almost all the preparations done for the wood under and around the whirlpool ready for stain... I have to do a tiny bit of wood filler to fix one of the joins on the decking, but it is one that isn't quite as immediately visible, so it shouldn't be too critical. I must say that the joints came together on the decking much better than I had expected. I am going to glue underneath the boards now just to completely secure them to the 2x4 framing rather than using finish nails through it. It should be pretty solid...

I also finished the routing around the front deck boards, though the detail is really hard to see in the pictures -- the flash "hides" the shadow the detail shows in normal indoor lighting... The stain and finish should bring it out a lot, but it will still be difficult to capture in pictures...

Shelf and Stain Sample

2009-03-19T13:53:00.000-04:00

Today, I went and got a sample of the cherry with the stain so we can have Owen Yoder match for poplar trim and doors. We are going to use the same stain from his match on the decking, backsplash, and shelf around the whirlpool. He happened to have another job of poplar which looked like a pretty close match. I should be able to pick up some stain tomorrow, and then we'll be able to get the decking, etc, stained this weekend!

Here is a picture of the sample.

Here are two pictures of this sample beside two other pieces of poplar that are close matches...

And, here is a picture of the shelf that the Bontrigger's cut for me on their bandsaw and sanded... I have to route the edge and finish sanding it so I'll be ready to stain it tomorrow or Saturday.

Whirlpool Decking -- More Progress

2009-03-18T22:12:00.000-04:00

Well, I have been making some good progress on the whirlpool deck, and it is starting to come together!

Here is the shelf that will be in the corner above the whirlpool. Below, I show the lines this curved shelf will look like...

The boards were not long enough for the backsplashes, so I had to splice two boards end to end. All these splices were done using a buscuit joiner.

This is the makeshift clamp I used to force these boards together since I didn't have an 8 foot bar clamp! I took a 10 foot 2x6, and attached a block at one end, and then cut two blocks with 30 degree edges, and attached one of them, and then clamped down the other so that it would shift toward the board as it is clamped. Worked great, and now I can take it apart and reuse the 2x6's...

Hopefully, you can make out the faint curves. There are two of them across the center, but I'm going to use the one toward the top instead of the bottom. If you can't see the lines, wait a day, and I'll have a picture of the cut shelf :) I took it over to Bontrigger's today so they can cut it on their bandsaw, and they also offered to sand it for me since they have all the tools right in the workshop...

Here are two pictures of the backsplashes cut and routed. The routing ends before the shelf will begin so the shelf will be setting on the flat. The two decking boards along the back walls are both actually attached in place -- glued using buscuits. The front pieces are partially routed, but I'll finish that when they are attached in place. I'll have to stain the decking boards in place, but I'll stain the backsplashes in the garage so they won't run... Once again, the whirlpool is still setting up about 2 to 3 inches above the decking until I get the stain and glazing done.

Whirlpool Decking -- Progress

2009-03-17T17:02:00.000-04:00

Well, here is an update after cutting the decking boards and checking them for fit... They are a little warped, but a biscuit joiners and some finish nails (when the time comes) will fix that problem... The fit isn't perfect, but it is pretty close...

You may be able to see some of the "notches" I had to make in the decking pieces (to avoid making contact with anything under the whirlpool), but they will all be covered when the whirlpool is lowered in place. It is up on blocks right now...

Whirlpool Decking -- Before

2009-03-17T13:28:00.000-04:00

Well, I am working today on getting ready to build the decking for the whirlpool -- since my trim is going to be poplar stained to match the cherry kitchen cabinets, and since this would cost much less (and be much faster) than trying to get some solid surface or even tiling installed, I am going to use poplar, and use the same stain as the trim. Then I'm going to use a think waterproof "glaze"... I expect this will turn out to look very nice and "warm" as opposed to a "colder" look that tile would have...

Here are some pictures of what I'm dealing with and working around...

First, the plumbing in the back corner. The supply lines are PEX and are not a problem -- though they have to go around to the handles in on the other side (see last couple of pictures). The drain will be the problem, if there is one. We have a vertical pipe coming from the tub over to where the pipe goes down into the concrete. We used a bucket when the concrete was poured in order to create a "void" so that we have some flexibility...

Then, here are pictures of the tub edges from different angles -- the tub edges need to come down and set on the finished deck... Notice the handles in the front side (so we can adjust the temp before getting into the tub).

There is no "spout" -- instead, the back corner has a "fast fill" where the water will come through a slit in the bottom of that hump -- looking like a waterfall...

Loose Ends Monday

2009-03-16T18:57:00.000-04:00

Well, I have not accomplished as much today as I had hoped -- but every little bit does help...

My door / trim guy was here to measure this afternoon, and it looks like he will come in significantly under quote -- don't hear that very often! Thank you, Owen Yoder... Though, being Amish, he will likely never see this web page :)

I drilled the holes for the whirlpool tub handles -- they will be on the decking just outside of the tub before getting in. There is a fast fill on it which comes in the far corner.

We also got the vacuum tube connected in the kitchen where the vacu-sweep will go under the kitchen counter under the toe kick... The elbow is glued in place, but the pipe coming out to the vacu-sweep is not yet glued -- so I can cut it to the right length when the cabinets are being installed.

And, we had one place where (due to an error and a resulting change in plans) the vacuum pipe ended up coming into the closet wall, we had to make it run sideways through the wall to get to the wall outside the closet...

Still need to put in the low voltage wire for turning the system on when you plug in the hose, but we'll get to that soon...

All in all, it is moving along, but everything takes longer than planned...

Central Vacuum Inlets

2009-03-15T22:41:00.000-04:00

Well, today turned out to be a rather profitable day... I was able to get all the vacuum inlets put on tonight except for the kitchen "sweep away" attachment that goes in the toe kick of the cabinet. The wiring part of the system is not done yet, but the inlets are all attached...

I was also able to put up one of the 8 outdoor outlets -- I'll have to get a picture tomorrow (when it's light)...

I am starting to see a really faint light at the end of a very long tunnel... Still have to put up lateral bracing, wash and seal the floor, put up insulation in the ceiling and the walls, and then put fir strips on the ceiling insulation for the drywall. I know there are other things on my list, but these are the really big ones...

Septic Covered and Whirlpool Framing

2009-03-14T20:07:00.000-04:00

Today, the septic field was backfilled and the grading was done -- it looks a lot nicer than mounds of dirt, but more importantly, I don't have to worry as much about filling the tank up -- we are ok to fill the leach fields with water.

I was also able to spend some time working on framing around the whirlpool -- one area that I hadn't put as much planning into, but I got some advice from some friends. I'm getting ready to put the decking around it and then set the whirlpool down onto the decking. First time I've ever done a lot of these things, so we'll hope for the best...

Amazing Grace!

2009-03-14T11:45:00.001-04:00

I am taking a little time-out from the building process today to listen to an amazing rendition of this old favorite that says it all... This house we're building, the things we have, even the families we love and enjoy are all meaningless without the truth of this old hymn that describes the human condition and the Amazing Grace that God offers all of us in our wretchedness and blindness... (This is in Rome...)

Wiring...

2009-03-12T18:12:00.000-04:00

Well, today started off with Bradley making me an egg, a couple pieces of toast, and an apple for breakfast...

Last night, we were able to get the wires pulled through the conduit to the kitchen island, and today, I finished putting them in place where I can find them after the drywall, etc, is in place. There are internet cables, video cables, and speaker wires -- so that we can put a unit on a shelf under the table that will be on the back side of this L shaped island, and have the TV on the wall, and speakers in the walls. Hey, my wife will be spending enough time in the kitchen to deserve some luxury while she makes dinner for me ;)

Next, I put one of the central vacuum inlets up so I could see how much work these are going to take.. It wasn't really too bad. This one actually has an inlet in the bedroom on one side of the wall in the in the hallway on the other side -- using a T.

Here is a picture of the wiring in the "control room" or "server room" -- not sure what to call it, but it is where the phone, internet, and satellite come into the house, and are distributed from there. It also gives me a place to put computer servers, etc.

And, as I've mentioned before, I have two subpanels for internet cables upstairs so that I didn't have to use nearly as much of the internet cable... I've had them put an outlet beside each, and I'll have a simple switch or a router there, connecting whatever wires we want to use...

We have now wired almost all of the internet cable, and all but three of the video cables. We have some phone to wire, and several rooms need to have the speaker wire run... But, we are definitely getting there...

Low Voltage Wiring, Etc...

2009-03-11T20:35:00.000-04:00

Well, we were able to get a bunch more of the low voltage (internet, audio / video, etc) wiring done today. Here is a picture of the cart I'm using to pull wire. It is a dolly that can be turned into a cart, the boxes of Cat5E wire and a contraption I built to hold the spools of wire...

Also, we have to remove some of the expansion joint between the heated concrete and the slab that is the ceiling of the basement so that we can seal it with some silicon caulk. So, Bradley and I made a little tool out of some scrap metal and we sharpened it using the angle grinder, and Bradley is able to pretty easily dig about 1/2 inch of the expansion joint out...

And, the Wenig's were here again today to get the radiant heat system pretty much finished. The power to this system needs to be put in, and then it will need to be filled... We're getting pretty close to having heat! Yes, we're just about through the season where we need it, but that's ok... It is going to freeze tonight!

My wiring cart...

Bradley holding and then using our "tool"...

Bradley's scraps of expansion joint...

The radiant heat system controls...

Fixing Headers and Soffit

2009-03-10T18:02:00.000-04:00

John came over today and we were able to fix all three headers. We pulled them off the inside using wedges pounded down between the OSB and the header, and cut the king studs, adding an new one on each end. It turned out to be rather simple -- took around 5 hours to do all three of them. We glued them back to the OSB, and I dare say they are in there better now than they were before.

We also had to put on three new pieces of soffit where that 65 MPH wind had sucked three of them off. We put screws through the edge of the first piece into the header board to hold it better.

Also, I was able to take some pictures of the baby of one of my workers. He prefers me not to mention any names...

Low Voltage Wiring

2009-03-09T22:26:00.002-04:00

We were able to get almost done with four more rooms of low voltage wiring. We have speakers to do in two of those rooms, and then we have five more rooms to wire.

I also received the stamped copy of my truss design today -- trying to get ready for rough inspection.

Here is a picture of the antenna outside the upstairs window, and then some pictures of us wiring -- well, my son anyway... Last, I have a picture of the wires coming into the control room (through a 4" PVC pipe) and then a picture of where one of the two subpanels will be.

Water!

2009-03-07T19:25:00.001-05:00

Well, we were very excited today to finally have usable water in both a toilet and a shower!

We also went and bought wood to replace the three headers that are too short. We're just going to do it right and then forget it...

I've had a cell phone repeater for a while now, but my son and I finally got it hooked up today so we're able to use it. The inside antenna isn't where it will be when we're done, but I do get better signal inside now than I did before. The outside antenna is temporarily out an upstairs window, and pretty securely attached to the framing inside... We will be getting an antenna bracket to attach it to the end of the house later, and it will be just a little bit higher than it is now.

Here are pictures of the hall tub/shower which we have now secured to the framing, and then we have to frame up above it. We will have the same thing to finish up on the master shower. Also, picture of the master shower -- running, and of the master toilet. Not completely happy with that yet -- it isn't exactly how I want it, but it works for now...

Trailer and Septic Tank

2009-03-06T16:10:00.000-05:00

Well, we got a temporary trailer out here now, thank you to a friend at church. Some pictures are below...

And, we were able to get the septic tank placed today, and they are going to be getting it connected to the pipe coming out of the house, too...

Water Heater / Radiant Heat Water Tank...

2009-03-04T19:03:00.000-05:00

I have some pictures today -- just of the water heater hooked up and with the recirculating hot water line going into the bottom and also the hot water assist from the geothermal unit which also goes into the bottom -- both have a check valve to prevent them from affecting each other.

We are using the boiler drain to get at least very warm water, so that is good...

Work on the septic system is continuing today, and we made an adjustment to the stairway that was going to be required to pass the inspection.

The inspector was very reasonable, but I can't expect him to break code for me... I have a couple of headers over wide windows on the end wall and one door with a more than six foot header that need some modifications. Apparently, the code changed in 2006 requiring double 2x4 jacks on each end of the headers that are more than six feet long. There are a couple of solutions, and we are looking for the easiest and cheapest that will satisfy the inspector...

Other than that, I think we'll be ok with the inspection -- of course, I didn't ask him to do a full inspection, so I guess I'll find out when he does.

Preparing for Rough Inspection

2009-03-03T21:08:00.000-05:00

Well, I had a builder friend come over today to help me prepare for my inspection. He found some things that I will likely get hit on, and I'm definitely not ready for the actual inspection. I'm going to go ahead and have the inspector come out and go over things with me that need to be done to pass the inspection.

Meanwhile, I now have the hot water heater turned on, and the Wenig's were back to do some more work on the HVAC system. They are almost done, but have another job to work late this week, and so they will probably not finish until next week.

Needless to say, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed already with what I have to do, and now with some of the issues I'll have to have fixed, but we will get it done even if a little later than we planned...

Looks like the weather here is to improve later this week, so that will be a great relief!

No pictures again today... Maybe later this week, I'll post a picture of the two month old baby of one of my contractors...

Plumbing Rough-In Inspection Done!

2009-03-02T20:57:00.000-05:00

Well, today, Wren's Plumbing completed connecting up the manifold to the well pressure tank and the hot water heater, etc. There are valves before the manifold which are still turned off, but the water is turned on to the water heater -- which is now filled... The power for the water heater will be connected tomorrow morning, and then we'll have hot water!

We also got the plumbing inspection completed today, so that is a major milestone! We are very nearly ready for the framing and electrical rough-in inspection. I have some low-voltage wiring to at least start prior to that, and then we will get that inspection done.

After the inspection and wiring are done, then I can put up the insulation in the ceiling, and then we can finally get the heat turned on! It may be past the cold by then, but it will still be another major milestone!

No pictures today... Nothing much new to take pictures of...

Pausing to Ponder...

2009-03-01T14:40:00.002-05:00

For those of you who know me, what I have to write today should come as no surprise. But, for those who don't really know me, this is a "time out" from building the house to consider priorities and the purpose of life...

Today is Sunday, a day of the week that we have chosen to set aside as the Lord's Day. Yes, we may do some things today that are mundane and are intended to make us "happy", but it is a day that we take some time to ponder our condition and what God has done for us and is doing in us.

First, some background...

Just over one month ago, I found out that I was about to lose my job at Texas Instruments after a tenure of 22 years and 7 months. While I obviously think that TI made a real mistake in choosing me (among another 3000 or so people) to RIF (Reduction In Force), I know from experience that God has greater purpose for me and my family than building semiconductor "chips"...

Part of this "purpose" is certainly some occupation that is yet ahead of me, but part of this purpose is the journey itself. Many years ago, I came to understand that life is a series of seasons. I have worked for TI for a "season" that lasted nearly 23 years, and now I am about to begin a new season, and that may last 23 days, 23 months, or possibly another 23 years. The "purpose" is not so much the job that occupies the season, but it is the season itself and moving from one to another...

Some background might help you understand the significance of this particular "change of seasons" in our lives...

My wife, Dawn, and I have been married for just over three years. Between us, we have three teenagers living with us. This is a difficult time, but all five of us have been through more difficult trials...

Dawn and I were both married and widowed before we ever met each other. Both of us were trusting in God before He saw fit to lead us through the "valley of the shadow of death". That phrase of the 23rd Psalm has a whole new meaning for us today... I used to think it was about the person who had some illness or accident and then passed away. Well, there are certainly aspects of the passage that would apply to the person who faces death and then does pass away (as we all will one day), but I have come to see another meaning in those words... In losing my first wife, Nancy, I have walked through a valley where I really lacked much of any purpose in life (yes, my children needed me to love and care for them). And, I have continued on out of that valley of the shadow of death still in this fallen world with my own flaws that plague me, not to mention the evil in the world around us. And, yet, one day, I will "dwell in the house of the Lord forever" as He has promised.

So, while losing my job is truly devastating, I know that God's grace is sufficient -- because I've experienced His grace in devastating times. Because of that, I can honestly say that He will carry me through this trial...

Dawn and I have been living in Tennessee (which is the dream of many), but we also would like to be closer to our families (who are spread from the North East to the Mid West and to the South East), and so we embarked on a journey to buy land in central Ohio and build a home where I could continue to work from home (as I had for 15+ years while working for TI). We had just closed the construction loan in July of last year and had construction moving when the housing market began to crash in September. Of course, we will need to sell the house in Tennessee after we complete the house here in Ohio.

We watched as the banking system of the country and world became more and more unstable and the stock markets followed suit.

Humanly speaking, there could not have been a worse time for me to lose my job.

Dawn and I are still really "living" in Tennessee, but I have been renting a small apartment in Ohio while overseeing the building of the house, and so we spent some time last year looking for a new church home, and we have settled on Faith Baptist Church in Kenton, Ohio.

This morning, I was challenged as I listened to Pastor Burns preach about some of God's possible purposes for allowing a recession. One of the reasons he listed is that God may be wanting to cause His church to "care".

Tears came to my eyes as I considered that part of the purpose of me losing my job at this "worst of all possible times" is and has been God's own plan.

In the few weeks since we started telling the pastor and people at the church about our situation, we have received countless boxes for Dawn to use in packing, we have been loaned a refrigerator to have at the house until we can get our refrigerator moved (or just buy a new one), and this morning, we were offered the use of a 26 foot travel trailer so that I could get out of my apartment, saving that much money between now and when we complete the house here.

Not only is God using us as the "people in need" to test AND PROVE His church here in Kenton, Ohio, and yes, they have already passed this test -- they have cared and do care -- even though some of them have also either been laid off or have lost their own jobs.

At the same time, God is testing our trust of His promises to provide for us. In testing our trust, He is also causing us to consider what is a want and what is a need. He may not ask us to give up this "dream home" that we have long awaited and are working hard to complete, but He does ask us to be willing -- Jesus himself put it best, "nevertheless, not my will, but THINE be done"... Consider that Jesus is God, and yet He yielded His own will to His Father's will (as He faced the cross)! Does God ask any less of me than to yield to His will?

And, this reminds me yet again that this "dream home" is not the mansion that He has for me! He has gone to prepare a place, and He will come again to receive me unto Himself! This "dream home" is just a temporary (and very imperfect) dwelling place -- while we wait for the real mansion! I say "me" to personalize it, but obviously, this applies to my wife and children as well (since they also know Jesus as their Saviour), and you could put your own name in there as well...

We don't know what the next "season" of our lives holds, and we really don't know if God will allow us to stay in our new "dream home". We pray that He will, but we must be willing to give up whatever He asks of us... If He asks us to give up this "dream home", then it will be because He has something better for us -- remembering that "better" may or may not be in monetary value or size, but it will certainly be in the center of His will...

And so, my response after pondering these things can only be one thing -- Lord, please allow me to find a job and allow us to complete and live in our new home -- "nevertheless, not my will, but Thine be done"!

Chilly Saturday

2009-02-28T18:32:00.000-05:00

The temperature here in Ohio continues to go up and down like a yo-yo, let's hope this time down will be short!

Work was started on our septic system today, and it should be finished within a week or so.

I am starting on my inside tasks -- putting up boards in the walls to hang things on like shelves, TVs, and pictures...

Here are some pictures of the septic leach fields -- he has one more to do, and then will work on setting the tank and distribution box early next week.

FYI, this is using the new chambers that are actually hollow instead of filled with stone and tile.

Busy Friday

2009-02-27T15:48:00.000-05:00

We had several contractors here today -- Wenig's filled the geothermal lines with fluid, and connected the geothermal to the furnace. The radiant heat lines are connected to valves, but not connected to the tank yet.

The Watkin's finished getting the electric ready for rough-in inspection, so that is major progress...

Wren's Plumbing guys were out here to get things almost ready for their rough-in inspection, but we have a little more to do on Monday.

Here are pics of the plumbing manifold, the furnace and the geothermal lines connected to it, a refrigerator someone at church is letting us use temporarily, the water heater and radiant heat tank with the radiant heat pipes connected downstairs, and the tub/shower and shower with the hardware attached. The water heater is actually not connected yet, but should be ready on Monday.

After those, we took some pictures of the lamas across the road. There is one baby that has a green blanket over it right in the middle if you can make it out...

Dreary Thursday...

2009-02-26T12:16:00.000-05:00

We have had quite a few things done this week, though some are difficult to get good pictures of...

We were able to get a hot water heater on discount from our power company (Logan County Electric Cooperative), and we were able to get it down through the 3'x3' hatch... It is an 85 gallon tank -- 28" diameter... It was an interesting family project to get it down there!

The Wenig's are back today to put in the HVAC "plumbing" and also to connect the ductwork to the furnace unit.

The Watkin's have been here most days this month working on wiring, and it is nearing completion...

Here is a picture of the furnace and also of the geothermal pipes coming through the basement wall -- on the way up to the upstairs unit...

Early, Cold Monday

2009-02-23T11:30:00.000-05:00

The Wenig's got here at around 7:30 this morning to put in the geothermal loop, and they are hoping to get the whole thing put in today! So, they are nearly half done with that already, and it's only 11:30AM!

We hope to get the hot water heater put in this week -- I need to go get that from the Logan County Electric Co-op...

Here are some pics from this morning...

Lazy Saturday

2009-02-21T22:48:00.000-05:00

We were able to get one of the furnace room door fronts glued on yesterday, and put it up today (no handle yet)...

Also, we went and got a door for the computer room so that I can hopefully get the insulation on the ceiling and allow it to accumulate some heat... The pics of the computer room had the shutter half way open -- hence the dark sides...

Slow Friday

2009-02-20T17:32:00.000-05:00

Not getting a lot done today, but we are getting things done one by one...

Here are the furnace room doors with the insulation in them, and then one of the electrical panels -- almost ready to put the wires in...

We did get some of the ceiling insulation delivered and the septic system will be put in next week -- could take a little longer if the weather doesn't cooperate...