Category: Life

Floor Be Gone

Posted on by Joe

One of the first things that was agreed upon when moving into the house was that the floor in the kitchen would need to be replaced.  In addition to the grout being stained beyond cleaning, there were places it was broken and the tile was not easy to clean.  The floor had to go.

  • We had some powder post beetle damage toward the end
  • Pulling up more flooring revealed that one of the walls of the pantry was originally part of a wall that separated the kitchen from the dining room.
  • So many nails to remove from the floor, almost as many as from the lath on the walls
  • Fireplace is completely gone! We will see what the contractor says about repairing this area.
  • Most of the kitchen is down to subfloor, on to the rest!
  • Particle board as underlayment in a kitchen was a bad idea
  • The pantry is gone save for one remnant of a load bearing wall

Down comes the ceiling

Posted on by Joe

At some point, the ceiling was dropped, leaving about 18 inches of open plaster lath that the mice loved for access to their condo (my walls).  Thank goodness for a dust mask!

  • Cleaned up
  • Starting to remove the boards
  • Cleaning up the grey snow
  • Still removing material
  • Boards down
  • On to removing lathe
  • Cleanup aisle one

Fireplace Demolition

Posted on by Joe

The fireplace at the end of the kitchen was not in use and the styrofoam cooler top and slice of fiberglass insulation was not precisely an air tight seal.  We’d occasionally get condensation running down the flue from air conditioning meeting hot attic air. 

We decided it had to go to make room for an expanded pantry.  I can tell you that a 20 foot brick chimney and large brick façade is a LOT of weight.  A few weekends, some handy work the back side of a splitting maul, several dust masks, and a whole lot of sweat and it is going away.

  • The boards we put in place did a good job of containing the debris early on although it did help it back up faster.
  • The top of a styrofoam cooler and one piece of insulation wedged against the roof line does not make an appropriate cap for a chimney.
  • This far in, I was already sore. What have I gotten into.
  • The flue of the chimney worked as a great debris shoot to let us work from the attic.
  • The board helped to contain the bricks when we dropped them down the flue. Amazing how much force a bouncing brick can exert.
  • We had considered removing just the facade and walling this over. We got the idea that if the fireplace was gone, it would make for one nice pantry.
  • Switching up to a big frickin’ hammer helped move this along quite well.

Foam removal

Posted on by Joe

Starting the remodel I knew there was some old spray foam in the walls.  Unfortunately, this particular foam was one that disintegrated into something the consistency of talc and shrank to not do much for insulating. 

Needless to say, breathing that in would not be a good idea and keeping it out of the rest of the house was a must.  overall it went well, but nothing clogs the filter on a shop-vac faster than this foam.

  • The paneling came off the pantry pretty well and no foam!
  • I wondered where the mice were coming in at and here’s one of the most direct routes.
  • This entrance to the rest of the house was a bit easier to seal up.
  • About half of the foam is out at this point. Still a long way to go.
  • And here is the second half
  • REALLY warm in there
  • Head to toe covering. Not to concerned about dermal exposure with the foam, but it did keep me a little cleaner.
  • Lots of foam on the outside walls behind the lathe
  • Two sides clear
  • Even though the living room is masked off, we put sheets over the furniture just to make sure
  • Behind this paneling lies the bulk of the foam
  • The first panel down. Now to remove the plaster lath to get at the foam.
  • I knew there had been rodent activity and here’s the proof.
  • From behind the dishwasher
  • Apparently when the foam went in, there was a nest in place… and was preserved for posterity.
  • Several layers of painters tape to make sure it holds.
  • Pretty big entrance to mask, but enough painter’s tape and it holds quite well.
  • One side clear
  • Third side clear
  • It’s a little warm in there… but the alternative is a lung of crap.
  • A little prep goes a long way

Starting the remodel

Posted on by Joe

The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. The cabinets are the first layer to get pulled out of the kitchen.  We ended up deciding to go with new cabinets, so these will get re-purposed in the workshop, garage, and barn.

  • Richard Davis, Joe Knoll, and I had a good time taking all the cabinets to the barn. I pay in beer and smoked pork.
  • Thanks to some quick help from Jason Schmidt to get them to the floor.
  • I was really glad to have the fridge there… that was one HEAVY cabinet.
  • Getting the cabinets out from around the fridge was a trick… the rollers on the Samsung fridge went flat.
  • Removing the hood i found some tunnels throughout the wall
  • Lots of trim and some electrical to take out.

Workshop prep

Posted on by Joe

We figured there would be the need for some space to finish cabinets, store materials, and be able to keep things (and the people working on them) cool and comfortable.  always helps to have some motivation to move some project forward.  The workshop had needed this for a couple years.

A walk with a Hawk

Posted on by Joe

Rebekah has had an interest in falconry.  Ashford Castle has a great opportunity to go with one of their specialists to experience flying a hawk.  Rebekah had a great time with Millie!

  • Ashford Castle front gates
  • Looking good
  • Nice grove
  • Beauty
  • Ready to go
  • Showing off
  • This is why you wear a glove
  • Shot 2
  • Beautiful walkways
  • Swooping low
  • Glad to see each other
  • Another perfect landing
  • Incoming!
  • The three of us
  • Excited to fly
  • Here’s Mille!
  • Awaiting a friend
  • Great landscape
  • Shot 1
  • Young Mille

Rebekah in Ireland

Posted on by Joe

Rebekah asked that I take more pictures of her while we were in Ireland to prove she was there.  We found a good way to make sure I got some good shots.

  • Not sure about that
  • Too much fun
  • Arrrrr – a beer
  • Tiny glass
  • Look – a blonde
  • The one that started it all
  • Red ale
  • Someone’s getting silly
  • Tasty, tasty Guinness
  • Can you see how this one is different?
  • Foamy
  • Beer sampler – not a giant Bekah
  • Something in my beer
  • Another blonde
  • I am not up to anything I swear
  • She got bored
  • My beer inspector
  • Looking shifty for an orchard thief
  • She is technically in the photo
  • Back in Tifton
  • Really – that’s a small glass
  • Eyeing the beer
  • The one Iceland photo

A grand wedding

Posted on by Joe

We had a grand time getting married.  I’m finally getting some time to send around photos from the event.  If you have additional pictures you’d like to send, I’ll gladly take whatever you have.  For those wanting to download the official family photos, see the Google folder – you can get the high resolution images there.

The happy couple
  • Our Parents
  • Rebekah’s parents
  • Rebekah’s grandmothers
  • My Parents
  • My parents and uncle David
  • The Whitakers
  • Not ours!
  • The Petras
  • Mom, Chris, Barb
  • Mom, Chris, Barb, and a Mystery guest
  • Aunt Teri
  • The Hoopers
  • My parents and sisters
  • The Krivankas
  • The Krivankas extended