vituperation: Adventures in freakdom

Nearing the end

by Fred @ 6:56 pm. Filed under Photographic, DIY, Green acres

Robyn and I were in Lowe’s earlier today to pick up a (final) few things for the house in Smallville: a ceiling fan for the computer room to replace the one that got wet because of a leak in the flashing around the upstairs dormer, a new light for the spud’s bathroom, and some foam tape which I’ll explain later. It took us no time at all to get these things because I’m a Lowe’s guru now and know where everything in the store is.

Just as I thought we were about to leave, Robyn decided she wanted to detour through the “home organization” section to see what they had in the way of shelving for her closet. We looked at a few things, had a discussion about the various things we could do, and after a couple of minutes she said she was ready to go.

She started toward the front of the store and I fell in behind her. I had to move the cart at a pretty good clip to keep up with her. I high-stepped it.

And then, in my excitement to be leaving, I had the sudden overwhelming urge to lean my weight into the cart and take a big leaping, soaring step. Two months shy of forty and I’m still a six-year-old kid when I’m behind a cart in a store.

So I leapt into the air, one leg flung gaily out behind me like, well, like this guy.

When I landed, I realized what I’d done and spun around.

To find a woman at the other end of the aisle standing there and watching me.

After a little over five months, the renovation is Smallville is virtually complete. I’ve spent a lot of time bitching, moaning, complaining, and hurting myself, but it’s been a blast. It’s been a lot of money, too, but worth it all. We have big plans for our life out there: baby chickens are ordered, plants are seeded and growing (especially the sugar snap peas), movers are scheduled. Everything is coming together.

I’ve even just about convinced Robyn we need some goats.

We’re so excited we just about can’t stand it. Here’s hoping it’s everything we believe it’ll be.

For the last month or so, work has been piecemeal. A little time on the bathrooms, some time working on the stairs. Fixing this, painting that, trimming out some other thing.

So how about some pictures of the things you haven’t seen yet?

Last time I showed you the stairs, they still looked a little scary. They’re finished now, and of everything I’ve done in the Smallville house, I think I’m most proud of them.

From the landing, looking down

From the bottom, looking up

From the landing, looking up

Newel, banister, balusters

Several weeks ago, during a mighty storm, water started dripping from the ceiling of the front room. That part of the room was under attic with no access, so I had to make an emergency hole in the spud’s cedar closet to get out there and find out the source of the leak.

As it turns out, the water was getting in around the fireplace. We had that repaired, and I took care of the spud’s closet this weekend. That foam tape I mentioned before? I need it to seal the small gap around the door so that any bugs that get into the attic won’t be able to get out into the house.

Probably it won’t stop any attic monsters or ghosts, though.
Note to the spud: I sure am glad I don’t have a big scary hole into the attic in my room.

The bathrooms are almost completely done. They’re done enough to share, anyway. They still need some caulk, and the shower rods aren’t here yet, but you can see how they’ve turned out.

The tile guy did a kick ass job, and for several hundred dollars less than the other guys wanted. Matter of fact, we had both showers tiled in AND got the floor in the spud’s bathroom tiled for less than the other guys wanted just for the showers.

That kicks ass.

Before…