| The Process Continued Page 31 |
| September 22, 2009 Day 1,471 |
Last Saturday after work Sam and I went up on the roof of the breezeway to try and finish siding the original part of
the house. We worked diligently and finished all of it before dark except for three pieces of clapboard. Those three
pieces we could not reach. No matter what we tried we could not find a way to reach those boards. The way the
breezeway comes off the house on the back there is not enough room to put a ladder up and reach the those
boards like we did on the front. So there we stood looking up in disarray as darkness fell upon us. We tried from
the side no luck, from the front, no luck, the ladder slide off. Sam suggested me hanging him down from the roof on
a rope, no thanks Sam. Finally we called it a night, dissatisfied with our outcome.
Sunday found me there by myself looking up at the top corner of the house. Finally I decided the only way was to
find some staging. Luck would have it as I drove in to Arnold's house he still had his stagging. He had sold the
staging but the guy had not picked it up yet so I convinced him to let me borrow it for the day and promised to have
it back that afternoon. So I loaded up the truck and headed home. Once I had set up the staging up three levels
high I was able to reach all the areas I needed to finish the job. So Sunday afternoon came and all the siding was
up, caulked and had two coats of paint of them. Now all that is left is the top gable of the back of the garage to side
and to finish painting everything. Below are some pictures of the work I needed to do to finish those three boards.
the house. We worked diligently and finished all of it before dark except for three pieces of clapboard. Those three
pieces we could not reach. No matter what we tried we could not find a way to reach those boards. The way the
breezeway comes off the house on the back there is not enough room to put a ladder up and reach the those
boards like we did on the front. So there we stood looking up in disarray as darkness fell upon us. We tried from
the side no luck, from the front, no luck, the ladder slide off. Sam suggested me hanging him down from the roof on
a rope, no thanks Sam. Finally we called it a night, dissatisfied with our outcome.
Sunday found me there by myself looking up at the top corner of the house. Finally I decided the only way was to
find some staging. Luck would have it as I drove in to Arnold's house he still had his stagging. He had sold the
staging but the guy had not picked it up yet so I convinced him to let me borrow it for the day and promised to have
it back that afternoon. So I loaded up the truck and headed home. Once I had set up the staging up three levels
high I was able to reach all the areas I needed to finish the job. So Sunday afternoon came and all the siding was
up, caulked and had two coats of paint of them. Now all that is left is the top gable of the back of the garage to side
and to finish painting everything. Below are some pictures of the work I needed to do to finish those three boards.
| All of this so I could reach those three boards |
| Here are the three boards and I took down the dish as well |
 |
| |
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| September 29, 2009 Day 1,478 |
Rain kept me from working on the siding last Sunday so I did a bunch of little things inside instead. I touched up
some areas that needed paint and I finished varnishing the railing and stairs in the Carriage house. Today it is
rainy again but the weather is suppose to dry up and I hope to give the south side of the Carriage House a second
coat of paint. Last Saturday I was able to get the second coat of paint on the back of the breezeway so if I can
finish the side of the Carriage House today all I will have left is to finish siding the gable of the back of the Carriage
House and to paint that side as well. It is not a lot of work but as we entered in to October it becomes a battle with
the weather. October is normally a very wet month and it starts getting colder as well.
As we come closer to the end of both Phase One and Phase Two I am starting the planning for Phase Three, the
landscaping. Today I am meeting with Charlie about some stone work we would like done and the get a cost
estimate. He is also our source for firewood and he is delivering two cords of wood today as well. Yes more work for
me! Hard to believe it is time to get ready for winter already where was our summer?
I hope to get some photos on the recent photo page soon if the weather breaks today I will get the camera out.
some areas that needed paint and I finished varnishing the railing and stairs in the Carriage house. Today it is
rainy again but the weather is suppose to dry up and I hope to give the south side of the Carriage House a second
coat of paint. Last Saturday I was able to get the second coat of paint on the back of the breezeway so if I can
finish the side of the Carriage House today all I will have left is to finish siding the gable of the back of the Carriage
House and to paint that side as well. It is not a lot of work but as we entered in to October it becomes a battle with
the weather. October is normally a very wet month and it starts getting colder as well.
As we come closer to the end of both Phase One and Phase Two I am starting the planning for Phase Three, the
landscaping. Today I am meeting with Charlie about some stone work we would like done and the get a cost
estimate. He is also our source for firewood and he is delivering two cords of wood today as well. Yes more work for
me! Hard to believe it is time to get ready for winter already where was our summer?
I hope to get some photos on the recent photo page soon if the weather breaks today I will get the camera out.
| October 6, 2009 Day 1,485 |
It was 12:00 Noon. I was climbing the ladder and the radio was playing the star spangle banner. I paused for a
moment as I saw the American flag through the windows of the Carriage House as it hung from the opening in our
barn across the street. Then I climbed the rest of the way up the ladder and put in the final piece of siding on the
house! Pattie took a picture to commemorate the moment and I had a big smile as I finally finished the outside of the
house. Well of course I still need to finish painting that part of the Carriage house but for all practical purposes I
could feel good that the outside of the house was finally finished. How weird was it that the star spangle banner was
playing at the very moment that I was finishing the house. In a way it was fitting as this has been a dream, a dream is
shared by many Americans who have decided to restore an old house. A dream shared by another American
almost 133 years ago, John Bryant the man who built this house back in 1877. It has been a long journey and this
journey is far from done as I still have a little bit of work to do inside to be considered completely finished and of
course we will never truly be finished as we will always be improving and we still have the barns and landscaping, but
we are done with the house.
Four days shy of four years from when we first started the construction on this house and we can finally say we are
done. It has been an amazing journey filled with pride, worry, sweat, blood, tears, happiness, and extremely tired
bodies, but it has been worth it. Some would say I have been obsessed with this project and I am afraid I will have to
agree but you can not work 20 to 45 hours a week on a project for four years and not be obsessed. It is this
obsession that kept me going when we had no more money, when our house would not sell, when my back ached so
badly I could not stand up straight. It was the dream and the vision that had been in my head from the day I first saw
the house that kept me working day in and day out and now after just a few more hours of painting I can look back
and say what a journey.
moment as I saw the American flag through the windows of the Carriage House as it hung from the opening in our
barn across the street. Then I climbed the rest of the way up the ladder and put in the final piece of siding on the
house! Pattie took a picture to commemorate the moment and I had a big smile as I finally finished the outside of the
house. Well of course I still need to finish painting that part of the Carriage house but for all practical purposes I
could feel good that the outside of the house was finally finished. How weird was it that the star spangle banner was
playing at the very moment that I was finishing the house. In a way it was fitting as this has been a dream, a dream is
shared by many Americans who have decided to restore an old house. A dream shared by another American
almost 133 years ago, John Bryant the man who built this house back in 1877. It has been a long journey and this
journey is far from done as I still have a little bit of work to do inside to be considered completely finished and of
course we will never truly be finished as we will always be improving and we still have the barns and landscaping, but
we are done with the house.
Four days shy of four years from when we first started the construction on this house and we can finally say we are
done. It has been an amazing journey filled with pride, worry, sweat, blood, tears, happiness, and extremely tired
bodies, but it has been worth it. Some would say I have been obsessed with this project and I am afraid I will have to
agree but you can not work 20 to 45 hours a week on a project for four years and not be obsessed. It is this
obsession that kept me going when we had no more money, when our house would not sell, when my back ached so
badly I could not stand up straight. It was the dream and the vision that had been in my head from the day I first saw
the house that kept me working day in and day out and now after just a few more hours of painting I can look back
and say what a journey.
| November 3, 2009 Day 1513 |
I know I was not suppose to do this but I started renovating the barn. I still have work to do on the house and I
should really be focusing on finishing the house but I was stacking some firewood in the barn and thought if I
moved a door I could have some more room. Well one thing lead to another and suddenly I am taking down
walls, pulling out electrical wiring and removing the bathroom. Now I suppose this could have waited but to my
defense this project will give me a lot more room to store Pattie's and Sam's cars for the winter and I could not be
doing this work with the cars in the barn. I can also do the work I need to finish the house this winter when it is
cold outside, while the barn would not be as pleasant to work on this winter with no heat. Also to be totally honest
I am bored with the house and the barn is new and exciting.
So what am I actually doing to the barn? Well As mentioned I am removing the bathroom which we do not use
and does not go with the old barn look we are trying to restore. I have also taken out a room which had no
purpose other than to be a room and this opened up most of the first floor in the barn. It helps give us some
much needed first floor space for the cars in the winter and a bigger dance area for the party! I do not have any
photos as of yet but I will take some soon. Yes in my world sometimes we start on Phase Four before we start
Phase Three but not normally. This will be fun though and it will look great when it is done, then back to finishing
the house. I promise!
should really be focusing on finishing the house but I was stacking some firewood in the barn and thought if I
moved a door I could have some more room. Well one thing lead to another and suddenly I am taking down
walls, pulling out electrical wiring and removing the bathroom. Now I suppose this could have waited but to my
defense this project will give me a lot more room to store Pattie's and Sam's cars for the winter and I could not be
doing this work with the cars in the barn. I can also do the work I need to finish the house this winter when it is
cold outside, while the barn would not be as pleasant to work on this winter with no heat. Also to be totally honest
I am bored with the house and the barn is new and exciting.
So what am I actually doing to the barn? Well As mentioned I am removing the bathroom which we do not use
and does not go with the old barn look we are trying to restore. I have also taken out a room which had no
purpose other than to be a room and this opened up most of the first floor in the barn. It helps give us some
much needed first floor space for the cars in the winter and a bigger dance area for the party! I do not have any
photos as of yet but I will take some soon. Yes in my world sometimes we start on Phase Four before we start
Phase Three but not normally. This will be fun though and it will look great when it is done, then back to finishing
the house. I promise!