I'm Floored

I've been busy lately keeping up with office work and too tired to want to sort photos and blog them. This week I started looking after Oliver and I have time before he wakes up to work on the computer. 

Jim uses this tarp to block off parts of his working area to limit dust spread. It's still pretty dusty around here. 

 This is the last piece of paneling.

This wall needs redone as well, insulation, you know.  

The next project is the floor in the east part of the family room so the rest of the tools

and construction stuff is moved.

 Tile removal. 

This vinyl tile is original and still in great shape. It's ugly. 

After the floor was done we taped paper over it and moved all the junk/stuff from the back part into the finished part, tarped it off and ready to start on the other half of the back room,

Building Walls

In this first photo after the paneling and wall studs are out, you can see at the top the duct work that will eventually be replaced with shorter ones that will be wider, essentially to give more head room in the bathroom. The basement has 7-foot ceilings, which were the norm in the 60s. 

Jim is replacing the studding so he can put insulation in the walls. There was none before and the studs were 2x4s placed the other way. 

Building the frame.

And up it goes. 

I wasn't helping. I was taking pictures.

And that half of the basement is framed, ready for the insulation and sheetrock. 

Concrete Evidence

As with any project, there is always more needing done that we expect. Jim is replacing everything with PVC pipe. These are drains from upstairs. Jim took out this piece of wall, not just to facilitate the replacement, but also because the sheetrock was rotted.

Replaced floor drain., ready for concrete.

He replaced the sheet rock with water resistant kind.

The sheetrock and tile are all out and Jim's starting on removing both closets to give more room for both the bathtub and shower.

My big storage closet, going, going, ...

gone.

Side view.

Jim moved the door over a few inches to the right for more room for the vanity. Shoring up the door space to replace the header. 

Finished.

Forms going down for first concrete pour. This side is for vanity and bathtub. 

Marking out shower dimensions.

In between concrete pours, Jim is working on the walls. 

The Grass is Greener

Since this whole bathroom project started because of clogged pipes that resulted in a new septic tank, the old one had to be removed.  I suppose it wouldn't HAD to come out, but in Jim's book, it did. 

Using the excavator either to get the rest, fill the hole, or both. 

Then, he could get the lawn leveled and planted. The second photo shows how much needs seeded in the back. The first hints that several feet on the other side of the sidewalk needs done. The previous pictures show the scope, also.

 

Plumbing Re-do

I'm slow getting photos on this blog because since I had cataract surgery. I'm making do with readers at the moment and since they don't have the prisms that control my double vision in them. It is very hard to work on the computer seeing double. 

This will just be a photo dump of Jim putting new sewer pipe into the bathroom. 

Looking through the furnace room into the bathroom, Jim is replacing this pipe before he walls everything up. 

Tamping dirt

 

Grandparents

They show up.

Even when it's windy and the dust blows so hard we can feel the grit in our teeth.

They show up. 

Even when the temperatures drop and the sky turns dark well before they arrive home.

They show up.

Even though they showed up for the other grandkids the night before.

They show up.

In rain and snow and heat and wind, every season, every year.

Recitals and track meets, basketball games, and band competitions. Every graduation, every 4-H event, and everything in between.

Grandparents show up.

They keep folding chairs and stadium seats the back of their car so they're always available and have a few extra bucks in their pickets in case the concessions stand serves popcorn. They cheer, hug and smile for a picture with the grandkids before heading home to rest.

They show up.

Even though they don't have to. As an adult, I now realize most of life is just about showing up.

It's support and care, encouragement and love without saving a word.

Because when my kids look into the stands and see a familiar face, they know unconditional love.

I know, because that's what I felt when they showed up for me.

Do they know the impact they have just by showing up?

Written by Leslie Means

Yes, we do!

Soccer

Football

Gymnastics

More soccer

Concerts

Wrestling

Trap Shooting

Basketball

Cross Country

Birthdays

More Basketball

Play Day

Baseball

Tee-ball

Calla doesn't do things yet, but we like to visit.