It Started with Storage

Paul figures we spent 5% of our income this past year on paying rent for our storage unit, and he rightly observed that it's like buying all those things we're storing all over again.  Arg.

So until we can purge our unit of stuff we don't need, and until we can build a storage shed on the property, we're exploring how we might use what we already have at our disposal.

I've long had my eye on the space under the stage: it seems like a perfect place to store camera tripods, light stands, and other such equipment.  But we wouldn't know for sure until Paul could open it up and look at it himself.

The cats enjoyed their look under the stage, too.  Elliot dubbed this chubby guy "Dust Bunny Dilly."  The top of his feet are dirty?  Hmm...

The portion of the stage that Paul tore up was an addition to the original stage and was built on top of the original flooring, so he took advantage of the exposed floorboards to replace a plywood patch in the floor.

The crisp boundary and color difference between the old and the replacement don't really hide the fact that it's a patch, but we figure that it will look better once it's refinished.  Besides, it's part of the building's history, and it's a lot nicer than it used to be:

(Naughty kitties.)

Reverse Shopping

Praise God for Spring Cleanup Day! Getting ready for this special trash pickup on Monday has been so fun! It's like shopping in reverse:

"I don't want that one, or that one. I certainly don't want THAT one OR that one!"

And then I get what I really want: less of the previous owner's life and more room for ours.

YAY!

Building the Bathroom

The new walls are framed in, the door has been rehung, and old chipboard has been temporarily nailed in place to give users some privacy.

The recessed lighting cans and exhaust fan are installed, and the insulation has been replaced. It's so wonderful to have all this light! And it's not quite as cold as it used to be!

Now Paul is pounding away at the concrete floor to open up a trench for the new drain line. My own John Henry aches all over, but he doesn't plan to die with a hammer in his hand.

I'll admit: this whole process is taking longer than we'd hoped. My husband is highly skilled, but highly skilled in completely different areas. He can accomplish projects on an amazingly tight deadline, but building a bathroom isn't exactly radio production.

What's unnerving is that at some point he'll have to disconnect the toilet, and at the rate we're going, it's anybody's guess how long it will take before the new toilet is available for use. We do intend to hire a plumber, but Paul also hopes to set the stage by doing as much of the prep work himself.

Well, Christmas is coming, and that means holiday travel for family celebrations as well as freelance work to fill in for vacationing broadcasters. Whatever Paul can get done tonight and tomorrow is what will welcome us when we return in the new year, and it is what we will be thankful for. Our God provides, and we are grateful.

Prepared for Snow

We've braced ourselves to brave the snow this trip. Paul particularly wanted to beat the snow so he could stretch a tarp over the dumpster and keep the snow from weighing it down when the truck hauls it away.

Faith: a Work in Progress

Faith is looking at a mess like this and believing that it will one day be beautiful. No wonder faith and hope are so closely linked.

Tearing Down the Walls

The ventilation in the bathroom is much improved. Privacy, however, is not.

Today Paul set about the task of reframing the bathroom in preparation for the new arrangement of plumbing and fixtures. This could get interesting.

Kids at Work

I like to tell my boys that it does a mama's heart good to see her guys at work. And since we've started cleaning this place up, these guys are doing my heart plenty of good.

Elliot loves the space. Designed for worship, it captures his affection, and he eagerly desires to work on it and live in it. It is a joy to see this eagerness translate into physical work.

Robin more naturally takes to physical labor, so its no suprise to see him dig in and get dirty. Yesterday he managed to master the art of pulling nails out of the floor after the linoleum was pulled up. He told me it was one of his favorite things to do.

I look forward to seeing what other tasks these guys tackle before the project is done.

The Gift of Service That Just Keeps Giving

I don't remember us ever really asking for Kevin's help. He just brings John and starts to work. And he keeps coming back to work.

Sometimes he brings his wife, and then I don't work. I don't plan it that way; it just happens like that.

Time to Purge

The dumpster is here.

No More Crying over this Room

A cry room, perhaps? Of all the possibilities we've entertained, that seems the most likely. Regardless, it was an impractical eyesore, and it had to go.




So did the red carpeting. Next: the remaining tan and beige linoleum laid in a basket weave pattern.