'Twas the Night After Christmas

What a difference a little primer makes! Keep scrolling!

FOR THE WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 24, 2006

'Twas the night after Christmas,
just returned from the place.
I worked in the attic
got dust on my face.
..
There's now insulation I put in up there
in hopes of this summer keeping in the cold air.
..
The kitchen is closer,
the water heaters are gone!
The time for new cabinets
will now not be long.
..

..
A fresh coat of primer
was placed on some walls.
I can't wait to see
when there's paint on them all.
..
We got a good rain.
The town needed it so.
The house now stays dry
as far as I know.
..
I took out a window
that needed repair.
With pane that was broken,
it didn't keep in air.
..
The sheetrock's not finished -
oh, my, what a mess.
We're still making progress
that's comfort, I guess.
..
The cats send their greetings
- sounds like "Meowy Christmas"
Little Leo's still recovering.
Do you think he misses us?
..
The plumbing's still pending.

Gas meters need moved
Some new pipes are waiting,

Hope water pressure's improved.

..
The mantel is primed

Where's OSHA Babe now?

Sanding in the kitchen

She's really learned how!

..

The feet for the bathtubs

came back plated nickel.

What gorgeous paws and claws!

We really are tickled!

..
Next year we have plans to host a Yule feast
with Patty's famous brisket, or turkey, at least.
You know that you're welcome in our house, the "casa"
If you don't come to join us, we'll wonder "Que pasa?"

..

Make plans to come see us

But don't get in a rush

If you're here before summer

Expect a paint brush!
..
So visit and enjoy this favorite time of year
with family and friends you consider so dear.
It's hard to believe that '07 is close;
Of all your enjoyable years, we do hope it's the most!

..
God bless you next year with contentment and health.
Please see His care for you in more ways than wealth.
Have joy and give thanks for the gift of His Son-
Of all reasons to celebrate, that's the best one!

OSHA Babe pleads case for 3-legged cat

Can I come home with you?
The deck before and after

Fireplace before and after

FOR THE WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 17, 2006

HIGHLIGHTS

1. The deck is finally finished. You will notice from the "Before" and "After" pictures that we have an unobstructed view from the back window of the house, a small deck outside of both doors on the back of the house, and a hot water heater closet in the enclosed area under the stairs. I have primed the area and it already looks so much better than the unpainted areas nearby.

2. Jimmy, the electrician, continues to work methodically as he goes down the list. I do need to clear one of the water heaters from its spot in the kitchen so Jimmy can install an outlet for the refrigerator along with outlets for the microwave and electric starter for the gas stove. Hopefully, that will wrap up this week.

3. CAT UPDATE -- How can you resist Little Leo's face in the picture above? Leo's injury to one of his hind legs was severe and resulted in an amputation. Our neighbor, Mary Alice, has teamed with her sister, Meggan, to provide post op cat convalescence. Reports are good that he is a good patient, is using a litter box, looks marvelous in his little cone/collar that keeps him from licking his stitches. Check out Meggan's comment on last week's block for her assessment. OSHA Babe (yes, the one who is allergic to cats) and her tender heart are working along with Meggan and Mary Alice to find a good home for Little Leo. Join the cause.

4. After 3+ weeks of diligent work (OSHA approved, of course), the fireplace mantel has been primed. The plan is to sand lightly, paint, sand lightly, coat, sand lightly, and coat again. Doesn't it look immensely better than where we started?

5. Sheetrocking in the upstairs rooms began last Monday. The contractor is a young man who is trying to mature and build a business. That provides some interesting challenges for both him and me. Hopefully, patience and his continued willingness to listen will pay off.

6. VISITORS - We got shut out on visitors this week.

NEXT STEPS

1. We need to get the kitchen ready for cabinets, applicances, electrical, gas lines, floors, and painting. Hopefully, we'll get the water heaters moved this week and make progress on the other items. OSHA Babe continues to insist on the wearing of masks while sanding. There is always plenty of dust.

2. Sheetrock work should continue. Stay tuned on this one.

3. Hopefully, I will get the kitchen cleared so Jimmy can finish the electrical work in there.

4. Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS with family and friends. MAY GOD BLESS YOU IN 2007 with contentment and prosperity.

We'll Leave The Lights On For You

Why wait 'til next year?
Christmas lights are on!



Digging ditches but not for lack of a good education

Uncle Joe visited 12-7-2006

FOR THE WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 10, 2006

HIGHLIGHTS
1. Our first Christmas Lights are up! Guess who was in charge of decorating? OSHA Babe continues to display her many talents but has yet to produce snow in San Antonio (although we did have sleet on Friday). We also received our first Christmas card at the house! It is proudly displayed on the still being sanded mantle. Thanks, Dad and Virginia!
2. The other lights are coming on in the house. The electrician is methodically moving through the house to make sure that everything is working as it should. In addition, he has added a 3 way switch and a fixture in the stairs. There is a porch light now. This one, not the Christmas Lights, is the one we'll leave on for you.
3. Let's get ready to Rumble!!! "Cat Fight!" in high school usually meant that a couple of girls were going at it. Last Tuesday morning, "Cat Fight!" apparently meant that the WWF (World Wrestling Felines) of Park Avenue had a Battle Royal. Our Little Leo got messed up pretty bad with a hind leg that won't work. He has been hobbling around on his other 3 legs all week. One of the neighbors took him to the vet on Friday. We don't have the results. Another of the cats, "Bad Boy", must have met his match as evidenced by the gaping gash under his left jaw. Tuesday afternoon, a band of 8 - 10 cats from who knows where was strutting their stuff across the street. Maybe they are the ruffian culprits. (Sorry folks, it was a slow news week.)
4. I was told repeatedly that I needed to get a good education or I would end up digging ditches. From the picture above, it would seem that I wasn't paying attention. The ditch being dug is for a new water line from the shutoff valve into the house. We're hoping to get better water pressure. Hopefully, we can make some more progress on the plumbing this week. Incidentally, OSHA Babe made the final decisions and ordered the kitchen and bath fixtures --Ouch!$$$$$$
5. PpppppppppRrrrrrrrrrOoooooooooGggggggggRrrrrrrrrrrrEeeeeeeeSsssssssSsssssss on the deck is SssssssssssssLlllllllllllllOooooooooooWwwwwwwwww. Need I say Mooooooore.
6. This was another special week for visitors. My dear Uncle Joe spent a few days with us and provided some on site supervision on Thursday. Uncle Joe is one of my uncles who taught me valuable skills like driving a tractor and hoeing grass burrs out of irrigation ditches at the tender age of 12. (This supplements my "When I was your age, I walked to school uphill both ways, barefooted in the snow 7 miles" stories.) We continue to meet neighbors. Don't worry about the neighborhood, we exchanged introductions with the Kennedys. (Guess what his first name is -- yep, it's John.) Another neighbor, Candy Anderson, stopped by to check on the progress and referred us to a sheetrock contractor who is scheduled to start this Monday. Another neighbor that we met this week, Mary Alice, is the one who took Little Leo to the vet.

NEXT STEPS
1. Electrical work should continue. Hopefully, it will wrap up before Christmas.
2. Sheetrock work is scheduled to begin on Monday. At $40/room for labor, I hope that we get good work.
3. WwwwwwwwwOoooooooooRrrrrrrrrrrrKkkkkkkkkkk on the deck to continue to continue.
4. There is always followup. The list currently includes checking with the Historic Preservation Office on permitting requirement for garage, status on the kitchen cabinets, picking up the clawfoot tub feet that should be nickel plated, CPS site visit to determine if moving the gas meter is necessary. This could also be a big week for the tangerine harvest.

Don't Try This at Home

...It's true! They're gone! ............Not OSHA Babe approved

<-- Pat, Dee, and Diane

FOR THE WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 3, 2006

What an active week! There was a ton of activity on numerous fronts.

1. The hydraulic lifts are finally gone! The last one rolled out on Tuesday and was worth the picture.
2. The deck construction began. Building the deck will involve reworking the stairs on the back side of the house to clear a window in the kitchen. Additionally, there will be an enclosed hot water heater closet under the stairs. (Not too exciting unless you remember that there are two 50 gallon water heaters in the kitchen right now.) For a time lapsed view of the deck construction, try out this link - http://tobinhillhappenings.blogspot.com
3. Electrical work is involved with the deck. Both the water heater and water softener require electricity. While the electrician is here, he's going through the house to add a few lights and make sure that everything already there is working.
4. The foundation contractor is back doing some additional work. Earlier, I discovered that one of the new beams that they installed was loose. They are back out putting 2 additional piers in and should finish next week.
5. My painting work this week was not OSHA Babe approved. As you can see from the picture, I'm way up there on the scaffold. (Kids, don't try this at home -- or if you do, make sure your Mom is not at home.) I didn't have help this week to move the scaffolding into position to paint the highest point of the gable end. That still looms.
6. The second claw foot bath tub got spruced up with fresh paint inside and out. The guy who did the tub, James, just happens to work for a company that does custom cabinets, Alamo City Renovations. When his associate, Robert, came out to give an estimate, we were impressed by not only the quality of his work but also by his enthusiasm for restoring old houses. We could have kitchen cabinets installed by the end of the year.

7. Did I mention a water line breaking on the side of the house? We had a 30+ degree temperature swing in the early AM hours on Thursday that may have played a role in a compression joint separating and water spewing for about 10 minutes right before I was going to leave for the day. My plumber neighbors, Emilio and Larry, helped shut the water off to the house, gave me "Galvanized Pipe Repair 101", and I remedied that particular problem on Friday. Have you ever considered a water leak at the end of the day while you were still around (vs. occurring while you are gone) to be a blessing?
8. Visitors this week included long time friends Dee Robertson and Diane Simpson. These ladies have their own home decorating business, "My Home At Last" and thought that the house has a lot of potential. When they drove up, I had just crawled out from under the house and was wearing my finest blue collar designer knee pads and elbow pads and carrying my sawzall. (Hopefully, they saw my potential also.) Their comments were yet another encouragement to stay the course on the long road ahead.
Another visitor was Sybil, wife of James the tub man. Her grandparents had a house nearby when she was small. There is still a tender spot in her heart for old houses.
See the latest feature, Visitors' Photo Album, at http://tobinhillvisitorspictures.blogspot.com

NEXT STEPS

1. Complete deck, electrical checks, and foundation enhancements.

2. Pick up 2nd clawfoot tub.

3. Begin plumbing under the house with the help of my neighbors. Hard water in to water softener with 4 hose bibs and 1 icemaker, blah, blah, blah (for those of you who love this kind of stuff. For those of you who like the cuter things, check out Little Leo's portrait in the tobinhillvisitorspictures - see the link above).

4. As always, 1. scrape, 2. paint, 3. repeat.

5. OSHA Babe continues working on the mantel. She's putting up Christmas lights at the house. Deck the halls.

6. Eat more tangerines. They are ripening quickly.

A Little Paint goes a Long Way

Visitors from North Carolina









<---Before Paint






<---After some Paint

FOR THE WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 26, 2006

HIGHLIGHTS

1. The carpenters finished this week. The soffit work is done and rain gutters are back up. Hopefully, this is all the carpenter work that is needed up high off the ground. It is good to get this wrapped up.
2. It was a challenge painting what the carpenters had put up while the scaffolding was still in place. The scaffolding moved 4 times last week so I had to be quick with the paint after they had left for the day. You can see by the "Before" and "After" pictures that a good coat of paint is making a great difference. You'll probably get bored with future reports of "scraped and painted this week" but there is a ton of that ahead.
3. One down, one to go. The red hydraulic machine was hauled off on Tuesday. The yellow one may be gone this week. I'm not sure that I would call it a miracle, but it's ongoing evidence that God does answer prayers. (Some of you probably didn't realize that hydraulic machines could be part of a spiritual experience, did you?)
4. The tangerines are ripening. As I continue my sampling, the sweetness is increasing every day. The neighborhood cats are getting more comfortable. Little Leo says "Meow." Bethany (Hall) Fitelson "named that tune" - Our House by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young - from last week's blog quiz. (Bethany, have the vouchers for the paid vacation trip arrived yet?)
5. We thoroughly enjoyed this week's visits. Dani Dusek, an SBC friend from Mexico days, dropped the Silver Lady off at the house shortly after dark on Monday and got the twilight tour. She and Pat had been to Dallas for silver jewelry sales. Her gift for interior decorating will be a great blessing to us when we are ready to make this house our home. A neighbor, Deiter, stopped and had some encouraging words. The distance award goes to Dr. Dan and Sherrill Blazer from North Carolina. They are very gracious, Christian friends we met while living in California. Dan, a researcher at Duke University, was on a sabbatical at Stanford for a year when we first met them. Pat and Sherrill are kindred spirits and have kept the friendship alive despite the Blazer's move back to North Carolina and our move to Texas. Dan is an MD who just happens to have a PhD in psychiatry. (Pat may have called him in for an assessment of my mental state as manifest by the work on this house. I did give Dan, who has authored over 30 books, two suggested titles for a future work -- "When Someone You Love Loses Their Mind" or "The Fine Line Between Vision and Delusion." Keep your eye on the New York Times Best Seller list.)

NEXT STEPS
1. Deck work begins on Monday. More to report on as that progresses.
2. Painting will continue. I would love to get the high gable end painted this week and only have to work off of 3 levels of scaffolding for the remainder of this job. The gable end at the front of the house is going to require all 4 levels of scaffolding, i.e., ~35 ft off the ground. The number may look small, but the distance is HUGE when you're up in the air.
3. Plumbing may move forward depending on the progress on the deck this week. Part of the deck work includes a closet for the hot water heater that is presently located in the kitchen. Once the water heater moves, the plumbing can be completed.

Some "Pretty" to report

FOR THE WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 19, 2006

From this in October...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .To this in November

Who is this masked woman?

HIGHLIGHTS

1. This week had some milestones. For the first time, there is some "pretty" to report. The fireplace was completed! As the 2 pictures above illustrate, it came a long way. The mason, Donicio Neaves, and crew worked hard over the past 2 weekends and got it done. The parlor feels cozier already. ("You light the fire, I'll place the flowers in the vase that you bought today... with 2 cats in the yard, life used to be so hard..."--Can you name that tune in less than 5 notes?)

2. Carpenter work continues with soffit, facia, and rain gutters being replaced. Another "pretty" to report is the milestone of the first paint going on this past week on a section of soffit that they put up. It looks a lot better than unpainted, but, man, there is a bunch of it to do. How long did it take Leonardo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel?

3. The multi-talented OSHA Babe is another "pretty" to report. You see her sanding the mantel in the picture above. She schmoozed with me at the City of San Antonio Historic Design Review Board meeting on Wednesday, composed "Ode to Little Leo" (see her 11/17/06 blog entry below), and stepped into a phone booth and changed into Silver Lady for a weekend sales trip to Dallas. Isn't she something? The only thing I have found effective in slowing her down is general anesthetic.

4. The saga of the hydraulic machines in the back yard was not a "pretty" sight. In trying to move one of the machines, 2 hydraulic hoses broke and spewed red oil all over the driveway. The owner is real good at excuses but not so good at spending the money it is going to take to get both of the machines hauled off. I really need your prayers on this one.

5. The plumbing network is laid out under the house. We need the hot water heater moved to its new home in a closet on the yet to be built deck before moving forward. Deck work is scheduled to begin this week. Stay tuned. (I have a difficult time calling plumbing infrastructure "pretty". However, it will be a beautiful thing if there is good pressure and no leaks when completed.)

6. The visitor roll was slim this week. The only ones who showed up this week were the workers. But that's a good thing.

NEXT STEPS

1. Deck work is set to begin this week. We'll see if the hydraulic machine mess in the driveway impedes this progress.

2. There are 2 - 3 days of carpenter work, i.e., soffit, facia, and rain gutters, still pending.

3. There is beautiful wood grain under 3 layers of paint on the mantel. OSHA Babe is leading the sanding/stripping charge on getting this done. She may begin endorsing paint stripping methods. Maybe there is a shoe contract in the wings. (OB, it's Nike on the phone calling for you.)

4. It is Thanksgiving week and there is much for which to be thankful. I'm thankful for family and friends who have helped along the way and the Creator who has blessed me beyond anything I could have hoped for or imagined. Thanks for your encouraging words.

Won't you be my neighbor?

Little Leo, mi amigo,
is the cat who lives next door
Wild and watchful,
Young and bashful,
Lately he’s been trusting more.

Used to lurk and sometimes dared near
When the big cats weren’t around.
Dared to sniff and watch me eat lunch,
Then would snatch food
From the ground.

Came the day he let me touch him,
Rub his head and scratch his fur,
Ooooh, he likes that! Now he lingers,
Eats from my hand
And stays for more.

Now my wife Pat
Says he’s a cat-
Achoo! He’ll stay outside, that’s fine!
But Pat is smitten,
By this kitten
and packs his lunch along with mine.

Little Leo, mi amigo, is the cat who lives next door.

The Leaning Column of Tobin Hill is history

Column in mid air

Column in place---->

Here comes the plinth


East column before

East Column after

FOR THE WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 12, 2006

HIGHLIGHTS

1. It was a week of amazing carpenty progress! Wes Gooden and his crew strengthened the balcony substructure, straightened the Leaning Column of Tobin Hill, built brick footings for the rectangular columns attached to the house, and replaced 2 bases to the 20' round columns. Moving the column was nothing short of incredible. There were 3 cables tied off above the balcony handrail that pulled the top back toward the house, 2 struts down by the entry porch pushing the bottom away from the house, a hydraulic jack lifting the balcony ever so slightly, and 2 balcony handrails that remained intact throughout the process. (I'm having a hard time describing this without moving my hands.) We had planned for the worst case scenario but this went as close to the best case scenario as possible. Wes, you're a genius. If any of you want more engineering detail, let me know and I'll share more pictures than the ones above.

2. A token plumbing effort began with the first section of pipe being hung from the floor joists. Once you get accustomed to being under the house, it's not so bad. Our objective is to upgrade the water supply lines to PVC and simplify the maze of pipes.

3. Fireplace work began on Saturday. A new footing for the hearth was poured and the firebox, i.e., the place where fires actually burn, have been completed.

4. Who's coming over for Thanksgiving diner? We picked up the gas stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, and microwave. Getting them hooked up in the kitchen is still several weeks away pending a gas line, an icemaker line, dedicated electrical circuits for the stove, microwave, and refrigerator, flooring, current water heaters moved out of the kitchen, ... If you're coming for Thanksgiving, bring a sack lunch.

5. We continue to be blessed by visitors. Jim Zeller, a dear friend and brother from the Lafayette Church of Christ in Ballwin, MO, was in town on Tuesday. After a delicious breakfast together at the Echilada Warehouse, he took the tour. Two young ladies who are majoring in Urban Studies at Trinity University were walking in the neighborhood, were curious about the house and enjoyed a walkthrough. Buck and Katy Brockman did a progress check today. You, too, can make the blog when you come visit.

NEXT STEPS

1. The plumbing goal this week is to have the PVC water supply network laid out this week. It will be dramatically less complex than the beast under the house now.

2. Fireplace work is scheduled to continue. I need to pick up the cast iron fireplace front and a "strap" of bricks for the hearth. You'll love the before, during, and after pictures.

3. The exterior surface of the upstairs clawfoot bathtub is in the process of being taken back to bare metal. I've worn out one wire wheel so far. All 8 feet for the 2 tubs in the house were dropped off at a shop to be nickel plated. Can you believe a 3 week turnaround?

4. I need to check with the gas utility about what is needed to establish gas service. There is a meter but no connected gas lines into this all electric house. We'll need to get gas to OSHA Babe's gas stove and to the fireplace. More to come.

5. I am scheduled to attend a Tax Certification Meeting this Wednesday. My expectation is that the property will be approved for reduced San Antonio City taxes over the next 10 years after the planned work is done. Hopefully, this will be innocuous.

I can tear it out. Can I put it back together??

Can I put this back together?





Bill & Gene Carter from Del Rio, TX visited 10/30

FOR THE WEEK ENDING November 5, 2006

HIGHLIGHTS
1. The carpenter crew showed up early Monday morning and worked every day this week on the balcony. They carefully removed and labeled the trim around the sagging corner of the balcony and braced the timber support members with steel plates. It gets pretty scary watching the welding of metal taking place around 100+ year old lumber. There is probably 2 more weeks of carpenter work in the plan.
2. The RUUD heat pumps are now fully operational. During the cleaning of the coils, the guys spilled solution on the floors and left spots. A return trip is scheduled this week to see if a chemical mix will get them out. Keep your fingers crossed.
3. OSHA Babe (OB for short) expanded her skill set this week. She spent quite a few hours pondering over toilets, pedestal sinks for bathrooms, a neat looking sink for the kitchen, faucets, shower hardware for clawfoot tubs,... (Can you say "Ka-ching, Ka-ching, $$$"?) OB even can tell you the seat height of normal and comfort height toilets. You go, Girl!!! (P.S. from OB-what an education I got! What will they think of next? Did you know there was such a thing as a quiet-closing seat that you can remove for easy cleaning? Where were those when the three boys were home!??!?)

4. The bathroom and kitchen floors are beyond preservation. The mastic-laden linoleum left a nasty coating that I've not been able to remove with strippers, KrudKutter, scraping, or sanding. The bathroom floors have been patched multiple times and would not look good even if they could be cleaned. In removing the floor of the downstairs bathroom, I discovered the plumbing maze (see picture above). This gave me the inspiration for this week's blog title, "I CAN TEAR IT OUT. CAN I PUT IT BACK TOGETHER?"
5. OB took on paint removal from a small door on Saturday. Five hours and a pint's worth of $60/gal special paint remover later, we've decided that the old paints don't come off easily. For the exterior, I'll probably invest in some high end, vacumn assisted equipment. Preping and painting the exterior will probably be a lifetime effort. Van Gogh, move over!
6. Visitors during the week included my dear Aunt Gene and hubby, Bill (pictured above). They were in San Antonio for a doctor's appointment and came by for a tour and lunch at LuLu's - home of monster-sized chicken fried steak and 3 lb. cinnamon rolls. Saturday visitors included the Shadden family from church. They have an amazing story of coming to the Lord. His Word is powerful. Other visitors included a neighbor from one street over who has been working on his house for 3 years, the masonry contractor, and a carpenter who is working up a proposal for a deck with water heater/softener closet and converting the carport to a garage.


NEXT STEPS
1. The balcony work is getting to the point of attempting to plumb our problem column. That may happen this week. Additionally, one of the crew is rebuilding the brick bases for the 2 rectangular columns that are butted up to the house.
2. Masonry work on fireplace & chimney is scheduled to begin this coming Saturday.
3. OSHA Babe's training is being expanded to include sander techniques. The interior door frames and baseboards could be featured as her handiwork.
4. Plumbing work gearing up. We may be buying materials late this week. I'll be spending time under the house strapping pipe to the floor joists. My neighbor, a plumber, is helping out.
5. The 2 hydraulic lifts that belong the owner prior to the person we bought the house from (would that make him the "grand owner"?) are being worked on to get them movable. Don't get me started on the saga of how many days he didn't show up as promised to begin working on the equipment. I had the certified letter in the front seat ready to be mailed when he finally called on Thursday morning and did actually show up that day. The Lord does answer prayers to resolve problems directly vs. with the involvement of the "law."
6. The Port-A-Potty contract will be extended beyond the initial 2 months until the indoor plumbing is completed.

Major completion - the ROOF is finally done! - PTL

New Roof!

Roof Replacement in Progress

FOR THE WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 29, 2006

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

1. We have a new roof! Wednesday and Thursday were rainouts but the roofing crew showed up bright and early on Friday and finished mid afternoon on Saturday. The crew of 7 was amazing in how they worked at 35 - 50 feet above the ground. The Spanish I learned while living in Mexico City did come in handy. The cost was about $1600 more than expected due to the roof deck, i.e., the wood that the shingles are nailed to, needing more extensive repairs than I previously thought. But it's done, nobody got hurt, and we're dry.
2. The claw foot tub is in the shop being refinished. I moved the tub about 120' by myself from the carport to the back of the pickup and was real proud of myself until I delivered it to the tub refinishing guy (who was significantly smaller than me) and found out that he loads them by himself all the time. But OSHA Babe was impressed. When the tub is done, it's really going to be nice!
3. The pest control visit was completed. We had cucarrachas dying for the next 2 days. Why do they have to crawl to the middle of the room to do that?
4. The HVAC technician came out on Wednesday. There's good news and bad news. What do you want first? OK, the good news is that both the RUDD Heat Pumps work after very little use since their installation in 1995-1996. The bad news is that they haven't been serviced in 10 years. A followup visit is scheduled to take care of cleaning the condensing coils, leveling the concrete pads the outside units are sitting on, relocating one of the outside units, and installing 2 programmable thermostats. I'm glad that we're not having to buy new units.
5. The carpenter contines to develop the plan for improving the structural support of the front balcony, making the "Leaning Column of Tobin Hill" more plumb, and tidying up the column bases. Stand by. More to come, i.e., $$$$$$$
6. Visitors this week - 1 hardwood floor refinisher, the bug man, the HVAC guy, a masonry contractor, and a neighbor from 2 doors down.

NEXT STEPS -
1. A good part of this week will be spent under the house mapping the existing plumbing infrastructure. Current plans call for increasing the supply line to a 1" line, capping the lines to the 2 water heaters currently located in the kitchen, extending the water to a future back porch and water heater closet, rerunning the water lines for the 2nd floor laundry room. I'm hoping to do the grunt work of running the new lines myself with the help of a neighbor. We'll see how that goes.
2. HVAC service is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 30
3. Masonry work needs to be scheduled to repair the fireplace and "re-tuck" the chimney that served the kitchen.
4. The Fireplace door and frame need to be taken to a sandblaster to get the old paint off. The design on the door is pretty cool.

WWJD - An additional meaning

FOR THE WEEK ENDING October 22, 2006

Honored Guests early for Thanksgiving

Carpenters wondering "WWJD?"

Debris in Dumpster

Debris in Back Yard

Highlights of the week
1. There was good movement on several fronts this week. The 15 cubic yard dumpster arrived empty on Tuesday and left full on Thursday. Two of the pictures above capture the debris' epic journey from the back yard to the dumpster. It was good to get this done.
2. Carpenters showed up Friday for an exploratory session regarding the balcony and columns. The picture above is when I was probably asking Wes the carpenter, "WWJD?" Given that Jesus' earthly father was Joseph (a carpenter), I sure would like to know what he would do about a sagging balcony and leaning columns. Although Jesus is not swinging a hammer on this project, He is working along side of me and OSHA Babe.

3. Roofing material arrived on Friday. However, the supply company decided that it was too difficult to put the materials on the roof (as originally planned) and off loaded on the driveway. The installers will have to bring extra help to hand carry the 80 lb bundles up ladders to the rooftop. Oh, by the way, the crew originally scheduled to put the roof on Monday, Oct. 23, is short handed and not able to do the work. So the contractor is looking for a different crew. Maybe we're talking about Wed. or Thur. Stay tuned.
4. Big News!!- a toilet in the house works! One of the bathrooms has a sink and toilet still installed. They were both so nasty that I had not checked them after the water was turned on a couple of weeks ago. On a walk thru with a potential plumbing contractor, I turned the faucet on and, lo and behold, it worked. The toilet flushed and nothing exploded. The port-a-potty's days are numbered.
5. Visitors this week included the Kruger family from Sunnyvale, CA and the Treat family from here in San Antonio. Pat and I were priviliged to be part of a great church family in Campbell, CA, with Gordon and Lora Lee/David and Judy. The Krugers are still there. Dave and Judy have been in San Antonio for about 2 years now and are active at the Oak Hills Church. Pat and I were encouraged during our time in CA and continue to be blessed by these folks' friendship.

Next Steps
1. Complete the roofing saga.
2. Do more than hypothesize about the work to be done on the balcony and columns.
3. Finalize the scope of the plumbing work to be done.
4. Find out if the Rudd Heat Pumps work, i.e., schedule a service call.
5. Somehow get the clawfoot bath tub from under the carport into the back of the pickup to the sandblasting company so it can be refinished.
6. Begin painting preparations by scraping, sanding and priming.

Off the walls and Out the window

Trash Pile in back yard -->

Trash pile in back bedroom

<--- Bo clearing the walls & ceilings

FOR THE WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 15, 2006

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

1. Most of the week was spent stripping walls and ceilings upstairs of the tacky 12" accoustic tiles, 1950's vintage paneling, and 1905 vintage ceiling and wall fabric, i.e., ancestor of wallpaper. The dust and soot of 101 yrs. was nasty. Each ceiling tile had 12 staples in it that had to be removed. That's me and my pliers hard at it in the master bedroom. Pat played clean up crew gathering up tiles and paper and pitching them out the window (upper left picture) to the debris pile in the back yard (upper right picture). We found some pretty neat paper in the 2nd floor landing area that will be part of the scrapbook we're planning that has samples of all the original wall coverings. We also found more "Ed Steves & Sons" signatures on ceilings upstairs.

2. Pat picked out her gas stove, microwave and dishwasher. Now all she needs are some grandkids (or adopted grandkids) to make cookies for. Still pending is a refrigerator. The kitchen is still a long way off.

3. On Wednesday, I thought that I ordered roofing material. The sales person wrote up the order but did not process my credit card information (that I had given him over the phone). When I had not received email confirmation of the order, I called but the sales person was not in. That prompted an in person visit. Much to my dismay, the supply company had me in "bid" status rather than "order" status and the delivery (that the sales person told me was on the calendar for Oct. 20) had not been scheduled. With the installation crew coming on Monday, Oct. 23, we would have been in for a disaster. The story ends on a good note. A couple of folks at the supply company helped turn the bid into an order and squeezed me into the delivery schedule for Friday, Oct. 20. Just remember one of the fundamental rules of project management, trust your sources of information --AND VERIFY!!

4. I did get a recommendation for a part time worker. Someone who had worked on the foundation repair had a guy doing some clean up and said that he was available to work if I needed some help from time to time. I was told to keep the work basic and that he was a good worker for 2 - 3 hours --- until he started drinking. It is always interesting.

5. As the World Turns - OSHA Babe did agree to a date. We had a wonderful time but I'd better not give TMI.

6. Visitor Log - I believed that we missed acknowledging Mary Dean Richards' visit from the previous week. She thinks that the plan is great. This week's visitor list was limited to 3 contractors looking at the balcony and column work that needs to be done and our neighbors (from whom we bought the house) who returned from their honeymoon in Italy and picked up their fish that we were keeping.

NEXT STEPS

1. We need a dumpster.

2. The roofing material is scheduled for delivery on Friday, Oct. 20. I'm nervous considering what was written above.

3. The work on the balcony and columns continues to puzzle and intrigue the contractors who come by. I have found a couple of architectural firms that do commercial projects but none who do "small" residential work. This one has several of us scratching our heads. The Lord will provide.

4. With the interior walls nearly clear, we need to take next steps getting a plumber and electrican lined up to do the upgrades necessary. These are back on the radar screen.

Discoveries in the Dining Room & Sgt. Peppers'

OSHA Poster Girl

Entry way clear of debris

Found a flue in the Dining Room

For the week ending October 7, 2006

1. In clearing the Dining Room walls back down to the bare wood, we found a flue that was used for a wood stove. There was a colorful paper border with a Montgomery Ward logo around the opening in the wall. We have begun looking for a nice wood stove to put in the spot where the old one used to be. Also in the Dining Room, we discovered that there was an 8 ft. window in what was originally the back wall of the house. When the 2 rooms were added onto the back, the window was boarded up.

2. The Entry is finally clear of debris. As promised in last week's blog, the picture in the upper left shows a view of the Entry from the Parlor. It will look better painted - promise.

3. "I'm fixing a hole where the rain gets in..." Can you name that tune, the year, and the artist? Even if you can't, it describes a major accomplishment this week. The roof is patched and hopefully ready for the real roofers to come in and do their thing. The Lord continues to bless me with safety and a healthy respect for working aloft.

4. I am pleased to announce that the foundation repairs and house leveling have been completed. The west wall was raised nearly 3". That's pretty incredible. It is amazing how much better the doors open in a level house.

5. Visitors this week were mostly contractors. Three of them came by to look at the columns and balcony. I started off all the conversations with some version of "Yes, I have lost my mind. Now let's talk about how we can get the columns plumbed and the balcony supported better." Don't be surprised if you subsequently hear wailing because this is likely to be muy costoso.

NEXT STEPS -

1. Schedule the roofing work to be done.

2. Find someone who will take on the challenge of the columns and balcony.

3. Make a wiring diagram of electrical, communications, door bells, speakers, etc. and have additional discussions with electricians.

4. Pray for a plumber.

5. Ask my local OSHA babe (see centerfold above) for a date.

On the Roof and Under the House

FOR THE WEEK ENDING 09-30-2006

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK -

1. The house has been "de-duplexed." The picture at the left shows the framing of the wall in the large entry room that separated the downstairs from the upstairs unit. The entry way is quite grand. Better pictures to follow.

2. Foundation work began on Wednesday. We're getting 20 additional piers, several beams replaced, and leveling of the house. The picture in the upper right corner is 2 of the 3 workers who have dug the 36" deep holes that are 24" x 24" in size. Man, they are hard workers.

3. Roof, soffit, and facia repairs are in progress. We are not only the owners of 24' of scaffolding, we're the proud owners. How many of your friends own their own scaffolding? None of the roofers I had talked with were enthused about the soffit repairs and the ones that did send a bid, sent time and material bids at $20 - $35/hour/person. One guy estimated that it would be an 8 day project. So, I'm doing it myself. Pat gets nervous while I'm up there and I have a healthy respect for the danger of working aloft. We thank the Lord each day for the safety. So far, the injuries are blisters, splinters, mosquito bites, sweat, and grime.

4. After removing the acoustic/insulating tiles from the ceiling of the entry way, we found a signature of "Ed Steves & Sons, Est. 1866" painted very neatly on one of the boards. We don't know if this is the carpenter, lumber yard, or both who built the house in 1905. There is a "Steves Mansion" in another historic part of San Antonio that may offer us some clues. Stay tuned.
5. Visitors this week included the young man from the Home Depot Contractor's desk who thinks this is cool, a couple and parents who were looking at the house across the street from us, Emilio my neighbor who helped put up the last 6' of scaffolding, and various contractors.

6. We got our first mail at the new address. It was a bill. Get used to it.

NEXT STEPS -

1. First Porta Potty service call is scheduled for Monday morning. Whew!!!

2. Move the scaffolding to the front of the house for additional soffit repairs.

3. Foundation work is scheduled to complete.

4. I'm attending a Historic Preservation Review Committee meeting Tuesday, 3 PM. Purpose is unclear but I don't want to get on the wrong side of the City folks.

5. Choose a roofing contractor if the repairs get completed.

Permits and Potty - We're in business now

< --- Before After --->

For the week ending 09/23/06

Highlights:

1. As you can tell from the pictures above, the palm trees got a haircut. I (Bo) was the barber using a 14" chainsaw while standing on a ladder. Man, that's hard work.

2. BIG NEWS!!! - The porta potty arrived Friday afternoon! We're official now! Whew, I don't have to go to the gas station anymore. (For those of you in California, no, this is NOT a Texas plumbing permit.) I couldn't figure out how to insert it at this place or you would have had a picture.

3. We have permits - one from the Historic Preservation Office (that any subcontractor has to have to mess with the exterior of a historical landmark) and a City of San Antonio permit for general repairs. I have listed roof, foundation, exterior repairs, and interior remodeling that includes kitchen, baths, electrical, and plumbing.

4. We finally have the multi-purpose yard/jungle cleared. After only 5 pickup truck loads of vegetation, the place is looking like someone has been there in the past decade.

5. Guests this week included Buck and Katy, Eric and Kristy Bailey from Gravitt, AR, Bill, Dale, and Rachel (Katy's family), two ladies who were looking at the house across the street, and the mailman.

6. Working like this is a great weight control program.

Next Steps.

1. Select roofing contractor - hopefully before the monsoons set in

2. Finalize foundation repairs - 20 new piers, replace some beams, level house, ...

3. "De-Duplexize" the house, i.e., demise the entry room by removing two walls that were added decades ago. This huge inprovement will make use of the natural light coming in from a bay window and a single window that are on the west side of the house.

4. Set up the Pat & Bo Historic House Restoration Foundation. I don't believe that your donations are tax deductible quite yet.

About to sign on the dotted line....

For week ending Saturday, September 16, 2006

Highlights

There are beautiful red lilies blooming in the front yard. Consider the lilies of the field...a good reminder to thank God for blessing us with this house. One of the fun finds this week was a china berry tree in the back yard like Bo used to climb as a boy at his Granny Sue's house. We began talking with contractors about foundation, roofing, painting, and plumbing repairs. Coincidentally, one of the painting contractors is named Brockman and his wife's name is Yvonne. Bo's mom's name was Evonne, with an E, not a Y, as she liked to insist.For the first time in probably 10 years, the inside was swept. Thankfully, Pat had made a Wal-Mart run and picked up filtration masks for this kind of cleaning. It seems that the neighborhood cats had used the living room as a litter box from time to time. Yuk! Nasty cats! We met our soon to be next door neighbors. They are a couple about our age with three adult children and have been living in (and working on) their house for about 4 years now! Yikes! What have we gotten ourselves into?On Friday Bo went by the City of San Antonio Historic Preservation office to begin understanding what it means to have a house that is already designated as a historical landmark. Should be interesting working through this process. Stay tuned.

Next Steps

We are scheduled to close Monday, September 18. We will continue meeting contractors to get bids. The most urgent needs are roofing and foundation work. It is raining as we type and there are some big holes in the roof. (But we are thankful for the rain!)