Great Week for Granite and Tile

Kitchen Cabinets before and after Granite

Can you see the spot where OSHA Babe licked the slab?

Upstairs shower looks much better with tile vs. without tile

"Sanding Patty" singing along with praise and worship songs on her ipod --get it?

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FOR THE WEEK ENDING March 25, 2007

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HIGHLIGHTS:

1. The Granite Has Landed! The installation went as scheduled on Wednesday. You can see what an improvement it was. The 3rd picture will give you an idea of both color and patterns in the slab. We think that it is beautiful. OSHA Babe is poring through what seems like hundreds of paint color combinations to find just the right one to bring cabinets, walls, counter tops and floor into perfect harmony. For some reason, she isn't too receptive to my suggestion of Boring Beige. And aren't we all glad?

2. The tiling of the shower in the small upstairs bathroom is essentially complete. Pictures 4 & 5 will show how far it has come over the last two weeks. What's lacking is grouting, special cuts in the tiles around the handle and neck, and a shower door. Then we're ready to shower up. Just a warning to those who plan to visit, this shower is 32 in. x 32 in. In a real estate ad, this would be called "cozy." When everything is done in the house, there will be two additional bathrooms with claw foot tubs.

3. This week, while tiling in the shower, I heard a form of music coming from another room in the house. Upon investigation, I came upon OSHA Babe, oblivious to the hearing world, with ipod ear plugs snuggly in place, singing along with her recorded praise and worship music, warbling loud enough to be heard over the roar of the Bosch sander she was using. Hence, we're adding another moniker, "Sanding Patty", to her impressive list of names. Isn't she something? By the way, she got the trim in a second room upstairs ready for paint and then began in the kitchen. What a woman!

4. I'm disappointed in our Feline Followers. You have let me go for nearly two months without an update. So, here it is. Due to the graphic nature of the following, reader discretion is advised. Previously on 24, i.e., "Feline Follies in Tobin Hill", the neighbor who had been feeding the local cat herd moved out. Little Leo had a leg amputated and, at last report, is still convalescing at Mary Alice's sister's house. Miss Blackie's inability to dodge speeding cars driven by suspected terrorists proved to be fatal. We're now down to two cats. Bad Girl and Grey Girl (previously, and mistakenly, known as "Bad Boy" and "Grey Boy", respectively) come bounding down the driveway to meet us in the mornings. Food will do that to a cat. Neither will let us pet them but they will get close if food is involved. Bad Girl appears to be "with kitten". (Sign up now for a free kitten if Bad Girl is actually in a motherly way. Operators are standing by.) Grey Girl was terribly sick about 3 weeks ago but seems to be on the mend. (We suspect that the terrorist who hit Miss Blackie came back and released a deadly cat virus.) A terrorist, disguised as our neighbor's fox/german shepherd mixed breed dog, chased Grey Girl up a tree one day last week. It took her nearly 4 hours to decide that the coast was clear and learn how to descend from about 20 feet up in a china berry tree. Can you tell that OSHA Babe and I have been watching too many reruns of "24"?

5. Visitors - We got shut out this week. However, we did hear from several loyal readers about the glitch of last week's pictures not showing up on the blog.

NEXT STEPS:

1. In the bathroom, we need to get the trim for around the shower controls, put bead board paneling up around the room, replace the toilet and lavatory, tile the floor, texture and paint the walls, put a door back on an opening that was a linen closet but now houses the HVAC unit for upstairs, install a medicine cabinet, replace the light fixture, and Voila! ("vwalla!" or "viola" for those of you in the less educated redneck category with the author), we're done.

2. We need to pick up the three window sashes that were being repaired/rebuilt. Then there is expensive glass to install followed by putting the sashes back in the rough openings. But it sure will look better than the plywood that is covering those windows now.

3. We still have window and door trim, along with baseboards, in the kitchen and two rooms upstairs to strip, sand, and get ready for painting. That work goes slowly but is coming along.

4. I did leave a message with the flooring person last week but have not heard back from him. Calling him again remains on the "To Do" list.

We're on a roll! -- with visitors

Nephew Steven, Michelle, Sean, and Madeline
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Former owners - Danny and Melissa along with her brother

First time visitors Judy and Jackie from Missouri with San Antonian son, Andrew
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TV Room West window before (1st below) and after (2nd below) painting
























For the Week ending March 18, 2007 (plus one day)

HIGHLIGHTS:
1. The visitors keep rolling in. Spring Break prompted our nephew, Steven, and his ever so lovely wife, Michelle, to get away from Houston and come see us in San Antonio. Their children, 2 yr old Sean and 3+ month old Madeline, brought lots of smiles to Aunt Pat and "Icle" Bo. Two sets of neighbors also came by. Danny and Melissa, along with her brother stopped by to check on the progress. They are the previous owners of the house and offered encouraging words about how far it had come. Another neighbor, Mariella (I think that is right) stopped by on Saturday. She and husband, Victor, have been living in the neighborhood for about 3 years and set the standard for holiday lighting. Our last group of visitors included Judy and Jackie from Missouri. They, along with their son Andrew (who lives in San Antonio) stopped by briefly. Andrew is moving up in the "Number of Visits" list. He was here in January when our son, Jay, was working with me. We do love to show off the place and want the flow of friends to continue even after we finish. Mi casa es su casa. Bienvenidos.
2. This week's work progress was a little slow -- and I was a bit lazy with the picture taking. The best I did this week was "Before" and "After" pictures of a window frame in the upstairs TV room. The picture doesn't show much so you'll have to trust that it is a good improvement. There is a lot more of that effort ahead of us. I doubt if I'll be nominated for the Pulitzer for this week's camera work.
3. How would you like to have seen a picture of the tile order we bought last week? (I didn't think so, either.) We did buy tile for 3 bathroom floors and the shower in the small upstairs bathroom. Today, I took the tile saw to the new place and began in the shower. Pictures will follow.
4. We did get window glass replaced in 2 windows downstairs. Restoration, i.e., "wavy" glass, is quite expensive. Ouch! The new sashes that are being constructed are not complete yet. I'm not encouraged that they will be done this week.
5. We do have BIG NEWS from the kitchen! Today, Monday the 19th, we got a call from the fabricator in Kerrville, TX. They informed us that they were planning to install on Wednesday. We hopped in the truck and made the 60 mile trek to "lay out" the slab. It should be cut and polished tomorrow and installed on Wednesday. (If I don't get this post completed in the next 30 minutes, the slab will get cut and polished today and installed on Wednesday.)

NEXT STEPS:
1. Did we mention that the granite counter tops are scheduled to be installed Wednesday, March 21? We're pumped!
2. I need to install the disposal under the sink on Tuesday before the granite gets installed on Wednesday.
3. Hopefully, I can complete the installation of tile in shower and begin on the floor this week.
4. We need to contact wood floor people to check their availability over the next 4 weeks. The kitchen should be ready for refinishing within a week. We hope to have the wood floors in the upstairs rooms ready for refinishing within the next 2 - 3 weeks. If we can get the kitchen, small upstairs bathroom, and upstairs wood floors finished, you may begin hearing us throw out a date for moving in. That's exciting! Stay tuned.

Will you join the "Work For Ribs" Program?

Dear Friends, Loyd and Wilma, from Houston - Founders of the Work For Ribs program

Wilma in her OSHA Babe-approved gear - available at a boutique near you
Loyd and Bo "berming" not "bumming"







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Webb said he wanted to help. Did he expect this?






Mary Dean and OSHA Babe - Buds since Mexico City Days










Distance Award winner from England















FOR THE WEEK ENDING March 11, 2007

HIGHLIGHTS:

1. I can understand your questioning my sanity to make "This Old House" more than a TV program. But what do you think about Loyd and Wilma, founders of the Work For Ribs program? We met them at church during our Houston years (1979 - 1983) and they became like dear family, loving us like their own. Every mother of three little boys under the age of five needs a Wilma in her life. Since we left Houston, they have visited us in Dallas, St. Louis, Mexico City, San Jose, and San Antonio. In addition to being fun, delightful people, they don't like to just sit around when they come. Loyd helped put in a wood floor in San Jose and they both "Worked For Ribs" here in San Antonio. What did they do this time? Read on.

2. The small upstairs bathroom needs to be completed before we call the plumbing inspector back out. Loyd and I set a prefabricated shower base, connected the drain line, and got the shower walls ready for tiling. Loyd is meticulous by nature and understands that, when you're working with a 100+ year old house, sometimes you just have to make it work. We got it done and then moved into the kitchen.


3. The kitchen now has a dishwasher installed. Loyd's experience with creative carpentry was helpful to make it level, plumb, and fit into the opening. Power and water supply are available and cabled. We're just missing the drain. That will follow the installation of the granite counter top. We're scheduled to drive to Kerrville on March 20 to "lay out" the slab, i.e., pick out what part of the slab gets cut for which surface in the kitchen. After the slab is cut, polished, edged, and installed, it will be time for installing the garbage disposal, setting the faucets in place, and connecting the water supply lines. It's getting closer to brisket time!


4. Who knows what a "berm" is? Yes, it is a ridge of dirt that we built along the foundation line on the east side of the house yesterday. Another visitor, Webb, signed up for the Saturday detail and helped unload the dirt from the truck. Don't we have great friends?
..What we're trying to accomplish with the berm is channeling run off water from flowing under the house. The piers underneath the house shift when the moisture content in the surrounding soil changes. When the piers shift, the house moves slightly and can throw door openings off slightly. The timing of our berming was excellent. Rain is forecast for the next 2-3 days. Tomorrow morning, I'll see if we were successful bermers.


5. Are you bored with "Scrape, Sand, Paint, Repeat" yet? My apologies if you are but there is a lot more of that for the trim around windows, doors, and baseboards. Ugh!


6. The visitor record was shattered again this week.
.Lenise came by on Monday and offered encouraging words.
.Loyd and Wilma arrived on Tuesday and stayed with us until Sunday. After full days working, we enjoyed evening meals together (including ribs cooked by OSHA Babe in the Magic Pan), (note from editor-the ribs were in the pan, not OSHA Babe-the author has been disciplined) dominos, hand-and-foot card games, and great walks down memory lane. We thank God for the wonderful friends He has blessed us with along the way.
.Mary Dean, whose family was in Mexico City while we were there also, stopped by Thursday. She had seen the place back in October and was able to recognize the contrast between what it was and where it is now. Mary Dean, thanks for the kind words. It's getting better.
.Webb, a friend from church here in San Antonio, had mentioned several times about wanting to come by and help. He did on Saturday (see him in one of the pictures above unloading dirt from the truck). His wife and children left earlier this week for a visit to England so he said that he had some time on his hands. I hope the shovel didn't scare him off from a repeat visit.
..And speaking of England, we have a new Distance Award winner. A neighbor who lives down the street from us and his father who was visiting from England stopped by on Saturday. OSHA Babe gave them the guided tour.
..When are you coming? We really won't make you shovel dirt or install a shower ---- unless you want to.

NEXT STEPS:
1. In the small upstairs bathroom, we need to select the tiles for the shower and floor, get the walls prepped for beadboard paneling and paint, possibly install a medicine cabinet, tile the floor, and set the new lavatory and toilet. (Does "water closet" sound more sophisticated?)

2. Kitchen work will continue. The cabinet maker started putting the glass in the wall cabinet doors this past week. He did find 2 panes that were cut the wrong size by the glass company. He took them back to get them trimmed down. Hopefully, we'll have doors on the wall cabinets by the end of the week. As mentioned above, granite fabrication is scheduled to take place the week of March 20.

3. Window repair needs to continue. The contractor was away on other jobs this past week. I expect to have him back this week for a day or two.

4. We need to scrape, sand, and paint the trim upstairs. There's a bunch of it left to do. I did break down and buy a good Bosch random orbital sander. It works so much better than the small hand sanders we had been using. There is, however, a long way to go on this one.

Banner Week for Visitors at Tobin Hill

Distance award winners from Nebraska
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Sabinal visitors Nettie and Joe
Second appearance from Del Rio for Bill and Gene...
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Webb, Emma, Megan, and Benjamin



HIGHLIGHTS:
1. We love having visitors! This week, a record number came to the house. In order of appearance in the photos above we had brother and sister-in-law of son #1's parents-in-law, uncle and cousin, aunt and uncle, and church friends and children. Is that confusing enough? I intended it to be. The distance award goes to Nebraskans Jo and Ray who were in town Monday visiting brother Bill and wife Dale. Bill has starred on the blog before but this is the blog premier for the others. Uncle Joe had a doctor's appointment Wednesday. He and Nettie stopped by afterwards and toured the place. An elegant lunch, i.e., the $4.99 enchilada special at Blanco Cafe, capped off their visit. Friday, Aunt Gene and hubby, Bill, were in San Antonio for an appointment and stopped to check on progress of the house. As you can see, we dined at Luther's. There's nothing like the sophistication of a great hamburger and fries served in what was a mechanics bay in a building that was a gasoline station in the 1950's. The week was capped of today with Webb, Emma, Megan, and Benjamin visiting after church.
...When this house becomes livable, we need you to help us fill it up with company. More company is on the way this week and next. We love it. Make your reservation today! Operators are standing by.
2. Oh yeah, we did do some work on the house. We're particularly excited that the kitchen continues to move forward. On Wednesday, a man came out and made templates for the granite counter tops. Still no ETA on installation. OSHA Babe and I painted two door frames in the kitchen and are having to use less imagination to see the finished product. (No, there's not a brisket in the oven, yet.)
3. There were four days of window repair, replacement, and removal. A crew of three showed up on Tuesday and began upstairs. Broken panes were replaced. Some unbroken panes were broken (Oops!). All windows were reglazed. Sash cords were replaced. All upstairs window sashes, except one, now open and close as smoothly as can be expected of 100+ year old windows. Friday brought the removal of four windows downstairs. They are off to have panes replaced and/or have new sashes built.
4. The big bathroom news is the acquisition of a pre-fabricated shower base for what will be the only stand up shower in the house. The rough opening for the shower is 32" x 32". That's pretty small but is a lot better than having to take a bath in a tub in the back yard. Not to worry, though. There will be two additional full baths, complete with claw foot bathtubs with beautiful brushed nickel plated feet and handheld shower attachments. They are just going to take a little more time to get ready.

NEXT STEPS:
1. We need to get one bathroom and the kitchen functional before we call the plumbing inspector back. Hence, getting the shower base set, walls tiled, floor tiled, and new lavatory and toilet set are priorities. I have good help coming from Houston who told OSHA Babe, "We'll work for ribs cooked in the Magic Pan." Hopefully, we'll not be too full to get most of this list knocked out.
2. With the kitchen cabinets, mantel, and now, a couple of door frames painted, we're starting to see some "pretty" in the house. We need to continue to prepare the trim around windows, doors, and baseboards for painting. During the life of the house, someone decided that Spinach Green would make a lovely color for several interior doors and wall trim. Ugh!! Our paint preparation focus will be on the second floor in an effort get rooms ready so we can move in and at least get a good night's sleep.
..We're using a Metabo Paint Remover machine that is outstanding. Paint literally flies off the wood when this thing is used properly. It is German engineered, makes significant noise, has a disk on it that turns at a gazillion rpms, and could hurt a person if they weren't careful. And guess who has become quite proficient with it? Yep, the nervous, cautious, worry wart OSHA Babe herself. Isn't she something?
3. Window sashes are being built this week. I expect the crew back next week with new sashes to wrap up that work. The jefe of this crew, Rick, thinks that he may be able to help get the 10 foot pocket doors back up and working after the windows are done. That would be huge.