Thursday, October 30, 2008

PROGRESSO

sometimes you just have to give in...

the glass menagerie
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Several weeks ago I disassembled, right down to the rough frame, one of the six windows in the target room. My goal was to see how much time and energy were required to remove a unit, then all the glass from these double-hung pulleyed and weighted windows [there were 10 pieces of glass per unit], sand to the wood, refinish and re-glaze the entire unit, and reassemble and reinstall the whole thing. What with my usual limited pieces of time to do this task, the endeavor had spent over 2 weeks on that one unit and was not yet completed. About a week ago a friend said something like, "Schenkel ... why don't you give up and spend the money to buy replacement windows that you can install yourself and save yourself all this hassle - and maybe even make your Thanksgiving target for room completion."

As of this evening, five of the six windows are now replaced, including new storm windows installed.

Tomorrow I start on the ceiling. That will be followed by the floor [of which I have already removed a rotten section and shored it up and put down new sub-flooring].

Maybe ... just maybe ... I'll have enough done to move furniture back into the room by Thanksgiving. I may still have some finishing work, like molding and such, but it might actually be usable.

Whoops - I forgot something. I added a couple of new electrical outlets and a cable TV connection when I did the first drywalling over four months ago. I've run all the wire - I just need to get a licensed electrician to hook them to the breaker box. No fun being done, plug in the TV and nothing works. Guess I better do that soon.

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Monday, October 13, 2008

when do we make the time

last week: final mudding
this week: final sanding

...except for my calendar

So, this past Friday I got the last mud up.

Then it happened again ... the calendar thing:

Saturday morn I installed new storm door,
then rest of the day - FULL
Sunday - FULL;
Monday eve [tonite] - FULL;
Tuesday eve - FULL;
Wednesday eve - FREE after 8pm;
Thursday eve- FULL;
Friday eve - leave for annual camp out
Saturday - on camp out
Sunday - return from camp out early afternoon
Sunday afternoon and eve - relatively FREE
Monday eve - FULL
Tuesday eve - FULL
Wednesday eve - FREE
Thursday eve - FREE
Friday eve - FULL
Saturday daytime - mostly FREE
Saturday eve - FULL

I haven't looked beyond that, yet.

Anyone making book on this project? Will I get done by Thanksgiving?
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Monday, October 6, 2008

beginning of the end

final mudding begins

...but can I get it done by Thanksgiving?


No matter how I look at it, I still think there is a lot of work to accomplish yet. When I started the last week of June, I really knew it would not be an overnight project. I knew I would have days and weeks where I'd do nothing towards the project. Even now, when I can see three of the four walls drywalled and painted, I still see a lot of work to be done. This last drywall is now up and mudding has it's first application. Sanding and 2nd applications to follow someday in the next week or so ... or so.

I wonder if Guardian Angels can be talked into helping.

And then I look at my personal calendar and I see days filled with 'work' demands, and evenings filled with service and ministry commitments. TU & WE full; TH & FR may have some time; weekend full; next MO full; perhaps next TU. I'm beginning to wonder if I'll make it by Christmas. The floor and ceiling should go more efficiently. The last finishing tasks will be molding and trim work. It is going to be close. I wonder if she'll dis-own me if I don't make the deadline I myself set 3 and a half months ago.
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