Work Weeks 45 & 46: Lesson Learned
Hello! I’m back with some more fun before and after pics for you! Some exciting and not-so-exciting things happened in these two weeks. First, Dave and Kevin installed the rest of the dormer windows, which meant there was finally enough light on the third floor to actually see what the heck we’re doing! Yes!!
Just in time, too, because it was/is urgent to get the first floor empty in anticipation of some ceiling demo about to happen down there for our new tenants, and the third floor is the only place left to go with all the random stuff we still have to deal with, along with all the tools and construction materials.
It took a full day, but I emptied the place of not only the random materials, gunk, debris, pigeon poop, and years of dust. And then Kevin devised an ingenious plan to staple a bunch of beer boxes around the dormers to keep the pigeons out until we’re ready for construction, a free and easy-to-remove option. And guess what- it WORKED!! We are like 4 days pigeon-free. Well not pigeon FREE-free, because a) they still get in at the base of roof to party in the rafters b) they still try really hard and get really confused. But at least we are done cleaning up after them!
I am so glad too, because here’s the sucky part about this job: I was nearly recovered from a cold when I went up there, but still a little sub-par. I thought a dusk mask was enough for the job, but here was the lesson: it was NOT. When I finally emerged victorious and pulled off my mask, I discovered that it was BLACK underneath. Nooooo! And Ewwwww! I inhaled who-knows-what kind of crap into my lungs! If I had been operating at 100%, *maybe* I would have been fine. But within 48 hours, I had a terrible case of bronchitis/tonsillitis. Waa! I even had to miss all the Fall Foliage activities this weekend, including my own band’s gig. I’m a few days into antibiotics now and improving quickly, but that was NOT fun, and it really set me back with many projects around here, although the silver lining is it did improve my elbow! In the future, I will be smart and wear my respirator!
This all coincided with the weather changing enough to warrant closing all windows in our apartment for the first time since we moved into it, so then I went down an air-quality wormhole, and frantically cleaned all our filters. This one was only cleaned a month ago, heh:
I blasted the HEPA filter in our bedroom, and bought an air quality monitor and a moisture meter to make sure we’re not continuously poisoning ourselves. So far, I don’t think we are, whew! And now I’ll know if the air changes too, which is fun, I guess (I don’t get out much anymore.)
Ok so in better news, the doors are finished and hung!! Hooray! Check it out:
We’re sticking with the gloss for now. I think it looks pretty glorious! I’m excited to re-do the house number on the transom in a better way now that the door is done, and I’m looking forward to making some wreaths or sprays or other festive decorations for the holidays! Originally, I wanted to have the porch railings and floors entirely done before winter, but it's looking less and less likely. *sigh*. Patience is a virtue, and it will be waiting for me again in the spring!
Ok one last fun thing. It’s not really a true before/after, but I found this stained glass window in the back of a pile a long time ago.
It’s missing a pane of glass, and I had set it aside without really examining it. Well I came across it again, and I decided to finally hold the thing up to the light. HOLY WOW, It’s so pretty! I stuck it in our bedroom window, and hid the missing pane with the curtains. BAM, instant class!
If all goes according to plan, next post will have the back railing and the completed dormers! Oh please oh please let those things go according to plan! Here are two parting pictures of the glorious Mt. Pisgah from our apartment, my favorite part of our view, one from the morning, one from the evening.
This intersection is actually really fun to live at, by the way. Ethan and I love hearing what music people are jamming to in their cars. It’s amazing and sometimes hilarious what people rock out to! Hats off to the little red car that is ALWAYS blasting a jam, I bet whoever they are they are fun! And whoever was blasting C & C Music Factory like it was 1990, YESSS! Go on with your bad self!