But as long as the weather cooperates, I think I’ll get there. Yesterday rained just enough, and not too much, so I could work as long as I was able. It was hot, but no direct sunlight for most of it, and there was even a cool breeze for part of the day. Late afternoon the sun came out and started to broil me, even though it was in the low 80sF. So I looked around and found an umbrella to set up for a little shade. Then the wind picked up and a storm blew through… but after I went back to work outside and reset the umbrella. Adapt improvise, overcome.
I got almost all of the chimney removed, except for the firebox insert, and the hearth. Indoors, I removed the top 2 ft of the fireplace above the mantel. I could be quicker, just pulling the whole wall down and letting it break apart on the floor, but I’ll have a heck of a mess to clean up and it goes pretty fast removing one brick at a time.
I did a better job staying hydrated too.
Today I have to get all the brick work out, and start the process for roughing in the new opening. I have to support the ceiling joists temporarily during that, and I hope I have enough materials. I was planning to make a Lowes run once I had the wall and ceiling open and knew for sure what I’d need. Pretty sure I need at least one sheet of plywood for the roof opening, and one sheet of drywall to repair the ceiling. I’ve got studs and wall sheathing. And plastic sheet if I have to just cover the whole thing and staple it up to make it weather tight.
Then Friday, I’ll install the window, wall and ceiling sheathing, and button up to head home. Still have to be up early Sat morning for the A/C guy to install the new unit. I have a feeling I’ll be back up here soon to do the trim out and final finishes. And it just occurred to me that code will require an outlet in the wall under the window. I’ll have to at least install the box and romex up to the attic. Without opening walls there’s nothing nearby to grab, and none of the old system is grounded anyway. Fractal.
Always be working. And stacking doesn’t hurt.
nick
Here I am, having worked all night. I’ve been busy on things other than paying work and probably would have skipped this but a sudden expense dropped on me and I need the money. (Tooooootally unrelated: Children. Bah. Who ever thought they were a good idea?)
More executor stuff today, inconveniently timed so I won’t be able to get more than a couple hours’ sleep. Meh. I’m tough and can get through the day. I’ll complain about it, though. And then something for the kid tomorrow, also inconveniently timed so that I’ll lose the chance to do some paying work. Children. Bah.
Poor you. Sounds familiar.
Megaproject is grounded for the time being. I am dropping tools at the end of work hours today, and someone else will have to babysit it. No longer my problem, for a while, at least.
Eeek! Sounds dangerous. Don’t go all unintentionally sparky…
Thursday. Good morning. Last work day of this week, and last for a while for me. Glad of that.
Mr Ray, you have shared your history before, but it strikes me each time anew how resilient you are to have come through that and still come across as a reasonably sane and grounded individual (apart from the flatulence). Well done.
I can’t think of any more meanings for “grounded” to use up, so I will stop here. Have a good day.
It helped having a couple of good neighbors, closest about a half a mile. I would spend time there when something was really bad. There were times at dinner when my aunt would say something that would really set my uncle off. That would result in him hitting me with his fists and I would run out of the house. I would sleep in the barn for a couple of nights. I would eat a meal or two at the neighbors and scrounge food from the well-stocked panty.
The rest of the family despised my aunt and uncle for stunts they pulled. When each one died the general consensus from the family was “good riddance”. They were just flat out mean to the entire family. My uncle was injured badly in WWII in a tank that rolled down a hill after being struck with a German round. I really think he had PTSD before anyone really recognized PTSD and there was no treatment.
My uncle really like outdoors and dealing with animals. Hence the farm. He always treated the animals really well. Stray cats or dogs were taken in, treated for any injuries and then well kept. My uncle really liked to fish and hunt. My uncle wanted to be a forest ranger and work for the state park system. My aunt decided that job did not have enough “status” and my uncle became a teacher. I think my uncle would have been a different person if he had become a park ranger.
Whenever anyone came to the ranch to buy cattle my aunt would show up outside and act like she was the expert, basically strutting her stuff. My aunt craved status and recognition. I think she was also jealous of myself and my brother and would say things at dinner that really set my uncle into a violent rage. Then sit back with a smirk on her face.
But it was not all bad.
As terrible as things were living with them, I was better off with them than my mother in California. I would have gotten in significant trouble. My mother was more interested in herself and chasing men after the divorce. I would have been left alone a lot and that would have been a recipe for disaster.
I was kept busy on the farm. I earned money. I had my own car by the age of 17. My own small Honda motorcycle at the age of 16. All paid for by my own money.
I learned skills on the farm. I was running a tractor, cutting hay, raking hay, bailing hay, at the age of 11. I could build and maintain fence. I knew how to plow, disc, and otherwise maintain fields. I could move a quarter mile of irrigation pipe, 40-foot lengths of aluminum pipe, 60 feet twice a day. I learned to operate a D2 dozer at 14 years old. At 16 years after I got my license, I was driving a small cattle truck all over Oregon, northern California and southern Washington delivering cattle.
I stayed in contact after I left for the military as I was hoping for an inheritance. Yeh, greedy me, but I figured it was owed for the abuse. Best laid plans never played out, and all I wound up with was $400.00 that was left in the aunt’s checking account when she died.
If you are bored here is the link to the Word document. http://www.raymondthompsonphotography.com/Special/TheOregonChronicles.docx
That is mostly a running joke and has no real basis in fact. I do have my moments. Such as getting off an airplane and ripping one as I am walking up the aisle. The moans of disgust from the those further back in line is hilarious.
I do have times when I realize what I am doing, or about to do, reflects on my past and I stop myself, most of the time. A few times it has caused problems in my career.
I have zero sympathy for those that do something terrible and then blame their childhood. My biggest comment is “bullshirt (-r)”. I have been through worse and have done nothing terrible. But some would say the year is still young.
The new Highlander should be in Atlanta tomorrow. Pickup should be on Tuesday if everything goes to plan. I don’t know how accurate delivery dates are with Toyota. Last I heard the vehicle had left the port, such port being in Indiana. I suspect the delivery times are reasonably accurate.
The dealer has to install the towing hitch and other preparation. Admin Service 949.00. I have no idea what that is, but it is non-negotiable. There is a title fee for $18.00 and license plate fee of $25.00. I have to pay those even though I will be registering the vehicle in TN, not GA.
Finally got some rain yesterday, 9mm or so (about ⅓”). Hopefully more coming tomorrow.
Despite how dry it has been, our little meadow produced about 4 bales of hay. Which I threw away. Stupid, because the lack of rain means farmers ought to be desperate for hay for the winter. However, the farmer I usually give it to is in the hospital, and neither he nor his family can be bothered to mow their own fields, or find some other solution, much less collect hay from other people.
I’m slowly losing patience with the town, as far as helping with the hiking trails. I’ve been making notes of which trails need what kind of repairs. I’ve identified a budget that is meant for exactly this. However, I want to coordinate any work with whoever has the overall responsibility – I doubt they want me haring off on my own. So…who is that? Now begins the finger pointing: not me, them. Not us, look over there. Nope, try the first guy. WTF? Someone must be responsible for the work, someone coordinates it. If that someone doesn’t raise their hand soon, I’ll find some other place to spend my extra time…
Wife and I got our second-and-final shingles vaccination yesterday. Both of us are under the weather today, which is probably why I am grumpy. Grrr, grump, woof.