Day Six: What's Behind Door Number Two?!?...

...or in our case, what's behind the plastic "tile" sheeting? Hoo boy.

We did not work on the house yesterday - between work work schedules and our Birth Preparedness Class ('cause you can be soooooo prepared for birth...) we didn't get to play on our fantabulous project. The foundation contractors continue to plug along, adding in retaining walls and getting ready to pour our future back patio on Friday. It's looking good!

Today, however, we were back at it!

I made the mistake of thinking that I would get tons of work done this afternoon, following my morning prenatal yoga class. Ha. Yes. Didn't happen. First, it was OVER 90 DEGREES. AGAIN. This is *NOT* ok with me. At all. Second, I was already pooped by the time I got up to the house. And third, I was slightly creeped out by the locksmith replacing our knobs and deadbolts for three hours while I tried to focus on bathroom demolition. He did a fantastic job, and really was quite a nice guy, but there is something unsettling for me about being alone in the house with contractors of any type. I really appreciate the fact that our great foundation guys always ask me to join them outside if they need to discuss something. I'm sure that the whole pregnancy thing is playing a large part in my feelings of anxiousness and vulnerability. I've also found myself rather nervous when working at the house by myself... The extra 45 pounds and diminished ability to run like hell starts to seriously effect one's feelings of safety.

In any event, the guy did a great job reinforcing the overly-hollowed-out door knob openings, adding metal plates and refitting the non-knobed door so that it locks on the top and bottom. We said "buh bye" to the scary fire hazard lock thing on the back door (that needed the key in it at all times so that you could open it.) I love the antique bronze handles - even though they aren't true black - and think that they will look great with the eventual color scheme changes.

Thankfully I was able to soak and scrape off most of the wallpaper remnants in the bathroom - hopefully the walls will only need a light sanding before priming and painting. Matt continued to add outlets and switches and wires and boxes and all sorts of fun electrical stuff in the bedroom and kid room. Did I mention how much I love being married to such a handy stud?

I tried to get sandwiches for our dinner at New Leaf, but, of course, today was their employee appreciation night. The one night of the year that they close early. Figures. So instead I trotted down to the Taqueria (in 91 degree heat) and picked up a few burritos. I will definitely be back, as that place has GREAT AIR CONDITIONING! Ha. It's the simple things in life! Dinner out on the porch again, enjoying the slightly cooling evening and relative quiet of our property.

Which leads us to the main event of the evening: DEMO ROUNDUP!

We couldn't wait anymore - the bathroom "tile" had to go. After a bit of quibbling over demo technique, Matt decided to use his favorite method - *grab and yank*. It worked rather well when combined with my *carefully use the proper tools to loosen the edges* method. Unfortunately our original plan to remove and use the pine paneling behind the tile for future repair or patch jobs was dashed as soon as the sheeting came loose... Giant swaths of tar-like sealant mar almost the entire area of panelling. We may have to tile further out than previously planned... But in the general scheme of things, this is NOT a big deal. Thankfully we were too tired at this point to really care! Wahoo.

Packed up, locked up, shoved off and came down to the 20 degree cooler house by the ocean.

Poop. I'm in trouble if this heat keeps up...

Day Three: Warning - Do Not Paint Inside an Oven...

Ahhh, lazy Sundays. A day for church, for brunch out, for lounging about in the warm sun while cool breezes rustle the pages of your book...

But not for us!

We played hookie from church and set out to gather supplies at the Depot of Homes and the Space of the Green, meeting up at the new casa just in time to welcome back my parents for another fun-filled day of renovations and demolition. (And kleenex - Mom's sniffle had transformed into a full blown nasty cold. Ugh.)

It was 84 degrees at 10am, mercury steadily rising... I don't know about y'all, but I do *NOT* do heat gracefully. When Matt came back from an errand in the afternoon and cheerfully shared that it was 97 degrees, I just about had a heart attack.

Matt: "It's 97 degrees outside!"

Me: "Don't tell me that! Geesh! Ack! I'm melting!"

Matt: "What? I thought it would make you feel better to know that it actually is really hot and that it isn't just you suffering in the 80's or something..."

It can NOT be that hot up here on another work day, or we all just might melt and die.

I must admit that the milk paint is not going according to plan... Instead of gliding effortlessly over the pine paneling, creating an artistic whitewashed effect, it is glopping (perhaps the heat had something to do with this...) and not covering very well. Some of the wood panels are warped, making roller application rather difficult (and less than attractive.) The wood is causing the paint to yellow in some areas, creating a very sallow wall color.

(But it will be great! Yes! The power of positive thinking!)

Dad continued to plug away at the kitchen, sanding and priming most of the walls and ceiling despite the uncooperative nature of the paint in the extreme heat... (and that room gets HOT in the afternoon... HELP!) Mom gamely went back and forth between projects, taking her kleenex and iced tea wherever she landed.

Matt continued to kick ass in his quest to rewire the house. Methinks perhaps he had the best job location of us all on Sunday - under the house was actually cooler than outside or up inside. We did our standard two person electrical show: I bang on a stud to let him know where to drill, he puts holes in the house and shoves wire thru... I am pleased to report a 100% accuracy on Matt's drilling for Sunday. Don't ask about Saturday. Remember the pine paneling downsides in regards to hiding holes? Yeah...

After much sanding, prepping, taping, priming, painting, drilling, wiring and oh-so-much more, we were ready for BBQ time.

BUT FIRST: THE TREE REMOVAL!!!

Those of you who know me might think it a tad strange that I would willingly remove any live plant from my gardenspace... but this thing HAD to go. There was a rather hopeless fir tree in front of our house that looked as though someone had planted their live Christmas tree a while back... after little Timmy broke off the top of the tree while trying to put the angel on straight! It needed to be gone. Immediately. Dad brought their chainsaw over and HANDED IT TO MY HUSBAND. OMG. Heart attack number two of the day. But in all fairness, Matt did a great job taking the tree down (and even wore safety glasses while using the chainsaw! Shocker!)

The lot looks even better with the fir tree gone... but we'll have to figure out what to do with the stump remnant. Perhaps when Matt and his brother have their digging party to replace the plumbing main they can also turn their excavating efforts towards the root ball...

We enjoyed our first cooked meal at the house (thanks mom and dad) and ate our BBQ on the porch steps. I have a feeling that those steps will see quite a bit of sitting over the years - such an awesome place to perch and observe the property! We didn't die in the heat (although I feared we might at times...) and are only a few days behind schedule in my preconceived notion of how much work we would accomplish in the first weekend... Ah well. Onward!