Stairway to...

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The guys from Stairs Unlimited have been here for two days putting the staircase together.  They show up early and stay all day working hard and doing a wonderful job.  We couldn't be more pleased.

The flooring on the landing is the same flooring that will be laid throughout the house.

The bannisters will be installed next week.  Hubby and I spent the afternoon shopping for doorknobs, towel loops, grab bars, etc.  We got 3" of rain in the last 24 hours, so it was good that there was plenty to do inside to keep everyone busy.

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Old treasures

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Hubby and I enjoy going to estate sales and auctions.  We went to one on Saturday and came home with some real treasures.  Maybe.

This sewing machine cost me $2.  Yes, it's a dirty mess, and who knows whether it will work or not? It is a Japanese badged machine made in the 60s for sale either in Canada or the US.  The name on it is "Long Life."  I'll eventually clean it up and try to get it running, but if it won't, I'll use it for parts.

 

This "Wizard " machine was manufactured by Brother for Western Auto stores in the 60's. It also needs work, and is missing the bobbin plate, but I only paid $5 for it, and parts are still readily available for it online.

This is a Singer 237, and I paid $7.50 for it.  It's fairly clean and intact, and takes commonly available parts and accessories. The case is all beat up, but I have a couple of empty cabinets it should fit in.

You may be wondering why I buy old "junky" sewing machines like this at all.  Two reasons: I enjoy the challenge of rehabilitating them into useful machines again, and I like to be able to give a working machine to someone who can't afford one. I am not a repair technician by any stretch of the imagination, but I have learned a lot after 40 years of sewing.  You would be surprised how often a dirty old machine will purr like a kitten after a good cleaning and oiling.  Many of the former owners didn't know how to maintain the machine, or ever really used it. It may have sat in a closet or garage for years, before essentially being thrown away.  So I buy them when I can get them cheaply, and expect to spend a few bucks, so I can give them away.

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I bought this beautiful relish tray with a matching sugar, creamer, and what I suppose is a lemon bowl. They are all in perfect shape, and I only paid $5 for the set.

This unglazed pottery pitcher is about 7-3/4"  tall, has no chips or cracks, and is a Capodimonte-style piece. I paid $4 for it because it is just so pretty.

I fell in love with this oil painting, an 18" x 20" canvas in a really nice frame, signed with what looks like "Annie."  It cost $7.50--see? I can find some nice treasures at these sales.

Not everything is a winner, though--I did buy a magnifying glass attached to a flashlight for $1.  When I put a new bulb and batteries in it, it works!  It just won't turn off.  There's a problem with the switch.  But at least it was only a buck.

Hubby came home with an electric typewriter.  He had been looking for one, and found one in a nice case for only $5.  He looked at some gardening equipment, but didn't buy anything else.

We don't get to go to these auctions very often, but we do have fun!

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Septic service

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The engineered wood porch decking is about half done.  It has taken so long because of all the angles that had to be cut at the gazebo end.  

The doors were delivered yesterday.  They are solid core wood doors, very heavy, and half of them had to be carried up the stairs, including the two double doors for the closets!

The trim carpenter worked all day cutting and ripping the door and window trim.  Monday he should be able to start nailing everything.  It will probably take him all week--but it is supposed to be rainy, so it is well-timed.

The elevator cab is leaning against the wall for now, unassembled.  Maybe in a couple of weeks we will have electrical service so it can be installed.

 

These mysterious arrows appeared on the county road in front of our house.

 

They are pointing to our driveway for the gravel truck.  The septic system guys have finally arrived!

 The load had just been dumped and the pipe was ready.

The Bobcat was kept busy carting gravel and dirt around.

The backhoe dug three new lateral lines for the septic system, which gives us a total of 5 lines.

They laid a gravel base, put in the PVC pipe, and covered it with gravel.

They had to put in a new diversion (D) box to join the new lateral lines together. The old one was too fragile to use.

Everything was ready to be covered with the remaining gravel, then a layer of dirt.

The orange and white stake marks the D box so the construction trucks won't drive over it or park on it. They did a great job leveling everything out once the lines were buried.

Now we are ready to pass the septic inspection.  The trench can be dug for the electrical and cable service lines.  That work will depend on the weather over the next couple of weeks and when the electric company can get out here to do it.

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Slow progress

On Monday morning the elevator arrived.

They put together the rails and installed them in the shaft.

It took several hours to get it to that stage, everything was in small pieces.

Here is the rest of the elevator.  They won't put the cab in place until the shaft has been painted and the trim installed on the doors.  Plus they need electricity to be able to test the mechanism before installing the cab.

At least it is coming together.  The elevator company is one of the few who are actually sticking to their schedule.  Nothing much else is getting done right now.  Impatience is normal at this stage but it is hard to see beautiful weather with nothing getting done.

The elevator has a battery backup that will kick in if there is a power outage, although we also will have a built-in backup generator for this part of the house.

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Today one guy is outside putting decking on the porch.  We are still waiting for the interior doors, trim, and paint.  Those were supposed to have been done by now....

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Drywall dust--gotta love it!

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On Wednesday the long-awaited drywall (or sheetrock, take your pick) was finally delivered.

 

The boom truck unloaded it in about half an hour.

Sure beats carrying it a sheet at a time, huh?

Sliding sheets right into the upstairs door.

The only carrying required was from room to room.

Looking out the second floor window...

and out the first floor window.

All stacked and ready to go.

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So today the "rockers" showed up at 7:15 and got right to work. This is one of the upstairs bedrooms.

 

Don't step out the door--it's a long way down.  There will eventually be a deck out there.

The elevator shaft, looking down.

The upstairs full bath.

The other upstairs bedroom.

There will be an entertainment center built into this niche, for video games, etc.

I am looking forward to the railings going in--not very safe right now.

This is my new sewing room!

and the adjoining craft room.

The downstairs half-bath which includes the furnace closet. Next to it is the linen closet. On the far left will be a tankless water heater.

Below, the niche on the left is the wiring closet, and will have a desk in it for my laptop, maybe even a small TV.  Under the stairs on the right will be a door so that can be used for storage of bulky items.

The bottom of the elevator shaft.

In the master bedroom they walled up what used to be the closet, which is now part of the hallway.  They will eventually patch the paneling over the door.

This is the new master bedroom closet. It is a little bigger, which is great.

Tomorrow the corners will go in on the drywall, and they will wall in my new pantry.  They may work on the outer deck as well.  So stay tuned!

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