I have to get Scott over here to see where we need to start but since I spent alot more on the external framing than I expected, I am super nervous about starting on the second phase (even though it has to get done).

siding needs to be done on the outside A Frame, and possibly on the inside wall since it’s still the outside of the house…let’s see what Scott says about it.

landing with steps…this minor thing will be a big bear of a job because the steps were notched into the existing porch.  But right now, the existing steps are dangerous

or maybe just put some semi-permanent steps in there until we are ready to enclose it all??

replace some of the 2″ x 6″ on the floor and maybe the cap rail, once that’s done, we may put down some indoor/outdoor carpet

I’m sure I will remember other things for this list as I sit out there and look around!

I don’t know anyone that doesn’t like to use a pressure washer!!  I read the user’s manual, added oil, gas and the hose and started on the back deck (just about where the old pressure washer died)

I played around with the different sprayer nozzles and decided on the “cleaning nozzle”.  It took a bit longer than I thought, but then I moved on to the shed, where you can really see the difference.  Lots of green algae on the front and side.

about 10 minutes later it is ready to be painted.

I still want to wait on the painting because depending on what we pick for the front of the house, may end up being the deciding factor, but it’s clean!

I switched sprayer nozzles to the one that “strips” (gotta say, I like this one a whole lot better than the “clean” nozzle) and headed out front.  There is a stupid white spot on the front walkway, it may be paint, it may be cement…who the hell knows?  I don’t want to try chemicals because that would most likely kill the grass, so tried the stripper! It made no real difference on the white spot, but now it stands out less because the cement around it seems to be whiter.

While I had it out, I went ahead and did the balusters on the front porch…and now they look new

Magic has had a really rough few weeks!  Once she started feeling better from the Tramadol incident, she started reverse sneezing constantly.  She was lethargic, she had no desire to eat anything in the house (not even hot dogs), but we knew she had an appetite and she had the shits!  We gave her Vetadryl for the sneezing and that seemed to help ALOT, but we needed to get food in her.  So I went and bought a bag of Kibbles and Bits (probably the worst dog food you can get for a dog, but we were getting desperate for a food she wanted to eat)…she did eat a bowl of it and started to act like she was feeling better, but then she wouldn’t touch the stuff after the first bowl.  While out and about today, we grabbed some special senior wet food that was recommended by someone from petkraze.  She loved this stuff!  and within a few hours she was getting back to her old self…this is her with a full belly and feeling better!  She never relaxes like that!

getting more of this tomorrow

I think there was a very light sun shower in the afternoon, but not even enough to really notice.

Rob came by to load up the truck with all of the scraps.  I was happy to see my yard…even though the grass that was under everything is hurting and may possibly be dead.  So I want to go get some Sun & Shade grass seed and see if we can get it looking good again fairly quick! I got the blower out and tried to get rid of some of the saw dust, or at least, spread it out a little thinner…but it didn’t want to go anywhere…not even the lawn mower could really blow it out.  Maybe next year (or the year after), I want to get a tiller…the mantis looks awesome, but super expensive.

Janice broke away from her house/kitchen project to come over.  We threw dinner on the grill and had full intention of playing some horseshoes.  But we ended up enjoying the new porch.  Chuck made it over after his baseball practice, so we decided to watch a movie too and relax a little!

The last downspout was added and the ladders are down!

tomorrow, one of the guys will be over to pick up the pile of trash/scraps…then, I have to figure out how to recover the grass, it has really taken a beating!

Next priorities, I need to get Scott over here to build a landing with steps and the front siding…but this may need to wait for a bit, I need to make peace with the $$ spent and how much I will need for the next phase.

This is the last of what Kevin’s guys are doing…

Before!

After!  What a difference a day makes!

We also had an injury today, Tom cut his finger with a razor knife!  It was gross!  let’s just say that his fingernail probably saved him a trip to the ER!  not saying that he couldn’t have used some stitches, but we put Neosporin on it, gauze and wrapped it…and he went back to work…I know that had to freaking hurt!!

*Rob stopped in Saturday 6/21 and said that Tom was working another job.  I’m glad he’s ok!

one more downspout and the front is done! Well, at least this phase of it!

It started to rain late in the day, so Jesse couldn’t hang the last gutter because of the sealant not being set and it still raining.

Tomorrow they do the back of the house soffits!  This will improve the looks of the back 100%

Before!

I returned the incorrect flashing kit yesterday on my way back from the car inspection with the Lemon Law mechanic.  He was nice, easy to be around and full of some pretty good stories….but the issue I am experiencing DID NOT happen for him!  makes me second guess myself, but I know my car, something still isnt right and I dont want it to be an issue 3, 4, 5 years from now!

No Joe today!  Joe’s girlfriend is having a baby and her water broke early this morning.  I am excited for them!

Tom is helping Jesse today, he’s a little more quiet than the rest of Kevin’s crew, but maybe that’s because this is the first time he has met me…guess we’ll see!

Tyvek Paper went up on the front so they can build out the soffits and put the vent panels up. It’s looking good!

I handed Kevin a check today because I didn’t want to be blown away by how much it all comes to, he looked at the check and laughed and gave me a roundabout of how much time and materials are already invested…I am still blown away and need to process it all…OMG! what have I gotten myself into??

They are doing great work!  I know Kevin is probably making minimal profit on this job (and I really appreciate it!!) and I know that I will figure it all out (that’s what the HELOC is for), but OMG!!