tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166489332011-11-27T19:48:38.688-05:00"Here lies Walter Fielding. He bought a house and it killed him."Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.comBlogger641100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-66188544738003037322009-01-11T18:50:00.002-05:002009-01-11T19:02:15.620-05:00

I'm going to say something here that's just not nice:I hate pellet stoves. I mean, I hate them. It's a stupid idea that tends to be poorly constructed, providing the illusion of effortless stove heat while actually trapping the homeowner in a neverending cycle of malfunction. I'm biting the hand a bit because for the last six months, I've been working in a stove shop, and sales this year were

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-18217860338053870092009-01-04T16:55:00.004-05:002009-01-04T21:14:01.778-05:00

I've been working on a much more homesteading-themed post, but in the mean time, chew on these articles from Sunday's New York Times:The End of the Financial World as We Know It (Part I)How to Repair a Broken Financial World (Part II)Holy crap--I may not agree with every proposed remedy, but I'd like to kiss the authors for nailing the blazing stupidity of the bailout efforts and the

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-73981196088415643832008-12-29T14:03:00.003-05:002008-12-29T16:21:47.065-05:00

I confess, I've been feeling a little cooped up lately. Between the snow, our budget, and work schedules that have us coming and going at completely separate times, I've found myself moping around the house for the past few days, even (really embarassingly) begrudging Jason the fun of a post-work happy hour. This hasn't, needless to say, been my finest hour.But, lo and behold, it appears that

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-42984512552555349482008-12-29T11:50:00.003-05:002008-12-29T16:22:16.396-05:00

It's a slow day at the hardware store, which means I've been reading the New York Times. (As an interesting side note, I don't know if it's me, or if the paper really has cut down on its new content; headlines seem to hang around for much longer than I remember...) The gem in today's paper speaks both to the smart motivation for sustainable living, and the opportunistic ADD with which so many

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-41169724449542564172008-12-28T08:38:00.005-05:002008-12-29T16:26:38.579-05:00

Like many would-be homesteading types, I'm sure, I frequently get stuck between my competing desires for self-sufficiency and what seems like modern practicality. Do I use the dovetail saw or the sawzall? The square cut nails or the nail gun? Do I use $10 worth of lemons for a cool drink in the summer, or just reach for the cannister of powdered lemon-like flavoring?When it comes to real food

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-16432279743544106812008-12-27T13:40:00.008-05:002008-12-29T16:23:41.878-05:00

So, one of my most delightful Christmas presents this year (and this really was a banner season for thoughtfulness) was Made from Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life. I know that may seem a little regressive for someone who already owns a 180-year old farmhouse, had 26 (ill-considered) chickens last year, and regularly bakes bread, pie, and assorted other old-timey goodies.

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-38008185447058333412008-12-21T19:33:00.003-05:002008-12-29T16:24:13.775-05:00

I know it's unlikely to draw huge responses (given my recent return here), but I'm going to post a poll, and will gratefully receive comments in response to this question:What do you think of coal heat?Here's the thing. I have a pellet stove in the cellar, and I don't like it. It's an Englander that had a completely appalling malfunction a few years ago (yes, this one), and with every storm

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-53866356180168628132008-12-21T19:24:00.004-05:002008-12-29T16:24:54.097-05:00

I'm not sure what to say about 20 inches of snow. Mainly, I'm sorry that the camera is temporarily out of commission because this is amazing--it's like opening your front door to a Santa display at the mall. This snow actually sparkles, and it's falling in huge chunks, the way snow does in the movies, but never *ever* does in real life.We took the kids out to play in Round I on Friday; Amelia

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-13969310764779712562008-12-18T11:50:00.009-05:002008-12-29T16:25:22.486-05:00

I'm not sure sometimes whether poverty and productivity have a direct or an inverse correlation. Would my money pit project be more successful if I had all the cash in the world?On the one hand, I'd be an idiot to think not. I have an immediate need for something over 20 sheets of drywall. Could hang it tomorrow. But because it has't been airlifted into my yard by the drywall fairies, along

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-80537851240292974112008-12-17T12:44:00.002-05:002008-12-17T12:58:18.359-05:00

Am I back? Is the world as I know it still out there?The answer, of course, is "yes and no." I've Rip Van Winkled away a lot of time on this blog, letting the time between posts slip from one winter to another. But, here we are again, with snow piling up on the ground outside, a roaring fire going in the stove, and a whole mess of unfinished drywall. The more things change, the more they stay

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-43176414712358476182007-03-26T08:36:00.000-05:002007-03-26T08:45:17.044-05:00

It's funny how my first spring thoughts are about preparing for the next cold December. I see the insulation piled in front of the front door and think, "I can move that soon--and then I'd better get that door draft fixed so it won't be so cold there." Or I look at the blocked-off dining room doors and wonder whether I'll have time this year to insulate that room enough to keep it open for

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-17454867378620920222007-03-09T08:36:00.000-05:002007-03-09T09:29:45.783-05:00

Nothing like -12 F to make you long for spring... Luckily, the schizophrenic weather of the American northeast is on my side, and after three days of blistering cold, it's going to be 44 tomorrow and, get this, rainy. I'm sure it'll result in a yard-wide sheet of ice by the next morning, but I still feel like balling up my sweaters in the back of the closet and running around the yard in a

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-31631133544480140402007-03-06T15:34:00.000-05:002007-03-06T16:11:38.164-05:00

In my continuing (and possibly fruitless) quest to come up with even mildly amusing titles for my posts, I just spent a few minutes trying to hunt down a word for the delusions brought on by hypothermia.... Couldn't find one, but suggestions will be gratefully accepted.Point being that it is co-old here in Wentworth. After a week or two of pleasantly balmy March days (upper 30s, even breaking

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1171564810985487842007-02-15T13:20:00.000-05:002007-02-15T13:40:11.000-05:00

We got about 16 inches of snow yesterday, and remembered just why it is that we want to live in north-central New Hampshire.Tuesday night it was all preparation; Adam and I (mostly Adam) brought in an absurd amount of wood:Adam (and I think Jason) brought in pellets; I annoyed everyone with my dire, parental warnings about the likelihood of a power outage; Carolyn cleaned like a fiend; and Amelia

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1170948043031182482007-02-08T10:07:00.000-05:002007-02-08T10:20:43.050-05:00

Okay, so after writing the last post, I got a little obsessed with figuring out the area above the mantel. The more I thought about it, the less I liked the compromise of an easier-to-do recessed panel plan; raised paneling just looks right and is more traditional. But how the %#$&! could I do it?I think I've figured it out. For the truly bored, I'll describe it in excruciating detail:- The

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1170688282283702632007-02-05T09:56:00.000-05:002007-02-06T09:26:33.330-05:00

Fired up the new woodstove yesterday and, in grand Kate tradition, left the house to Adam. When I came back, he calmly told me that yes, there was plenty of smoke upstairs, but he thought it was subsiding. And he was right. Apparently, it was just stuff burning off of the outside of the liner; the smell from the stove polish and the stainless steel was quite strong, but even that faded into

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1170266820196742992007-01-31T12:43:00.000-05:002007-01-31T13:08:33.063-05:00

So that stove that's "almost ready to go..."The stove itself is okay--need to replace the gasket on the double doors in front, but otherwise it's great. There is, however, a problem.This chimney runs up into our bedroom. It's old brick, brand new liner with a flexible pipe, capped at the top, insulated down from the cap through the attic. I sealed all the joints, screwed them together, put in

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1169733274372902462007-01-25T08:43:00.000-05:002007-01-25T08:54:34.386-05:00

So yesterday I looked at the weather forecast for the next few days, and saw that the estimated windchill (or RealFeel, or whatever the hell they're calling it now) for tonight ranges from -17 to -39F. Nothing like the motivation of impending frostbite. I wrote up this "to do" list; the italicized ones got done last night.Get:- new stove fully installed and functional; that means sealing the

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1166458395013398122006-12-18T11:07:00.000-05:002006-12-18T11:15:32.640-05:00

I was about to call this "Agnostics Do Christmas" and apologize for the lack of porn-style alliteration, but all the sudden inspiration struck. If you want to call it that.In any event, I love Christmas because I love the tree, the lights, and the food; and this year's tree is just kick-ass. We got it up in Bethlehem, NH (I know), where it was seriously under-priced and too big to fit in the

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1165853757042713262006-12-11T11:03:00.000-05:002006-12-11T11:15:57.066-05:00

Again, long time no post. I've gone back to work, so progress on the house has slowed considerably. (I also have the excuse of winter, for as far as that one goes.) Windows have been cased, the cellar's been cleaned out, stoves maintained and burning... Bringing in lots of wood; hefting lots of pellets. But, more importantly, we've been having a really good time. Carolyn and I picked out an

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1162035995903740502006-10-01T00:41:00.000-05:002006-10-28T07:14:01.163-05:00

I have excuses, but they bore me. Lol. So, here are a couple of pictures to prove that progress has actually occurred over the last few months.Very professional, huh? What I can't bring myself to post is the one of me actually kicking the tile into place because I never bothered to buy the rubber mallet you're supposed to use. Amazingly, the shower turned out well, and I can't tell you how

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1158951909092887842006-09-22T13:26:00.000-05:002006-09-22T15:18:22.196-05:00

I know I promised pictures, but before I get to them, I'm going to indulge in a quick rant about the appalling idiocy of hardware store employees.The guys at Home Depot clearly had it out for my shower project. Every time I ignored their advice, I was vindicated, and every time I listened to it, I kicked myself. Here's a sampling of important things to know without asking those morons:- Use

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1158668955455472022006-09-19T07:08:00.000-05:002006-09-19T07:29:15.590-05:00

Holy crap, it's been a while since I posted here... I suppose some explanation is in order.Almost a year ago, two of our best friends came here for an extended visit, and during that visit, had their daughter. The short version of the last year is that they left about 9 months ago and came back about a week after my last update of this site. So this poor old house went from construction zone

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1151445399250442812006-06-27T16:44:00.000-05:002006-06-27T16:56:39.266-05:00

Now that I've got Gene Autry's voice in my head, it's time to get back to business.I was out of commission for a while, first freaking out about and then attending a certain festival in the north country. Now I'm back with my dirty, incomplete, leaking, beloved project. Nothing like love to blind you to the truth. Lol.Let's see--I actually finished the pantry before heading north, and it's

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1149692176261287312006-06-07T09:41:00.000-05:002006-06-12T18:10:16.116-05:00

Current projects underway:- Stone walkway from the pull-in to the kitchen doorditch dug, 6 tons of stone dust laid and compacted, 2 inches of sand on top, fun with rocks commenced. Will, sadly, need another whole pallet to finish.- LibraryWalls furred out and insulated, wiring done (except at box), desk built. Need paint-grade ply and a bunch of wood (will likely use much of what I pulled off

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1149603520078079392006-06-06T09:08:00.000-05:002006-06-06T09:18:40.136-05:00

I lucked out this weekend and had help! Meet my crack team of home improvement specialists, Dave and Cal:They had tremendous patience with me, the original nit-picky, pain-in-the-ass homeowner. "A little to the left." "No, that's not quite straight." "Take it down, let's re-cut." "I promise we can drink later."What can I say? It's drywall--the basis for how that room's going to look. Will it

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1149248468274119442006-06-02T06:25:00.000-05:002006-06-07T09:40:30.933-05:00

Every time I write something here, I become more convinced that I have some sort of do-it-yourselfer ADD. Every post, a different room; and none of them are ever actually done.So, to return to the dining room... Today, my dear friend Dave is coming to help me hang drywall in here--which means I'm in a panic to have the room ready by about 10am. Naturally, I'm writing this instead... Anyway,

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1148214129286183362006-05-21T07:08:00.000-05:002006-05-21T07:22:09.300-05:00

Adam decided a few weeks ago that it was time to kick me out of his office. I leave magazines on the desk, I drink coffee (and spill it occasionally), and I just generally make a nuisance of myself in the space he needs to work. So, my library got bumped up on the priority list.It was supposed to be a simple thing: just build the desk (to match the future built-ins) and run a power line right

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1147810990156268792006-05-16T15:19:00.000-05:002006-05-16T15:25:58.353-05:00

Since we're working on one of the worst rainstorms in New Hampshire history, it's appropriate, I suppose, that the one major roof leak that we knew about has resurfaced, despite the new metal roof. It's only a drip at this point, but I am unamused enough to be reaching for the vodka tonic. (And I won't take any guff about it being too early in the day--every up-tick in my blood pressure pushes

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1147784029563891602006-05-16T07:49:00.000-05:002006-05-16T07:53:49.583-05:00

What doesn't this house have? Flush toilet, working sinks, washer/dryer, and now, to complete our cutting edge image--a dishwasher.Yes, the box next to the sink where I used to keep my drying rack for hand-washed dishes has been opened, and its contents installed. It even works--no leaks, no flickering lights, and when the little green light comes on, I can open the door and see (through the

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1147651513551112722006-05-14T19:00:00.000-05:002006-05-14T19:05:13.570-05:00

I don't know if anyone would remember the ungodly metal legs that our kitchen sink came with, but at long last (and at Adam's insistence) they've been replaced with the solid wooden frame we intended.Actually, it's too bad I'm not in this picture, because the most amusing part of the "new" sink is its height. Adam (at 6'3" when he stands up straight) put in a very firm request for abnormally

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1147544929005832392006-05-13T13:23:00.000-05:002006-05-13T13:28:49.020-05:00

I'm taking a break from work at this moment because I just had 5 full sheets of drywall fall on my knee--thankfully, from a leaning position. At roughly 50 lbs a piece, that's a lovely 250 lbs pinning my frickin' leg against a post. Luckily, anger is to me like spinach is to Popeye. Grrrrrrr.

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1147355842434145982006-05-11T08:42:00.000-05:002006-05-11T08:59:59.793-05:00

Here's a little retrospective on the dining room, otherwise affectionately known as the freezer.When we bought the house, this room was probably in danger of falling off of the rest of the building. The sills were mulch, the roof leaked, the ceiling supports had rotted, and, apparently, a family of skunks had made a habit of nesting under the floor. With the structural work that had to be done,

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1145206429324901872006-04-16T11:41:00.000-05:002006-04-16T11:53:49.336-05:00

I seem to need a sense of impending doom to really get things done around here; luckily, it's not hard to come by. We had 13 people coming to dinner last night, and no room to put the table (with extensions) in. So, Friday, I finished wall framing and insulating, and yesterday, we laid down floor in the fireplace room. Here's Adam more than pulling his weight:And a slightly more finished

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1145020042209005572006-04-14T07:51:00.000-05:002006-04-14T08:07:22.223-05:00

Just in time for house- and dinner-guests, I can finally and proudly say that we have a bathroom sink.That's right. I have joined the ranks of those upper-class snobs who can brush their teeth in front of a well-lit mirror, over a sink with running water. It even drains. And, most of all, I'm just proud of my bad carpentry. As you can see, I haven't built the drawers yet for the vanity, but

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1144161200343660522006-04-04T09:10:00.000-05:002006-04-04T15:04:19.126-05:00

Somehow, with the living room ceiling open (stripped of plaster and lathe) for months, I never noticed something stuck between the second-floor subfloor and a joist. And, of course, Adam looked up and got to be the finder of our second dated relic in the house.Nailed to the joists were two pages from the March 20, 1835 Courier and Enquirer, published in Concord, NH. This is a picture of the

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1143150940020586252006-03-23T16:45:00.000-05:002006-03-23T16:55:40.036-05:00

For anyone who wonders what I've been up to, here's the first fully-functioning installed toiled in the house:And here's the vanity I'm building for the same bathroom:Why would I do such a thing? Well, the space is kind of awkward (45" x 18.5"), and we never would have found something premade to fit. Then, I thought, we've ripped so much beautiful old wood out of this house (old subfloor and

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1142287454176102242006-03-13T17:02:00.000-05:002006-03-13T17:04:14.176-05:00

And by popular request... (Okay, one request.) Here's a shot of the finished shelf in the bathroom:I'm apparently NOT the world's worst carpenter.

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1142256565668135492006-03-13T08:26:00.000-05:002006-03-13T08:29:25.686-05:00

1 - Paint trim on new bathroom shelf2 - Sand paint off of the bathtub

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1142002434839144112006-03-10T09:47:00.000-05:002006-03-13T17:01:49.586-05:00

Pt. 1So, while the bathroom is coming along (and while I wait for Adam to remember to borrow his boss's miter saw--hint, hint), the living room has also been progressing. When Adam first came to see the house he took pictures, and what I saw in this room completely baffled me. There appeared to be some kind of bizarre, multi-colored wallpaper in the wainscotting area. Is it blue? Is it tan?

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1141747310468714592006-03-07T10:56:00.000-05:002006-03-07T11:01:50.490-05:00

After sanding the living room drywall mud yesterday morning, I assigned myself the building of the first shelf in the bathroom. This one serves a triple purpose, providing storage space, making the toilet alcove a little shallower (and thus, less tunnel-like), and hiding the vent pipe as it goes to the attic. I still have to figure out how to miter-cut the trim (since we don't have a miter saw)

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1141654534140411452006-03-06T08:52:00.000-05:002006-03-06T09:15:34.153-05:00

I've been working on bits and pieces of the new bathroom for so long that I'm almost embarassed to post anything new about it. BUT, my peacock-like pride in the latest progress has triumphed over my good sense, and I'm going to crow (to completely butcher the bird analogy) about my beautiful floor.The floor that used to be pink now looks like this:I stripped it, sanded it, put 1/4-inch rope in

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1141051635368265002006-02-27T09:41:00.000-05:002006-02-27T09:47:15.410-05:00

We had a bit of an adventure here this morning... I went down to the cellar to fill the pellet stove and noticed that the glow through the glass on the door seemed a bit subdued for the medium-high setting. So I opened the door only to discover that the feed rate had apparently far outstripped the burn rate, and the entire interior of the stove was packed with glowing pellets. Which, of course

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1140628290638300542006-02-22T12:05:00.000-05:002006-02-22T12:11:30.663-05:00

Few tasks in this house are as satisfying as cutting, nailing, and installing new wall frames. Suddenly, where poor, old, hacked-through posts and destroyed plaster had been, there's this clean, strong, straight structure. And two days of carpentry go a lot further than two days of plumbing or drywall or paint-stripping.Case in point: that poor, awful corner I was working in yesterday. The

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1140470793790215672006-02-20T16:21:00.000-05:002006-02-21T12:48:31.040-05:00

While I'm thinking of it (and before I knock this stuff out), who here thinks that this rickety old bookshelf might just be supporting this intersection of girders? Anyone? If I haven't posted again in a few days, send help.UPDATE: Still kicking. And now, where that bookshelf once stood, a 4X4 post is jammed under those girders just in case. In this house, we try to minimize the "what ifs."

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1140110076425503352006-02-16T12:03:00.000-05:002006-02-16T12:14:36.463-05:00

It was about time for another post in the "stupid renovator" category. I've been stripping paint from the trim and doors in this bathroom for a few days now, using every kind of paint removal system I could think of (and afford). The heat gun, the scraper, the nasty chemicals, and the sander have all been given a workout, and not one of them has accomplished the job exactly the way I wanted it

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1139758394358438262006-02-12T10:20:00.000-05:002006-02-12T10:33:14.376-05:00

I've been quiet here because my latest task has taken me an embarassingly long time. For the last month, I have procrastinated and agonized over drywall in what will be the upstairs bathroom. To explain, this is my first drywall ever, and I can't tell you how much I hate taping and mudding. BUT, I can say that, miraculously, it all turned out okay.A little background: this room was the former

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1137425086451724712006-01-16T10:12:00.000-05:002006-01-16T10:24:48.543-05:00

Got back from a long, warm trip the other day, and now it's about 10 degrees outside, and I'm fighting to keep it at about 60 in the house. Shoveled the walk, put sand down (actually, I nearly wiped out on some ice while sanding it, which was a pretty great comedic moment), brought in 160 lbs of pellets, and fired up the stove in the cellar. We're getting kind of low on wood for my taste, but

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1134750806689577452005-12-16T10:55:00.000-05:002005-12-16T11:33:26.730-05:00

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1134054984135727982005-12-08T09:52:00.000-05:002005-12-08T10:16:24.160-05:00

I meant to post this some time ago, but apparently, I'm such a slacker that I can't find time to procrastinate on my blog. Anyway, I've been asked for a picture of what the kitchen looks like with appliances. The answer? Neither finished nor clean--but functional, which is something.Now, onto the title subject. It is $%&$*@ing cold here, and it's only going to get colder. My to do list is

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1132425439569223522005-11-19T13:26:00.000-05:002005-11-19T13:37:19.580-05:00

I forgot to say what that weird chimney hole was for... When we lined that chimney (nearly a year ago), we assumed that we would be sticking with the status quo of one oil furnace and one propane water heater venting into that chimney. As the price of oil went up, however, we started to rethink that proposition, and decided to move the great big ugly pellet stove into the cellar.Problem #1: You

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1132424777433815632005-11-19T13:23:00.000-05:002005-11-19T13:26:17.456-05:00

It ain't done yet, but I'm one or two wax coats away from a kitchen floor:That's four coats of danish oil (dark walnut) on white pine planks. Then paste wax, then done. It's about #@$*@!ing time.

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1132154104458783022005-11-16T10:05:00.000-05:002005-11-16T10:15:04.480-05:00

Sorry for the long delay. We've had a lot going on here, not the least of which is the progress of the kitchen. I may actually be able to cook a turkey on Thanksgiving...I also spent some time working on what may be the dumbest home improvement project ever: cutting a hole in a perfectly good chimney, somewhere near the base of it. It still hasn't fallen over, although I'll probably be

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1130289158421529492005-10-25T19:51:00.000-05:002005-10-25T20:12:38.443-05:00

When we bought this house, the kitchen was in a state that can only truly be described as unspeakable. The floor was bad, the walls were cracked, the ceiling was falling down, a piece of metal covered a hole leading to the outside, and the pressure tank for the well sat in a barely insulated alcove where the pipes to it froze almost daily. If that doesn't paint a bad enough picture, here:So, we

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1129125430659678162005-10-12T08:49:00.000-05:002005-10-12T08:57:10.660-05:00

Wow--I've actually been asked to post more pictures here. Apparently, SOMEBODY out there reads this blog...Alright then. House progress: that room with the nicely stripped and sanded floor is making steady progress towards being a bathroom. I have to have all of the plumbing roughed in by Monday when the drywaller starts on the room below (the kitchen). Just for kicks, here's what it looked

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1129124988061072152005-10-12T08:40:00.000-05:002005-10-12T08:49:48.066-05:00

This has little to do with house progress, but everything to do with the coming invasion of warmth-seeking rodents. We know they're out there--in fact, they're in the barn, which we can tell from the number of neighborhood cats who treat it like a favorite watering hole. The problem? The colder the barn gets, the better the house looks, and we've seen a couple of mice inside--both of whom were

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1128541356313847602005-10-05T14:40:00.000-05:002005-10-05T14:42:36.326-05:00

Holy god, do I hate plumbing. I hate the angles, I hate the pipe, I hate the primer and the glue and the things I have to do to avoid cutting horrible holes in wood that deserves some respect for not crumbling yet. Why oh why couldn't someone at some point have put reasonable plumbing--behind the walls--in this house?

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1128346787256482532005-10-03T08:20:00.000-05:002005-10-03T08:39:47.263-05:00

Didn't mean to go so long without posting. (This probably means I've been constantly babbling about the house--note to self.) But I've been working, as the progress bars on the right should show.We went from 0% to 100% on the "heat source" when we bought this lovely little pellet stove:Moving the big honking pellet stove down into the cellar, so that can try to heat the south half of the old

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1127309521550333652005-09-21T08:23:00.000-05:002005-09-21T08:32:01.556-05:00

After roughly a month of really crappy work, I can finally show off this floor:Professional quality it ain't. But damn, it's prettier than it used to be:

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1126703152676673412005-09-14T07:52:00.000-05:002005-09-14T08:05:53.726-05:00

We stayed up late last night going over what we know about the history of the house, and in addition to losing sleep, I got more confused.We were told originally that the house was built in 1840. That's all well and good, but Adam found an 1839 newspaper under the floor of the last addition signed by the guy who supposedly built the original house. Now, I know that people living up here back then

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1126637156110027092005-09-13T13:41:00.000-05:002005-09-13T13:45:56.116-05:00

Okay, so I know that house restorers scream bloody murder when people strip paint off of floors, and trust me, doing it is enough of a pain to agree with them just out of laziness. BUT, at the same time, I have to take this opportunity to crow about my new sander and the great job it's doing in what will be the bathroom upstairs. Take a look:After weeks of chemical stripping, and a lot of really

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1126568272569288652005-09-12T17:53:00.000-05:002005-09-12T18:37:53.133-05:00

Yesterday, my neighbor complimented us on handling so many contractors for the house, and I explained to him that aside from the foundation, roof, and chimneys, we ARE the contractors. Allow me to rant for a moment about why that is.I am terrified of hiring people when I can do my own lousy work for free. We've had two great experiences (mason and roofers), and one bad one (foundation work),

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1126549370140883712005-09-12T12:57:00.000-05:002005-09-12T13:23:26.346-05:00

Unfortunately (due to procrastination) this blog is coming in mid-project (at least for this year). But demolition probably isn't very interesting anyway. It's way more fun to cluelessly attempt to close the house up for winter, install a kitchen and bathroom, and put off (for at least one more month) entering the attic which a contractor referred to as "the mouse graveyard."By way of background,

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16648933.post-1126543562994841292005-09-12T11:36:00.000-05:002006-04-04T09:44:04.406-05:00

Welcome to the website devoted to our poor old house. Hopefully, if I post here enough, I can cater to a (small) interested audience instead of boring my friends and relatives with the details of everything from demolition to construction.Last October, we purchased this early 19th century federal-style house in north-central New Hampshire.I fell in love with the listing picture which, thank god,

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02383009741638703612noreply@blogger.com4