Days 127-131: May 23-27

I worked mainly on Martha's trim this week. The baseboards all over the house got an additional two caps. This helped hide the electrical lines that were installed where an old cap had been.

I also did a couple of smaller jobs, such as installing two basement windows, getting the hot water heater running (it needed a new thermocoupler and relief valve), and got the shower mixer working.

Mark and his friends mainly mudded. It seems like an endless job when in the middle, but now we're on the downward slope. He and Jessica should be ready to paint soon.

Days 117-124; May 14-21

The week flew by, for more reasons than one. But the final push is on.

Started out the week by putting drywall on the dining room and kitchen ceilings. By the end of the week, Mark and his friends had the living room ceiling done as well, and a good start on the mudding.

The bathtub surround is now finished and the tub installed. It was tough to see the final two access holes to the tub drain----through the wall in the stairway and the ceiling in the living room---boarded up with drywall. All safety nets are gone. It's time for the systems to perform.

We also agreed on a final price this week. The transition of ownership is starting to harden like a thick coat of mud (that analogy is for the drywallers among us).

Day 116: May 11, 2011

Got the final batch of insulation installed. Altogether, Martha took 36 bags of blown-in insulation. She should be set for any weather.

Day 115: May 10, 2011

Another good day. I got some of the final portions of the electrical work done and started on building the shower surround in the bathroom. Mark go the first coat of mud finished on the upstairs.

We intend to insulate sometime this week and have the upstairs ready for paint by this weekend or early next week.

Day 114: May 9, 2011

Got the flashing around the chimney replaced----just in time since, according to the weather man, there will be rain the next 10 days.

Getting this job done is important for several reasons. Now we can put in the rest of the insulation, which means we can finish installing drywall downstairs. And it's the last of the big jobs that take up a day or more. Psychologically, having it out of the way gives us a boost.

Day 111: May 6, 2011

Nine hours of mudding. Not my favorite way to spend a Friday.

Mark couldn't work today because of a commitment at his job. He plans on working some on Saturday.

Day 110: May 5, 2011

Very good day. Mark taped all the butt joints (no laughing, please) upstairs, then moved downstairs and got much of that done, as well.

I finished the outdoor light circuit, got the ceiling fan in the bathroom vented through the north side of the house, and made the hot air run to the kitchen through a register in the toe kick of a cabinet.

Day 109: May 4, 2011

Good day. Mark, with the help of a friend, got the horizontal drywall seams taped upstairs. I finished the kitchen drain and water supply (we've now got water!) and worked on the last electrical replacement circuit---two outdoor lights.

Day 108: May 3, 2011

Short day today. Both Mark and I had afternoon commitments.

Mark prepared to begin mudding the drywall tomorrow. I worked on the cold air plenum for the furnace and the plumbing in the kitchen.

Day 107: May 2, 2011

Woke up to the news that Osama Bin Laden had been killed. What we're doing at Martha pales in comparison to the larger changes in history now taking place.

That said, we kicked some butt today. Mark has all of the drywall on the walls downstairs finished. Only the ceilings and a small strip to allow for more blown-in insulation remain. Nice, clean walls give Martha a whole new attitude.

I've been spending my days in the basement, working on the house's different systems. The water was turned on today, which again seems like Martha is stirring back to life after a major operation. (So far, no leaks.) I'm currently building a wooden plenum to consolidate all the cold air returns.

Day 104: April 29, 2011

We're making progress. Mark has the living and dining rooms virtually drywalled, and the kitchen ready to receive drywall. I got the water supply and gas supply systems hooked up, and started on the furnace installation.

Here are some photos:

Day 103: April 28, 2011

Got the gas line run to the furnace and hot water heater, complete with a shut-off valve.

Finished the running water "command center." Now all that needs done is the PEX lines run to it.

Built the chase in the dining room.

Mark continued drywall work in the dining room.

Day 102: April 27, 2011

Got the bathtub drain finished. Once the surround it built, the tub can go in.

Started making a PVC "command center" for hot and cold running water.

Mark is continuing his assault on the downstairs drywall. He got everything he could up in the living room and is starting on the dining room.

Day 101: April 26, 2011

I continued work on the kitchen drain (finished) and the bathroom drain. Mark worked on the living room drywall.

Mark reported dampness on the south living room wall, above the fireplace. It appears we have a leak in the flashing around the chimney. When the rain stops (IF the rain stops), we'll get up on the roof and take a look.

In the afternoon, Mark and I picked up the bathtub, which had been on special order from Menard's. I also placed orders for two basement windows.

Day 100: April 25, 2011

Day 100. It seems fitting for a milestone to fall on a day like this. It seems as if possession of Martha is slowly flowing from our hands to Mark and Jessica's.

I spent the day installing new pipe to supply gas to the water heater and furnace, and working on drains in the kitchen and bathroom. Mark and a couple of his friends were busy pulling in trailer-loads of possessions, which are now stored in the garage. A child's slide appeared in the backyard, like a spring flower.

Day 97: April 22, 2011

Tied up a lot of loose ends today.

Mark finished the cleanup, caulked cold air returns and installed the bathroom hot air duct.

I finished the garage electrical, fixed the basement stairway light fixture and re-installed the baseboard.

Day 96: April 21, 2011

Worked on the garage electrical. Picked up the furnace and air conditioner from Carter's in Corunna.

Mark did a massive cleanup. It gave Martha a different feel.

Day 95: April 20, 2011

Worked for a while again on the new bathroom hot air duct, but hit a snag where it will make a turn under the bathroom floor. Decided to look for a solution among the different sizes of duct at Menard's.

Refocused on other areas. Got the west bedroom closet (through which the hot air ducts run) ready for drywall. Almost completed electrical work in the garage. (Since the power lines to the garage do not have a ground wire, we're sinking a rod into the ground and running the wire to it.)

As I left for MacKenzie's tennis match, Mark was pulling nails from the kitchen walls and getting it ready for drywall.

Day 94: April 19, 2011

Worked on the hot air ducts. Had hoped to reuse the old duct to the bathroom, but after messing around with it for a while, decided it would be easier to replace it. Mark made a path for it in the living room wall.

Got a good start on the garage wiring.

Day 93: April 18, 2011

Finished the cold air returns in the basement and got a start on the hot air ductwork.

Here are the promised photos: