Cast, Jobs, Fun

I realized the other day that this renovation is pretty fun! It is a huge adventure, and is ticking along at a pace that makes it impossible to get bored of it. Things are changing all the time, and thanks to some great friends and family, we are able to get help for the pieces we can't do on our own. I am really kind of loving it. It's amazing to get to know the house this way - inside and out, every inch, nook and cranny. I always knew that this renovation would be something I could live with without too much issue - that part is all about your attitude which can be controlled. I am surprised at the genuine enjoyment I am getting out of it, though. Bonus!

We sold the sink. *tear* Except that it is going to a couple that I think we could be friends with who obviously have more room in their kitchen than we have in ours, because they are taking a stainless steel sink out and putting our cast iron one in. Also, they live on the next street, a few houses up from us, so it's not going far. Keeping it in the family, as it were. I am still nervous about living without a sink, but since they don't need it for a few weeks, we'll just keep going as is for a while.

Also, on the weekend we adios-ed the boiler and rest of the cast iron in the house. Dean came over with his plasma cutter, and good thing he did, because otherwise we would have been in big trouble. There were a few minor hitches - the plasma cutter cuts up to 7/8 of an inch, but the boiler had 2" thick walls all around, PLUS some discs in the middle that were also over an inch thick. Being the genius that he is, though, Dean figured it out. It meant a lot of sparks.

Already a lot of pipes gone - but now to tackle the real beast...

Getting creative with the bulk of it.

There was also a minor plumbing mishap that gave Dean a bit of a shower - convenient since he was covered in iron powder - and left us without water for a bit. I was getting ready to go for two weeks without hot water, but I should know by now to have more faith in Jake and Dean - there has not been a problem we have encountered yet that they haven't been able to solve. It was fixed within a couple hours, no big deal.

Will the sledge hammer work to get this thing apart? Turns out: NO

I can't actually claim artistic rights to these, but I call this one: 'Do you have a fire extinguisher?'

This one is called 'Bring me all the fire extinguishers you have'

Jake sawsall-ed the pipes out. That is a nasty business, let me tell you. My job was to hold the pipes so they wouldn't clatter to the ground, and being showered with hot iron filings does NOT feel good. On the other hand, hauling all that pipe out to the back yard to add to our modern art pile felt pretty good.

Boiler is gone! It was not easy.

Also, dad was here, and his back is in pretty stellar shape (or is it, Dad? Are you sore now?). We hauled down the rads from the upstairs, including the biggest one from the bedroom that had to be sawsall-ed in half because it wouldn't fit down the stairs. That was loud, and left a fine powder of iron all over the place. My feet have never been so black!

Cleaned up! You may notice there is no wall behind where the boiler was any more. We are going to move it in a few inches to steal a closet for what will one day be a bedroom. Also, we don't need nearly as much space as there now is for the new boiler and hot water heater. They are both going to hang ON THE WALL (that we obviously have to build first)! And be TINY! And EFFICIENT! Woop!

All together, there is a pile of iron in the backyard that rivals a modern art yard sculpture. Front AND back. I guess this is one reason re-landscaping the yard(s) is way down on the priority list in terms of reno jobs. Since the scrap yard is open strange hours (I think it closes at 3), we most likely won't be able to get there to sell our pile (guesses? Hoping for more than $100) till July. That'll make for some interesting grass patterns!

Modern Art #: "Scrap Yard"

Modern Art #2: "Some things are too heavy to go up any more stairs than is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY"

The other part of this (warning: it's going to get mushy - gross) is how much fun it is to do this with Jake. He and I talk a lot about how to be together - we know it goes wrong for lots of people - and what being a team means. We are a great team. When we are both cruising on projects we can get A LOT done in a day. It is definitely not that this is Jake's project and I am tapping my foot impatiently in the corner, waiting for it to be done so I can decorate - we are doing the whole thing together (which means many long conversations to come about paint colour for the walls - but that's ok). It's incredible!

Life is pretty superb these days. School is winding down, reno is in great shape, weather is good, friends and family continue to be good to us. I am sooo happy. And Thankful. And in Awe. I give thanks for these days.