DAY 5 of our re-siding adventure (read: What could we have been thinking?)

So it's the close of day 5 and we're still not done with wall #1 (of 4) in our week-or-so long project. Truth be told it's been significantly more complex than either Jordan or I ever imagined. Between a step down in the foundation to a learning curve for using Hardi-plank and a hundred other niggling little details, it's just taking a long, long time. But it looks really good! And after however long it ends up taking it'll look like a new house.

The good news is tomorrow before noon we should be moving on to wall #2 and help is on the way. Dad came back earlier today, Mom will be down tomorrow morning to pitch in whatever way she can and Joel is going to spend Saturday with us--in spite of dozens of home improvement projects of his own.

With all of my immediate family in town and some of the worst of the new job wrinkles ironed out, I'm cautiously optimistic that come Sunday night wall #2 will also be complete. Jordan is here until Wednesday to continue the other walls and it's looking like some autumn weekends will be spent caulking and painting trim. Whee!

I'll post more pics as soon as I have any.

J

Progress Report

Progress on the siding is slow but steady. As seems to be the case with these projects, it's taking way longer than any of us had anticipated. BUT YET it looks amazing and it is getting done!


Jason is terrified by how SLOWLY it goes!

These pictures are from yesterday...


The front of the house, sans siding...


Upon seeing this view for the first time, CJ asked, "They're painting it BLACK and BROWN??"


Lavern did an amazing job stripping off the old siding.


Even CJ helped!


And I was there too... (I won't comment on how helpful... or not... I was)


This is yesterday's progress. Today the siding was up to the grey trim line.

CJ and I are off to my grandmother's funeral in Plentywood, MT tomorrow... back on Sunday evening. Hopefully the house will be done when we return.

HA!

auf Wiedersehen

Growing up, The Sound of Music was always one of my favorite movies. But the song where the Von Trapp children sing goodnight to the high-falutin' party guests had me stumped. See, it sounded sort of like this...

So long
farewell
oof wee splogerflatz
good night

Today I looked it up. Turns out it's AUF WIEDERSEHEN. Now why didn't I get that?!

Anyhow, we are saying AUF WIEDERSEHEN to the crappy, ugly, horrifying exterior of our otherwise charming house.

AUF WIEDERSEHEN!!



Jordan is showing up tomorrow, and he and Jason are going to spend a week replacing siding and otherwise beautifying our rather ugly abode.

Soon, it'll look like THIS:



Ok, well maybe not quite.

But it will DEFINITELY be better than peeling paint and rotting wood.

19 CLEAR DAYS?!!

It's official.

This is the summer that wasn't. According to the Seattle Times, we had 19 clear days. NINETEEN!!! Sure, this is Seattle and all, but still!

Nevertheless, we managed to have a pretty good time. Here are some photo highlights...


CJ & friend at Golden Gardens beach park.


CJ turns FOUR! How did this happen???




At the Seattle waterfront park on a CLEAR DAY! (that's one of NINETEEN, you'll remember...)


First fishing trip with Grandpa & Nana!


CJ proves to be an expert and single-handedly reels in 6 fish! Yes, it's true, he IS brilliant.


Jay lounges at the Oregon Coast (also there were Ed, Cheri, and Maureen). What's with all the wind?! I think this would be the perfect spot for a wind turbin.

Let's get this party started

CJ is quite the dancer. Witness...

I think he gets his MOVES from Jason's side of the family. Yeah, most definitely.