A Hole in the Head

{Pun intended}
While looking at the floor for the other restroom in preparation of the plumbing, I found that the floor had to go; it was unsafe.  So where there was once going to be a restroom is now a hole from dirt to roof.  Bummer.  I will, this coming week, rebuild the floor and run the pipes for the restroom/ dressing room.  Oh that's right, I forgot to mention the change.  The format of the restrooms have changed.  There will be two restrooms as before, but both will be unisex.  However, the west westwoom (sorry 'bout that) will be constructed so as to double as a dressing room for Kathy's yoga students.  Because of that extra size, it will also serve as the "handicapped accessible" restroom required by code.  This solves many problems.

Speaking of changes:  Although Kathy and I had agreed on NO MORE CHANGES to the kitchen design...she changed it anyway.  We are now going with granite tiles for the counter tops.  I'm about to run away from home.

Since school starts soon and the show, Annie, which I have been involved in is over tomorrow, next week means hitting the project hard...except for the time I have to be making a new schedule for my classes and taking a less-than-ideal workshop.  Busy, busy boy.  I probably want to work mostly at night anyway because of the heat.

Game of Porcelain Thrones

Success!  We now have two toilets in what will be the "Ladies Room".  The permanent lavatory should go in tomorrow with the dividers shortly thereafter.  This is a major milestone on the way to habitable.  The vinyl tile floors were hell on my knees and back (even with knee pads), but it was worth it.  Once the sink/lavatory is in, I can start bringing the water and drains upstairs and over to the "Gents Room".  If I had to, I could stay there now.  I wouldn't like to, really, but I could if I had to.

Somebody tried to break in last Sunday, but were foiled not by the alarm system, but by a well constructed door and the steel bar cages on the basement windows.  Take that!

Here is a sequence of pictures of the restroom construction:

Potty mouth

Much is happening:  got the fencing all done, of course; began scraping the paint off the ceiling (harder than it sounds);removed a lot of "stuff" to another location; removed the floor of the NW first floor room; and...trumpets please... am now ready to put in the first toilets!  By this time tomorrow I expect to be able to answer the call of nature without crossing the street to Kroger's or hiding behind a tree.  It's a big step.  I've also decided that instead of separating the restroom into two independent restrooms, I'm going to make the NE corner the Ladies' room and the NW corner the Gents'.  Each will be wheelchair accessible (that's the plan anyway).  In between all this I put up a new mailbox post on Brazos to replace the one that was rotted.

On a completely separate note:  Someone once again tried to break into the Manor Sunday night.  They kicked in one of the panels on the basement door, but the resulting opening was too small to get in.  They also tried to get in by way of an alley window.  Ha!  The steel cages on those windows foiled that attempt rather nicely.  Had they gotten in, the alarm would have quickly sounded anyway, but that would have gotten me out of bed, schlepping down to the building to meet the police.  I fixed the door.  I'll be installing my cameras.  As soon as I can afford to, I will put the bars on the rest of the basement windows, too.  Take that!

Boxing for Power

More good news of progress:  After rehearsal today (for the musical "Annie"), my best friend Jim and I put in  a new meter box and breaker box down here at the Nickel Manor.  Sound boring to you?  Well not to me.  This will make the place safer, and get it ready for me to start the gradual process of rewiring.  Now whenever I have the cash together, I can call the power company and have them make a new pole drop- aka pigtail- and move my meter over.  I can then patch the old breaker box to the new breaker box to keep my plugs and lights live until I finish rewiring each room.  It's a big step in the right direction.

Fencing without a rapier

Progress in being made (passive voice intentional).  I got the chain link fence mostly finished. Unfortunately I ran about 15 feet short of fence.  I don't really feel like forking out $75 for 50 feet when I only need 15.  I'm looking around for someone who has "left-overs".  Also got most of the hardi-backer floor in the restrooms. They should be done shortly.  I've had helpers part of the week for the heavy lifting that I can no longer do.  That has helped a lot.  Shout outs to Matt and Sean who take turns working for me.

Also this week we have new residents at the Manor.  We have what appears to be a pair of hawks living in the creek area east of the property.  One or the other of them have been on my fence each morning, leaving just before I could get a picture.  Kathy got one this morning with the long lens on her camera.

My goal is to have the "main room" ready enough for the Lamb Family reunion this fall.  Lots of work still to do.  More as time goes by.

A ghost of a chance

Interesting event.  Last night, Sonshine Paranormal Investigators of Ft. Worth, Tx came to the Manor to...well...investigate for paranormal activity.  I haven't actually had any problems, but as an old building, it's sure to have history and emotion.  The old "if these walls could talk" sort of thing.  They stayed for quite some time.  We, meanwhile, went to see the next to the last performance of "Ghosts, the Musical" at the Texas Theatre in Palestine, Texas.  I think that's a nice piece of symmetry, don't you?  Afterwards we went to Switch, Brick Oven Pizza and Wine Bar for a late supper with the cast.  Leaving there around midnight, we swung by the Manor, and they were still there taking a break.  They were still going to work more.  I guess I'll find out sooner or later what they found or didn't find.  I will of course post a link to their site when it's up.  For now, here is their main page.

http://www.sonshineparanormal.com/default.html

Got any spare change?

Okay...change of plan.  Again.  The new plan has me doing a rush job on the basics of the building, water and electricity and some others, by summer 2014 so that we can move in rough.  That means also sanding floors, repairing windows, and at least one of the full baths ready for rough habitation.  We will then move in with just the basics and live there while we/I keep working on the place.  That would free us up to sell our current house and put that money into the refurbishing of the "Manor".

Sounds like a good plan, but it really puts the onus on me to get a move on.  It also means I'm going to have to hire some help for the summer- a strong back to lift and tote the things I can't anymore.  So new project list to be completed by summer's end:

1. finish putting up fencing for security
2. install new electrical panel and 2 sub-panels
3. sand upstairs floors
4. run water and drains to upstairs bathrooms, kitchen, and laundry area
5. repair all windows including basement

Then by Year's End:

1. move major table tools to upstairs or basement from street level
2. begin wiring upstairs enough for kitchen, laundry, and bedrooms
3. install wall in between bathrooms upstairs
4. cut door from master bedroom to Master Bath

By June 30:

1. refinish floors in bedrooms and kitchen
2. plaster upstairs walls that need it

Seems like a lot to me, but it's a goal necessary for continued marital harmony.  It's going to take focus, skill, and much luck.  It would be nice to hit the lottery.  Yeah, right... like getting hit by lightening while being bitten by a snake as you are recovering from a shark bite.  "The odds ain't in my favor."

Ask me again in August 2014 how things are going.