Just another Tuesday in Paradise

Well, the day began with Ray the fence guy bringing the WRONG gates.................the ones he brought are reminiscent of the detention yard at San Quentin. I guess the fence company missed the adjective "decorative" while taking my order! The new ones (four feet high with a fenestration on the top) are on the way...I hope.

While we were working, a couple came via Craig's List and purchased two left over cabinets that we couldn't fit into the plan...turns out they used to go to a church that we went to when I first moved here. Small world here in Cincy.

Then, Greg the Mason showed up. I got Greg's number from an advertisement on the local hardware store bulletin board and I realize this is a hazardous method of finding a contractor.

Unlike the previous three masons who have stopped by (Let's see; there's been Earl who has not stopped back as he promised to do several weeks ago, AND John's brother who complained about Mexicans while he was here (he has not been back either...It's been suggested I try a Mexican instead); AND Bernie...who I would term politely as arrogant and condescending (there are more colorful terms). Here's the scorecard: Earl, $4700; John's Brother, ? and Bernie, $14,000 (that's right, $14,000). I like Greg; he has an old pickup truck with a six pack in the back and accidentally cut himself on the aluminum sheathing of the front porch. My kind of guy!

Greg comes in at about $3000 btw.

He was the first to suggest that we remove all of the sheathing on the front porch so we could see what we were dealing with. So, I spent all morning getting Greg's revenge for him and removing all of the aluminum foil from the front of the house:

House sans
railings and aluminum flashing...we hates aluminum siding...it is going to die.
Actually, it looks much worse than this!

Meanwhile, I have put a working toilet in the upstairs bathroom while the downstairs bathroom remains a large hole. Unfortunately...I tried to repair a leaking valve in the basement and ended up removing said valve and twenty two inches of galvanized pipe.

Now this is interesting...you cannot connect iron or galvanized pipe with copper pipe...as the previous owners attempted to do. (You didn't know this now did you?...ok, neither did I). You need to use something called a "dielectric coupling" which allows the copper and the iron or lead to get along better. Otherwise, you will have the iron pipe full of rust at the worst possible time.

I know that I will get to Lowe's and they will not have one...or two...but we will see.

Hopefully we'll have the mason situation nailed down before the house collapses and a working toilet by the next installment...thanks for watching!

Deano