The Little Brick House, a family affair

I tried to get all of the intense stuff done before school was out.  I was afraid of how things would go once kids would be at the house.  I shouldn't have worried.  Here is a snap shot of how it has been going.  Legos and a bit of drywall provide hours of entertainment.

So the stuffed animal Hank is holding is Foxy.  Foxy is a trouble maker.  He is wanted by the FBI.  Dad, aka Baca to the grand kids, is fixing him up with a band aid from a wound he received while being just a bad pet.  Can you tell kids are pretty darn happy about this turn of events.

The kids have to do ten minutes of math every day during the summer.  It is a challenge from their school.  Dad was teaching some concepts on the counter top sans the Formica.  

It is all about work and treats.  

I have been so delighted by their willingness to work on the house.

Cute moment where Hank is brushing Earl on the front porch.  

 They have had Merrick come a few times and it makes the time there that much better.  Nothing like a great cousin to up the fun factor.  Thank you Merrick for being so fabulous.

The afternoon is game time.  The kids know they get away with way too much game time when I am coming to a deadline.  

The Red Brick House, endless floor refinishing

The day we took up the carpet could have been one of those drama filled moments.  Imagine something on a home show where we discover something so awful that we would have to replace half of the floor.  The only drama was me happily hauling off carpet and discovering each room looked great.    

This is where the monotonous work starts.  I rented the drum sander from Home Depot.  It took at least five passes to just get the finish off of the floor.  Ugh.  It was the longest day on the job.  Maybe because it resembled vacuuming.    

Here is the trap door for the basement storage area.  I don't have a before picture because I didn't know dad was going to tackle this until he was done.  The door was raw and a bit of a mess.  Dad took it all apart, labeled each piece of wood so they line up with the floor, and mounted it on another foundation piece.  He then framed the door and the opening, so it looks perfect.  Instead of an area we would have to throw a rug over, now it is a cool detail. 

The next step was the buffing machine, also a rental from Home Depot.  This thing was a dream compared to the other sanding machine.  It helped even out where I used the drum sander and the edge sander and prepared the floor for the finish.

Here is the floor after the finish was applied.  The change was so refreshing.    

The Little Brick House Euphoria

Once or twice a year I will be working on a gown and the detail I am trying to manipulate will surprise me and become extraordinary.  It is a surreal moment and I will tear up a bit.  Those moments feel like a gift.  Maybe it is the high that compels me to keep creating.  

Well, it happened with the house on the day I tiled the bathtub.  

I wasn't planning on doing the tub that day.  My plan was to finish the kitchen floor and pantry.  Those areas came together well and the saw was set up, so I moved onto the bath surround.  After walking passed that room day after day, it was such a relief to see something clean and beautiful covering the messy looking wall.  

The sun was streaming through the west facing window.  The bathroom was bright.  It was the perfect tile moment and there was euphoria in the air.  I am well aware that I sound goofy.  

Anyway, before I ramble on any longer, here are some photos of the moment.  Wish you could have been there.