Ceiling, Primer & Mailbox

OK well sorry it has been forever since I last posted but it has been busy.

So here goes.... Well to start off the ceiling it taped, mudded (that I did) and sanded (thanks to my brother, David).

The ladders were my set up. I could have used some stilts or longers legs but this had to do.

Finally, some paint on the walls. If it is only primer it still looks good to see something else on the wall. Now everything is primered (is that a word? oh well). Just need to pick wall paint color.

Now my mailbox has my name on it. I bought the letters a long time ago, but just now am getting them on the mailbox.

Weird Beam and Sheetrocking the Ceiling

There was this wooden beam going across the Living Room and Dining Room. Not knowing why it was there and not knowing if I wanted to keep it there, my dad and I tore it down off the ceiling.But as you can see we found a huge crack in the ceiling. We figured out that it happended when they were building the house. It is not from settling. So great now what do we do. Well, never fear my dad has a plan.Here is some pics of the continental divide.

Here is the way it looks before the sheetrock went up. Wood to fill in space.

Two guys on ladders, one guy on the ground. From left to right these players are John (brother), Dad, David (brother). I don't remember the conversation but something was being mulled over.The breakfast of champions, John is on a Clementine orange kick. And for some reason expensive water.Drywall screws, CHECK!Deadman, UP!Drill, CHECK!

Almost Done. Only two panels to go. Measuring for a tight fit.DONE and resting after a job well done. Believe it or not I did hardly anything on this project. But my work has just begun. Because I am the one who spread the tape and mud over my head not the easiest thing I have ever done. Pics are to come.

Kitchen Cabinets Gone, Gone

First, we have to remove the oven. It didn't work anyway. Then the doors came off. Some I took off properly (with a drill or screwdriver). Some I literally ripped off the hinges because it was somewhat frustrating.

Here are the holes the cabinets left. I don't have pics of the cabinets coming out because my dad and brother took them out when I wasn't there.

Oh NO when the cabinets are removed they left holes in the ceiling tiles. The new cabinets won't go to the ceiling. So now what?

I had several options. I found some left over tiles in the attic. So, on to fill the holes with the tiles not to be perfect but because I was going to put up the same tiles all over. But that was going to be difficult.

So, I actually chose to cover the ceiling with sheetrock. We hung it in about 4 hours. I'll show those pics later.

So Far and yet So Far

Here is the very first thing that happened. Central heat and air. Never before have I lived with central heat and air but here it is. Wow exciting.
Brand new heating unit.

Hole where old air conditioner was in the wall.

New AC unit!!!!! Isn't it pretty.

Fixing the holes.

One bad thing we found was a bad window ledge. The joint was built in the wrong place and was letting water in for 52 years!. But no longer.

This is the faulty ledge.

This is the fixed ledge outside so far. It looks really rough now but I will clean it up later.

This is how much of the wall that was taken out and repaired.

New sheetrock and mud and tape. Almost ready for paint.

One of the first things I did was to take out the carpet and the came the task of taking up the tack strips that held down the carpet. So here is evidence that I was actually doing the work. My brother John is in the first pic. The ugly floor is actually hardwood but is was not going to be restored to make it look good. I think it would have taken more money to strip it and finish it than to pick carpet which is what I have done.

Next, I tackled the kitchen floor. Previously, there was some sort of stick down tile in 12" x 12" squares. This was a very frustrating thing as it did not come up easily.

I know it looks like there is still some sort of tile down but that is the original linoleum just very dirty. The lighter squares is where I had to go Michaelangelo on it. (with a hammer and chisel).