Crazy and not.

We've been super busy (busier than normal) the last week. My folks have been visiting from Calgary and took the boys to stay at a cabin on a lake. So, I've been driving to and from the camp because for some reason, I've had an appointment almost every day in town.

We were also really excited for Nik's cousins' wedding. We were documenting it for her viewing pleasure a little later on, and I also sang a duet with the ever talented, Katherine Woodbeck. So, there were rehearsals and jitters which always makes things fun.

Now, because this is all about the crazy house that we live in, I'll just add that Nik did NOT stop even though we had major things going on. He's tiled the shower and floor and the bathroom is almost ready to paint. My parents and brother also came in for a 'work' day and my mom painted some base boards while my dad and brother totally cleaned up the dirt and scraps that were EVERYWHERE. It was a big job.

Maybe I should also mention that we tried to hang some drywall in the fourth bedroom. We failed miserably. My screw-driving capabilities aren't that great, so I think I threw them off.

Anyways, we're off to to Minneapolis for a little break with my family. We'll be back on Wednesday to finish this entire reno by Friday. HA! Just joking.

For all of the creepers who want to break into our house, we have a big dog that bites and an alarm system that works so stay away. And someone house sitting. And a barb wire fence. And one of those things that detects retinas.

And now, some thoughts from the other half...

Nik here.

This blog is so appropriately titled I can't stand it. I mean, we live on Red River Rd., and Red River just so happens to be in the title!

But enough shenanigans, time to get to business:

The other night I stared at the large pile of foreign goods shaped as plumbing parts we had acquired around the time of this post and proceeded to snip, solder and secure the various pieces together in the hopes that they would deliver clean water to our sinks, toilets, tub and shower; something our current super-old galvanized system has a bit of trouble doing currently.


After far-less head-scratching and bloody knuckles than I was expecting to endure, we now have the new tubing and plumbing manifold (think of an electrical panel, but for water) in place and can hook up the fixtures when the time comes. The PEX tubing we used is pretty neat, as it runs just like an electrical wire, unbroken, from the basement to each fixture, with blue for cold and red for hot. Here's some pics:

from the manifold in the basement...

...up through the powder room and to the fixtures therein and above...

...and up to the main bathroom. This is the shower and what lies beneath the tile. There is a showerhead at the top and four adjustable body sprayers (the little brass things you see on the sides). Hopefully soon we'll fire this up and blast away the filth we've been living in. Ok, it's not that bad, but the dust and dirt can get discouraging, especially for Dana who's trying to keep the place liveable for us.

Here's how some of the bedrooms are coming along (actually, ours is further along, but these pics show some of the work involved:

our bedroom

Chip's room (Thanks to Chris and Dave for throwing up a few sheets while yelling at each other the whole time, a great source of laughter for me)

Part TWO: Take it outside...

So, as things move along inside, I thought it might be good to show you what's going on exterior-wise at the abode. Our yard is a disaster, no two-ways around it. A garbage bin (on it's 6th fill-up), scrap aluminum, random doors and old windows, lumber and supplies, and that previously-posted bathtub all currently reside in plain view for the whole 'hood to see.

We got a call from the hot-tub shop where our people-soaker sits in storage, saying that we need to have it re-delivered or they'll start charging us $25/week to store it. Talk about customer care. Anyways, this forced us to shift priorities a bit and get the ground ready for the tub. Dana, yes, my 8 1/2 weeks to go pregnant wife Dana, dug the 18" deep X 20' long trench for the big hookup cable, and she and my good bud Steve dug the square in which I placed the pad just a couple days ago.

Want to build a pad/patio? Here's the steps:

Lay out some landscape fabric (black material, stops plant growth and holds sand/gravel in place) and then put gravel on top. The gravel is for drainage and to protect against frost heaving, and also is handy for leveling and adjusting the blocks:

Lay out the blocks (these were sitting around our yard in one place or another, and some are from where the deck will one day sit, so I stole them from there for a cost of $0, which was nice), levelling each one and all rows/columns:

Once finished laying the blocks, pour some play sand on top and sweep it into all the gaps. It packs pretty much instantly and firms up the rocks so that they're pretty much solid right away. I also watered the whole thing down and added more sand, just to make sure it was compacted.

Note the nice little pattern I threw into the stones...that will never be seen again once the hot tub is put in place. Oh well, I like knowing what's going on underneath things, so in my mind I am content. I had some extra blocks (actually, I have lots of extra blocks), so I put a little connecting path in. Good for bare feet in the middle of winter.
And for all of you who aren't able to drive by and gawk and the eyesore that is currently our backyard (EVERY car slows and gawks, it's a bit unnerving, but hopefully we'll clean it up soon), here it is in all its glory:

The white stuff is housewrap, and it covers what was the two-storey sunporch that will soon house a bathroom upstairs, and powder-room/mudroom/laundry below. I realize there's a big tree blocking our whole house, but it flowers really nicely in spring and we were somewhat shocked to find little peaches underneath it a few weeks ago; who would've guessed.

Moving along folks!

Up until this point a lot of the work around the house has all been things that are going to be hidden behind the walls. The wiring, the plumbing (which includes extensive venting that's basically a labyrinth) the insulation (done by mostly, yours truly), the vapor barrier, the black tar stuff to hold the vapor barrier in place (which got into two very mischievous little boys' hair), the shims that leveled two floors (also very painstaking and meticulous work) and so on and so on. Needless to say, it's all been disheartening for this instant gratification lover to know that all of the things that take the most time are the things that get closed up and never seen. My poor husband, even his handiwork behind the walls is pristine and perfect.

Anyways, this last week I've been able to indulge my impatience as I watched drywall being hung and *gasp* mud being applied! This has been one of the most encouraging parts for me....knowing that all it's going to take for us to be ready to actually move into our bedrooms is a little sanding (after a few more coats of mud), primer, paint, floor sanding, staining and varnishing and some trim....no big deal, right? Oy.

My goal was to be in separate rooms from our kids by the time this baby was born. I'm pretty sure it's doable at the pace that Nik is working at, but it kills me not to be able to help him. Actually, there have been a few things that I could have helped him with, but he respectfully declined my offers. I don't think he trusts me with many tools.

So for now, I'll continue to screw in drywall and make a million holes in search of a stud.

Here are a few pictures of my lovely lad looking excellent.





ps. I can not figure out why my pictures aren't rotating. I'm even saving them right side up but when I go to upload them, they're not right. Sorry.

Yesterday's happenings.

So yesterday was the big border run. We've completely capitalized on the fact that we live 40 minutes from the American border and buying things from the States on the cheap is pretty accessible for us. We feel a little bit bad not supporting the local market, but it's seriously hard to justify spending 50 - 100% more on something that was made in another country anyways.

At any rate, we had to go and pick up some things. I knew this was going to be a big run and bororowed our good friend Trev's big 15 passenger van. I took out the seats, except for one bench so the boys could be legal...oh, and it's much safer than letting them play in the back whilst driving. I might just win some award for being so diligent with my kids safety (and I'm totally kidding...it makes me cringe to see some of the things that we see on the road with regards to kids and car seats/seat belts etc)

So, we picked up the van and off we went. I checked the gas gauge to make sure that I wouldn't run out...just over 3/4 of a tank, perfect. I figured I'd top up in the States and save a little (a lot) on gas.
We were driving and I noticed the gauge getting closer to full, and as I pulled in I thought wow, I'm almost at full, I guess I won't top up here.

I got all of my packages (about 20 of them, Nik ordered our plumbing stuff and it all came in separate boxes) and the two skids (a bathtub and floor tile) and headed outta there! The border was fun, actually, no lies. So we were driving and driving and I heard a beep beep, and saw a little gas pump light up. Oh heavens, it dawned on me that the gauge was getting closer to empty...not full. This, admittedly, was one of the blondest moments, of.my.life.

My husband has nothing to say about it, though I'm sure he's bursting with pride.
The boys had lots of fun in the car and loved getting out of the living room...I mean house.

Our tub and tile (seriously folks, 3.00/sq foot for travertine as opposed to 10.00 here)


plumbing


the van

I'm probably not that clean.

Let me tell you a story about a girl who shathes. This girl tends to put off shathing at all costs because it's not particularely fun. In fact, it's downright dirty. I am this girl and Nik and I invented this word for whatever it is we 'do' when we 'try' to 'clean' ourselves. Our 100 year old rusty clawfoot tub with no shower is in the middle of our second floor, exposed to the elements. I realized this morning that it seems as if I've become one with nature. But, as I sat there (read: laid in the fetal position as semi warm water from a sprayer that continuously pops out of the faucet sprays onto me) I was trying to figure out if it's because I haven't figured out how to reach certain 'spots' to get clean and I just smell like nature, or if it's because I can literally see all of Hill St as we sit perched at its crest and our walls are smashed to bits so there's nothing protecting me from the watchful eyes of our neighbors, so I'm literally IN nature...

To tell you the truth. It's not the shath itself that is all that bad...once I get over the rusty water being sprayed into every orifice (that is pore) but it's stepping out as the breeze catches the dust on the floor and whisps it back up to attach to my not nearly dry enough legs/arms/whatever therefor making my shath almost meaningless and a big ol' waste of time. And as I trudge down the stairs accumulating even more dust to the bottoms of my feet, that were ALMOST clean...I take a look at my, again, blackened face and wonder, "what's the point?"

Perfume sure is my friend these days.

This first photo is a picture of our little one's bedroom looking into the bathroom.



Here's one looking onto the beauty of a linoleum wall that's been half ripped off and if you're not careful can cut you WHILE you're shathing.

Check out the drywall....you GOTS to be careful with that sprayer...it's either open insulation )on the other side of fake tiled wall) or brand new drywall waiting to be hung....both of which would be DISASTERS if they got wet.

Sleeping STATIoNS!

This is where we're sleeping.
We've been here for one month and 10 days. My kids' sleep habits have gone from semi bad to a heck of a lot worse. They were in bed at 10 last night, and the babes didn't fall asleep until...midnight. He was up at 7:45 (which is a whole hour and 45 minutes later than he would normally wake up). Needless to say, I'm so thankful for separate rooms. Someday, we'll have that luxury back, and believe you me. It's a luxury. Sometimes, living in North America is ridiculous, I SO took my personal space for granted. But, think about where some families live...It's great to put things into perspective. So, don't get me wrong, I won't complain, I'm well aware that even though we sleep within 10 feet of each other, we still have many, MANY things that I know others do not.

And. This will make for great stories at Christmas dinners in 15 years. Or so they say.