This final push is probably the most frustrating; there are long periods of inactivity followed by a day or two of activity. Drywall mud needs to dry and cure, which means hurry up and wait.
So for days 71 through 74 the contractor completed the exterior siding, finishing Mom's side of the house and replacing her old attic window. It looks great. The builder told me this was the first house he'd ever sided completely alone, so kudos to him.
He also put up my piece that is supposed to break up all that dead space on my peak; it's difficult to make out, but it's a metal piece with the phases of the moon and a honey bee cut out design. After he put it up I was thinking it didn't look quite right, then the next day I realized that was because it's not meant to be up against the house, it's supposed to sit off the background just a little. We'll address that at another time, but I think that adding some spacers will make it a little more dramatic, and easier to see the design.
The drywall crew returned for a day and a half, so days 75 and some of 76 were mud and tape days. The heaters are going constantly, and the humidity is ridiculous in there. It gave my first photo that Liz Taylor Closeup Haze...
 |
| kitchen |
 |
| bedroom closet |
 |
| stairwell |
 |
| mud room |
The entire house looks like that. It's actually kind of pretty, like a repeating pattern. Once the mudding is complete, it's on to the paint. Everything is going to be white. I'm a huge fan of the KISS principle; keep it simple, stupid. White is easier to touch up and it allows me to easily change decor to achieve whatever look I might want. Plus, I hate painting. With a passion. I don't ever want to have to repaint a room because I don't like the color anymore.
I've also picked out my cabinets (white, surprise!), which will be ready in a couple weeks. I almost went with grey, but the color was too close to the flooring shade, and after an internet search of grey cabinets with butcher block countertops I was not impressed. I definitely think white brings out the warmth of the wood.
In garden news, Mom and I just watch the documentary Kiss the Ground, which I highly recommend if you're at all interested in soil conservation or just seeing how we can improve our farming techniques rather than destroy entire swaths of fertile ground. It's pretty amazing.
I also ordered a packet of ornamental heirloom corn to plant. I've never grown corn before, so this will be a good test. I'm just growing it in hopes of getting even a few ears and some stalks for Mom to be able to use in her autumn decorations...we'll see. If all goes well, maybe I'll try some sweet corn next year. If it's half as successful as my onions were, it may become a staple.
