Wide Open Spaces

And....two months later.  How is that even possible? Well, I'll tell you how:  In addition to having our regular lives to lead (kids, jobs, building this house) it also happens that Father's Day, our wedding anniversary, my birthday, both kid's birthdays, and the Fourth of July happen in the same 1 month span.  So summer is kind of crazy.  Wonderful, but also crazy.

But all sorts of doings! So first, the chimney did indeed come down.  Video to prove it, starring Uncle A, my brother Joey, and Gavin shooting film between knocking down brick:

Gavin and I spent an insane 2 days cleaning from attic to basement (there is always, ALWAYS a mess, not matter how much you clean) and stacking all the old remaining brick so we could save it for use outside in landscaping later (much later- currently our backyard looks like the jungles of Vietnam).  This was done in early July, since Gav's mom was out for our baby boy's first birthday party! See how we cram work and fun into one insane package?  Every mosquito in Long Island turned out to help us stack bricks.  Thank you, mosquitos.

Building the Great Wall of Fitz

Uncle A, the Taper, Gavin and Little Ol' Yours Truly (I got to use the pneumatic hammer! SQUEE!) built some temporary walls to hold up the second floor while they installed the new header beam; we did this on my birthday, and I couldn't have asked for a better gift!  Once the beam was in and the temps down it was nothing but a big, light-filled space and so clear we made the right choice in opening everything up.

Notice that poor Gavin is sweating like a goat at the beach...

The Taper

The only way to tell how huge this room now seems is wee Gavin way at the other side...

Some guys came and for literally less than the materials alone would have cost at Home Depot installed insulation from the second floor ceiling on down (since the attic is not heated we'll save that for later) in one day!  I feel a tiny thrill when I see all that brown paper insulation, since it's literally a barrier that prevents dollars from flying out through our walls.

And wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles, the Taper done sheet rocked the bathroom!! WE HAVE A ROOM WITH WALLS! And even better, he took such pride in his work that I have the most flawless bathroom walls in the universe.

Gwendy came with me to check out our new walls!!

I walked in and nearly cried- it was so good to see stuff finally get put back rather than torn down! Uncle A plans on working on the bathroom during his vacation (cause that's fun) and it should be up and running before the end of the month! Imagine, peeing in my own house? A dream is a wish your heart makes...

And this week I call and order sheetrock for the whole rest o' the house.  We hope to have it delivered next week and (pleaseGodplease) have walls going up the last week of August!! FINGERS SOOOO CROSSED!