Exhaltation Desolation Exhaltation Desolation Exhaltation

You get the picture.  It's been a ride since I last wrote on August 31.

"How's the house coming?" people ask.
"I thought we were working hard on it before", starts my most frequent response "but now it has taken over."

A typical day: up early (OK:  early for us),  breakfast, straight into the house.  I'm mainly installing the electrical trim-out, Neal is finishing up the thousands of pieces of wood that have to be cut, planed, sanded, varnished, and installed.  In the afternoon I leave to go to work, he stays in the house.  At the end of the work day I run with the horse, Neal runs with himself, and then we're back in the house.  He leaves to start dinner at 8 or so, and I come in at 8:30 to eat.  I finish washing the dishes by 9:30, and then we collapse on the sofa for a few minutes before bed.  We've become big fans of series reruns like Northern Exposure or Downton Abbey:  one episode to clear our brains, then it's off to bed.

And happily for all, that's all the details I'll give.

Instead, here are some images that illustrate the swings from extreme pleasure (we did it, look at that!) to desolation (one more problem to research, make numerous phone calls about, and take steps to reverse  --  or just learn to live with).

I'll start with September.

Starting with the most difficult tiles - the ones hanging against gravity -

and the shower base.  To be determined:  will it drain correctly?

Limestone wall tiles hung, but not grouted.

 Shower completed and grouted

What a joy, to do the second bathroom!  Not a question of the 'first time' anymore, and I manage installation of the under-floor heating quickly and more precisely.  Will it work?  We'll see.

The travertine remnants we bought for $3.50/square foot laid up beautifully. Now I've done the grouting and the first coat of sealant.  No base in yet.

 Elsewhere, the tinkertoys have changed a bit.  Now we have kitchen components in the living room, trim begun but not completed.  And is that green on the back wall?  Hm, seems to be a different color these days.

 After Neal's stint on San Juan assisting a master cabinet maker in her workshop, here is the first of the components that he installs -  part of the bookcase in the living room.  A big wow for us, to see cabinetry come into the house.