This morning was the last big day of concrete work on the ceilings. The long hall was the target and the goal was to get it done by early afternoon. We made our goal without breaking into too big a sweat. In this shot big Matt is doing the final pass with the sponge, making sure the texture is even throughout the hallway. The arched ceiling looks wonderful!

So many building projects I've been involved in seem to be a race at times. Trades are often called in to do their work before things are really ready. Then the race is on to stay ahead while they do their work. I was determined from the start that our house project wouldn't go that way. It was a nice thought.

Today, we gave the drywallers the green light to start boarding the house. They had asked that we give them four or five days notice. That meant if I called today we should have a Monday start. Perfect, for we still had some work to do in order to be ready but we could easily handle it before the end of the week. But my drywall contact called back and announced the board would arrive tomorrow afternoon. The boarders would begin their work the morning after. The race was on. We have to fasten in a base board backing around the bottom of many of the rooms in the house, plus we will fasten plywood backing behind the wall areas covered by the cabinets. Thankfully I already had the plywood in the house and some of it even ripped to width. Matthew stayed an extra half hour today to give me a head start. After supper Phoebe and I worked until her bed time at eight o'clock and she happily volunteered to help me more (She'll do just about anything to get to stay up a little later) but I was in good shape. I also knew the work would go just a little faster if she was in the house and I worked alone. I made good progress, finishing two rooms and a good part of the hallway.

The house is about the change once more in a big way. Stay tuned...

-grampa dan