Halloween

 

     Scrap guy brought discard frame/handlebars by, enjoy afternoon into evening: old steed add new bars.  Longer junker front brake cable replace Schwinn's, augment back brake cable sheath, mount dual reflectors: sweet upright ride'll save back. 
    Don under house garb - foil dangly spider webs stocking cap, coveralls, knee/elbow pads, gloves - slither after light into Swett Lodge crawl space east side opening

 

ascertain nearly full length east side beam appropriate.  Sort stack 'beam' earmarked, line up likely 3 ply 2x6 candidates: first three step back from blue radio,

middle set blond 2x6 back right,

final set includes two short finishing segments lower right.

Circle saw trim, match three house lengths lapped joints 2x6.

Nail: three semi manageable beam sections which get crawl space stuffed.

Jack west side beam low spot, shim; rescue west side 4"x12"x8', east side 4"x12"x10' - apparition like below - previous partial prophylactic house supports; future use set aside.

Level five beam pier 4x16x16 cement pads Toyotaed from Powers, give 'em each cement block,

nail sections together form house length triple 2x6 weighty beam.

Muscle one end onto pier cement block, figure jack raise beam as west side:

shallower space makes levering more practical.  Position beam,

measure each joist depth at beam - 7-3/8 smallest, 8-3/4 largest this side, record.

'Lumberyard' match, cut, number appropriate shims, wiggle house under, nail atop beam.

Throw bunch short 2x4s under house, follow 'em, circle saw dice, nail above beam, between joists stabilizing blocks.

Cut ten 4x6 blocks

bolster previously semi adequately reworked partial bathroom plywood floor under tub,

one inch rough cut fir floor above rotten joists.

     Attempt more social, believe not accepting leads to less invites: accept Saturday evening masquerade invite, knock off Swett Lodge under 'bout 6.30pm, warm enough evening - yeah even while east gets snow storm hammer - cold water bathe, enjoy beer.  Cowboy hat, denim jacket, work glove 'disguise'; party cycle.  Enjoy conversation, costumes, campfire, choreographed dance routine - energetic folk about! - couple beers; favor final raise Swett Lodge push Sunday before Halloween nutrition, rest: retire early.  Unlike working folk's regular hours, free weekends, Swett Lodge pushes sometimes happen on weekends: semi retirement joy/curse. :) 
     20 ton jack oompah pah beam, second jack leap frog beam length few times (toward house front, worst rotten joists evident):

by golly, up she goes!  Evidence: daylight above foundation,

decided gap below rotten compressed perimeter joist.

Perhaps anticlimactically original level raise Swett Lodge on year in OR's eve.  Hoped for progress accomplished this year, though perhaps not in expected order: very pleased heavy yard work - stump removal, concrete stair/slab relocating - looms not ahead, rebuild concentrate.  Choices content: Eugene grows on one like fungus; balmy dry fall weather beguiles; cozy easy maintain home continuing change well situated - good growing climate/plot, water aplenty, nearby merchants, wood heat: bring it on!  Swett Lodge triple beam stabilized, begin lightening load final raise/repair prior.  Middle room plaster crashed to floor during jack, time to get stench out, take weight off:

gut begin! 

Peace

Subterfuge

   Blog delay last week, earnest attempt secret Swett Lodge advances from Kate, her surprise birthday party my place Sunday prior; Kate's Friday stop by biking to LCC nurse faculty party foils.  None the less Kate surprised by family, friends at Swett Lodge Sunday afternoon.  Dutch oven eight pounds pork roast - six disappear, cook monster squash whole, steam final garden green beans.  Gnocchi, cheesy squash, corn bread/souffle donated sides make feast.  Piece de resistance: Spud 'n Kate in da hot tub hazelnut Cory & Ruth cake.  No worries: beer in hand, Kate has her suit on!

 

Confab prompts current kitchen table/counter incarnation.  Nice having stenchy clunky old kitchen wall gone.  Numerous wall removal projects on Swett Lodge renovation list, had not decided 'til kitchen wall, remove all interior wall plaster & lath.  Seesaw 'bout ceiling: currently think remains.  Old cement plaster holds so much stench; wire, plumb refresh; insulate; certain amount wall restructure - gut the works!

Certain areas hold more odor: by front door. Remove plaster/lath backside wall by door: smell reduce (hall into front bed room).  Meticulously break away all plaster from lath; pull lath, sort into firewood/keepers; scrape floor, dump cement/plaster into bucket, haul behind garage; good lath to 'lumberyard', firewood out front, circle saw dice; sweep; trusty deconstruction refuse burgeoning bag Kirby layin' down on the job but sucking like a .... vacuum up: next stage ready.

Bring Recycling weekend half price window sale draws another sucker.  Find thermo pane kitchen window storm appropriate, break down spend hard cash - seven dollars fifty, gingerly Toyota haul home, fit, clean, mount: Swett Lodge living side winter ready; raise Swett Lodge east side, strip interior free.

     Mornings cooler, air crisper, leaves more brilliant, thin.  Broiler burner orifice only gas stove orifice requires changing to convert from natural to LP gas.  Originally supplied on stove near gas regulator: no longer there.  Stop by appliance service center.  They have no parts, give me their supplier's number.  Call, find tiny aluminum orifice will cost 20USD plus same S&H.  Ain't happenin'!  Higher pressure LP gas requires smaller orifice opening.  Remove natural gas orifice, place in small socket on cement back step, gently hammer peen close orifice, making as smooth/round as capable.  Remount orifice, test: works good enough to leave alone for the amount of broiling I'm likely to do.  LP gas convert range prepares Sunday's party fare wonderfully.

Nail punch might have been purchased day or two ago, post premonition, found protruding from kitchen wall top header electric wire/hole adjacent - tried to make hole; punch too far through; walls already plastered, unretrievable; left behind ninety years ago.  Can be traces.  Hang on to this baby.

Swett Lodge internet increasingly dodgy, continue to pick up important freebie items off Craigslist.  Local tile business donates styrofoam blocks attic insulation perfect (middle bedroom stacked).  About eighty square feet ten plus inches thick, said they stock pile this much every couple of months: will return.  Easy install, easy work around, great insulator, no cost: no prob!

Spend Saturday launder, shower, listen Ducks dominate Buffaloes at Kate's, can't deny hippy freebie chair attempt on way home.  Score, shun ugly squat purple table.  'Bout 12.30am few brewskis better, realize table adjusted good yard item: bike about a mile, haul heavy cumbersome metal table home almost crash least twice, walk final quarter mile: fits in dang it - birthday cake action first day on the job!

Clan member's motorcycle move requires old pickup, spread cement/plaster/gravel over carport area opportunity.  So far dry this fall; rain, activity will make pretty good car park out of the old wall plaster.

     Next objective: under house, east side beam; attempt thorough, understandable record.  House beam stabilized both sides, center; will remove wall plaster/lath, reduce Swett Lodge weight, ease raise.  Things continue along, more noticeable interior work not far off: plenty ahead!  Peace  

Best/Worst Of Times

     Wonderful Eugene warm Indian summer, Swett Lodge progress - good times.  Mom temporarily suspends difficult treatments - worst times.  Post above Public Library fountain cites/reminds Dickens: 'twas the best of times, the worst of times.

     Realize four wood frame freebie windows collected for spare glass, front room west window storm size appropriate, trim tops/bottoms, clean well, pair, nail hold in place.

 

Front/back freebie storm doors on hand: install.  Fall sun drench front porch: guess remove porch ceiling/gable worthwhile. 

 

No back storm knob/latch, depend on hydraulic closer.  Small plywood triangle corner upper pane acts push bar.  Now all but one (kitchen window) living area openings double covered - Swett Lodge much more comfortable this winter than last.

      Swett Lodge west half beam stabilized, wake, decide can remove kitchen/front room wall.  Most have folk in their lives not particularly sure why: they're there.  Married no doubt understand.  LA 1000 miles behind, LA friend continues presence.  Wall demolition first step remove trim - back first piece find long hand scrawl: 'McDougal'.  Don't know how or if even relates to Swett Lodge: there 'twas.  Same spelling, could be his hand: unshakable.

Trim/door off, wonder bar pry plaster/cement off wooden lath.  Fortunate no horse hair plaster matrix as in the mid west: would have rendered job undoable.  Leave short wall door west (left) intact, soon

 

realize plaster/cement retains huge amount cat piss odor - resolve remove as much as practical. 

 

Bucket haul plaster/cement behind garage, carport 'floor' repurpose.

 

Wonder bar remove individually hand nailed lath strips one by one.  Full length strips (4') no splits 

 

either end 'lumberyard' set aside for denail, reuse.  Search cook stove propane tank find barbecue with larger tank near full, cheap: Coos Bay - 100 miles away.  Saturday Gertie first coast road trip collect junk barbecue,

tank (here tucked behind stove in kitchen beside sink),

 

lunch water side outside Coos Bay,

Powers continue, join Kate & Spud for Ducks Arizona victory, next day load up beam pier cement blocks/pads, home grown apples, roll home.  Great little car handles curvy OR roads, load admirably; sips petrol - pleasure drive.

     Disconnect Earth stove pipe; remove chimney bottom soot - full to stove pipe/one year; reposition stove chimney closer, final angled living area presentation; trim dry wall stove pad. 

Cook stove aside east kitchen stenchy plaster/cement stripped wall awaits LP tank, mimics Earth stove.

Jack chimney, notch substantial 4x4, replace wormy, not vertical 2x4 main support (nearest), add 2x4 support next to wall: beef up heavy masonry chimney supports no longer wall structure aided.  May further plywood stabilize.  Much better for now.

 

Stench war continues: remove living room side plaster/lath short kitchen door west wall - corner cats favored,

remove plaster/lath kitchen side.  All vacuumed; coats/hats, hot plate, amp back where they belong; electrical wires out of harms way temporarily stud stapled.

 

Reuse unsuitable lath circle saw dice, front porch wood pile grow.

Wall gone expands, enhances Swett Lodge livability - none kitchen recused while front room life goes on: won't miss vital TV programming garlic peeling.  Unexpected direction this week manageable now west side well supported will improve Swett Lodge winter life quality - more even heat, broader vistas, significantly reduce cat odor.   

 

     Sunday eve home from Powers, rubber hose/clamps hook LP tank/stove; remove front stove knob panel for natural gas/LP conversion.  Think: be fancy use shiny screws panel reattach, find unwashered screws cause panel enamel chip.  Kick myself, ultimately realize:

God's Swett Lodge fingerprint - reminder, as Hopis leave error in meticulous otherwise perfect sand paintings, perfect world this ain't.

     Be well, your blessings as abundant as here.  Peace.