Scribe

     Might be a musician if actually did what musician's do - rehearse.  Love to play, play quite a bit: still a hack.  Enjoy blog creation, understand - possibly scribe - not writer.  Perhaps aware posts tend improvisational - indeed, my life's mantra might be 'start here, now; make accessible work' - do some times occupy hard drive (oops! - read 'hard head') space outline blog; mental - even written, believe it or not! - note phrase/thought: not this week.  End rot laser focus energy sucks.  Wisely mall hike, enjoy Denzel Washington's 'Safe House', meet Kate/Jesse Sizzler dine Wednesday last: energy maintenance requires pull away, replenish, allow brain space once in a while.
     Brain/heart well beyond Swett Lodge 'dump' stage, currently feel capable dump unlimited quantity labor rectify reality/expectation; worry not: departure day obliterate finish Swett Lodge crawl space work May travels prior self drawn sand line.  Continue eat/drink/sleep rot reduction.
     Not sure how all interacts, clear nearly all forms rot found Swett Lodge: rot rot, dry rot, termites, ants.  Looks to this eye as though rot started where wood met concrete, weakened lumber became bug host.  Confident vigilance, chemicals, treated wood avoid recurrence. 
     Personality some what obsessive, challenge keeps motor running: yet another sand line will replace current; forever look ahead - rest when dead.  Ramp up under pressure ability impress even myself; blog brevity toll's clue: vacation, enter new Swett Lodge phase ready.


     Spend Tuesday morn research/procure materials.  Swett Lodge originally rough sawn lumber built, challenge find today's similar dimension materials.  Rough cut lumber - once ubiquitous - now enjoys rustic finish cachet, escalates value.  Dimensional S4S (smooth four sides) lumber readily enough rough cut dimensional lumber mates appropriate sizing taken into account; one inch boards toughest to match: rough cut one inch board full one inch thick, immensely stronger than S4S one inch (measures 3/4 inch) board; allows wider floor joist spacing.  Fortunately deck floor boards, some finish boards still 5/4 (measures one inch) cut: on the day settle on variety sub floor replacement solutions, including layered plywood where joist/stub replacement allows. 

     Peel couple siding courses off kitchen corner, yank rotten perimeter joist out, 

create novel outside/inside condition.  Just left green laundry bag, note yellow electric wires from circuit box pass over foundation.

Good not winter!

Replace rotten wall sill plate; position rough cut 1x10 underneath; stub kitchen joists.

Cut each joist back to rot's end, 2x10 stub.  Final joist under kitchen, parse away, hope save; finally

realize necessary replace.  Stead finalize west wall, proceed kitchen north wall;

tear perimeter joist out piece by piece, 'til complete full circle round house

at reworked bath floor.

Notch center beam carry full 2x10 depth - extra strength - remaining shaped stub mate, double bolt.

     Central wall joins exterior rear wall here: tremendous amount weight on stubs/sill.  Note bandaged rusted sewer pipe.

Remove steel hot water lines, ease work.  Unable figure replace section wall sill plate, sub floor under wall with out back track; sever treated sill couple stubs in, remove third stub (steel water line right); parts replace.  Sub floor in place above stubs under wall sill, will allow 4x6 beam jack under stubs, raise wall; insert sill plate/ sealer.   

     Bath wall/floor parts placed; hammer/chisel foundation high spots flat,

stub remainder north kitchen wall.  From northwest corner east,

 south.

Outside.  Seeming sub floor gaps (under door) where couple floor boards still good.

     Work bit easier house back near tools, materials, electricity.  Precut plywood subfloor replacement sandwiches (3/4 & 1/4 ply to match one inch rough cut), stubs.  Hang ply sandwich on last completed stub; 4x4 pry/hold in place; toe nail stubs underneath, jacking if needed.  Water/sewer line cramp work space; persevere; tap toe nails while neighbors Jim/Doc hold back patio spring day vigil.

     Address couple areas kitchen sub floor rot; makes final raise Swett Lodge, insert treated sill plate, perimeter joist ready.  After that replace fourteen foot section main beam: Swett Lodge rot's end.  From here looks as though get 'er done travels prior; no worries: close 'nuff!

     Again, forgive terse entry: all juice goes under Swett Lodge, new phase scent sirens.

     Continue scrivener, high points here.

     Enjoy.

     Peace.

Vacation

     'Bout half hour gorgeous spring weather - 70's, sunny, finally! - memory bone chill cold/rain 100% erased.  Gorgeous means gorgeous here: trees, flowers beauty vie; sun limn cumulus clouds scud crystal blue sky; dewy grass glints emerald; all against forest green fir back drop.  Evenings continue clear, beautiful - enjoy lounge back patio - sliver new moon peach/azure sunset competes; transformered power pole sentinel: excellent new beginnings omen.  TV drama's - many episodes addictive behavior ripped - protagonist OR bound; reflect OR must be one of few states retain correct pronunciation department: best make sure YOU say it right!  And while some dream palms, sun drench white sand beach; give me Swett Lodge down under, knob on BOB (FM)!
  
     Hope enjoyable blog session today: vacation.  Care not count continuous - six - days hot on Swett Lodge floor system rot end's - rotterdam! - trail; attempt accomplish May travels prior, spurs extra effort; more, longer days 'til then.
     Life, Swett Lodge reconstruction, Zen garden; fractal reflections: constant flux, good/bad surprises - work it on out! - time gobbles way.  Week opens with extra big guzzler: en route replace couple bad old Kate's lake place 2x6s, new west beam; traverse recently smoothed crawl space floor; get closer, more personal look center beam; recognize rot symptoms - wood dust, pin holes.  Finish rework west side beam 2x6s, piers - level four inch solid cap block under standard block, solid cap block cap; will treated wood wherever contacts cement finalize piers during final floor level; 

screw driver 'explore' center beam.  Live bug encounter - another explorer, not termite - A lists beam; hope save, wonder bar chisel away rot.

Satisfied expunge rot one side pier, trace to other side.  Continue chip, hope,

until - hour or so later - spot rot evidence beam far side, wonder bar chip, uncover beam through crack, bug migration route: fourteen foot section beam, toast.  Probably take less time replace than 'explore': so it goes.  

     85 year old sub floor board exhibits full range rot Swett Lodge hosts: bug holes/dust upper right by protruding nail, dry rot lower left.  Both types seem follow routes of advantage - cracks, along grain - can be knot arrested.  Prohibitively expensive hire rot edit this degree: few hundred bucks lumber, soul couple years; Swett Lodge'll be done, PAID FOR; less than 80K looks like.  

     Remove rotten west perimeter joist - bare hand bust out - uncover healthy termite nest under crawl space entry lining boards.  Glove hand smoosh thousands white nits, take no photo time, hasten wood chunks into Earth stove; no bug poison on hand, paranoia prompts gas douse.  And don't come back!

     Just as problematic surprises come along, do pleasant: circle saw bull nose front west treated sill plate; staple blue sill sealer lower side, round nose; easily slide right into place below jacked stub joists, nary a nudge.

     Pray reader calmly attent Swett Lodge down under snarkiness: relent, back to voluble (?) self; here's front wall stub joist photos.  East toward center beam, 4x6 jack beam next jack under 4x4 jack beam; raise, allow treated sill plate insertion.  

Westward. 

     Plenty gets reworked too, add time.  Nailed west perimeter joist to first few stubs, assist raise front wall.  Burn time, attempt slide sixteen foot replacement joists under house, manipulate into place: no way; remove perimeter joist slide replacements in from outside.  All those carefully measured blocks between joists above new beam, joist shims: toast.  Chain saw sever blocks, joist to rot's end.

Kick/pry rotten joist pieces out, trim those dangerous nails.

Circle saw shape stub joist.  Deepest original west side joist measures 9.25 inches - same as today's 2x10 - for simplicity/strength opt 2x10 store bought stub joists replace rotten beyond new beam west side joists.

4x6x14 beam jack under sub floor boards between joists.  Jack stub so upper surface matches original joist's upper surface; handy washer, wing nut, bolts from Goodwill five buck bag

bond stub/original.

     Care not mislead: rot's end primary focus, life goes on.  Couple weeks ago, much down under work ahead, cognizant clean up always bitch, crawl space emerge hair full mud; that's it: off it comes.

     Saturday last county fairgrounds local builder's 'garage' sale; figure won't attend; Kate text alerts; premonisce, maybe should go - ya never know - come away with new almond enamel steel tub.  Net $175 from $250 claw foot sale.

     ReStore trip, board search; find eight sheets high density one inch foam, wall perfect.  At half price, less expensive than styrofoam board used so far, better insulation.  Another visit net

few green tagged bags insulation: most needed on hand now excepting attic.

Couple box store lumberyard trips; jam night with Kate, Judy: and on!

     Splurge, spend fifteen bucks on primed 5/4x8x16 trim - measures one inch thick as do original rough cut sub floor boards - replace rotten sub floor under west wall; realize good educational tool: in place under wall, butts blue plywood from Kate's lake place doors toward front.

Inside, below old ten inch toe molding; primed board appears under wall.  Rotten joist end visible below finish, rough cut sub floor.  Daylight through west side crawl space entry.

Here circle saw cut splintered rough cut board from stash replaces sub floor board, butts primed under wall board.

Jam 2x4 'tween temporary/west wall; stabilize floppy, dangler so ends in proper alignment.

Demure siding removed, white board under wall clear atop few stubs.

     Once in a while some passerby stares agape as drain fertilizer collector on garden, lives in kitchen by stove.  Butts?  Care less - ain't petrol!

      Swett Lodge floor system rot dwindles, front porch firewood stash grows.

Further rotten sub floor removed, stubs installed to crawl space entry: through floor,

from underneath - rotten looking thing, jack beam's end; owe one ten foot long stub 'tween first two here;

     Sunday work's end, MLK park dreamy cushy grassy knoll view.  Install owed stub, raise west beam, remove perimeter joist round kitchen: on, get the rot out, rest in May!

     Each solidifying reconstruction step Swett Lodge dignity slowly returns: sweet. 

     Haps here.  

     Peace.

     Front west corner, look over vast flat expanse Swett Lodge crawl space, spy blue boom box east side crawl space entry adjacent.  Beside encounter less mud, navigate under house somewhat easier level field: same creep (me?) works through out; no adjust energy spent.  Past feline (?) Swett Lodge crawl space denizens favor front west corner dump ground; soil cover; end couple slugs: coveralls, dust laden breeze over foundation render manageable.
     Galvanized steel water supply line runs east front corner to center beam, reduces maneuver space; new west beam ditto near west foundation wall.  Once deep 2x12 joist goes in: good luck gettin' round!

     Remove west siding 'trap door', slide fourteen foot 4x6 jack beam under floor; atop stacked 4x4 piers, circle saw blades protect wood beam, jack 4x6.  Chain saw dice rotten first joist; lay back, judo kick loose.  End cut protruding nails; chain saw sever rotten floor boards at new joist location, wonder bar/hammer splinter/remove, cut more nails.  Brilliantly realize 2x12 replacement joist which will carry front wall stub joists, won't require additional strengthening if left whole at beam crossings.  Pier directly below 2x12 allows notch west beam end, bear joist.

     Temporarily lower water line from strap hanger; chain saw edit main beam: rot ends so main beam continues support east side first front plywood scarf joist, cut main beam joist flush; toenailed stub joists to foundation right. 

East side joist, flush beam end nail replacement; circle saw notch, nail alongside center beam couple short 2x6s, assist bear 2x12 (water line back).

Sift through garage plywood stash; puzzle piece 3/4, 1/4 ply replace one inch rotten sub floor boards - make sure joints aren't contiguous.  Plywood pieces agreeable, slip in place below finish floor.  Entire west front wall carried by remaining original sub floor resting on still solid original six foot perimeter joist section; 4x6x14/jack with carefully placed six inch blocks atop, raise sub floor; topside front porch solid perimeter joist wonder bar splinter; back under, remove; circle saw cut 2x6 stub joists, sneak 'em 'tween blocks, toenail.

 

     And there, dear reader, picture trail dies.  Under Swett Lodge work hell.  Amass tools/materials/lamp; strap elbow/knee pads over coveralls; stuff everything through crawl space entry; follow; push/shove/drag all far front corner house; crank up smoke billowing, ocean liner size eyeball chip spewing chain saw, dice this or that; then dust tornado circle saw size - bare eyeball spewing blade close in dark for good cut - stub joist; pretzel contort round water line/pier; pad elastic traps debris, grind elbows raw; hold this with that hand, that with this foot, push, pull, tap, tap; spent, roll over rearrange entire bod position, another couple other hand taps; four toe nails both ends dozen or so front stub joists; uh oh gotta go top side nail something, leak; barely unentangle; repeat - 'easy', frustration's edge mantra - interminably.  Not sure why my lot endure such agonies - suffer lately? - clear photography for you all not number one priority snake ball, impossibly limited space toe nail, head banging crawl space enmeshed.  Wanna see all Swett Lodge front wall stub joists perimeter joist toe nailed await only treated sill plate finalization? - have to come on down, crawl on under, take a look.  May take future photo time down under, certainly make no special press trip.

    Aware heavy lifting gets done here, ferret old/new Swett Lodge photos: spot differences?

   Raring eliminate Swett Lodge rot May travels prior, focus.  Contemplate forgo blog; no: bod's gotta rest.  Put in good six hour Saturday: derot, restructure gobbles time.  

 

Fast Sunday, exercise hiatus, plan full work day, start about nine thirty.  AM hours sort, neaten depleting 'lumberyard'; 

toward eleven, circle saw rip number short 2x12s into stub joist 2x6s, puzzle piece remaining sub floor plywood on front porch, avoid annoy neighbors.  

Slip plywood sub floor pieces in from outside; back under cut stubs, jack raise, pry, toe nail.

     Like eight year old kid, load debris on largest chunk, push 'shipload' ahead out crawl space.  No food breaks, take few minutes imbibe - no, not alcohol (cough, cough, 420) - with friends.  Probably shouldn't have sharp/abrasive tear duct effluence; massage sinuses/ducts; wash. 

Friend suggests respirator: can barely squeeze head into some spots - it'd just be too much.

     Then back under.  West side new beam install with impression beam would be temporary.  

Examination in passing reveals some dry rot couple 2x6s from Kate's lake place,

so once treated sill installed front wall; expect rework beam, piers, finalization prepare; then rot scourge on down west wall.

 

Duke it out with front wall stub joists, finally get all positioned/nailed, finish up 'bout 8.30 PM - full day!  Few hours later begin see again once eyes clear themselves.  Couple well deserved beers .....

     Kate good enough return from further lake house storm damage control weekend with additional fern clump to join happy brethren between garage/neighbor's

     So this came to pass, and it was good.

     Pleasantly aware time will assuage grueling aspects Swett Lodge rebuild; leave lingering comfy home, accomplishment sense warm glow.  Won't complain then!

     Be well.