Finishing a Room

John and JT are working on a room in the basement, for JT and Miley to share (Miley is the big bear-dog). They started in August. 

Framing:

Here is the room and hallway, last week. Looking pretty good!

 

So Thankful!

So, this is a thing. 

Fridge's pump leaked, ruining the kitchen floor, the hall floor, and down into John's office in the basement.

The biggest thing is that the leak leaked down onto my Tabriz rug. The man assured me that they would take good care of it and cold-clean it and bring it back "as good as new." I told them it was just about as old as I am, and John said, "Sixty!" nuh-huh. I'm not sixty yet! ;)

We may end up having to have the entire floor in the house replaced if the affected boards can't be dried properly. The. Entire. House.

Starting our month of Thankfulness, we are thankful for insurance.

And--I am SO THANKFUL that this is not as bad as the last time this company helped us out! That was in 2002, at our old house, when our septic tank backed up into the basement. I told the men that story, and he said we're legendary! We're still talked about. :)

How does he do it?

John's in the basement, working on his office.  (We are finishing off the basement, a room at a time.  The boys' Man Cave was first.)  JT and Luci are playing down there, running and yelling as kids do.

LOUDLY. 

John just keeps on putting mud on the sheet rock.

How does he stay so calm?

Yes, there is a keyboard and a drum set in John's office.  When the painting starts, the instruments move out (and, presumably, the kids will move, too).

Thirty Days of Thanks...

Neighbors! I am thankful for our neighbors. Yesterday they took JT and Luci for the afternoon, and I got to be by MYSELF. (Yeah, Bryan stayed here, but he was in the Man Cave playing a video game, so it was the same as being by myself.) I couldn't decide whether to take a nap or go grocery shopping. Or, go take a nap at the grocery store (that one had strong appeal!). I ended up getting some groceries and spending less than I normally do (another thing to be thankful for, little helpers were not sticking extra things into the buggy). Thank you, Butler Family!

In this same vein, I am thankful for all the people who've made this trip of John's bearable: the folks from church who were responsible for The 12 Days of Christmas last December; Diane, who took all three kids; the Cook's Pest Control people who made right on our mailbox; and several trips ago the people who helped empty our basement when it flooded (the Delano's and Woods' deserve golden crowns for that!), and JoAnne and the Hambly Family for taking children so I could have a little peace and Christmas shopping. And last, but certainly not least, the men who did the Bush Hogging in the field next to us on Wednesday, Veterans' Day--They did not charge us anything for our portion of it. Nothing. They just said "Thank you" to John for serving our country.

Our hill before:
and after, ready for a good snowfall and some sledding!

My Room Is Under Construction

Woo-Hoo! John made a trip to Lowe's (like a candy store to him) and came home with materials to start construction on my sewing/craft room.

Bryan unloading lumber from the truck yesterday.

Of course, JT has to give the job an electric guitar twist.
Here's the Man of the Hour!
John manages to get the boys working, and thinking it is sooo fun. Must have some Tom Sawyer in him!