So-called lazy spring weekend

So this weekend was a little different than most - I actually was out of town to attend my sister's hooding (she completed her PhD last year and finally had the opportunity to do the formal ceremony at the same time as her boyfriend... awwwwww). Yay, sis! So Morris was on his own to get some rest and then start in on some craziness.  The big craziness was that he found a source for nearly 3 tons of brick for just $200. Between the trailer and his truck, the half of it he managed to drag back this weekend was making the trailer and truck ride so low that there were some smoking tires on the trailer and the truck looked like someone had lowered it to look cool.

Here is what a ton and a half of brick look like stacked in the back yard. All the brick! (Don't mind Morris mowing in the background - again, the lawn is growing VIGOROUSLY thanks to his fertilizing it.)

In case it's not clear, it's REALLY FREAKING HEAVY. Just so you know. Wouldn't want you to miss that point. Very heavy indeed.

We've been expanding our efforts on the first floor so much that he's had to give up his workshop in the front sitting room and our storage in the living room.  So we've been moving things down to the basement which is now 1/2 wood shop, 1/4 storage, and 1/4 hostile spider territory.

Morris started in on building out the counters for the kitchen out of the fancy hardwood that we got and was much more nervous on the first few cuts than that photos will let on.  Fortunately that didn't paralyze him and I'm sure it would have for me! (Must not destroy gorgeous and expensive wood!)

Here's a pic of some of the boards for the counter laid out, not yet finished and glued. When they are all together and sanded and sealed, they are going to be gorgeous! Keep an eye out for more photos in future posts.

And a bonus little project that he did as well was to take out the spindly things separating the kitchen and living room.

Remember this? See that goofy thing on the right that is just so reminiscent of the late 70s that it carried over to this house built in '91?

Here is what Morris put in its place. Functional! Beautiful! Smooth! Not hideous spindly things! (pay no mind to the fridge that is just waiting for tile to go in its proper home)

Speaking of hideous spindly things, we did confirm that they are actually well balance to use as bludgeoning weapons in the event of a zombie apocalypse. Just FYI.

I also realized that I neglected to post about the brick retaining wall that Morris built out front that looks amazing. We had that great idea to take the slightly old-fashioned scalloped bricks and turn them on their sides with an offset to create a gorgeous ripple look.

A contractor who came out to take another look at the HVAC to plan out their attack commented that it looked great and asked how we got the idea!  And Morris also put in the solar powered lights to give some light to the path in the evening.

So the hardwood replacing carpet has continued, and here's a quick peek into the living room in progress. I got to tear out this carpet and turns out I'm pretty good at ripping out trim nicely and cursing my way through the rest of it. Ripping out that old, nasty (no, nastier than you're thinking right now) carpet was so cathartic! 

Here is me getting things out nicely, before the swearing started.

And now it is looking so much nicer AND CLEANER.  It's the same color as the dining room and we're planning to use the same in the front sitting room as well. It's a lovely color and nice and smooth to walk on.

 As the house starts taking shape, we're also looking at the yard. Since we have a couple tons of brick, we're planning on a patio rather than a deck because, hey! cheap brick!  I've also been looking at the trees that we have out back and realized finally that one of them has a vine all over it.  If anyone knows what kind it is and how urgently I need to get up there and tear it out, I'm all ears. (hoping that it's not kudzu, but not very hopeful...)