Inside, Outside, Upsidedown

It has been almost a year since my last posting, as I have been reminded on many occasions.  It is not that we haven't been working on the schoolhouse more so the progress has not been dramatic or as interesting.  After finishing the main room floor and with the weather improved, we  moved to working on the exterior and now are back inside finishing the interior and then in a couple months, will finish the landscaping.  

In explaination of this blog's title....this will be the outside blog and then there will be the inside blog in a couple of months and finally the upside down blog which will be the final blog showing the before/after comparison photos of our project.  Okay so it's kind of goofy but the creative neurons are on vacation.   



A crappy job of removing the old cistern from the side of the schoolhouse.  It was used as a catch basin for water prior to indoor plumbing.  There was an access inside to retrieve water for washing up.



This is Ross putting the final siding boards.  It's a long way up trust me and the scaffold is very shakey.  Yes, Ross has balls and look I just noticed there is a rainbow in the picture...strange. 

We have a habit of putting the cart before the horse as the saying goes....yes that's our hot tub....priorities people!!!

I included this picture to show my fab parging job. 

Next, we framed out the windows, doors and roof line for the aluminum casing and fascia board.

The outdoor lights are hung and speaker wire and vents to be extended through the deck.

The aluminum work on the front addition.

And here they are, the aluminum guys.

The finished soffit, fascia and eaves troughing.

Starting the structure of the lower deck.  And there he is....Jakey my boy checking on the level.

This is Ross, thinking on his feet...ha ha....don't blow a fuse man.

Back to the siding.  Time to put the battens on the joints and for me to get painting.

The bottom structure of the deck is done and now we start the structure of the second storey.

Jakey can not resist a string line.

Putting up the floor joists.

" I've got the ball....now to unravel the string...he he he"

"My work is done...now a nice cat nap"

Whoo hoo....some landscaping...hey somebody painted the front door....that would be me!

Our truck load of stones, excited!!!

Ross seems to have all the fun but Jakey is making sure he lets him know he wants a turn driving the machine.  I do not get a turn....cause I'd probably run into the house in a moment of panic figuring out where the brakes are...everyone should know their limitations right Ross?



Gravel laid.... check, level taken..... check, first corner stones placed..... check, rain begins..... check, muddy mess..... check, quitting time!



After a week of heavy lifting.....success.



October 31, 2011....we planted our grass seed and believe it or not we have baby grass growing mid November.  That tells you how mild a winter we had this year.

A final photo of our deck with the boards on and ready for construction of railing and stairs in the spring.