We Love Volunteers

The week of Sept 14th was a fun week. Randy & Norma – friends we met at our park last summer in Waterdown – came up for a couple of days of work and play! We started them off with the easy task of siding the rest of the south side of the garage. Barb & Norma cut the boards while Randy & I placed and nailed them down. The last one had to be ripped length wise so the boys helped a little with that one. Next, we moved to the front deck, we had to move the deck closer and add a deck board between the house and the deck so no one will slip between them – hummm, slip between the cracks – sorry. Anyway, Barb & I thought it might be too heavy for us 4 ole folks but when we lifted it out of the deck blocks, it wasn’t too bad at all so we quickly got that one done too. Wow, in a short time we were just ticking off the job list. Next, the 4 of us built a small deck to cover the sump pump at the side of the house. These may seem like small jobs – and they are but with Randy & Norma’s help, we were able to get them completed and off the project time line. Wow, 3 busy jobs done and now it was happy hour so time to sit back and swill a couple. Soon, our energy returned and we dug out the bean bag game and the men whooped the girls handily.

 

On Tuesday, we moved inside. We had to build a ceiling support structure in the hallway – it is a bit lower than the bedroom and bathroom ceilings so the hall ceiling would be flush with the header dividing the hall and the great room, you’ll see later what I mean. Before we could do that, we had to finish the bathroom/hallway wall. It was already constructed but not in place so we could do HVAC, plumbing etc but now it goes in so we can work on the hallway. Anyway, we couldn’t strap the hall ceiling as usual so we constructed a 2x4 arrangement to lower the ceiling and lifted it in place, the girls held it while Randy & I secured it up. Next we strapped the bathroom ceiling and were soon hanging drywall like we knew what we were doin’! Again, jobs well done and Randy & Norma were a great help. Happy hour again and this time we brought out the golf ladder game and again, the men were in command – what is the common element you say, well the first game we played with bags and the second was with balls! Sorry for the humor….

 

The following couple of days, Barb & I hung more drywall, shopped for supplies and installed the shower. That was fun for us but we managed it and now anxious to get some hot water and try it out.

 

 

 

Terri & Mark came down for the weekend to help out too. They arrived after dark Friday night and after a quick tour, we surprised them on how much work we had done since their last visit.

On Saturday, Mark & I took out a door and installed a window on the garage while Barb & Terri put up some cedar shake siding in a couple of places. Once Mark & I completed the door/window, we had to remove some old plants from the side of the garage so we could finish the siding. We had a thorny plant that was too big to dig so we used our truck to pull it out. Mark had a rope but it did not stand up and broke quickly. Next we used a chain and out it came - of course there was a lot of plant stuff left behind but I let the younger of us to do all the digging and slugging while I cut the plants up and put them in the paper bags for pick up.  Guess what was hidden in all the overgrowth, poison ivy and we caught it.  Once we got the ‘garden’ removed, Barb & Terri helped us with the siding and soon it was all done. Now the garage looks great. Daylight was running down so time for happy hour and a game of golf ladders – yes, the men had it handled!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Normally, I stop at Saturday but this time, I will continue so you can see our accomplishment with our helpers. Sunday we move inside and Mark & Terri tackle the drywall in the furnace room. This room is 2 feet by 4 feet and neither Barb or I could twist ourselves in there to put up the ceiling or the back wall so we purposely left that job for Terri & Mark – yeah guys, thanks for that. Once that was done, we put drywall up on the ceiling and walls of the mud room at the back of the house

It was a busy week but much was accomplished so thanks to Randy, Norma, Terri & Mark for helping to move our project forward with large strides. Hope all is good where you are….