Windows

Picture from 2015 showing the storm windows
 above and none below.

We have 25 windows in our home, not counting the attic and basement. They are the original windows, with the old storm windows replaced with more modern storm windows in 18 of them. Why they didn't add new storms to the other 7 is a complete mystery to me. Anyway, we like the original woodwork on the old windows and decided for the short term at least, to purchase storm windows for the remaining windows. Perhaps in the future, we'll consider replacement windows, but that's for another day.

So, last fall I went out and began to measure. I measured each window at least three times, carefully recording and adjusting my measurements. To match the current storm windows, they would need to be mounted inside the outer frame of the window, meaning that there was little room for error in the measurements. After I was as confident as I could be, I went down to Home Depot and ordered 6 custom storm windows. Did you just catch my error? Yes, that's right. Somehow, my brain short circuited (again) and I failed to order a storm window for the kitchen. More on that later.

The windows arrived about a month later in November. Very bad weather, and a busy work and home schedule arrived as well, meaning our new windows sat in the garage taking up room and getting dirty. Then. the warmest day ever in February arrived, corresponding with a break in my work schedule and a day off for Cindy, After some hesitation on my part, mainly because I was concerned about pushing my lovely bride into service as window installation specialist and ladder climber (no one person can install a window, it takes two). Added to the mix was that we were both coming off a nasty cold, Cindy especially, making going up and down the ladder a thrill, AND a particularly strong line of thunderstorms was bearing down on us as we worked.

First window in place. Little
did I know that I had made a
mistake. 

After being in the garage for for over 3 months the windows were quite dirty, as were the windows and windowsills on the house. Cleaner-in-charge Cindy rightly demanded  a complete cleaning of all new windows and the old windows before installation. So, each window was un-packaged, un-assembled and cleaned. Each window on the house was cleaned and prepped and then the storms were reassembled and installed. This was done with each of us on a ladder. I aligned the window, then Cindy held in them in place while I installed the wood screws fastening the window to the house.

In my excitement and haste, I made my one mistake of the day. I failed to open the house window before installing the storm. Last summer I repaired and painted the windows, which essentially painted the windows shut. They are relatively easy to free up from the outside, not so much from the inside. So, for the first window, I can struggle to open in from the inside, or uninstall the storm window and free it up from there. Rats. All the other windows are opening and closing properly.

Finished!

Three of my Christmas presents came into use on this project. My new multi-position ladder was needed for the install, and my rechargeable drill with clutch was very handy and kept me from stripping the screws as I put them into the soft old wood of the window frames. My new drill bits included an extender which allowed me to reach beyond the frame and tighten the screws.

Overall the project went well. We finished the last window in the rain as the thunderstorms bore down on us. Luckily, we were working on the north side of the house and the large overhang protected us from the rain. However, our prep area in the driveway was not and we found ourselves in the strange situation of cleaning windows with paper towels while it poured.

Then it rained

We have already noticed a difference in the dining room and living room. The new windows have cut down on the noise from Grand Boulevard, and the room seemed warmer on Sunday despite the cold day and gusty winds. My reaction, as usual, was "why didn't I get this done earlier?".

Before I forget, I have no earthly idea why I failed to order a window for the kitchen. It's not a big deal in that there's no special discount for ordering all at once, but it's kind of a pain and I was left trying to explain myself, again, to Cindy. I simply threw myself at the mercy of the court. She was sympathetic but a bit bewildered and possibly concerned for my mental health. I don't blame her but she should be used to it. I've always been this way.

In other news...I made good progress in the guest bedroom. The painting is done and we really like the color. We have narrowed down our choice for a ceiling fan and should have it purchased and installed soon. Then it will be time for curtains and and other final touches. Pictures and details coming soon.

Painting again

As I mentioned on my last blog, we made the decision to go ahead and work on the guest bedroom next. First order of business was to make some minor repairs to the ceiling, walls, and trim work. In general, things were in good shape but the ceiling did have water damage from an old roof leak, the college students had punched numerous holes in the walls, and there was some nasty gaps in the trim work. After I repaired the cracks and put stain blocker over the water damage, the ceiling came out really nice. Of the original ceilings that remain in the house, this one may be the nicest.

Multiple color samples on the wall.

The project then stalled because we once again struggled to pick a color for the walls. My vision was to make a statement and to have something that would pop. Being a guest room, if it was too much, we could just close the door, and it would serve a dual purpose and keep unwanted guests from lingering. The problem is, sometimes your statement is just too LOUD. Another factor is that we were limited in our color choices. We had hit the yellows pretty hard downstairs in the dining room and living room, and we went to the blues/grays by selecting "Etched Glass", a light blueish grey in the master. That led us to the red/brown palette. Anything pink was out, which kind of pushes you toward brown side, which in turn doesn't really pop, and can actually be a bit depressing. I really didn't want earth tones. After several color samples we had either garish brightness, or depressing mauves.

Applying Balcony Sunset to the walls.

Then, as my dynamic meteorology professor once said, a miracle happened. We came across Balcony Sunset on the color chart. Kind of a burnt orange that was loud enough but not blindingly so. It will set off the white pine floors and work well with the white painted trim work. A nice bonus is that the windows in the room face south and west making it a logical choice, geographically. As the sun lowers in the sky, the room practically glows with color. Very nice. Unfortunately, one coat did not cover, which surprised me since I'm using my favorite paint (which "guarantees" one coat coverage) and I'm spreading it over white. So, another coat is in order.

After that's done, we need to pick out and install a nice ceiling fan for the room. I'd like to see if we can get something that matches the southwest sun theme, or even something suggesting a beach. I must also repaint all the woodwork and trim. I plan to go with a plain gloss or semi-gloss white. A final task is the doors. The previous painters slopped paint on the varnished wood and they look just awful. They're in pretty rough shape too and ultimately should be replaced, so I will not spend the time and effort to strip them and will likely just paint them. Once again, the color choice will be difficult but I'm starting to think a grayish tan may look nice and balance off the bright walls nicely.

I mentioned in the previous blog, in my attempt to insulate the massive hole in basement wall that went to the crawl space under the back porch, I loosened one of the fittings First Brother in Law Randy installed for me. Well, a second miracle happened: I managed to fix it. It no longer leaks and I have re-installed the insulation around the pipe. Plugging that hole has made a huge difference in the basement temperature. I should have tackled that long ago.

Katia and Natasha enjoy the fire. Cindy refused to curl up
on the floor for the picture. 

In other news, we have had a lot of fires in our fireplace and I'm not sure which of my lovely ladies likes it more, Cindy, Katia, or Natasha. We've had so many fires that we have already begun to burn through the grate I purchased only a year or so ago and it is sagging in the middle. Our local Home Depot has already put the fireplace equipment on clearance and I just purchased an identical replacement for less than $20. For that price, it really doesn't matter if they don't last too long. We've gone through about two thirds of our full face cord of wood, which is about where I expected to be at this time. Cindy has even taken over fire maintenance when I'm not home. She will add logs to the fire and run to the garage for more wood as needed. This shows you how much she like the fire.