still following the termites; stuff in the works maybe

Arranging to get things accomplished; a surprising email; termites still suck.

Arranging to get things accomplished

We’ve been doing paperwork and playing phone tag trying to arrange financing for porch repair and find someone that can replace our heating ductwork downstairs. This has also coincided with the reopening of the cafe that is my 2nd job, the start of the new school year (and the beginning of the ongoing cold that results from contact with that many children and their unclean hands), and a rather spectacular scooter wreck. These have not been normal days.

a surprising email

There is some chance that our house will be part of a reality show. We received an email last week that says,

“Hi! I’m a researcher for the History Channel, and we’re working on a new home restoration program called “Back to the Blueprint” which will premiere this fall. The show will feature a different style home each episode, focusing on 2-3 current restoration projects. I came upon your website detailing your restoration of your Richmond Victorian, and I’d love to speak w/you regarding upcoming episodes! I can be reached at [*ahem*]@aetn.com, as well as [phone number]. Look forward to hearing from you!”

I’m guessing that with proper editing and camera angles some of what we’d do could be made to be interesting for a little while, if for no other reason than the cursing (hammer + scooter injured shin = “f*ck a monkey!“).

termites still suck

Like the last real progress that we made, today was all about repairing termite damaged areas along the base of the house. Once I got past the point of no return on pulling things apart today, clouds and wind rolled in and threatened rain. I was working fast to get ahead of this so I didn’t even think about stopping for pictures — sorry… Now that I have an idea of where to look, I’ve found a few more affected spots. Fortunately, as we move back from the front of the house there is less and less damage. The front got hit so hard, I think, because there was so little distance between the ground and the wood; the termites didn’t have to try nearly as hard to get in. Today I fixed a 5-foot area that was a little tricky because I had to support the floor joists while I removed and replaced the wood that they were originally resting on. I did the demo, bought the supplies, made the repairs, and replaced the lower siding, all in about 6 hours. This would’ve been inconceivable to me even 6 months ago…

Now that all of that is solid, we can focus on fixing the remaining siding that needs work. Once that is done, we’ll be able to insulate. We might just get there before the real cold sets in.