Sister Sosie, in her own words:
Monday was a day with the trades (arborist, plumber, builder, painter, dry walker, mason, and chair-glide installer).
First thing, we called for a plumber to fix the leaking cast-iron pipe from the upstairs bathroom. First plumber said not until sometime in Sept. Second plumber said they'd call back when they could schedule it. They haven't called back yet.
I then called Jason/Josh, the good brothers who did massive tree work in the front yard last year. We talked the overgrowth in the back yard, the Norway spruce, walnut tree, redbuds, lilac, and nasty honeysuckle. We agreed on work and bid and he will get it done.
The builder and painter arrived to talk re next year's work. The builder to repair covered front porch, replacing three sets of steps, railings, ceiling, and porch floor. On the back porch, replace back wall, windows, a door, and steps. Gutters. Painter to coordinate stripping all the Queen Anne lacy woodwork, remove leaded paint, and paint the whole thing. Scary bids to arrive soon. It's beautiful weather where we sit on the front porch and imagine how wonderful all will be someday.
Meanwhile neighbor Jay calls to me that he is going to New York, but has told his heating/AC guy Raimy to "come see your pipe." Ralph arrives to work with Bill in the cellar on repairing the crumbling limestone. Ralph approves of the how Bill hung 20 mesh panels over the weekend.
The builder and I finish discussion of design details and the confusing array of "things to do" is finally sliding into order. He leaves and Kevin arrives with Sheetrock for the back staircase. I return to my woodwork and all seems like we are moving forward.
Then Kevin discovers he really can't work around the chair glide on the back stair case after all. The crumbling plaster under the pink wallpaper must be removed, but even then, he can't... Kevin and I take a break and go next door, Kevin to snoop and me to find Raimy. Raimy comes back with me to look at the pipe. He says he will need his son to help as they need to strap the ten plus feet of heavy cast-iron to the wall etc. That pipe is attached to Zach's inheritance, a huge copper pipe that then runs all around the cellar. Raimy says $400, maybe Wednesday, and he leaves. I feel good about this as Raimy looks old and experienced and he says he's been a plumber since he was 14, retired in 2011 when there wasn't any work, started up again in January because there's so much work. He looks rather Jethro cuz he doesn't have four upper front teeth.
He said, "I've been so busy, I've cancelled a dentist appointment twice. I broke my teeth on the job and they have my plates ready, but I got to get this work done." I guess that's busy. Will he get his teeth or fix our pipe?
So Kevin had hung all the Sheetrock in the upper hall and staircase ceiling that he could and he couldn't do anything in the dining room until the pipe is fixed, so he left.
Bill and Ralph came up from the cellar to remove the chair glide out of the staircase. Here is how far they got, even with my help and a pulley and rope that Ralph had rigged up.
It is wedged in there. But upside down, I saw their 800 number and called them. Eventually they identified the chair and instructions for moving the chair off the chain case, which didn't matter cuz even with a crow bar and blocks, it wouldn't budge.
I suggested we take a break and made mango, pineapple, banana smoothies. They were really good. We sat on the patio that Ralph had poured a year ago and it was very pleasant.
I called the brother of the guy who installed the chair, but alas, the guy has MS, retired, and lives three hours away.
The next morning, Ralph and his helper arrived at eight. The helper is stronger than me, they got the upholstered part of the chair off and the door removed. Still it is stuck. Bill went to the hardware store and returned with a grinder and blade. Ralph and helper are mudding the walls in the cellar.
Next is to try to cut the solid steel metal glide. Wonder how Day 7 will go.
Solveig
Sent from my iPhone
