So this is why Jill was dressed up like Dexter before a kill
We’re getting our third floor ready for human habitation. When we moved in eight years ago, this level had no heat, no AC, and no electricity. It was also home to a well-established bat colony - the largest they’d seen in 5 years, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources - that had had the run of the place since roughly the Hoover Administration. They used to poke their wings out under the door at night.
The bats, not the Hoover Administration.
So we evicted them, had all evidence of their 50+ year-occupancy removed via HEPA vac and bleach, installed AC and heating, installed storm windows, and wired the place up to code.
Oh, and we also had water leaks. And when I say ‘water leaks’, I mean the water was coming through the roof, through the attic, through the third floor, and into my desk chair on the second floor. Inconvenient. So we had all those dealt with also. However, coupled with the bats (and earlier futile attempts to deal with the bats), they had done some long-term damage to the plaster and lathing, mostly in the ceilings throughout the level. The original wallpaper was tattered and hanging in places like bandages from a mummy.
We decided to start with one of the rooms that was in the best shape, and turn it into a workout room. Originally, we were just going to clean everything really well. But one thing led to another, and before you could say ‘Random Orbital Floor Sander’, we were renting shit from Home Depot that required two people to carry to the car.
It also turned out that, like everything else with this house, she wasn’t going to let us off easy. We discovered that there was lead paint on the floor, so we had to dress Jill up like Dexter and hermetically seal her into the room with all the equipment before she could start sanding.
“Buhbee, put your hand up against the plastic so I can take a picture of it.”
While we were at it, we decided to get the center hallway knocked out too. More to follow when we’re actually finished with the painting and putting polyurethane on the floors. Until then, click below to see all the pictures to date.
I should mention that ‘the finger’ was directed at the house, not at the photographer. :o)
Jill does great work! That after picture is pretty amazing. LOVE the floors.
Elizabeast, you are a mean one!! However, beautiful!!!
I have this image of one of you doing a clean-and-jerk (sounds dirty but isn’t) or a snatch (ditto) and having a 200+ lb. barbell over your head, dropping it to the floor, and it goes straight through to the basement, one floor at a time. (A la Homer in the Stonecutters’ initiation rite.)
*wheeeeeeze* I love that the vision is of “one of you” lifting 200 lbs. You know you mean me.
I’m stunned. I cannot IMAGINE the effort that went into this. I can’t imagine doing this in one ROOM, much less an entire floor!
On the flip side? Your ghost is gonna be PIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSED!!
I’m totally amazed at the transformation!! What beautiful floors. I know first hand the amount of work that went into that. Kudos to both of you. You have conquered Elizabeast on the third level. I can’t wait to see it in person. Love to all. Grammy
See now, I think this story would have been much better if people from the Hoover Administration were poking their wings out from under the door at night. Sigh.