A Home Improvement Trip from my Dad

I guess we were moving too slow with our basement upgrade, so my dearest dad came to spend 79 hours (3 and a half days) with us to give is another huge boost.  Had he not come... lets just say we might have another 2 or 3 wall tiles up in the bathroom's shower.  But with my Dad's turbo boost, we were able to accomplish:

• floor pack a new floor in bathroom
• tile bathroom floor
• most of the electrical - to the point where we aren't running extension cords all over to have light
• perform door-surgery to 3 doors due to low heat ducts
• hang 7 doors, which is a science all by itself
• create closets with marvelous shelves (my favorite part)
• put in two air vents to the furnace closet
• paint the bathroom
• install toilet and sink in the new bathroom along with ceiling fan/multi-light unit

 First sheet of floor tile to go down on a newly mud-packed floor (after is cured, of course)

Break time:  Avannie and Grandpa played lots of tractors.

Funny story:  See the doors to the furnace room?  The one on the left to be exact.  As we were hanging these newly created doors (because we had to operate on them to make them fit), the left one was not fitting.  Dad almost had a panic attack.  "How could I have been that far off on my measurement!?"  "Gaaaa, sheeeesssshhhh."  etc.  I looked over as my dad was having this little "moment" only to point out to him that the door was upside down.  PHEW!  We had a good laugh together as his measurements were completely exact.  Gotta love the moments to get your heart racing!

Final night, Dad and Joseph installed the new sink!  Hooray!  My job was to hold the top white piece in place because the silicone glue was sliding.  That stuff stinks, but I have a new working sink!

Avannie always wanted to be helping.  Here are her work clothes: flip flops, pajamas, and ear protectors.  They were a great team.  Joseph would holler to Avannie the measurement for the closet supports, she would relay it to Grandpa, he would cut, and she would deliver the board.  It took 5 boards to get the process right and running smoothly.  Unfortunately, the closet only needed 6 boards.  :)

Imagine Joseph in this picture as he was just as grateful!  But he is the one behind the camera.

A text message sent to my mom on Dad's last night here.  He didn't get to bed until after 3 am only to wake up at 6 to catch his flight back home.  My dad is GREAT!

It's 12:31 after midnight and dad is still going strong with a todo list of 3 major thing: base boards, set toilet, grout bathroom. Sink and cabinet successfully installed. 

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My dad emailed us the week he was coming:  (By the end of the first day, we were already 6 hours behind schedule.  But we  got it all done by the time he left except for installing the shower head.)

Kemper and Joseph,

Hoped for schedule:

Thurs - Purchase doors and trim and setting bed mortar and electrical devices.  Install setting bed in bathroom, hang doors.

Friday - Tile on floor in bathroom, finish tile on walls, shelves in closet, start trim (casings and base), grout tile (this may be early Sat)

Saturday - Finish trim. Set toilet, vanity, shower head.  Install electrical devices (less lights).  Make sure everything works.

You will have left to do:

Paint

Door knobs
Light fixtures
Carpet

Tools needed:

Air compressor, hose, finish nail gun

Miter saw

Work table (saw horses)

coping saw

nail sets (sized to the finish nails you are using)

hammers, tape measures, work belts

Misc supplies:

cedar shim shingles

finish nails that match gun (2.5" and 1.5" or close to that)

putty or spackle to fill nail holes

combustion air grilles to go in wall between furnace room and TV room.  I'll help with the size of these.

Other:

You should have already decided the style of base, casing and doors, so we just have to get the right size and quantity.  It sounds like you have already made the decision on the wall and floor tile.

See you Wednesday!!!!

Dad.

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Dad

We have your "room" all ready for you: furnished with a large screen tv, personal reading lamp, pillow-top single bed, and the lovely addition of a fort at the foot of your bed for two darling little girls.  :D  We are a bit excited to have you come!!!

Just to let you know a little bit about whats going on around here...  Joseph will be in Chicago until late (midnight) Thursday night.  I have a friend taking the girls on Thursday morning so its just me and you working like crazy.  Friday, Joseph has to work a part day to do follow-ups with his Chicago trip, and again, I have the girls farmed out to a different friend to allow us to work like mad.  Friday night, Joseph has to go conduct another baptism at 6:00 pm (4th one this month!) and will be home as soon as its over.  We can send the girls with him so we can work work work!  Saturday is another day of having the girls at another friends home for 3-4 hours.  So all in all, we have some good quality time to spend with each other!  

And somewhere in there, you owe me a Conference Milkshake.  :D

Can't wait to see you!  The girls and I will be to pick you up just after midnight tomorrow night!  xoxo

Kemper