blue moon (2)

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Doorway To Heaven Or Hell ©

Today was a day of rest, not that I wanted to but fuck it, I’m battered, bruised, chopped up and beaten.
As I was sitting in my mother’s kitchen wrapping the presents for this Saturday’s engagement, my mother commented on the shape of my shins, they look like they have been through a meat grinder.

I spent Saturday sanding the walls down alone because Mike had to work over the weekend but did show up Sunday night to tell me I had done a good job.
What else was he going to say, I did a crap job?
I spent over two hour swallowing fine dust from the plaster that was bellowing up from under the sandpaper.

I had my father behind me driving me nuts telling me he wanted to dust the walls after each spot I sanded and then move the drop cloth to the next patched spot.
Huh?
No frigging way that was going to happen, it would have added another 4 hours to the work and it was blistering hot, so I grabbed the drop cloth and dragged it off with his yells echoing in the background.
It’s BS like that, which has made this work drag on forever and fuelling their complaining.

When I had done the sanding I went next door to my place to take a shower and I dropped into my chair and I could feel my age.
I may have the heart to do the things I am doing but the body screams in protest.
Sitting there I took stock of what needed to be done to finish this work at my parent’s place once and for all, it's at least three weeks over due and that guy has yet to come back and finish the electrical work that he was paid to finish.

I may find myself becoming an electrician on Monday and cracking the panel open to do it myself like I have all the other half finished work my brother paid for in advance to have done.
I will give him credit for paying for the work to be done, after all it will be his house down the road but he gets ZERO points for paying the man before the work was done.
If he hadn’t paid him up front he would be here finishing the job.

With the walls plastered and sanded all that remain was to put a light coat on them and to do some light wet sanding to make sure the patches wouldn’t show after the wall was painted.
This would be Mikes job to put on the light coat of plaster and he was working so I went to deal with the hole leading up to the crawl space in the attic which is about three feet high.
They had cut a small hole up there so they could change the wires in the ceiling and they also put the junction boxes for each room up there.
I couldn’t leave it open because of the dust and insulation up there, my mother has allergies to dust and she has been suffering because of it so it was my task to fix the problem.
Because they put the junction boxes in the attic, code requires that there is access to the lost so I had to build as frame and door to put up there.
Sounds easy enough right?
Wrong.
My brother decided he needed a vacation away from work and took off for four days with the kid and SIL and locked up all the power tools leaving me to use hand tools that were not made for the work I had to do.

Our houses were built in the 30’s and that means its all plaster and ribbing with drywall over it because when my father bought the houses he didn’t have money to remove the walls before hand so he just had them put the sheet rock over the plaster.
I needed to make the hole bigger to put in the trap door to get it to code and asked the old man for a handsaw.
He brought me a saw you use to cut limbs off of trees.
I told him I wanted a wood saw but he said this was all he had.

Great.

I told him I needed the cordless screwdriver but he said his broke and my brother locked the other tools up then handed me a screwdriver.

Perfect.

I went into the closet where they had cut a hole in the ceiling and climbed up and stuck my head up into the attic and was suddenly thrust back by the intense heat
WHOA
I sniffed around to see if I could detect a fire but there was none.
I went back up and through the hole and I swear it must have been 150 degrees up there.
Climbing back down I told my father that hell was cooler that the crawl space up there and that there was something wrong.
There should be some sort of ventilation up there.
After standing outside trying to cool down in the sun, it was cooler outside than up there BTW I went back up and used the stupid saw my father brought me to try and make the hole bigger.
I felt like a construction worker building a house with gardening tools.
It too me about an hour to cut through all the little sticks, plaster and sheet rock with the tree saw.
I had to come down every ten minutes to get air because it was stifling hot up there.
Then I had to crawl through the hole and work from the inside out.
I thought I was going to die a couple of times.
The sweat was just pouring off of me and I kept going downstairs to drink more and more water.
Mike showed up about this time to look at the wall I sanded and to add the thin coat of plaster.
I sent him up the ladder and into the attic.
The first thing I heart was “HOLY FUCK”
Then he came down and ran his hand over his bald head to see if all the heat up there had spawned hair growth.
While he finished the walls I built the frame for the door.
We both finished about the same time and went down where my parents had cooked dinner for us.
After dinner we both went home and again I almost passed out in my leather chair exhausted.
Monday morning after posting I went next door to take final measurements of the opening so I could cut a door for it and an hour later I was done.
I cleaned up as best as I could and came home to shower and watch TV.
Today I was sitting there in my shorts and my mother pointed out my legs.
There are no less that 20 wounds on each from the nails sticking out from the ceiling into the attic and I don’t know how many more I have on my arms and chest.
All I could say is, one job done and two to go and it will be over.

Have a nice day

Walker

20 comments:

nachtwache said...

I guess you're doing all this work for your parents, because it's tough on them to live in a dusty house. Your brother doesn't really deserve to get the house, when you're doing so much of the work....and under those conditions too. That could be dangerous in such heat and sweating so much, you'll need more than just water, gatorade or any of those sports drinks replace the minerals/salts you loose.
Take care of yourself! My body lets me know when I've had enough, I usually listen. Hubby on the other hand doesn't and works himself into the ground, then can't do any more for days after. Guy thing?

Vickie said...

We hear this little voice saying you can do it---you can do it---and then we feel our body saying---you did it---you did it and now you pay.

I hope you make certain you take care of yourself---I know this has to be done and you are the one who will get it done but please make certain you drink plenty of water and do not allow yourself to become dehydrated and also watch for heat exhaustion.

Just remember it will come to an end.

Peter said...

If the renovations on this house were made into a movie no body would believe it but everyone would want to see it.

Shaz said...

LOL I agree with Peter you poor thing there is nothing worse than having a willing mind and heart and then a body un willing or unable. I cant wait till this house is finished so I can only imagine what your feeling. Hang in your doing a great job.
Thinking of you xx

BlazngScarlet said...

"I felt like a construction worker building a house with gardening tools."

Does your brother have a functioning brain cell?
just curious ....

You deserve the house more than he does, but you already know that.
So do your parents.

Monogram Queen said...

Your halo is shining Walker! :)

Karen said...

Oohhh Walker
What exactly is that bro of yours having a holiday FROM....??? Your poor legs, want me to kiss them better :) wink wink.

Jenny said...

Has anyone offered you a cold beer?

I am.

But I think Gypy's offer is probably better (hee.)

Walker said...

nachtwache: I do the work for my parents and he does deserve the house becuae he is my brother and that is all that matters. He may be a prick and I will bash him around for his greed and selfishness but he still is my brother and he gets his equal share.

Walker said...

Vickie: That damn little voice does me in all the time LOL

I drink so much water I will be growing gills soon lol

Walker said...

Peter: Oh no I don;t want to see it, I have to relive it once more when they come to do mine and I dredd the thought

Walker said...

Shaz: I willl be happy when my parents house is done and mine well, I could or will figure it out when they start here. I will probably do much of it before hand to save money and time. Thanx

Walker said...

Blazngfyre: He doesn;t like people using his tools. He will use everyones and break them but no one is allowed to touch his.

Then he complains that the work isn't done right. HA HA HA he could bite me

Walker said...

patti_cake: Oh i don't have a halo, trust me there are some horns there maybe not big ones. I just want my parents to be happy and comfortable once more.

Walker said...

Gypsy: Umm well sounds good but I wouldn't make you get on your knees to kiss my battered shins... but a beer in that place you write about sounds good :)

Walker said...

Anonymous Boxer: A cold beer would be great to wash all the dust away.

Dotm said...

WOW!! No wonder you are exhausted You sure deserve the rest.
Hope you found a way to let some of the heat escape from the attic.
Don`t overdo in this heat. Take care.
PS, I have one brother like that, only it was our fathers tools he locked up in his car. Guess he felt since he was living home he had the right even though my younger brother and I had bought a lot of those hidden tools. That was years ago and the younger bro died in 1994 and today the other brother denies he ever hid Dad`s tools in his car trunk, but he did. Since our Mother died in 1995, he still lives there and doesn`t need to hide the tools as he just keeps the garage locked up tight. Like you, I love this bro even though he sometimes irritates me with some of the things he does. He gets in family arguments with most of our family. He calls me his one rock to depend on and hates having me get irritated with him. I do my best and take a lot more than the others will put up with.

Walker said...

Dotm: My brother is all about himself and only cares about his stuff.
I am happy to be dome in the attic but I dont think there is any ventilation up there which has me worried in some way.
it is way to hot up there and I don;t know if it could be a hazard

Karen said...

I wouldn't have to be on my knees if you stand on a chair but if its a beer you want, its yours..... :)

Don't mind me, the spring like weather is making me frisky. I'm too far away to be any real threat so don't worry, you're safe.

Walker said...

Gypsy : Oh I wasn't worried, more like thinking "Damn" and as far as frisky goes, i get that way most of the time LOL