More Windows & Clothesline - 31 October 2011

The windows are still being worked on, as is the trim for the outside edges of the Firehouse and for the main door. The other good news was that late last week we FINALLY got a clothesline. Now this is not actually on the Firehouse, but it sure makes me feel good that we can be using the fresh air of Lunenburg to dry the clothes rather than wasting electricity with the dryer. Will even got into the inauguration of the new clothesline.

Its Hallowe'en so the guys are off trick or treating for the evening. We hope they don't eat so much candy tonight that they can't work tomorrow.

Windows - 28 October 2011

Wood shavings got moved to the farm so that the animals could sleep in cozy beds of wood shavings. Leftover clapboards also got a nice warm bed of a tarp covering. But the best activity of the day was the completion of several windows. Keeping the putty inside last night really helped to make it easier to work with, so that helped. Here they are and they look gooooood!

We'll be keeping them inside for several days while the putty dries. It feels like keeping the eggs warm until the chicks hatch.

Windows - 27 October 2011

This has got to have been the coldest day we have had this fall. The weatherman is even talking about snow in the inland areas (thank goodness we live on the coast!). The guys were working on windows anyway, but I'm sure today they wished they could magically have them completely finished and installed. Sorry, guys, you do magic with windows, but its in the creation of really nice windows, not in suddenly having them installed. This window had half of its glass installed when I took this picture. You can see the big clump of putty, but I'm not sure you can see the putty that is around the glazing.

Colin is always so busy it is hard to get him to stop for even a moment, but I managed to do so today because he was holding the window of which I was taking a picture.

Windows - 26 October 2011

This was the day for visitors to the Firehouse. Georges Potvin and Bob Dupuis are here from Gatineau, Quebec and Pepper Mintz from Ottawa dropped in for a visit, too. Colin, Brad and Michael were very welcoming of the visitors and didn't even seem to mind the interruption in the work process. The fact that everyone was so complimentary of the work that they are doing (how could they not be?) and interested in what has been done and what is planned had to make the interruption for a visit a bit easier to handle.

Its good to see the work didn't suffer, since the cathedral windows can be a bit tricky to put together. Here you can see them being glued together. They are looking excellent.

Windows - 25 October 2011

The building of the Firehouse is about making a new building compliment the old building that is the Floral Cottage. Even when we use new materials, the features are made in old form and in order to look like they have been around for a long time. While some of the windows are old ones that have been stripped of their paint, repaired where they need it and had either new glazing or new putty, others are new windows made to match the old. Here is the anatomy of a window.

Mysterious Activity - 24 October 2011

There were three guys working upstairs all day today, but it was hard to know what they were doing. It sounded like the planer was going and I saw a couple of bags of shavings. There were also large pieces of wood that disappeared from the main floor and were pulled up to the second floor. Could that mean that the main doors are being worked on? A large drill press used for mitering edges on windows also was moved upstairs. So were there windows being worked on? Hard to know.

The wood pile disappeared today, too. All the painted wood was put in one place and the off-cuts of unpainted wood got moved into the house.

Finally, there was some mysterious guy hanging around the Firehouse. I don't know what he wanted, but he might be a fire inspector who missed the meeting at The Knot on Friday night.

Clapboard & In-Floor Heating

The whole Firehouse is now sporting a wonderful clapboard robe! Good job, well done. This morning we also had a visit from Pete Langille from Pete Langille Plumbing to install the piping for the in-floor heating and the connections for the boiler that will support it.

Will took a picture from across the street that gives you a really good sense of how well the Firehouse looks in comparison to the Floral Cottage. Talk about a new building complimenting the look and feel of the older home. At this point you can see that the colours don't match, but had the weather cooperated just a little bit more this summer they would have been exactly the same. Next spring, they will come together in both look and colour.

Flooring - 20 October 2011

It was four months ago today that Kerry Oickle started preparing the ground to put in the foundation. Today he is back to put the floor into the Firehouse. Welcome back, Kerry! It poured rain all day, so while Kerry worked on the main floor, Colin and his team moved everything off of the main floor and then worked on windows and trim upstairs.

Siding - 19 October 2011

You've heard the expression "When the boss is away, the staff will play."? Not our guys!! Brad and Michael worked on the siding from 830 this morning until 9 pm tonight. The south side is completely done, including a great looking vent. The north side is almost all done. Rain and darkness finally stopped the work, but they accomplished a lot today.

Siding - 18 October 2011

You have to love a team that wants so much to finish a task that they stay on the job until it is too dark to see anything! The framing around and under the porch, as well as the tongue and groove ceiling of the porch got put on today, as did the drip edges on the west-side windows and the clapboard around them.

Windows - 17 October 2011

The wind raged, the rain poured and then, later in the day, the sun came out and positively beamed. Through it all the guys worked on planing, preparing the drip edges and building windows. The don't stop for anything - well snacks and lunch, but you have to refuel.

Siding - 14 October 2011

One more day and we have lived here for 11 months. On the same note, the Firehouse has been under construction since 22 June. Excellent progress, don't you think? The west-side dormers are fully clapboarded. The east side is completely clapboarded and the south side is almost completely covered by clapboard. The two upper windows need their drip edge and the vent still has to go in, but that's all that is left on that wall.

Window Trim - 13 October 2011

Who would have thought that you needed special knives to cut wooden planks so that they become interestingly curved trim pieces? Okay, so maybe you would, but I didn't! Yesterday I showed you the special planing machine, so here now is the result. That shape is what comes out of the machine after you put a 3 inch by 6 inch piece of wood in - sorry the photo is a bit out of focus - my camera wanted to focus on something more distant. The molded piece of wood then becomes the drip edge on the top of the window.

Window Trim - 12 October 2011

There is lots of very detailed trim around the dormers and it has now been added. As well, the clapboard on the sides of the dormers, finicky little pieces every one, have been underway. The knives for making the molding for the window drip edges has arrived and Brad has been busy making sure the machine is all set for starting to make these moldings.

Windows & Doors - 11 October 2011

Colin and Brad did lots of work on the details of the dormer windows today. Michael did some planing, priming and painting, too. I primed the tongue and groove pieces for the side door porch. Finally, stripping the paint off of the inside doors was begun today.

Thanksgiving at the Firehouse - October 2011

I am so thankful for all that we have and enjoy! The Firehouse that we are building is just an extension of our home. It was a year ago today that we found this special gem and we have been enjoying the town, our neighbours and the settling into the house ever since.

In terms of the Firehouse, we are thankful for all the help we have had in planning and building it. The Town of Lunenburg has been very supportive. Our electrician, Mike Knock, plumber, Pete Langille, and foundation contractor, Kerry Oickle, have taken very good care of us. The Firehouse is being built by a stellar bunch of craftsmen - Colin Edwards leads a very efficient and effective team, in addition to his skill as a heritage carpenter, Brad Quarrie is an artist, as much as a craftsman, and Michael Murphy is learning quickly how to be supportive in construction.

With the support of suppliers like BMR Lunenburg Hardware, Maurice Bruhm Lumber Mill and Castle NS Building Supplies, we know we are making good headway towards a lovely new building that will match the historic look and feel of our home.

We have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving at the Floral Cottage - October 2011

A year ago today we first laid eyes on The Floral Cottage. For Will, it was the indication that this lovely old house had been built for a sail-maker that hearkened back to his youth growing up in a sea-faring town in Maine. For me, it was the name "The Floral Cottage" and the lovely gardens, coupled with the lovely house that made me fall in love. For both of us, this was a house that we wanted to make a home, in a town that we already adored, with lots of people that we knew would become wonderful friends and neighbours. We have spent the last year moving, settling in, and building on to what we have here.

We are so thankful to be in this little piece of heaven. This Thanksgiving the weather is absolutely superb, and so gardening continues without a pause. We made a wonderful fall stew today, although it was really too warm for stew, with peas, green and yellow beans, beets, tomatoes, carrots, parsnips, green onions, and potatoes fresh from the garden.

I am also especially thankful for the wonderful man to whom I am married. Will has supported my hopes and dreams, tolerated my craziness, and let me be me for sixteen years. It just keeps growing and strengthening.

Main Doors - 6 October 2011

It was still windy and super cold today, but the rain held off, at least. Of course, since it was so cold, there was actually s)&%# in the air a couple of times. Or maybe I'm still seeing spots - yeah, that must be it. Regardless, it didn't stop the guys from installing the trim around the main door casements. Don't they look great!?

You can tell how hard the team works. They do long days and they work hard; all the time. So in order to make sure that they are healthy and happy while they work, I make sure they get a treat every day. Many of the treats are thanks to the baking talents of Ginny Wentzell who can often be found at the Lunenburg Farmers' Market. Now you know that everybody who works on the Firehouse appears on the blog. So, in order to thank Ginny for all her great work, here she is. We really appreciate all her wonderful goodies. Yummmm.

Trim and Windows - 5 October 2011

Well these aren't trim or windows, but they are the whole reason why we are building the Firehouse. It was rainy, cold and windy today, so we didn't take any pictures of the Firehouse. It didn't slow the team down, although I can't imagine that they weren't feeling the cold. Sure hope the hot chocolate helped a bit. They worked on building trim for the main doors, the dormers and the other windows and priming and painting them.

September Flowers

There really has only been one new plant that showed up this month, a Turtle Plant. There are still lots of things in the garden - tomatoes, zucchini, parsnips, red runner beans, carrots, beets, cabbage, etc, but there are not very showy. The flowers seem to be slowing down and preparing for winter.

Main Doors - 4 October 2011

The doors are starting to take shape! Call me easily impressed, but I think these look wonderful. Taking a straight board and making it curved and then maintaining the symmetry of the curve is not an easy process, but talented master carpenters can do it.