X Does Not Necessarily Mark The Spot!

Jewels and I were on a mission...Stop the ridiculous squeak in the floor of the master bedroom.

So we got out the screws Pop had purchased for this purpose and got started.  We used math, we measured, we used deductive reasoning, we popped a chalk line, we used a drill.  We even used the knowledge that in the room below (before it was finished) there was a neat row of nails that were intended to hit a floor joist but missed.  We thought it would be a simple job that wouldn't take much time.  After all, this task was on my "productive procrastination" list.

So we began.  After screwing in a number of screws that seemed to help only slightly we employed the use of another tool.  A long piece of copper wire.  We removed screws and inserted the wire into the holes...if the wire hit wood we circled the hole...if it didn't, we marked it with an "X".

It might not have been the most scientific approach but we eventually identified the line where the screws SHOULD go.  Now we have some extra holes in the sub floor now but they won't hurt anything...as far as we know, anyway.

Productive Procrastination

Old Insulation - after messing with it to get to things above it.

 I totally dislike doing insulation.  It is yucky.  A mask is required which makes it hard to breathe and sometimes fogs up my glasses.  Little particles of spun fiberglass and 35 years of dust fly freely and in our case, there are more things flying.  I have chosen not to take pictures of the gross stuff.  Some things are just better forgotten.

You see, in our "attic" space there was apparently a condo village for mud daubers as well as a large "herd" of mice at some point in the life of this house.  We know this because as we have moved insulation to do wiring and to fix things "up there", we have been inundated with evidence...you know what I'm talking about...mouse droppings...but that is not the worst.  We have even had mouse skeletons drop out of the insulation.  Once I even accidentally picked one up thinking it was just a piece of insulation.  I'm not overly squeamish but I almost threw it into the next room!

Newly Insulated Ceiling

So when insulating is the task at hand, I tend to procrastinate.  My friend Jewels was working with me recently and saw evidence of this.  When she tried to steer me back to the task (several times) I kept finding something else we needed to do BEFORE we got started on the insulation.  You know...start the laundry, clean the mud room up after Pop and I had slung sawdust all over it installing a new back door...things like that...they HAD to be done!  Even cleaning toilets sounds like a  preferred chore.  So even when I am procrastinating, it is productive.  Do you get me?

Jewels

This is my friend.  I call her "Jewels" because that is what she has been adding to her crown lately...she has been a constant at Four Sisters Farm.  She can manage power tools, staple guns, hand tools of all sorts, water hoses...you name it.  She was raised on a farm and loves the farm life which is fortunate for me and for Pop!  


She also recently celebrated her birthday here which I felt pretty bad about!  We worked all day and evening that day.  We did have a delicious dinner and some angel food cake to celebrate.  She claims it was a good birthday but I think I was the one who got the gift! 


Thanks, Jewels!!