4/27/25

 We left early Saturday morning with the rented drum sander. The rain started about a mile from our house, and the storms increased as we drove east. As we were heading into Benjamin, we saw a large cloud to ground lightning strike which we realized a short time later was the one that took out the electricity on our block. It continued pouring down rain for several hours while we waited for the outage to be repaired. We were finally able to start working after 1pm. 

We had hoped to get the floors sanded and sealed this weekend, but the starting delay and complications with a prior finish or wax on the floors gumming up on the sanding paper made it obvious that this would be at least a two weekend task. Rick ran the drum sander on the main floor areas, and I used an orbital sander on the edges and corners and vacuumed the floors frequently. It was exhausting. 

We continued on Sunday and were able to go over the main areas with the drum sander multiple times with coarse and then fine sanding paper and return the machine late Sunday afternoon. The floors still need a lot of work, but we should be able to finish using a belt sander and orbital sander and then get it sealed next weekend. It looks decent overall and will hopefully look better with more work.

We'll be getting the door frames put in sometime soon, and the cabinets are coming along well. 

Finally getting started

Living room

Kitchen

2nd bedroom

Master bedroom

Living room

3rd bedroom

Living room

Living room

Living room

3rd bedroom

Master bedroom

Master bedroom

Sand paper with gummed up floor finish

Kitchen (darker areas on sides will be under cabinets)

Kitchen

Hallway (before sanding edges of east wall and bathroom doorway)

After sanding left edges

2nd bedroom

2nd bedroom

Rose bush in front is very happy with almost 6" of rain this week

Honeysuckle by backyard

Honeysuckle

4/20/25

 We arrived at different times on Friday. Rick worked on completing the floor repairs. After finishing the kitchen floor, we remembered 4 more holes in the 3rd bedroom closet areas that also needed to be repaired. We had hoped to get the remaining window in the laundry room completed this weekend, but a cold front and day-long rain threat prevented that on Saturday. We removed the door frames for doorways in the original bathroom and all 3 bedrooms (these were all in bad condition and were going to take lots of time--we bought all new door frames and doors to save time and look better), filled in cracks in the floors throughout the house, and pre-sanded some corners and tighter areas in preparation for sanding the floors next weekend. 

On Sunday, we vacuumed dirt from most of the attic and headed back to Lubbock. Rick started on the cabinets last week! This week, Rick will work on the kitchen cabinets in his shop. We'll rent a floor sander and sand (and possibly seal) the floors next weekend. 

Wood for the kitchen cabinets

First cabinet in progress (area including and to left of future kitchen sink)

Future cabinet to be located to right of dishwasher

Large kitchen hole repaired, working on replacing some other bad boards

Last piece

Finished

When we thought we were finished, just remembered these (they've been covered)

Front yard roses are blooming

Neighborhood cat likes the rotten tree house

Repair in progress

Finished (3rd bedroom closet)

Newly created hot water heater closet

Finished

Two holes for pipes in 3rd bedroom (right one already plugged)

Irises on other side of yard are blooming

Different variety

Last look at original bathroom door frame

Floor cracks filled in various rooms

Attic vacuuming: Before (bottom of photo), After (top of photo)

After