Last Week. This Week.
EEK!
The difference in a week astonishes me. See the two BRIGHT spots, top? Those are the new porcelain light sockets with 200W bulbs. See the VERY straight wire between the sockets? That is also new and, so far, the only straight wire in the basement, and the only wire also attached with electrical staples. In about a week, the window to the left, and the window adjacent (right, also covered with plywood) should have glass in them. I have not been brave enough to attempt removing the foam from the right-most window. The remaining tangle of wires (oh, the horror) will also soon be gone (oh happy days).
It is not just that we have removed wood bits and a tangle of wiring. Every single extraneous bit on the ceiling has also been removed: Old nails old junction boxes old strapping old heating ducts and so on. Then the voids between the ceiling joists were vacuumed to remove every cobweb.
The top of the stone walls were wire brushed then vacuumed. The faces of the stone walls were wire brushed then vacuumed. The concrete floor was scraped, with particular emphasis along its edges, and the whole vacuumed.
Fewer things are more vital than a shop vac.
There are two copper lines running, messily, to the outside AC condensers. Today, while Ryan from Modern Air was in the basement, I asked: “Please tell me that you can redo these so they can be neat and straight?”
Ryan looked at the two lines, as if installed by Dr. Seuss, while drunk, and replied: “Yea, I can make those nice and neat. But, are you really willing to spend such money?”
I looked at Ryan, imploringly, and nodded.
Ryan looked at me. And looked at me. Then he smiled. “I’m gonna enjoy this job. I hate sloppy work.”
I wanted to hug him. While simultaniously giving up all hopes this year of being able to afford replacing my aging, trouble-prone car.
Justin asked what color switches and outlets I wanted in the basement. “Uhhhh, white?”
Do you have any switches and outlets handy?
“I’ll check in the big house.”
A short while later I returned with a switch and an electrical outlet. I handed them to Justin, who looked at me curiously.
I said: “This color is all the rage right now. It’s in all the decorating and fashion magazines. It’s called Midnight White.”
Justin looked at the brown switch and brown outlet, and raised an eyebrow. “Midnight white?”
I shrugged. “That’s what they call it in Vogue.”
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Wow. You must be feeling better. Work done and many posts.
Those three windows with glass and natural light shining in are going to make so much of a difference.
What is that pile of wood in the back? Is that trim?
Have you considered replacing the water heaters with a tankless system?
Midnight white my ass. It’s brown. They’re just trying to pass it off as fashionable so they can charge more money.
I had to replace one of my rocker switches and I can’t believe the cheap, flimsy crap they were charging me for. Plus I couldn’t find one. Oh, they had plenty of “smart” switches with motion detectors for upwards of $20 or more. It was a bathroom light. I don’t need a motion detector to turn it on and off when I enter and leave the room. It’s a BATHROOM. I eventually found a plain old light switch but it still cost too much.
“Midnight white my ass. It’s brown.”
Oh, dear. It seems that my joke didn’t translate.
I chuckled, Ross. I chuckled.
Bless you, Chris!
Me too! Loved it!
Bless you, Derek!
I snort laughed at Midnight white, dog gave me a dirty look!
Bless you, LS!
Good joke !!
Bless you, Dan!
Well, whaddya know… crooks (crooked wires and what-not) are unwelcome here in this freshly scrubbed and vacuumed basement. Hooray Ryan! Hello to the “fancy” midnight white switch and outlet. You are pranking Justin with your white switch and outlet.