What did you do today not on your truck...

[special-K]

I ate a really good pizza for lunch. This goes back to last night. Yesterday afternoon, really. I had some good spaghetti leftover, even plenty of bread and salad. Easy! But while I was working I kept thinking I want pizza, it's been a while. I usually space out my Italian meals, but I wanted pizza. Worked outside till dark, and this is about 50 minutes from home. I passed up on Genova's up that way. I ran through new Windsor right by Belisimo's, and straight to home. If I say I'll stop by the house, then run into town I must be lying. Never happens that way. But last night I did it because I needed some things from the hardware store and didn't want to deal with Saturday shoppers. There was a special on a large pizza any way you want and I knew exactly what I wanted.
I get to the pizza place with a little wait time. They are as busy as can be, Friday night! The counter guy sets a stack of four boxes on the counter and heads back to help prep. A driver waiting by the door points and says, "That's yours". "Nope, I only bought one pizza". He asks my name and looks at the labels. He pointed to the bottom label, "This is yours" and hands it to me. I put jackets on top of the box and hustled home.

Hmmm... that's a large pizza? Where are the toppings? Look at the label... Tim Hickey, I'm Tim Hicks . It was a plain pizza and part of a $52 order. and they must have been late picking it up because it was barely warm. I loaded it up with peppers, parmesian, garlic, oregano and processed it down. The beer was good anyway.

So today back into town. Took care of a few things and back home with a damn good pizza for lunch!

[special-K]

Pretty funny way to enjoy a meal out. We had a funny mistaken identity scenario on our return flight from Colorado on our family vacation. It started with missing our flight. So we were "Hicks family of five" on call. We were waiting and they called, "Hicks family of five to board Flight #XXX? We're all relieved and situated in our seats when a stewardess comes up with five black people behind her saying we took this family's seats, as if we were trying to pull something off. Hey! Don't point your finger at me. You didn't say what color Hicks family of five!

[special-K]

I did some fixin' on my barn yesterday. I built the building close to 35 years ago. The tree grew into it, and now it's moved. I had all the siding milled right up the road about a mile. Between here and there is where the trees were logged (poplar). In this barn all these years I have stored extra boards from way back then. I even still have the box of nails. So, a labor-only job, no cost for materials. I fixed the area where the building was damaged by the tree growing into it and fixed the door jambs I had to cut out for the move. Now I can hang the doors. I still have to replace the soffit & fascia on the tree side. I'm waiting until I replace that side of the roof

[Boog]

Originally Posted by special-K

I did some fixin' on my barn yesterday. I built the building close to 35 years ago. The tree grew into it, and now it's moved. I had all the siding milled right up the road about a mile. Between here and there is where the trees were logged (poplar). In this barn all these years I have stored extra boards from way back then. I even still have the box of nails. So, a labor-only job, no cost for materials. I fixed the area where the building was damaged by the tree growing into it and fixed the door jambs I had to cut out for the move. Now I can hang the doors. I still have to replace the soffit & fascia on the tree side. I'm waiting until I replace that side of the roof

Well you've not much more to do to it then. And already got some Christmas lights up on it. Good deal. You know you saved those extra boards all those many years ago for something. Glad you saved them now.
You gonna trim some on that big tree too now that you can get to it?

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Boog

Well you've not much more to do to it then. And already got some Christmas lights up on it. Good deal. You know you saved those extra boards all those many years ago for something. Glad you saved them now.
You gonna trim some on that big tree too now that you can get to it?

Yeah, I went a little farther with lights this year, now that I can get between the barn and tree. I never ran the facia and soffit on the back side, outta sight/outta mind (1x8). That's mostly where the extra boards came from. But the two I used for siding (1x10) were extras I was sure glad to have. I had a couple 1x6s I ripping for batten strips. a few hundred dollars for the metal roofing and it's good. The tree trimming will be done off a man lift, but only after I get everything else done around here.

It's time to get back to my other major project, the cellar. A good winter project. I also need to gut my master bedroom and finish that out. Can't be selling a house with a shabby untouched master bedroom. Somewhere in there I need to get the downstairs shower tiled up.

I got my cellar dug down to where I could stand upright before taking a break from it. I thought I was ready for footers. But that allowed me time to talk myself into going deeper so the finished (concrete) floor with be that height I had dug to where I can stand up.

[Boog]

Oh yeah. Head clearance is kind of important.

[special-K]

I probably went down there a dozen times in 35 years, until I started on this project. You couldn't stand up straight anywhere. It used to be a bit deeper years ago. It was dug out and they had a few uprights with wide planks lining the walls. That was all shot and some loose dirt had spilled down over the years. Critters could just burrow in. I started off just to scoop away the loose dirt to square it up before laying up block. By the time I got all the way around I was a good bit deeper than I started. So I went back and took all that down. Then did another round. Now again, about half done as of last session. I'd like to get done before we get much snow, so I can spread the dirt nicely.

This is what I started with:


I never thought about down there. It was just the area under the house. I stuffed a few things down there, but mostly went for plumbing needs. Never bugged me, just the way an old house is. Now that I'm looking ahead to selling, it matters. Might not add to the price but won't be a deterrent. Should help convey the 'upkept' vibe I'm after. It will now be usable space, too.

[sakustoms]

Originally Posted by special-K

I probably went down there a dozen times in 35 years, until I started on this project. You couldn't stand up straight anywhere. It used to be a bit deeper years ago. It was dug out and they had a few uprights with wide planks lining the walls. That was all shot and some loose dirt had spilled down over the years. Critters could just burrow in. I started off just to scoop away the loose dirt to square it up before laying up block. By the time I got all the way around I was a good bit deeper than I started. So I went back and took all that down. Then did another round. Now again, about half done as of last session. I'd like to get done before we get much snow, so I can spread the dirt nicely.

This is what I started with:
Attachment 2241190

I never thought about down there. It was just the area under the house. I stuffed a few things down there, but mostly went for plumbing needs. Never bugged me, just the way an old house is. Now that I'm looking ahead to selling, it matters. Might not add to the price but won't be a deterrent. Should help convey the 'upkept' vibe I'm after. It will now be usable space, too.

Wow that insane. How will digging down so far affect the foundation in the area that was only a couple feet high?

[special-K]

It has been a dug out 5' cellar since the 1800s. I just went down a little more. It's all solid virgin soil. I'll be laying up block to where the stone starts, filling, and pouring a concrete cap back to the stonework. It will be better than it ever has been, as far as stability. Good thing is the house is log. All the framing members are timbers strong enough to span their length unsupported. That center beam had been installed prior to my purchase. I never saw the need, but I'm glad it's there for this project.

[sakustoms]

Originally Posted by special-K

It has been a dug out 5' cellar since the 1800s. I just went down a little more. It's all solid virgin soil. I'll be laying up block to where the stone starts, filling, and pouring a concrete cap back to the stonework. It will be better than it ever has been, as far as stability. Good thing is the house is log. All the framing members are timbers strong enough to span their length unsupported. That center beam had been installed prior to my purchase. I never saw the need, but I'm glad it's there for this project.

Wow I didn't realize the house was that old. That's cool. Any pics of the outside? I would love to live in a house outside the city with a wrap around porch. Not sure why but I always liked that style.

[special-K]

It's 1857 old. The porch was 8' wide when I bought the place. I really wanted a wrap around porch, but settled for full width. As it was, I had to wait until I got a power-up, which I had run underground and around to the side of the house. The place originally had no plumbing or electric. It had a double meter on the front and the lines ran to the upper fascia. I guess they never had gutter.

I had it all fixed up over 30 years ago. Always a few loose ends left undone. When I started thinking of the day I go to sell it hit me the place would be seen as in good shape but ready for a remodel. I'm giving it a good once over without a lot of cash outlay. I want to sell it as good to go.

[sakustoms]

That is very nice. I like that a lot. That porch looks like a very peaceful place to hang out and forget about the worries of the day. Looks like you have a nice property also.

[dieseldawg142]

Originally Posted by special-K

It's 1857 old. The porch was 8' wide when I bought the place. I really wanted a wrap around porch, but settled for full width. As it was, I had to wait until I got a power-up, which I had run underground and around to the side of the house. The place originally had no plumbing or electric. It had a double meter on the front and the lines ran to the upper fascia. I guess they never had gutter.

I had it all fixed up over 30 years ago. Always a few loose ends left undone. When I started thinking of the day I go to sell it hit me the place would be seen as in good shape but ready for a remodel. I'm giving it a good once over without a lot of cash outlay. I want to sell it as good to go.

wow!
your house is a 100 yrs older than mine (1957)
like yours, it don't look like when i bought it though

[dieseldawg142]

What did you do today not on your truck...

shovelled snow......................

[72c20customcamper]

Made a small jewelry box for my wife to go with the Mālā beads I bought her for Christmas . Cherry wood will turn red after exposure to sunlight so I just used a couple coats of Johnson’s paste wax

[Steeveedee]

Nice! I'm seeing where once the color is achieved, you may need to keep it away from too much sun or it will eventually fade.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by 72c20customcamper

Made a small jewelry box for my wife to go with the Mālā beads I bought her for Christmas . Cherry wood will turn red after exposure to sunlight so I just used a couple coats of Johnson’s paste wax

Uh huh. Chiseling your way to her heart I see . Very nice!

Originally Posted by sakustoms

That is very nice. I like that a lot. That porch looks like a very peaceful place to hang out and forget about the worries of the day. Looks like you have a nice property also.

Not much property, but a nice place and nothing across the road or either side. The porch is a very nice place to relax. I get a little bit of sunset looking off the porch.

Originally Posted by GOPAPA

Very nice and comfy lookin Tim.. curious,, did it once upon a time have a fire place at one end of the house? I like the colors too.Some of them houses from that era has one on each end of the house... have you got any before photos of the house.. If you would start a thread of before and after of your house .. I would show mine and I bet others would chime in also... I have a unique contract with my house I used to own when I bought it ..The house I had before when living in Western Oregon that is very interesting to some who has seen it.. I bet others would chime in also..

There's a fireplace on the back. The log part is 24' x 16' added on out back. That was post & beam 1st floor and sawmill studs upstairs. I think they originally only had stovepipe run up. There's a spot in the wall downstairs that had a thimble run through it. I did take out a chimney at the one end. Very strange, it ran from the attic floor through the roof with the old attic floor under it. I think it was for looks. It was really narrow inside without the mortar cleaned up. No soot.
I have some Polaroids some previous owners gave me. It was dark red. They painted it yellow. I have prints of that, too, I need to get on my computer. I just painted the siding a few years ago. I had put up a bluish grey (Heritage Slate) and it was looking old. I pictured the trim colors with an olive green and went for it. second picture is before I painted it

Originally Posted by dieseldawg142

wow!
your house is a 100 yrs older than mine (1957)
like yours, it don't look like when i bought it though

I've changed mine some. I added the room to the left downstairs and on the right was a 5' cantilever upstairs. Where you see the door was not there. I only went out 3' to have an 8' laundry room and a bathroom

[GOPAPA]

Very nice and comfy lookin Tim.. curious,, did it once upon a time have a fire place at one end of the house? I like the colors too.Some of them houses from that era has one on each end of the house... have you got any before photos of the house.. If you would start a thread of before and after of your house .. I would show mine and I bet others would chime in also... I have a unique contract with my house I used to own when I bought it ..The house I had before when living in Western Oregon that is very interesting to some who has seen it.. I bet others would chime in also..

[LS short box]

A local body shop "let" me do all the block sanding on my 68 C10 a few years ago. Right now he's swamped with deer hits and icy crashes. So today I went over to the shop and block sanded on a couple resto projects he took in. 5 hours. Kind of fun. Feeling better after a couple aspirins. I'm going back tomorrow for another 5 hours. Earlier this year my doc said I should lose a few pounds so I thought I might as well get paid for it.
Thursday all bets are off. 5-9" of snow and brisk winds out of the NW at about 25-30 mph is in the forecast.

[special-K]

This front coming in is all about the wind. A good time to stick by the fire. I know the feeling after a heap of sanding. I skimmed and sanded all the walls in a bedroom last summer. shh shh shh shh... The sound of sandpaper for hours and stiffness in my shoulders. Definitely a calorie burner.

[Gotenntitans]

Made some cookies. Takes me back to Christmas growing up in the 70’s. Still have some of the same cookie cutters that Mom used to use. I made a TikTok of it with the recipe if anyone wants to check it out.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRqQ8kpE/

Merry Ho Ho everybody!

[LockDoc]

-
Tried out my new air fryer with a pork roast. Worked good.

I basted it before putting it in the oven and every 15 minutes while cooking. Next time I think I will marinate it. That was kind of messy.... Air fryer cleaned up easy though.

LockDoc

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Gotenntitans

Made some cookies. Takes me back to Christmas growing up in the 70’s. Still have some of the same cookie cutters that Mom used to use. I made a TikTok of it with the recipe if anyone wants to check it out.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRqQ8kpE/

Merry Ho Ho everybody!

I don't have a tik-tok account but usually I can see stuff on there, Couldn't with that link though.

EDIT: I just tried it agaln and it worked.... Thanks

LockDoc

[Steeveedee]

A friend gave me a block of teak that he wasn't going to do anything with. I just finished cutting slabs off of it. Got 5 that may be useable. The old '60s bandsaw got a real workout, today! Now, they need to be flattened. I think, given the amount of work involved, I'll just buy dimensional lumber from now on.

[72c20customcamper]

We went to brunch at my daughters yesterday . Oldest son and his family have the flu but we’ll see them next Saturday my grandson turns two a New Years baby just like my daughter .


Looks like Kevin was having a good time watching the kids open presents