Fear Not the Plaster

It's been pretty cold so progress with "The Beast" has slowed down. I am STILL in the sunroom and probably will be until spring since I only travel to the house on days promising to be above 40 degrees. (I promised "The Beast" that there would be heat next winter.) Yesterday and today were good for working except it was rainy and gloomy most of both days. (At least it was not snowing.)

I have finished plastering the section of wall near the window. I used a 12 inch wide section of drywall to fill in a portion of the missing wall area and used plaster in the rest of the area to connect the old plaster to the drywall.. I have never used plaster to this extent before nor attempted to fix an area so large, so I am rather pleased with myself that it turned out smooth and acceptable. Good practice for some plastering issues in the main part of the house when I get to those "issue" areas. It did not crack, fall out and explode into dust which leads me to believe I did it right and to the best of my ability. I learned quite a bit regarding mixing the plaster and using it FAST...so now I am ready for other plaster concerns in the house. (There are really not many plastering concerns but now I am confident I can handle any challenge.)

I spent part of today cleaning this sunroom wall of old wallpaper paste/glue icky stuff and filling in small chips/holes. I am hoping that the weather will be above 40 as promised for Tuesday so I can return and work on the wall cleanup again. The sunroom will have a black/red furniture theme and now I am trying to decide what color to paint the almost lovely walls.

Once I straighten out the ceiling I am feeling an old school tin ceiling in the sunroom. I have found some pretty cool nail up type styles here..... http://www.americantinceilings.com/. Kinda pricey but it would look really neat in there so I shall continue to ponder that option.

When I went out to "The Beast" yesterday I discovered a window pane on the back porch had fallen out of one of the windows and shattered on the ground outside. I utilized some plastic, some bubble wrap and a hot glue gun to cover the small space and keep out ice/snow and rain until it warms up and can be repaired properly. It's always something, isn't it?

The Library

Yesterday, I spent the afternoon burning leaves and branches that had been piled in the back yard by previously occupants. I made a small dent in the pile. The city only allows yard waste burning on the weekends so perhaps I will continue that project next weekend, as long as things are not wet from rain or snow.

I spent an hour sanding the joint cement on the drywall and ready the walls under the windows for some paint.

It is supposed to snow this week, however I am skeptical. The temperatures are dropping but as long as I can have days that are warmer than 40 degrees I can work in a room with the heater warming the area. I anticipate January will be too cold for 'The Beast and I."

My picture today is of my book 'score' from a local library. I am obsessive compulsive regarding accumulating books for the planned library (my favorite room so far) and had been purchasing books from .25 to 1.00 at Salvation Army stores and the Goodwills. WELL, I delightfully discovered that a libary in a neighboring small town holds a book sale twice a month. Thus, I went to the book sale on Friday morning and spent HOURS. They sell books for one thin DIME. Can you believe it? I brought home over 200 books (mostly hardback) and spent only 23 bucks. The book list grows and is well over 1000 at this point. My sister estimates I should work toward accumulating a target number of 5000 books. The next library books sale is the 19th and my sister is coming to shop with me because she is a lover of books, also.

Home Sweet Home at The Beast

OK....Tuesday before Thanksgiving I spent the night at 'The Beast." I slept in the library... it was very cozy and the electric blankie does the trick. (I don't think that will work for too many more nights because the weather is turning into winter around here, but Tuesday was comfy and fun.) I drywalled the areas of the sunroom under the windows. I thought the joint compound would be dry so that I could sand the next day, but since it was a bit chilly the next morning it just wasn't dry enough. Sunroom is coming along nicely. BIG improvement.

I spent Weds. cleaning the walls of the library. I still have some wallpaper up at the top of the walls to peel off and I have to fill a lot of small nicks and holes from old nails.

I found a library picture from my original photos, when I first viewed the house last April. This is the library and room that has the new windows, and all the carpet is now gone and the hideous wallpaper is almost all gone. This is the room that is getting its walls cleaned up.

OH, my bestest friend Willie said, "Take the Dell. See if you can pick up a wireless signal." I said, "Dude, there isn't going to be any available wireless at 'The Beast.' He said, "Try it. You'll see. No one in a rural town will put passwords on wireless." So....I take the Dell. Lo and behold, I GET A SIGNAL (3 signals actually) and can access the internet at night. I think I was picking up the office products place which is next door to me. This situation, of course, made me laugh because Willie was right and I had to admit it.

Today, my sister and I finished taking down the rest of the fence. After careful consideration I determined that the fallen fence MAY just have belonged to the business next door because that was the only side of the yard where there was a fence, and originally it was probably hiding all the junk they had tossed behind their building. No one ever came out to stop me from cleaning up the area, and getting rid of the fence, so I guess they didn't care. All their junk they had tossed behind the building is now in THEIR dumpster in the alley. I shall put up a new fence in the spring and they are going to have to keep their area clean and tidy.

My sister came to claim her socks. She got two knitted pair so far. I found some hollyberry variegated yarn and created a spiral pattern on the leg section for the second pair. She is quite sock thrilled and doesn't realize they were a trick to get her here to finish tearing up the fence at 'The Beast.' (more maniacal laughter.)