2 OUT OF 3 CLOSETS

This house has but 3 closets.  Two out of the 3 closets have beautiful diamond-paned casement windows.

Despite their disrepair, they are quite pretty and can be rejuvenated with new glazing and paint.  It seems a shame that they remain hidden in the back of closets.  For these reasons, we have decided to move the library wall 12 inches and the bathroom wall and interior window 6 inches.

Pre demo : Wall and interior window in the 1/2 bath

The wall separating the library and the 1/2 bath was removed due to rot to the floor joists (see April 2011).

 The joists and floor were replaced  2 months ago using rough cut 2 x 10s and plywood.  Moving the walls slightly will give us a niche for a desk and we'll turn the space under the back stairs into a closet.  In rebuilding the walls we used current day lumber.

The soon-to-be-more-beautiful window (I have begun the mammoth re-glazing project) is now exposed and letting in the afternoon light.

LET THE GLAZING BEGIN

Before

After

CUTTING CURVES

    So many cracked window panes in need of replacement.....

I set up a work station and gathered my tools to tackle a job of which I am a bit leery.  I have not cut curves in glass for several years and have never cut pieces as large as what must be done for these quarter round windows.

The window required cleaning first. 

 Paint clouded the glass but the remaining undamaged panes were

 readily cleaned with acetone and a rag.

The old glaze practically fell out on its own with a minimal amount of scraping.

Cleaned and primed it was time to cut.

With more luck than skill I got the curve on the first attempt.  (Heavy sigh of relief.)

The window joins the others that have been repaired,

 awaiting priming, glazing and 2 topcoats of paint.

" I'M AMPHIBIOUS "

Quote from Charles Shackleford (basketball player for NC State in the 80's) :

 “Left hand, right hand, it doesn't matter. I'm amphibious."

   Though I am pronouncedly right handed, I have been working on becoming "amphibious" myself lately.  There are times when being a lefty would come in handy.  Driving screws in a close space and glazing certain angles in my windows are recent occasions of when I have needed to be ambidextrous.  
My father is a south-paw and I continue to work on it because I know I can get better.  Surely some of his "leftiness" is in my DNA somewhere.

HAPPY BIRTHYEAR TO ME !

     My husband has always struggled with the exact day of my birthday such that years ago he declared we would celebrate birthday WEEK.    
    After purchasing this house,we agreed that this covered not only his 50th birthday gift, but also our 25th anniversary, father's and mother's days, my birthday, Christmas, Valentine's and every other potential gift giving occasion for the next year or more.  This is fine with me! 

 As it turns out,  each day yields a "gift" be it in the form of a new brick foundation, a load of lumber, a toilet, 5 pounds of glazing compound, or a light fixture.  I am frequently heard singing "We wish you a merry Christmas" or "Happy birthday to me."

Plumbing fixtures & bar stools

More plumbing fixtures and light fixture

     My actual birthday fell during this past week.  It has been as enjoyable as any other thanks to all the friends and family who remembered me in such nice ways.....

Architectural  Iron

Alice

Yellow bird cup

Origami flower

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!