Episode 4 - A New Entry

Saturday - Got done what we intended, that is, we opened up the entry and we went back to the cabinet place and finalized the cabs. Just a little bit displeased with 3M who claims that 'Blue Tape' won't peel the paint from your walls. Oh well, we're going to have to paint anyways. Maybe I should get some new stuff. This one's been in the garage for about three years. Hmmm.

Sunday - Got the new entry framed out and the new back window ordered. Might have changed our minds on moving the back door. Then to Little Tokyo for some spicy Ramen. I love L.A.! It's raining again. (That's two song titles in a row, rather fitting, sitting here watching the Grammy's.) Will I get that 220 ripped out tomorrow or will there be another lake under the house? Won't know until after work tomorrow.

Monday - I hate L.A.! It's freeeezing. Poured almost all weekend and today, too. Last week it was in the 80's and today it hailed. Winter in L.A!

Got the gas moved to the new location. Tad helped, thanks Tad. Check out MadTadMagic.com. Let's see if there's water under the house. Looks good. Good thing I leaned the old pocket door against the house over the access to keep out the rain. Ok, feet first under the house. Spaghetti mess of cables just inside, no problemo. Turn around and 'smack', head hit joist... Ouch... O.K., like the Superbowl commercial said, 'Men can take anything!'... Ok, Oh... Dark. Need light... Ok. Turn around, shake spaghetti mess of cables off my foot, crawl out, twist around door leaning against house. Drop work light through hole in floor. Back to access. Feet first. Spaghetti mess of cables. Get off my foot! Turn around, avoid joist, ha!... army crawl through dirt, 'smack', different joist. Son of a fu@#!! O.k... men can take anything. Army crawl, find 220 and pull it through. No! I didn't remove the wire nuts. Turn around, crawl through dirt, avoid joists, Spaghetti mess of cables, get off my FOOT. Twist out around leaning door. Go inside, remove wire nuts. Back to access, feet first, spaghetti freakin' mess of @%&&$# cables, get off my #@$#$$ @$!% # FOOT!! Turn around, 'smack' head on #$$% joist, army crawl through dirt, find 220, rip it's ass through, leave it there, deal with it later. Turn around, army crawl through dirt, almost there, spaghetti mess, Get OFF MY... breathe... men can take it, Ok, twist around leaning door. Uh oh... Was that my back? Out slowly and... Ok, done... How the heck did my hat get spun around backwards?

Tomorrow I re-nail the subfloor to the joists and prep for plywood.

Tuesday - Got the subfloor nailed and picked up OSB for underlayment. Way cheaper than plywood. Then started to question if OSB makes good underlayment. Some say don't do it... others say they do it all the time. That's the problem with the internet. Sometimes too much information only confuses you.

Wednesday - Are you nuts? 'American Idol' AND 'Lost'? Yeah, right... no work tonight! Just kidding... got some blocking in under the subfloor. Found a couple small areas of rot so tomorrow I'll replace those.

Thursday - Well, Gil said OSB is fine for underlayment so no need to return to the store. Replaced the rotted boards and got the first two pieces of underlayment down. Visible progress... that's a good thing. Michiyo has now discovered Valencia, near Magic Mountain... Wow! You can get a lot of house for your money up there. When I locate the loot in our attic we should be able to buy a couple houses up there.

Friday - All Righty then...Got the rest of the OSB down and snapped off one pic when I received a note from my camera informing me that my batteries are now deceased. Someone's going to write and tell me I should have put the drywall on first, I just know it. But a reason I gots! Off to Souplantation for dinner with Noriko. Aaah, vegetables... they taste sooo good when you haven't had any for three weeks.

Saturday A.M. - Note to self regarding next Valentine's Day - Do not wake up singing, 'I kissed a girl, I liked it...' or, if you absolutely must, try not to put a special emphasis on the 'I liked it' part... with a smile on your face... 16 times... not on Valentine's Day. Heated up yesterday's coffee and a little milk. Getting kind of used to the sheet of plastic hanging from the ceiling. It's kind of like the secret passage I always wanted when I was a kid. Shoot, forgot to stir the coffee... I wonder if I can use this old teabag sitting here. It works!

It's supposed to rain all weekend but it's nice and sunny right now. Today I begin on the electrical and hopefully I'll get the information on the crown moulding from the cabinet seller so I can build the soffit.

... to be continued...