Serving up some drywall

This weekend more work was completed on the kitchen. I have to say, I have not helped less on a project in my own house! We have so many people who have given their time to help and we would definitely not be in the state we are in without them.

Dad, Frank and Dennis all arrived early on Saturday. Dad finished up some electrical work (on Thursday the electrician was here to set up all the switches and sockets, Dad "just" had to prep the boxes for the ceiling fan and pendant light we are installing, a project which turned out to be frustrating b/c the kits for such a job are not made for ceiling joists in 100 year old houses) and Kevin insulated the rest of the exterior wall, which was missing a few panels of insulation. In previous projects we learned that our house was inhabited at one point by a man we now refer to as "Cheap Mike," (we once ripped down a wall to read "Mike is cheap" on the wall behind it) and we now blame him for all odd and inconvenient occurrences such as only half of a wall being insulated.

After that, the boys started putting up drywall only to discover that Dad's three drywall saws were all missing from his truck. This was my big achievement of the day - going to Home Depot to replace the saws! I also exerted myself later to get lunch and swept multiple piles of gypsum dust up (you can see it speckling some of the pictures below). Anyhoo, many sheets of drywall were expertly cut and fitted to the walls and ceiling. Dad even had enough momentum to put on a first coat of spackle, which Kevin assisted with.

Afterward, my cousin Meg and Uncle Steve came down to check on our progress, as well as my parent's friend Mary Ellen and we all went out to dinner at Desimone's, which is a very colorful local joint a block up and over from our place. It's like eating in someone's living room (which has a bar, of course). That's the story for now - we are hoping for more spackle this week, as well as a new window, so that Kevin and I can paint this coming weekend and be ready for cabinets the weekend after that! Stay tuned!

Frank pulls down the old doorway trim (which was previously the door to the house at one point) and almost pulls down the house with it!

Jack does her duty sweeping up - that granite was the doorstep on the original house

Kevin installing insulation like a pro

Drywalling the soffit

Dad cutting out holes for the sockets and switches with a fancy electric rotary cutter

Screwing in another piece

Time for tape and mud

Frank waits for the final piece from Den the cut man