A whole lot of work inside the house has gotten done this winter. It’s just been too cold for us to do anything outside. Usually Will is out in the woods with Old Yeller, our bulldozer, cutting firewood for future years and then we’re cutting and splitting it up. This year, he just couldn’t do it. The snow is way too deep and it’s brutally cold both for us humans and our trusty equipment. We’ll get at that in a few weeks, while there’s still snow on the ground and it’s a lot warmer, even if it’s still frozen.

This last week, Will finished the rock work behind our living room wood stove. He scrubbed it down with cleaner, which removed the cement stains on the rocks. Then he painted on sealer which gives the rocks a wet look, setting off their colors. He had to do that before he laid the laminate flooring. It looks absolutely gorgeous!

Rock-work
Meanwhile, I was cleaning out cupboards and moving smaller furniture here and there, clearing the floors in the dining room, entryway, and living room so he could work. Then Will went around making sure there were no nail heads sticking up or other “bumps” on the floor. While I was in town, he began laying the laminate. (He sometimes gets to cussing when starting something picky that he hasn’t done before!) But by the time I got back, things were leveling off and he had the knack of it. Actually, it went pretty fast, taking one afternoon, into the evening, then finishing the next morning. I helped by hauling boxes of laminate out of the bedroom and opening them. Then I took empty boxes outside to burn, one or two at a time. (Pretty good gofer, I am!) I’ve learned that with Will, I need to stay out of the way. He doesn’t like much help! Now there’s just the trim to install and the furniture to move back.

New-floor
As there is a lot of stuff all over the kitchen counter, it’s a good time to get rid of things we just don’t use. Clutter is SO easy to accumulate!

Oh, just a note: there was no odor at all from the installation of the laminate as one reader warned. I just thought I’d mention this so others who are considering installing it wouldn’t avoid using it because of this issue.

Our weather’s in a warming trend and it’s supposed to hit mid-thirties by a week from now. I can’t tell you how happy that makes us! — Jackie

28 COMMENTS

  1. Sheryl,

    Yeah, I know. I got it out of the dumpster twelve years ago in Montana. It’s seen better days for sure. But you know how a guy is….. We did bid on one on Do-Bid last week but it went up to nearly $100 and we quit. But we ARE still looking. Hey, I finally got him to let me burn his “good” work shirt which hung in rags, had been on FIRE three times and was worn so bad he had to keep cutting pieces off so it wouldn’t get caught in saws! We’re talking about a REAL conservative tightwad here. I think it’s the Scotch blood coming out…..

  2. I think there is only one more thing you need to do to make your house perfect.
    Will, about that chair of yours…

    Pyro

  3. I am laughing out loud to myself, I can just see Mittens sliding spread eagled across that new floor. I be she’s smiling ear to ear. It’s the small things that bring joy to your life.
    Thank goodness for your beaver family, and their ability to read the future.
    Blessings,

  4. Sheryl,

    No, we just scuff off the dirt. The first 6′ of the entryway will be slate tiles plus another run of slate outside AND a big rug-mat inside and a couple of braided rugs later on to (hopefuly) catch dirt and mud. You should see Mittens; she loves the new floor and runs and skids across it all the time now. Plus her catnip mouse really flies across it. So the floor is Mittens approved!

  5. gen,

    No baby goats yet. The beavers told us that it was going to be a tough winter and we listened to them and didn’t breed our does until real late. Our babies will come in June and July this year as we didn’t want them to come in the snowbank. Green grass and butterflies will be much nicer for them!

  6. TSJ,

    Sure thing; I’ll post photos next Monday. Right now it just looks like a black water pipe sticking out of a snow bank. But we’re real happy to have it fairly close and the water is excellent.

  7. Cindy Hills,

    Right now, all I have started is my peppers. And I’ll have to re-plant a few as when Will was using the cleaner for the rocks it smelled so strong that he had to open windows. Some of the tender peppers got too chilled and died. Next week I’ll be starting my tomatoes. It’s early but then we set ours out in Wall’O Waters in May, way before frost free season. Otherwise, we couldn’t set them out until June 14th or so. That way we can happily grow 90 day tomatoes! Our peppers go in the hoop house.

  9. So very beautiful! Your home is looking so sweet. Don’t you just love it?! Do we have to take our shoes off now? Let us know how much traction Mittens can get on it…should be funny.

  10. That is just lovely. The laminate you chose is so complimentary to your log home! Good work, the both of you!

  11. Looks amazing! So nice that you have each other to work together on all of these projects. Love it.

  14. I guess there is a purpose to this maddening winter afterall….it looks simply lovely. Congratulations…you sure wouldn’t have been to get all that done if the weather would have allowed outdoor work. :)

  15. The wall and floor are just beautiful! Glad its warming there… send some our way! (Supposed to hit near 40 this weekend here in Michigan. Hurray!)

  18. It is looking amazing. I had a look back at your kitchen cabinets, and the flooring you and Will have chosen is really going to compliment your beautiful kitchen. Congratulations, I’m glad your dreams are truly becoming a reality.
    I wondered if there were any new additions to your goat family, my friend lost her buck this winter, but a new little one was born last month and is thriving.

  19. Could you post some pictures of Idington spring next time you go there? i’ve always wondered what a natural spring looked like in frozen weather. I live in Texas. Thanks.

  20. I had wondered about your stove that you use for heat And how you get combustion air . I guess the combustion air is just coming from the room . That must be why there was no older because your stove is it ventilating the room . Doesn’t that make your parameters and your parameter rooms get cold from outside infiltration ? I would run a combustion air out closer to the source of combustion . I am even wondering if a concentric exhaust flu with fresh air around it preheating incoming air would make it even more efficient . I am Not sure what that would do for Creasote build up . Great attitude on yalls part . . Apologies for Android dictation .

  23. WOW!!! Will is amazing, and what a craftsman. He put so much time and work into that rock wall and it is just georgeous. So is the floor. Applause and cheers Will, hope you can hear them. Major decluttering at my house too. A sure sign of spring.

  24. The floor and rock is beautiful!!! It really makes your house look fancy!! I too am decluttering. Takes a lot of time but it needs to be done before we can go outside again! Right?? So what seeds are you starting now? I am trying to stay on schedule since you can’t go by the weather in seed starting this year! One day we will wake up and there wouldn’t be anymore snow!!! Yippee!!! Those beavers may laugh at us, but we will all come out of winter and enjoy the warmer temps!!!

  25. Beautiful! Love the rock AND the flooring. We have laminate flooring in our home, too. The easiest, streak free way to clean it is about 2 cups of vinegar in a gallon or so of water. Cleans like a dream and doesn’t leave any streaks. The vinegar-y smell goes away once it dries. This works better than any commercial cleaner I’ve tried. Keep up the great work and enjoy your inside time. It will be spring before you know it!

  28. Beautiful, just beautiful – both the rock wall and the flooring. We also just installed laminated plank flooring in our kitchen, we’re very pleased with it. Ours didn’t require any glue or cement to seal it down – no odor. I’m so glad your home is finally coming together – it does take time and it does take $$, good idea to just deal with a little at a time.

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