Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Not Easy, Not Fun

The latest step on the pantry construction was to do the preliminary work on getting the doorway cut from what will be the kitchen into the pantry.

The first part of this was to remove the siding from that area. (The pantry is added on to what was once an outside wall of the house.)

Our house is sided in fiber cement board which is NOT easy to work with. It didn't go up easily, and it sure didn't come off easily. We used this particular type of siding because it's fire-proof . . . but definitely not hard labor-proof!

Hubby first cut the shape of the door through the siding with a circular saw equipped with a special blade.

Cutting through this stuff makes a tremendous amount of dust and grit, and smells bad to boot.

Then getting the siding off the wall proved to be an arduous task accompanied by lots of vocal mumblings and grumblings.

I think I see real possibilities for the beginning of a Halloween costume here.

Finally done and area vacuumed and vacuumed and vacuumed to remove all of the dust and debris.

Next the window gets popped out (oh, if it would only go that easily) and inserted in the outer pantry wall.

10 comments:

Jo said...

Looks great! You guys are making fast work of this project. Soon you'll be building shelves and filling them up with lots of garden goodies.

Katidids said...

That is looking so good! Do you have your shelves all planned out? What goes where? We're plodding along with our addition. I'm so excited for you!

Mama Pea said...

Hi, Jo - FAST??! Oh, Jo, it feels so slow. "Life" keeps interrupting our forward progress it seems, no matter how hard we try to stay on task. But as my sensible husband keeps saying, every little bit we get done, no matter how little, is closer to being finished.

Hi, Katie - I know everything I want to fit in there (and think I have ample room) but won't pull it all together until we get closer to completion.

I remember how very happy, happy, happy I was when we got my quilt studio done. It was the first time I'd ever had space in a house that was mine and mine alone. So I know how eager you must be to have your studio addition completed. Just keep thinking about being in it this winter!

Patty said...

Hey Mama Pea-
We've cut through some of that stuff too, to fire proof the shop wall for the wood stove. Quite a HARD, stinky, dusty mess for sure! It looks great though! I can just see it full of colorful jars of garden goodies! :)

Judy D in WA said...

It's going to be fabulous!!! There is nothing more comforting to me that a full pantry, esp in the winter. Hubby is doing an awesome job.

Mama Pea said...

Hey, Patty and Judy - Thanks for the encouragement, gals! We'll keep at it with thoughts of how convenient having a BIG pantry is going to be in the end.

Erin said...

Lookin good! I can imagine the smell of that fiber cement. I'm surprised he didn't have to use a sawzall to get through all that stuff!

MaineCelt said...

We talk about having a mind's eye-- why not a mind's nose? In the midst of the stink, imagine those bright-jewel jars of preserves, all lined up, and the glorious aroma of summer that will be released when each jar is opened in that new and wonderful space.

Susan said...

Just keep reminding yourself how wonderful your new pantry will be - that will carry you through all the messy bits!

Mama Pea said...

Hi, Erin - A sawzall did enter the equation briefly a time or two!

Hi, MaineCelt - Cough, gag, choke, blow nose several times, wipe tears streaming from eyes . . . yup, that's what I should have done while the clouds of dusty cement were enveloping us. (If only my mind/imagination was that strong!) ;o)

Hi, Susan - You are all so right. We'll quickly forget the mess and work when it's all done and we have it to use and appreciate and enjoy forever!!