Learning patience

Here I am....it's been a while it seems. The house is in a strange place, no I don't mean it moved to a strange neighborhood....it's at this stage where there is little for us to do.  We're all basically waiting on the contractors, who are waiting on the plumbers, & waiting on the electrician, who is waiting on the plumbers... It seems they have been fully invested in a plumbing job at a restaurant..which they must have done by today, 2/22 or a $1000. a day fine will incur till job is complete.  I am counting on seeing them tomorrow.  We are hoping to begin really "moving in" this Sunday.  But toilet, sink, occupancy permit & thorough cleaning cannot begin until they have made the beautiful water run!

The other waiting game we have been playing is waiting for plaster to dry....in the last 2 months I have learned more about plaster than I ever thought I'd know!  Our plasterer left a lot to be desired, lets just say he will not be invited to the "crew luncheon" at the end of the job!  Anyways, we have dark spots & light spots all over the walls...dark spots seem wet, but after 8 weeks are they really? (setting up time is 30days)....light spots are chalky & soft...& have caused paint to peel off them in previous attempts to cover. 
On these soft chalky spots I've learned to wash GENTLY ('cause the plaster will come right off on the sponge), with water/vinegar mix to neutralize and repainting has worked.
I am not convinced the dark is actually wet, as it appears in areas that have had just as much heat & time as other areas right beside them...it's a mystery (one I didn't want!)
So...with more googling, I found this (from Popular Mechanics 1959) which is likely when plaster was "the thing", talks about "dry-outs" which I think is what these are....then I found this.... "When plaster dries out before it sets it is soft and chalky. you can sometimes add some water back to that soft plaster and replace what dried out and it will finish setting." so yesterday we sprayed w/ spray bottle (water & vinegar) all the spots upstairs (in 2 rooms we have not been able to complete), the chalky white spots.  We let dry for a few hrs, seemed less chalky but still a little, so we sprayed them all once more (some of these are the ENTIRE wall). a garden sprayer would have been great in hindsight!  We'll see what this a.m. brings-I'm hoping to be able to prime!

Progress however...Pete Spadone did install our counter tops....they are gorgeous!  These were as previously mentioned made from reclaimed yellow pine.  Originally a beam from a mill in Biddeford, Maine.  We couldn't be more happy with them....very anxious to use them!

Scott, this is the ONLY time being on the counter is okay!! :)



our beautiful 12 foot long counter top which we are SO excited to use!



These 2 cutting surfaces you see...have been the extent of our "counter top" area at Grandma's house for the last 2 winters....are we going to appreciate 12+ feet of counter space?  LIKE NO ONE ELSE COULD!!! :)



One more parting shot....

Our bedroom actually has a bed in it in hopes we may sleep at this house in the near future.  This bed is a family heirloom of mine, and over the years has gotten beat up quite a bit.  The foot board has slats that fit into it, and both sides were broken etc....Pete & Scott fixed it up at Pete's workshop- & its good as new! yay!  Thank you Pete!

The wall at the top of the stairs was painted, and revealed Scott's library color, appropriately called, Falcon!  It's a great color & we love it as much out of the can as in!  The library is one of the "trouble plaster" rooms, so it was nice to finally get one wall painted in this room, maybe more today!

Oh!  & we stopped by the bodyshop & indeed the box of missing legs was in my car!  So both chairs have legs now!  Thank goodness, this really was a mystery where they had gone off to!

The thing is I'd put them in my car for "safe keeping"....however nothing about my car involves "safe keeping" lately!