We're Under A Lot Of Pressure

    There are a huge number of cabinets in this house. Bathroom cabinets, kitchen cabinets, craft room cabinets, entertainment and TV cabinets. And bookshelves...kitchen desk, upstairs library bookcases. All I thought about was now nice it will be to have all that lovely storage, and to be able to finally put my books in an orderly, assessable place. I didn't really think about how much all that storage would cost to build. Silly me. The numbers were sobering and have me scrambling to come up with a more reasonable plan. I think we'll stick with the top of the line for the entry, living room and kitchen. We'll go for moderate for bathroom cabinets. I'm still plotting and planning for the rest.
    Ed is scrambling to finish the wiring details. We'd like to get insulation and sheetrock in the first part of February. He wired the doorbell and alarm system this week, and is finishing up the theater wiring. He gets frustrated by that one or two few parts he doesn't have yet that holds up completion, but all of those should be here next week.
   In the meantime MASCO came out on Monday and gave an estimate on insulation that was acceptable, so that we will have that done as soon as possible. Chapter two of this story in a moment.

   Wednesday I drove into Longview to pick up (more) alarm system wire and a few other parts, then up to Chehalis to pick up our light fixtures from Steel Partners Inc. Normally one would buy them from the retailer (plenty of places on-line) and pay the shipping. Well these babies are HEAVY and since the manufacturer was just up the road, I saved myself a bundle on shipping by picking them up myself.
   We bought two chandeliers, one for the entryway and one for over the dining table. We also got a light fixture for over the kitchen island. Let me tell you, these guys filled up the back of my Jeep!
  While I was up that way I drove further north and made a quick run through the antique stores in Centralia. I love these stores, and one of my favorites is the Shady Lady, housed in a former brothel. I found a very nice Belgian cabinet that will make a perfect linen cupboard for our master bath, and a very rustic cabinet that needs some love, but will go in the guest powder room.
   Thursday Simplex Grinnell came out to pressure test the fire sprinkler lines in preparation for our systems inspection prior to insulation and sheet rock. This means they fill the sprinkler lines with water under pressure and check for leaks. As you can imagine, this is very important. You do NOT want to find a leak after the sheet rock is up. The water went in, everyone walked around looking for leaks (there were none) and we were happy. Until.....Ed checked the weather forecast.

   Now the inspector has to check the fire sprinklers under pressure also. That means the water needs to stay in until  Chuck-The-Inspector comes out. Monday is a holiday, and we're gone on Wednesday, so that means Tuesday or Thursday. Nothing is insulated, and there is no heat. If the lines freeze,the fittings will leak and the whole system is garbage.
    Friday night the temperatures were supposed to bottom out at 30*.  Ed turned on the halogen work lights and left them on all night. He probably got up three times during the night, got dressed and went outside and into the house to check the temperatures.We managed to get through it without any damage. Last night was supposed to hit 29*. At 3:00 a.m. it hit 24* outside, although it was warmer inside the house. Ed stole the little heater from the garage where the cats sleep, and anything else he could think of that would generate heat without burning the house down.
   The weather forecast is for freezing temperatures at night all week. Ed and I will drive in and see what kind of space heaters we can find at Home Depot today. Maybe then he can get some sleep.