I’ve several projects on the plate, but the bride’s investment house on North Cedarbrook certainly ranks high. I’ve rebuilt the back deck and chimney chase, among other things. One of the cool things I did was to put a EPDM membrane under the decking and rig a way for water to flow out so as to create some dry (relatively speaking) space for outside the daylight basement. This winter I’ll be finishing “rock” veneer on the lower area since I can rig some plastic or something to heat the space enough for the mortar to cure correctly. It needs to stay about 45 degrees but there are usually enough warm days where I can at least get some work done.

Rebuilding the steps and landings down that steep slope (while trying to not harm root systems on several big white oaks, in the front isn’t an easy project but I’m starting back now that fall, Alabama’s version admittedly, is here. This is really a nice little house in the old Cary Woods neighborhood and Lee got a good deal on it – possibly because the driveway is super steep. There’s a new Publix on Shug and elementary school built nearby on College Street. It’s also an easy walk to the back side of Hickory Dickory Park. I’ve added some heated square footage and a nice triple door under a covered stoop where a garage was.

Here’s a “before and after” on some of the rock veneer work. These images are awful and I’ve also pretty much finished this feature. Thus, I’ll get some better images up as able. I used form liners for the steps and edgings. The actual walls are a combination of form and block work.

Here’s an image of me (hot and sweaty in July of 2017 after doing some work in the jungle near the creek in the back of the North Cedarbrook property) before the rock veneer chimney. Forming and pouring the top was especially brutal work for a one-man band. Notice the drip edge formed underneath so as to reduce chances of water causing troubles. I used treated wood when I rebuilt that chase (and yes, I used hot-dipped galvanized fasteners for my lathe) but I always worry about water around a stick-built (or pretty much any) chimney.

Over the winter of 2015, I had time to finish (almost there at least) squaring away a proper office in a spare bedroom. I did beaded plank over some ugly old stipple and now plan to do it for the whole house. The shelves have moulding and edges I routed. I’m going to eventually do some rustic looking boxes for that top. I may also try to build a lateral file cabinet as time allows.

A stand-up desk frame has been quite a project in getting it to look somewhat rustic and also on casters. I’m still tweaking it and have a little more to go but am using it. I have since added some fancy monitor arms and find two big monitors on arms quite helpful. My little groin injury remains a hassle but being able to just mash a button to raise or drop a desktop is surely a big blessing.