working hard(wood)

The hardwood has finally "cured" or acclimatized so that we can start to put it in. We have a bit of a deadline because Christmas is coming and we LOVE to host. We both love to be able to open our home.So the deadline was Dec. 22 7pm. That was when our fist few people were coming and we wanted to have it finished and all cleaned up.

We started on Monday (Dec. 20). Dean came home from work early so we could get a good start on it. The first day was the hardest. The hardwood start on the whole length of the house had to be either cut or sanded from the bottom so it would be level with the kitchen/bathroom/office/waxing room floors.

As Dean cut and sanded the starting pieces, I started placing the boards. The first day it felt like we didn't get as much done because we had to go all the way down the hall.

Dean did an amazing job with making the hardwood meet the kitchen floor for a very smooth joint.

 We worked until 10:30 the first night and got a really great start so that the next day while Dean was at work I could get more rows nailed in.

We had piles and piles of boxes of hardwood that slowly got opened and used up. We both felt the effects of the bending over. With a little help from Advil and an icepack we gotter done.

Day 2 started for me at 9am. Dean and the kids left for work and school and I started plugging away at making some progress. The second day as I was nailing the boards in. A neighbour stopped by. When he saw what I was doing he asked if I was putting the hardwood in by myself. When I said sure. He asked if it couldn't be screwed up. Sure it could, I said.Why would I want to screw it up though?

Dean came home at 4 and then we started to get things done way faster.

 I love the tool that we used this time. The last time we nailed our hardwood in with a hand air nailer. This time we have this fancy hardwood air nailer. You put this tool into place and whack it with the rubber mallet and the air tool pushes the long nails into the floor.

I am barefoot because my socks kept getting stuck between the boards as I nailed them into place.

Ice packs work great with a couple of Advil to get through 12 hours of bending over.

 The second day, We again worked until around 10pm. We figured we had enough done that we should get in finished in time.

 This is all we had left after day 2.
Day 3.We only had a few hours left before company arrived so we had to work quick to finish up and get the house clean and get the appetizers on the table.

This year we opted for a small fake Christmas tree. So we just picked it up and moved it to get the flooring done.

Colton came home after lunch on the 22, so him and I worked until Dean got home in mid afternoon to help. As we started Colton said "You have to do this even though Dad's not home"? Sheesh.

Yeah!! We did it. We finished it in time to clean up and have the house all ready for company!!

We swept/dusted and got the tree back into place. We did it. Having a deadline is the best way for us sometimes.

After we finished we decided that it was really not that bad. After a while your body gets used to the bending over and doesn't hurt anymore. But now we're done so until next time......

I had to remember to get a dining room shot for Tracy.

I picked up one of our pieces of art today. It has been in storage for the last year.

We are hosting our second Christmas party today and we can't wait for them to get here!! We are also waiting for YOU to come and visit. So please don't be a stranger. We miss having you here.