Slow and steady progress on the reno...

This cottage reno project is taking for-EVER. It's because one thing keeps leading to another, like you paint the new section of wall and its so clean and fresh it makes the ceiling look dingy, so you paint the ceiling and then notice how banged up the baseboards and trim are ...and on and on. Then a notion comes along in the middle of the night when I cant sleep for the wheels turning, that some specialty cut shingles would look nice on the outside project so the last two days I have been in the workshop making 214 pointy shingles for just one wall of a wrap around the house design.

Ben is applying them with his fancy air powered stapler. Makes my previous efforts with shingle nails look downright archaic. The old board and batten underneath was badly cracked and letting in a lot of air. He took off the battens, applied tyvek vapor barrier, then a layer of foil backed insulative foam sheets and then the shingles. It's so great to find a concientious carpenter, I've never seen anyone use silicon caulking so diligently! He will do just this side wall and the back wall at this time, as the budget allows. That ratty looking eave board will be covered with white metal cladding. At this stage of life it's all about no maintenance.

Here's the new kids playroom upstairs over the kitchen. I'm waiting for just the right fabric, with blue and brick red to come along, for curtains for the 3 windows and a cover

for the cot mattress in the reading corner. There are lots of picture and chapter books for tots to teens. I was the kind of kid who would have made a beeline for the reading nook. The toy box is one I made for my boys who are now in their mid and late 20's and it always reminds me of how adorable they were when I see it.
The pair of doors in the knee wall open to a storage area and a great hiding place.

I think this will be a real plus for our summer tourist renters, to have a separate kid's play area, especially on rainy days.
Back to cutting more pointy shingles tomorrow...