My priority list for 1987 was divided into "Indoor", which I could do anytime, and "Outdoor", which I could do only when the weather cooperated. More than half of last year's list was also on this year's: deck at top of stairs, grade around cottage and parking area, front door stoop, beach shed improvement, fireplace, dock, boat. But my major effort this year would be to finish the inside of the cottage, mainly the "dry interior" - the living area, 2 bedrooms, sleeping loft, closets.
Despite my intention to concentrate on the inside, there were jobs that I wanted to do outside before it got too hot or that I could do at home. I started the year by building benches at home that I could use on the deck of the cottage. I remembered being fascinated by benches on the ocean boardwalks that had a back that could be positioned on either side of the seat depending on whether you wanted to view the beach and ocean or the boardwalk parade. I wanted to use one bench to divide the deck so that the deck outside the master bedroom would be a little more private. A bench that could be used from either side seemed ideal for such a location. I designed, bought lumber, and started building. Unfortunately, my circular saw died.
I had started out using Dave's power tools, his circular saw and 1/4 inch drill. I already had my own screwdrivers, pliers, and hammer. To improve accuracy I had purchased a saw guide and a drill guide and I'd bought a scrolling saw for making more precise cuts. Early on I bought a level since I was not getting consistent readings with Dave's. Later in the first year I bought my own drill since I was using one quite often for bolt holes on the stairway to the lake and the raft. That first year I also added a wrench and some outdoor extension cords. The next year I bought my own circular saw and an additional hammer. In 1989, after many complaints from Dave that his socket wrench was always missing, I bought one for myself. I'd taken advantage of rentals when I knew I would have a limited need for a tool - a conduit bender, a drywall jack, an extra large bit. Now my circular saw was out of order; while mine was being repaired, I tried using Dave's again, but decided it wasn't doing well enough to bother. I was happy it was March and not the middle of the summer. After mine was repaired I took both his drill and saw in for "reconditioning" since I felt rather guilty for the condition of both.
When my saw was again usable I also made shutters for the windows facing the road. I ran into a snag there when I found I couldn't buy the same stain that I'd used for other trim. I had stained the cottage a medium brown and had used a very dark brown, almost black, for the trim; I wanted to make everything as maintenance-free as possible and so I avoided paint. I made do with the darkest stain I could find and I think probably I'm the only one who can see the difference.
When I was able to use the lake road again, I cleared an area off the road at the side of the property opposite the existing parking area. The existing parking area was about 2 1/2 cars wide and couldn't easily be expanded; I wanted to be able to have more room than that for cars when we entertained. Then I had fill dirt delivered for several purposes - to level both parking areas and to grade around the foundation pillars and the septic system where there had been settling. It would be hot work and I wanted to get it done before it was too warm outside.
The finger lakes area is wine country; the conditions are ideal for growing grapes. Since the cottage is in the woods and heavily shaded I wasn't sure I could grow anything, but I wanted to try now that grape vines were available. The south side, which would get the most sun and where the septic system excavation had necessitated removing trees, seemed best. I sawed a fence rail in half and pounded each half in the ground and suspended wires on which the grapes could climb and I installed a gutter on that side of the roof so that the rain running off the roof wouldn't wash the soil away. Then I planted the grape vines as well as spreading some grass seed in the areas that I'd filled and leveled in hopes that it would hold the soil in place.
Two concrete blocks had been supporting a step into the front door since there had been a front door. There is a difference of opinion on which is the front and the back of the cottage; I usually just say "lake-side" or "road-side" so I guess I should say "road-side door". Anyway I now wanted something a little nicer at this entrance. I decided to build a small deck. I had also planned to build a deck at the top of the stairs to the beach; it would be pleasant to sit out there and catch the breeze on hot days. When I'd built the steps, I'd omitted the top 6 steps that would eventually be needed to reach a level deck. At the moment it was a longer step than desired to reach the existing top step. I wanted to work on both decks at the same time for efficiency. No building permits were required and they were both done by the end of May. I'd had a scare, however, while I was nailing the decking boards onto the deck at the top of the beach stairs. I'd been sitting there listening to the peaceful sounds of the woods when suddenly they weren't so peaceful any more. Something was crashing through the underbrush and it seemed to be coming straight at me. I still couldn't see anything, but I stood up ready to run from a bear. Two groundhogs suddenly appeared, one chasing the other, and ran right under me as I breathed a sigh of relief.
Memorial Day seems to be a good time to plan on being able to prime the pump with no danger of freezing. Once I had accomplished that, I wanted to start on my major job of the year: insulating, putting up wallboard, spackling, sanding, priming, painting. But first, I'd made a decision to revise my house plan. The sleeping loft covered a little more than half of the area above the living room and had a half-wall so that it overlooked the living room. It seemed very romantic to me, but I'd decided it wasn't very practical: I was going to have to be inventive to figure out how to open and close one second floor window, I'd already had a fan light installed in the lower level of this open area (I'd planned on enclosing just the two joists supporting it), I was using only half of the possible floor space on the second floor (the second floor consisted of two 12x24 foot attic spaces and the 12x13 foot sleeping loft which had a sloping ceiling), and there was always the danger of someone falling from the sleeping loft into the living room below. So I installed the joists and flooring that would make the sleeping loft into a large open room. That left me with another decision to make: Should I make it two rooms or one? It could always be changed later without much trouble so I decided on one large room with a curtain in the middle to make it versatile.
Insulating, putting up wallboard, spackling, sanding, priming, painting: thankless jobs. I'd already had some experience with them the previous year.
Since I insulated with fiberglass, I needed to have my skin protected so I tried to do that job on the cooler days. There were never enough of them when I needed them. When I did the ceilings I wore goggles and mask as well, but the mask constantly steamed up the goggles. Despite the protective clothing I always itched afterwards. I was happy when I finished with the insulation. The only part of the cottage that remained uninsulated was under the first floor. It would always be easy to reach if I wanted to insulate later. I couldn't decide if I should insulate the attic area; I compromised by insulating one side only. I thought I could warm the cottage somewhat during cold spells by opening the one attic door and admitting the heat collected by the sun shining on the roof. However I found I needed to ventilate that attic by installing vents in the peak and under the eaves; I would have to cover the vents if I wanted to collect heat. There is a very noticeable temperature difference between the two attics.
Putting up the drywall was more satisfying. It was something that would always show. I had it delivered since it was so easy to damage it and rather cumbersome to handle. For the ceilings, I rented a drywall jack. It wasn't easy, but it was do-able. I had to cut the wallboard to fit, then lift it onto the jack, crank it up to the ceiling and maneuver it into position. If it fit correctly, good; if not, I had to crank it down again and recut it. I needed to put enough nails in it to hold it up there before I could move the jack out of the way. I rented the jack for a whole day the first time. I could barely move my neck, shoulders, and arms the next day and, thereafter, rented it for only a half day at a time. The sloping ceilings in the sleeping loft created somewhat of a problem. I decided to put the walls up first; then I had a lip on which to rest one side of the ceiling while I held the other side and nailed at the same time. The ceilings over the stairway presented the biggest challenge, but I finally accomplished it with homemade scaffolding that I would also use for later finishing.
I think one needs to be part-artist to apply joint compound. I never felt very artistic. The joints between two pieces of wallboard weren't too bad. The end-to-end joints on the ceilings were worse. The angles between two walls were difficult, but what I hated most were the corners. I decided to just plaster it on thick and sand later. I had another challenge when I spackled the joints of the sloping ceiling.
The messiest job during the entire cottage project was sanding the joint compound. I needed mask and goggles. The particles seeped into the smallest crack and clogged the vacuum when I tried to clean. I looked like I had applied white clown-face after sanding. Despite wearing mask and goggles I could taste it and my eyes were irritated by it. I think I was happier when I finished sanding than I was when I finished insulating.
Priming was a pleasure after the preparation - and painting was ecstasy.
A nice break in the work routine was the Fourth of July. One planned activity every year is the selling of flares which are lit all around the shores of the lake on the Fourth. They look like a chain of red beads. But one can see fireworks from all around for several nights during that week. Since I was working the night shift in the Emergency Room, I had often had to forego Fourth of July celebrations, but this year I appreciated them fully. We stayed at the lake that night and watched the "flares bursting in air" even after we went to bed.
Once the painting was done I could install doors and the accompanying hardware. I had openings to both attics from the sleeping loft. They would need special doors since the openings were short (the wall was about five feet high at the sides) and the roof sloped down from there leaving no room for doors to swing in. Instead I put in sliding doors, using mahogany veneered plywood; later I used the remaining plywood to make tables. I also laid vinyl flooring down in the sleeping loft. I planned on carpeting the remaining floors.
The cottage was looking like a real house by the end of this year.