a tale of tails, tenacity, and tedium, as told by me, usually barefoot and bellowing

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Ping Pong Work and Chip Board World

Fill the sink, clean the floor, put dishes in the water, clean the stove, start a load of clothes, empty the trash, wash the sink of dishes and put in some more.

Ping Pong.  Here.  There.  Back again.  No one's keeping score as long as the ball is in play. I'm sure there's a more relaxed way of doing but I bounce.  I seem to accomplish few things during the play but when all is said and done chores are completed.

This past couple of weeks we've tried to replace Andrew's floor.  The chip (Commingled Half-baked Interfused Paste) board had reached the end of it's life and was slowly disintegrating. This repair entailed removing carpet, padding, tack board, chip board, glue, two inch steeples and taking it all back to the two by floor joists.

This has been a comedy of errors.  Not only are our bodies not cooperating, the minds went on strike too.  I'm a firm believer of planning, measuring, and doing both again before a cut is ever made. We discussed which way to run the plywood...yes, plywood is replacing this mess of sawdust.  We decided first this way, then that and finally, because I couldn't remember which way we had decided I drew a big arrow on the floor so I would not forget again.

To see two non-agile people step/walk across two inch boards carrying power tools and big boards while praying we keep our balance would have made a great little movie.
I've laughed many times at old cartoons where a character would saw a limb off while they were standing on it.  Well, I even tried that, kinda.  I cut two slices through chip board in one section and stepped to the next to cut two more strips so they could be pried up with a crowbar. Having finished that cut I promptly stepped onto the previously cut piece and plummeted to the ground, grateful it was just under two feet. Didn't have to pry that chip board off...it went with me.

Slowly we have battled the deconstruction and the reconstruction.  To quote Hubby, "I ain't no damn carpenter!" but we've managed.  One more sheet and a tiny spot of piecing and we will be ready to lay the floor covering.

Another challenge was doing this without removing the furniture.  It has been the biggest jigsaw puzzle we've ever tried to piece together.

20 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Good morning, you are always busy there. My hubby does not like renovating anything, he is not a handyman either. Luckily my son likes to work on projects. I hope you are done soon and back to normal. Have a happy day!

MadSnapper said...

I am worn to a frazzle reading this and since i can't step from board to board would be no help at all... you accomplished what to me is an impossible task with just the two of you.. so glad you did not get hurt...

21 Wits said...

I always like to read about your projects (love the photos too) and I have to laugh when I began reading this I thought, hmmm sounds like my life! Chores...chores and more chores! Yikes!

LilliStJohn said...

We enjoy the challenges of daily life and repairs. Yah just don't call the carpenter unless yah have to. We have put in and taken out windows, built a deck, propped up boards to balance, hammered and sawed....all because my parents saw to it that we could . If you are going to run a farm or a household, you just have to know some repair things, and the only way to learn, is to do it. Right. Some of your projects sound like some of mine too, so I am double laughing. H to M lol

Linda Kay said...

This reminded me of my hubby and me standing on ten-foot ladders painting his shed!

Susan said...

Whoa! That is a whole lot of work and finagling. I always wondered what CHIP stood for in chip board, and now I know. I can empathize with your husband - I find myself prefacing every project with the same sentiment.

Country Gal said...

Glad you are ok but my goodness what a lot of work . All these do it your selves are very challenging indeed , with out Papa here I would be in a pickle with all these kinds of things I am lucky he can build and fix anything including electrical a handy man he is indeed . I hope all goes well sounds like you all have it under control though maybe not the laughing whats hard work with out a giggle or two any ways . Thanks for sharing , have a good day !

Country Gal said...

As for the cleaning up dishes and what not all at the same time Multi tasking that's what we girls do multi task !

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

You didn't remove the furniture? Wow, I'm impressed.
Chip board for flooring seems like a bad idea.

Debbie said...

busy beavers, i often wonder if life is just an endless list of chores??? so i try to dust less and play more, it can be done, but i don't live on a farm or have near the responsibilities i use to have!!!

this project, without removing furniture, i just can't picture it!!!!

Sketching with Dogs said...

I feel tired just reading that!
Eek, be careful! I know if I went anywhere near a saw the hospital would be the next stop.
Lynne x

Anonymous said...

It amazes me how much we think and work the same. With Bill home, it is in fast forward. Just pace yourself. As Granny said, "It all comes out in the wash."

LindaG said...

I am thankful that you are uninjured. Nothing serious, hopefully.
At least you are moving forward. Some days here it is like one step forward and two back.
Lately, it is more like a half step forward and three back!
Be careful and have a blessed week! ♥

Susan Kane said...

Who ever invented chip board should have been required to post a warning on the damn thing.

Arkansas Patti said...

Yikes, that could have hurt. So glad you weren't. I was all ready impressed by the job you did but when you said you did it without removing the furniture--- all I can say is WOW.

Susan Anderson said...

You two never fail to amaze me with your projects. You just never say never, do you? No matter how daunting, you will get the job done.

Pioneer spirit. That's you.

=)

Lynne said...

Well it sounded like really, really hard work
until you said you left the furniture in the room . . .
And I screamed . . . CRAZZZZY . . .
How could that be possible . . .
Amazing!

Far Side of Fifty said...

What a project didn't you replace that floor a few years ago? Perhaps it was another part of the house. Good work for non carpenters!! :) Not moving furniture I am impressed:)

Lee said...

You are so industrious...you are to be admired.

That chipboard is useless stuff. I had to get piles of it torn up when I was managing the resort on Hinchinbrook Island. Whoever the builders were needed to take up different careers because they used it in all the "wet" areas. My foot/leg went through the floor of deck of my house on the island...the deck wasn't enclosed and copped the full brunt of the tropical weather! I could never understand (and still don't) why anyone would use chipboard in that area in the first place. I had the whole flooring replaced with hardwood.

Be careful...don't go breaking your neck! :)

Lowcarb team member said...

Now I do enjoy reading your posts you just bring them to life and we the readers are there with you ... amazing ... and well done to. I just love this "It has been the biggest jigsaw puzzle we've ever tried to piece together."

All the best Jan

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