Time Off from Zelda

This weekend was an escape from Zelda and instead, explore some areas around Maryland.  One of the few good things about living around Washington DC is the free access to museums and monuments.  We decided to visit Arlington National Cemetery and look for the marker of Lynn's great uncle, Marion Dufilho, that was killed in World War II.  Marion was a naval aviator who graduated from the US Naval Academy, and was killed during the battle Solomon Islands in 1943.  He was flying a Wildcat and his body was never discovered.  A navy destroyers escort ship was named the "USS DUFILHO" in his honor.

We also visited the graveside of President Kennedy, Audie Murphy, the memorial for the Space Shuttle Astronauts and Iran hostage rescue solders and the tomb of the Unknown Solders.  We stayed and watched the changing of the guard and  laying of the wreath.  Afterwards, a bugler played taps.

Today is Renee and Greg's first wedding annivesary.  Hard to believe it has already been one (1) year.  Next week, we will be helping them move to Evansville, Indiana.

Markers at Arlington National Cemetery

The memorial marker for Lt. Marion Dufilho.

The location of Lt. Dufilho's marker in section D of Arlington Cemetery.

Jennifer and Jessica at President Kennedy's graveside.

Graveside of the most decorated US solder of World War II.

Memorials to both space shuttle crews and those lost in the Iran hostage rescue attempt.

The tomb of the unknown solders overlooking Washington DC.

Guarding the Tomb.

The changing of the guard.

Changing of the guard.

The laying of the wreath.

A Successful Weekend

We arrived at Zelda early Friday morning and as previously mentioned, Zelda passed the final inspection.  After receiving the good news, Brent started putting down the quarter round down stairs, the girls painted and Lynn grouted the master bath shower.

Also during the weekend, the keeping room fireplace was tiled and grouted, the back door stairs were stained and final touches were made downstairs on trim painting and caulking.

We have traveled down to Zelda five (5) out of the last six (6) weekends, so we are taking this weekend off.

Jennifer staining the back steps and Inspector Cookie looking at the work.

Still working on the stairs.

Inspector Cookie moves into the dining room to inspect the installation of quarter round.

Painting the stairs and applying caulk to the door trim.

Jessica painting the stair risers.

Jennifer applying caulk.

Socks shows up for a free meal.

Inspector Cookie looks at the keeping room fireplace.

The fireplace hearth and surround grouted.

The master bath grouted.

Inspector Cookie takes a shower before giving her final grade for Zelda.

Inspector Cookie agrees with the City of Kings Mountain and gives Zelda a passing grade.

Final Inspection - PASSED

We had some good news on Friday. The Kings Mountain Inspector came for the scheduled appointment and passed the final inspection on Zelda. We now have a clear path to put Zelda on the market. We have a few items left to finish on the inside and apply the final coat of paint outside and landscape. A local church youth group is currently clearing off the fence lines of all brush and is clearing the yard of all old debris, including the satellite dish.

An update and pictures of our weekend work will follow.

Paint, Tiles and Stairs, Oh My!

This weeks entry is being written by Jessica.

We arrived at Zelda late Friday night and began work Saturday morning. Due to over exhaustion last week "Inspector Cookie" took the weekend off and let us work without peering over our shoulders. Dad tackled the bathtub and did a beautiful job tiling it.

Mom, Jennifer and I were hard at work painting. Mom did touch ups on the staircase and ran errands for more tile. Jennifer and I painted the Murphy Room with the color it should have been at last. We also repainted the hallway since it was in need of another coat.

The work crew replaced the stairs on the back door and they look great. The plan is to stain them this coming weekend. Our electrician showed up for his final job and accidentally dropped something inside the wall. My assistance was required for my compact mirror and then later my arm since it was small enough to fit into the hole and retrieve the item he had dropped.

On Sunday Dad finished tiling the tub while us girls cleaned Zelda until it sparkled. Our inspection is on Friday this week and we are hoping to get a checklist for what else needs to be done. We can't put it on the market until the final inspection is passed. We're all hoping that it is a short list. Keep your fingers crossed.

We will be arriving at Zelda late Thursday night or early Friday morning, this week. 

The status of the tub on Saturday morning.

Then finally at noon on Sunday.

Another shot of the tub area. 

Jennifer painting the window in the Murphy Room.

Jessica painting door trim in the foyer.

Ray and Ray Jr. working on the back steps.

Ray Jr working on the steps.

The steps need the spindles attached and then "Inspector Cookie" will take a look.

Inspector Cookie

Another weekend and another trip down to Zelda. We did have several accomplishments this weekend. Lynn was able to finish grouting the shower and she grouted the library/living room fireplace hearth and surround.

Brent spent the entire weekend in the attic but did finishing installing floor access to the hot water heater and the ac unit. The temperature outside was in the 90's so the temp in the attic was well above 100 degrees F. He had to take several breaks and got dizzy (more than usual) several times.

The girls and Lynn continued with the never ending tasks of painting. The outside front door was painted along with the sidelights. The inside was touched up where Ray Jr. had installed some additional trim pieces. Progress was made on all the painting, but there is still work to do.

On the agenda for next weekend, PAINT both inside and outside. Also, tiling around the master bathtub and the keeping room fireplace will be on the menu.

Cookie spent the entire weekend inspecting all the work. She has become the official inspector. But we did receive a notice from Kings Mountain about having our final inspection performed. Brent did contact Kings Mountain and the final inspection is set for Friday, June 18, 2010.

Cookie is inspecting the painting on the stairs. Looks like some touch up work needs to be done.

Inspector Cookie wants all the tile installed before she approves the tiling in the master shower.

Cookie is checking Brent install some trim molding. Looks like Cookie wants a level to check the alignment.

Cookie inspect the painting of the side lights and likes the color. The brush strokes have got to go and you missed several spots.

Cookie inspects Ray Jr works and wants to see his contractor's licence.

Cookie is please with the grouting and tile job and notes that the stain job on the hearth has passed inspection.

The transition strip between the kitchen floor and keeping room floor passes Cookie's inspection.

Checking out the attic flooring, due to the heat Cookie passes the inspection and head down stairs. If I stayed longer I would be a "Hot Dog".

All the work this weekend and the heat in the attic really takes it out of an inspector. Not even a toy is interesting after this grueling inspection. Next weekend is another day and every dog has his day. I will be back, because an inspector's work is never done especially if my family is involved. I am not really sleeping but just inspecting the floor installation.

The List is Shorter

The goals outlined on Friday where just that, goals. We were unable to achieve all, but new ones were substituted and completed. The rain prevented us from completing the outside painting, but we were able to concentrate on additional interior items to paint. The downstairs paint is at 85%, as the Murphy Room crown still needs to be finished painted and the kitchen and keeping room ceilings must be re-rolled. The girls did perform a great job in painting, by repainting the beadborad paneling on the stairs and upstairs hall and checking all the interior doors. The tile was not installed on the keeping room fireplace, but the tile was installed on the library fireplace.

The grouting of the master bath shower did not get completed, but that is due to running out of grout on Monday. All the walls have been grouted and buffed as well as 60% of the floor. This will be finished the upcoming weekend with a new supply of grout.

We were able to cut out the wood flooring and reposition the hearth for the keeping room fireplace. Also the wood threshold was installed between the kitchen tile floor and the keeping room wood floor and between the foyer marble floor and the keeping room. Also, some trim work was added around the base of the stairs which now tie into the existing baseboard.

We only have a few items remaining (three (3) exterior door thresholds, stairs for one (1) exterior entrance and hard flooring access in attic to service hot water heater) to have Zelda ready to pass a final inspection by Kings Mountain in order to allow us to put her on the market.

On Sunday, Lynn and Brent celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary at Zelda. We hope that next year we will be celebrating in Italy and the Zelda experience will be a pleasant memory.

The top tiles for the library fireplace are installed.

The side tiles have been installed and the mantel placed. Now we need grout.

The grouting of the tile in the master bath shower begins.

Cookie is brought into the shower to inpect the progress of the grout.

The shower floor. Those are 1" square slate tiles.

The sides have been grouted.

Cookie is performing a close inspection of the grouting of the floor.

Jessica is proud of her paint job. We are too!

Jessica painting the beadboard in the stair well.

Jennifer painting a second coat on an interior door. Hey, you missed a spot!

Painting some trim work that will be installed in the stair case. Was it suppose to be white?

Trim work at the bottom of the stairs that Brent tied into the existing base board. Looks like work performed by a pro!

Painting the trimwork on the foyer ceiling around the stairs. Careful on the step ladder.

Painting at Zelda is Fun! I could do this all summer long.

After a full day of inspecting work at Zelda, Cookie is exhausted.