I took a break from taping and bedding to create the need for more. I relocated one of the living room’s ceiling lights. Of the five, this was the only one mounted on the bottom of a beam. Continuity man, continuity! I cut a hole in the ceiling and stuck my hand in to pull the wire loose and move it to its new location. I also added a badly needed outlet on the north wall by the windows (for future Christmas tree lights).

We decided to use the same heavy texture on "The Wall" as we did in the dining area (see November 2007). As before, my wife used an oil based primer to create a moisture barrier between the sheetrock and bedding compound. This will keep the texturing from drying too fast and from cracking.

The following Saturday, the 15th, I applied the texture while my wife kept me supplied with mud. As we went along, she used a laser pointer to show me areas that she felt needed more or less texture. We'd discuss it and I'd make a stroke or two, or not, depending on the agreement. I love collaborating with her. The whole process took two hours and eleven gallons of compound.

As the taping and bedding progressed I knew I needed to finish the downstairs support framing, else things might crack or buckle after the living room was finished. Now that we had decided on the exact placement of the doorway into the downstairs bunk room, I was able to reframe the load bearing wall on the west side (see January 2007). Now that I had a hydraulic jack I was able to lift things another quarter inch or so in the process. There was so much weight on this wall I had to install 2 X 4s horizontally at the studs' centers to keep them from bowing.

I also added another wall section to the downstairs bathroom to help support a soft and creaky spot in the middle of the living room.

Removing the bank of closets (see February 2008) meant that the ceiling beam no longer reached the living room wall. To compensate I designed, and had fabricated, a steel extension. With my reciprocating saw, I modified the end of the beam and bolted the extension to it. Where it stuck into the attic I supported the end of the extension atop special framing I had installed earlier for that purpose.

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, we hung the curtains.

On the 24th the County Fire Marshal lifted the burn ban. Finally, after several weeks of looking at the mess, we were able to eliminate the pile of wooden debris created by January's and February's demolition.