It's raining turds.
Being 180-odd years old and formerly owned by an artist, Lonsdale has its quirks. One oddity is a huge room at the back of the house used as a studio. Perhaps odd isn't the right word, 'architectural point of interest' sounds more high-toned. Instead of drywall or lathe and plaster, the walls were done with old barn board.
I would rather have the barn outside than in, but it certainly added some charm and character to the house. And mice apparently. When we head back to the city, I set out a few traps in hopes of not finding dropping throughout the house. Country living I know equals mice, but they should know their place.
Before people get up in arms about how cute mice are, I would let you know that they do not sleep in matchbox beds, use spools for tables or borrow little dollhouse chairs despite what Kenneth Grahame and others might have you think.
They do however, pack down insulation, chew holes in it, crap in it and generally destroy what they don't take to make nests with. The studio was always cooler than the rest of the house and as we wanted new floors put down, we figured we might as well stop the drafts and do a spot of spray foam insulation.
As the boards came down, so did the showers of mini black raisins and pink fibreglass. In addition to expletives for the rodents, there were plenty for former owners Robert and Lena. Massive 4" nails were used to 'tack' up the barn board and the trim used 5" screws. The heads of which were plastered over so you had to find, clear and then remove or risk pulling down the ceiling.
We also discovered the boards were put in before the floor and the ceiling for they run about 8 inches into the attic and 1/2" below the floor. Two more things that dashed my hopes of just "popping" them off.
After our twice as long as usual drive in the snow, wind and ice, I thought this little job would take a couple hours. A full day later, we are about 80% done. I know IronMan loves me and has the patience of the saint as he removed the offending nails as I pried off the boards whilst reminding me to be careful as I scurried up and down the ladder.
I hope that once the spray is in, the mice will be out, of that room anyway, and we can stop using the studio as an extra fridge.
Have to go and get back at it.
I would rather have the barn outside than in, but it certainly added some charm and character to the house. And mice apparently. When we head back to the city, I set out a few traps in hopes of not finding dropping throughout the house. Country living I know equals mice, but they should know their place.
Before people get up in arms about how cute mice are, I would let you know that they do not sleep in matchbox beds, use spools for tables or borrow little dollhouse chairs despite what Kenneth Grahame and others might have you think.
They do however, pack down insulation, chew holes in it, crap in it and generally destroy what they don't take to make nests with. The studio was always cooler than the rest of the house and as we wanted new floors put down, we figured we might as well stop the drafts and do a spot of spray foam insulation.
As the boards came down, so did the showers of mini black raisins and pink fibreglass. In addition to expletives for the rodents, there were plenty for former owners Robert and Lena. Massive 4" nails were used to 'tack' up the barn board and the trim used 5" screws. The heads of which were plastered over so you had to find, clear and then remove or risk pulling down the ceiling.
We also discovered the boards were put in before the floor and the ceiling for they run about 8 inches into the attic and 1/2" below the floor. Two more things that dashed my hopes of just "popping" them off.
After our twice as long as usual drive in the snow, wind and ice, I thought this little job would take a couple hours. A full day later, we are about 80% done. I know IronMan loves me and has the patience of the saint as he removed the offending nails as I pried off the boards whilst reminding me to be careful as I scurried up and down the ladder.
I hope that once the spray is in, the mice will be out, of that room anyway, and we can stop using the studio as an extra fridge.
Have to go and get back at it.
posted by Robert Mitchell L.L. at
5:51 AM
1 Comments:
Oh my and to think helping Mother keep the house was hard. Only burst pipes there to contend with.
It will be good to have that done and mow a frigid winter is here, you will know where all the cracks are.
Poor bees.
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