Weekend wrap up

This weekend we planned on installing our new chimney and hearth.  Thank the heavens above that Dov's brother Otom was able to come and help because jeezuz this took F-O-R-E-V-E-R.  I imagine that with only one person doing the installation it might never reach completion.  It also doesn't help that they shipped us the entire stainless chimney but managed to leave out 2 of the most crucial pieces.  Good thing we are master improvisers!  

Friday night we sanded and painted the wood stove.  This is the same wood stove that was in the house I grew up in.  Since the paint is highly toxic we had to burn off the fumes outdoors so we had a fabulous wood stove campfire on Saturday night after the boys had wrapped up for the day.  Check us out.

The only thing remotely classy about this photograph is the Natty Light.  From the wood horses, to the Simplicity lawn mower this picture screams WE HAVE TONS OF MONEY!  Right?  Moving on.  Well it is slightly amazing that exactly one week from Dov getting the crap beat out of him by a falling tree and chainsaw that he had the guts to climb out on to the top of our roof.  Don't worry we followed OSHA rules BY THE BOOK.  First we pulled Otom's van into the side yard and foraged around in the garage for some rope long enough to throw over the side of the roof.  Then we tied Dov up and sent him packing.  What do you mean that isn't how you do it?  Welp it worked!  Here's proof.

The kids were all incredibly unhelpful helpful the entire time.  Noah made sure he grabbed any tool they might need and ran off with it at crucial moments and Bella did her best to hide all the screws under the deck.  Me, well I cooked the meals and did the beer runs. 

The part of this project that I have been looking forward to was designing the hearth.  We decided on slate and one of Dov's work buddies that is a welder manufactured a sweet metal frame for us.  See.

Now this whole thing is removable even after we are all done.  Just take the 4 billion pound stove off and out it goes!  Pretty sweet I think.  The slate that goes within, we puzzled together while highly intoxicated the previous night so that it would fit "perfectly".  For anyone that doesn't know already, you get WAY better at puzzles when you are drunk.  So anyways this is how it goes down.

Yes it got messy.  That and I realized that my husband has severe cement anxiety.  Throughout the whole project he never lost his temper.  That was until he started messing with the cement.  Then it was like he had a ticking bomb in his pants.  Quiet entertaining.  I don't think it helped when I started suggesting that we "STICK" things in the cement...like our children's feet and hands.  I did win.  In the end I got away with these two things.

I mean who  doesn't love a babies foot.  Oh and since this whole thing is removable, if we ever sell the house we can take it with us!  GRRRREAT.

It is a work of love for this guy.

The fireplace is still not in yet.  By Friday I hope to do a blog about the finished product.  We just have to figure out how Dov and I will haul that stove onto the platform with out both getting a hernia.  Again I can't thank Otom enough.  Couldn't have done it without him.  So far I am really happy.  Screw you Suburban Propane.  5,000 dollars to heat my house!  I'll show you.

Luck was on our side this weekend!