It’s funny. I’m a strategic thinker. Generally orderly. A keeper of calendars and believer in forethought with little afterthought. But, if there is one significant “thing” that has interrupted all of that self-created structure and preparedness, it is the pandemic. Pandemic. Ronna. Covid. Call it what you will, it has screwed up my process. It has devastated the building budget financially. It has completely messed up construction supply chain and companies’ ability to meet shipping deadlines. And whether fact or excuse, I have had more large and expensive items “damaged” and “no longer available” than I had ever anticipated. The restoration and renovation of Charles is all over the map. Most everything is out of order.
Now that we’re inside (thankfully because we just had 3 ft of spring snow), the big house is getting pretty small. For efficiency, and because it was available, we had all the insulation and drywall delivered at once. That’s a lot of drywall for a 4 story home. I think it’s been moved at least 3 times, on each floor. For one reason or another… in the electrician’s way… the HVAC guys need scaffold in that room… need to plumb that wall for drains. You get it. Dan has done an incredible job (with some help from my brother and Chaz) and the main and second floors are rocked, the third is underway and the rest needs to head downstairs to the basement.
The same happened with my tile. It was available but “low in stock”. So, during the online black Monday sales, I ordered it. All of it. Entry, hall, laundry, back entry. Check! And it was delivered. And stacked under the workbench in the living room. In front of the drywall. I got what I wanted. Just a little early. Like 6 months early. Our floor guy has agreed to install the tile as well as to refinish the floors that can be saved in the upper guest room, the upper landing and the kitchen/dining room. Dusten will be mostly living at Charles for many weeks, just as soon as Chaz is done with drywall. Estimated completion date is June 1. That’s 38 days. Not that I’m counting.
And because of the (perceived) lack of product availability, we started ordering things 7 months ago. The vintage looking soaker tub was ordered in October 2021. It was backordered. Then it arrived damaged. Now it is not available for a year. Vintage Tub & Bath was very apologetic, and we did find a substitute to replace the one I wanted, but geesh! The new news is that it is enroute. Somewhere. On the way to Charles. And soon we will have another huge item to sit in the living room. https://www.vintagetub.com/randolph-morris-sundance-67-inch-matte-white-acrylic-double-ended-freestanding-tub-rm-sundance-mw.html The tub will be joining my new 48″ commercial stove, the new fridge and dishwasher. Because, well everything needs to go in the living room so when Dusten is ready, the dining and kitchen are ready! Not the best plan, but at least the stove I wanted arrived, the fridge does have an ice maker and the dishwasher came along for the ride.
The mantel for the living room was bought in December, but they couldn’t find a shipper until now. The back door and screens have been on order since September 2021. Supposedly the door fell off the truck and has to be replaced. It was expected 3 weeks ago. It’s not here. The remaining wooden windows should be in mid-May and the cabinetry is supposed to be on time, with a build time that puts them in around June 1, same time the floors are to be finished. I got a good deal on interior doors, and while I don’t need them yet, they arrived early. It’s all here or coming. More stuff that we need, just not when we need it.
I’ve started shipping things to my home in Nebraska to eliminate more stuff in Charles that will need to be installed in a few months. The storage unit is nearly full in Deadwood. But we carry on. We’re out of order in the process, but the process continues. And every day I spend in that house, I love it more. She has a warmth about her. She just feels proud in her stature. Her long-standing roots Creekside are a testament to her ability to endure the historical floods and fires of Deadwood. We are forever grateful that we are the ones who were able to “get the deal done” and to breathe new and old life into her again. The process might be out of order, but we’re in complete synch with Charles, and we’re looking forward to the end of summer, when she’s a functioning home and we’re preparing her for our new life Downtown Deadwood, in the historic rural and urban pioneer Landmark District.
(Please know that my drama over the pandemic and its impact on my agenda is shared in blog-fashion. It is in no way meant to discount the sadness and tragedies that some have had to endure during this time. Just putting it out there to level-set any negative thoughts/comments. This is a blog for entertainment and documentation.)
Saving Charles 