Taking a break from the heat is a good time to catch up on the blog. It’s in the 90s today instead of triple digit heat, so it’s the perfect day to break through a wall. I ripped the plywood off the doorway allowing the sunlight into the mudroom for the first time. There would have been more sunlight of course if I hadn’t put up a tent canopy to make work bearable. You can see my laundry hanging in the background showing how convenient this passage will be (I’m standing at the washing machine to take this picture).
I had to take the outside trim off to make sure the door opening was large enough after we pour the new floor. I was somewhat shocked to see just how much clay had been shoved in the little box over the years. The pile on the floor is what fell out: various mud-dauber nests, paper wasp nests, possibly a mouse nest (a mound of insulation)
And there was more up inside the trim box. Thankfully, the live wasp nest had been within reach of the killing spray (my only exception to my pesticide ban, especially if they’re an aggressive species of wasp).
The plywood is back up, without the insulation and framing, lightly sealed with foam to keep critters out, but easily removed when we’re ready to do the floor next weekend. The next step is to remove the little concrete platform outside the doorway in order to set forms for the raising of the threshold. Inside, I can start filling holes in the walls. Progress is slow but steady.
East of 36th 