Blackbearry Ridge: President's Weekend

This weekend, we were able to spend four (4) days at Blackbearry Ridge, due to the holiday and Brent taking a half-day of vacation on Friday. We arrived Thursday night but did not perform any work. After dropping Cookie off at the spa on Friday morning, we made a trip to Lowe's to get supplies for the work planned during the weekend. Brent was not feeling good on Friday, but did manage to sand down the third coat of mud and after performing a close inspection, he applied a forth coat on a few areas. We then decided to let the mud dry overnight.

Saturday, after sanding and the walls receiving Brent's approval, the primer was applied to the drywall. While this was drying, we built a new landing at the top of the stairs, that now is level with the second floor. This created a new step and we needed to move and build a new newel post. After completing the construction in the afternoon, we decided on the color of the wall. With all the dust from the sanding and tools everywhere, the girls stayed a second straight weekend in Knoxville. We had planned to drive over and take them out for supper, so we combined another stop at Lowe's to get the paint and other supplier.

We had a great visit with the girls and we out to eat at Naples, a great Italian restaurant on Kingston Pike, which was there when we were at UT back in 1985. The food was great as usual and the conversation was lively. Luckily Jennifer did not talk about her work at the body farm while at supper.

Sunday brought about dropping temperatures along with the threat of snow. We were able to apply two (2) coats of our new color on the walls. We had a fire going all day, and then the snow started in the late afternoon.

Monday we were able to paint our beams and beam molding that was required to be removed in order to take down the paneling and install the new dry wall. After apply a couple of coats of paint, we reinstalled the molding and beam that had been removed. The scaffolding is still in place but we expect to remove it next Friday, after some touch-up painting is completed.

Our goal next weekend is to install the remainder of the dry wall in the stair well and apply the tape and at least one (1) coat of mud. We are very pleased at the way the colors turned out.

The road across the mountain was opened around noon on Monday and we made it across later in the day with no problems.

Brent sanding for the final time.

Ready for the primer.

JoLynn is applying the primer to the ceiling while on the scaffolding.

Brent applying the first coat of our "Park Green" color while standing on the scaffolding.

The first coat is applied.

View from the hall over the stair well.

The face wall with a new color.

The snow begins to fall in the late afternoon.

Our dogwood tree is getting hammered by snow during the night.

A break in the snow during the night.

Early morning as the sky begins to clear.

The existing landing at the top of the stairs.

A new newel post is required with the landing being raised. This is the first of three (3) members used to create the post. We also countersunk two (2) each 5/16"x 4" long wood screws into the base besides all the 3 " screws. The post is not going anywhere.

The new landing is framed.

We had some extra insulation so why not.

Cookie inspects the completed landing which is just the right height for her doggie door. Funny, but we still try to step down on the landing when entering from the living room. I guess after six (6) years, old habits are hard to break.