What lasts?

Wednesday we took possession of a project house. A little something to keep me busy for the rest of the summer.

Went to cut out carpet and roll it up on Thursday. Yes, all carpeting in rentals needs to be cut in strips and thrown away. It belongs in the landfill. We only have 1 room with carpet in our own home and we are removing it from all rentals. There was a nice surprise under the carpet in a couple of the rooms in this house.

Oak floors. Yeah! A coat of polyurethane and they will last a long time. they should last the lifetime of the house. 

Of course the bedroom that was added to the house later did not have a surprise under the carpet. it was the plywood that was expected. It took a couple of days to get all the tack strips and staples out of the floor from the carpet installation. By the end of Saturday when I finally swept out the rooms I was thinking a little jail time for carpet layers might be appropriate. OK, I know it is not their fault, they are just doing what the home owners want. So maybe some community service for those home owners.

We took possession of another 2 houses on Friday. One of the houses had a "small" fire in it. Now I have 2 project houses. I called Mike the city inspector on Friday and asked what I needed to do to get started on the house.

It had that lovely yellow "Do not cross Fire line" tape across 1 window and fluttering in front of a door. it also had a "It is unlawful for any person to use or occupy this building" sticker on the door that said "This notice shall not be removed under penalty of the law."  I told Mike I wanted to remove the old door, install a new door and window and get the house buttoned up. He told me " I am glad you bought that house. Take the old door out and throw it and the sticker away."

Well, that looks a lot better

The plywood came off the burnt window Saturday morning.

Got the old window frame out,

and the new window in. The house needs a lot of work but at least now it is tight enough to keep out the rain and small animals.

Took a look in the storage shed behind the house. Oh yea, there is a couple of trips to the land fill.

Did find a collection of Laura Ingalls Wilder books laying on top of all the junk. I am willing to bet they will be the only thing of any value in the shed and it is questionable if they have any value.

I went back over the the house I had started on and began the "tear out stage". That narrow counter top is now on the pile headed for the landfill. The washer and dryer will go back into the basement where they originally were. I started to remove the hookups from the kitchen.

The top kitchen cupboards are out.

Even though I am sure this is a very nice medicine cabinet,

it is also on the pile to get buried.

When we walk into a house, we often shake our heads and ask "why was it done that way?" Sometimes it is simply that the styles have changed. Carpet is not the first choice for floor covering anymore. A medicine cabinet that was "that latest style" in 1965, isn't anymore. The old solid wood doors with no weather seals, need to be replaced. Their time has passed. Do you really want the washer and dryer in the kitchen? I am thinking maybe not.

There are cycles to all things. The oak everyone covered up, because who wants something that dated in their house, are now sought after floors. The things we gather up and save will be discarded as trash by those who come after us. There is a warning there. Don't get too attached to the things of this world. Those things do not last. All the work I do on houses this year will be garbage in the future. 

There is only one thing we have that lasts forever, our souls. Too often we get caught up in the stuff we have or the stuff we want when it will all turn to garbage. Are you as concerned about your eternal soul as you are the things you think you need or want today?