NOTE TO SUBSCRIBERS:

If you EVER have to replace floor joists, I cannot over-emphasize the need for your TWO NEW VERY BEST FRIENDS. With them, you can accomplish just about ANYTHING!

<--house jack

"sawzall"-->

Well, on with the projects! I am still very well in the midst of my projects. Being the novice that I am, I do not often anticipate ALL of the materials I will need for a project. Thank goodness a Lowes is only a few miles away! The CURRENT project is the fireplace.

The concrete slab has been poured and last night I added the block and mortar. Though I am no mason (neither "social club" nor craftsman), I think it turned out well. The mortar had the consistancy of wet sand, and in my mind would dry as such. I trust it will turn out fine. I just kind of slapped some on there and put down the block, trying to squeeze in some mortar between the blocks, if I could. It was a very tight fit.

Unfortunately, my head had a few obscenities floating around as I hit my head and back many-a-time on the fireplace. MAN, I am ready for this thing to be done! It was a small space when I first started... It is even smaller and more frustrating now! I can only mortar from ONE side, the interior. As great as it would be to low-crawl a bucket of mortar under the house... I think I may just let it be.

WHAT IS NEXT: Once this stuff hardens, my next step is to measure and install a gas line. I will need the measurements and have a good idea where I need my couplings and angles. I will take those to Lowes, have them cut and thread... and I anticipate it will take 3 trips to get it correct. I will have to have the gas company turn off the gas so I can put in a valve off of which to work. Theoretically (not the time for theory, I know) I should be able to have the gas turned back on, once the valve is installed. I can then install the threaded pipe with pipe wrenches, pipe-dope and some elbow grease, and more pipe-dope. I will need my trusty hammerdrill and a masonry bit to make my holes through the house and the cinder-block. Once my gas-line is installed, I will support it with metal hangers and will fill the fireplace with 57-stone and leave approximately 4-6 inches for concrete. My gas line will be capped and have a plastic bag over it with duct-tape to keep it pretty. Once the concrete is level and I have measured and compensated for the granite harth we will install, I will let it harden, while keeping it a little moist so it will not crack. "WAH-LAH!" (I don't speak French! ...Voi La? Viola? Whatever!) I may stain/protect the concrete somehow... THEN we should be able to install the gas logs... YEEHAW! Simple, RIGHT!?!?! WRONG! ---PAIN IN THE ARSE!