From Our Co-Respondent in Ipswich

Byline: From Caro

It would be lovely of you to put it on your blog -- just so family can see it.

I have actually already started to build a blog on google, but got hung up on what to call it, how to describe it etc. And I just don't have time right now to fix it.

The fireplace:

We ripped out the existing incredibly horrible black 70's tile, which covered the hearth and also created a kind of collar around the 3 sides of the fireplace. The tile was placed on a wooden framework which went diagonally between the edge of the fireplace and the edge of the book cases. Ugly ugly ugly. I've always hated it and the moment it was torn out it looked better -- even unfinished.

Then we discovered that there was a mass of old glue on the bricks -- used to hold the wooden framework in place. I tried a number of things, but finally used paint stripper to get that off. They were also very dirty -- soot and stuff, so I cleaned the bricks and put a sealer on them.

Also had to reinforce the wooden surround on the bookcase sides and the top.

Then, the hearth itself. Although tiles had previously been installed there, it turned out to have old brick under part of it and it was very bumpy -- not level at all -- and wooden subfloor under the rest. So I had to get some leveling stuff, which I used. Although I say this in a couple of sentences, it actually took a few days and a couple of trips to home depot and lowe's to get just the level compound figured out.

Then, the tile. I had chosen black granite tiles, but Alec and James didn't like them, so I returned them and bought plain red unglazed tiles. (which did save a lot of money). I laid the tiles myself and grouted them in a matching red color. Not really proud of the job I did, but it's done for now. If I did it again, I'd make a few different choices, but that's the thing about being an amateur, isn't it. And it's certainly better than what was there.

We had the new pellet stove installed by the company we bought it from. As they left they said, did you have a permit? It turns out the law is that they are supposed to tell us we need a permit and they are responsible for getting it. There's a fine if it's installed without a permit.

So I've spent the day filling out very complex forms and basically lying by implying that it's not installed yet. I had to fill out the same forms I would have had to fill out if we had been doing an addition to the house.

I still have to do the wooden surround, after I get back from the midwest. Also I'm going to have a metal piece fabricated to cover the gap between the stove and the brick surround. It will keep us toasty this winter.

C--