1945 St Roch Victory Celebration...

Sentiments of Pleasure.....

We started the weekend off Thursday night at Sentiments Wine and Cheese Dive.  Well not really a dive, more like a speak easy French wine and cheese bar.  I had the feeling sleep would be a hard thing to come by because of all the things going on including "Bach Around the Clock".  It was a 29 hour continuous concert of Bach's music.  I like to go in before bed and chill out.  

This year I didn't make it in time.  They were already setting up for church services the next day.  I just sat still and looked at the pipe organ and imagined a fugue coming out of those pipes.  

The next morning I woke up to have a coffee and get to work on the house but the weather seduced me. I took a scooter ride and there was construction going on all over the Bywater/St. Roch area.  The arch above is Adjaye's arc that will serve as the entrance to the Piety St. wharf.  

More excitement as I passed the St. Roch Market and got to peek inside.  This is going to be so nice to walk to the market on Saturdays.  By this point I'm too excited to be working inside.  Amanda and I head to the nursery to get some plants and hit the garden.

And finally some prepping of the floors before sanding.  Spring is winning so far.  I have a fever!

Peacock Room Completed....

On Saturday night me and Luca chilled in our new bedroom.  I was planning on going out for a drink but it felt so nice to open the french doors and watch the fire.  This was like riding with the windows down with the heater on. Amazing what a little paint and attention to detail can do for a space.

It sure does look like all I do is stand around. 

Restored fan installed.

Luca chilling.

When we first started on the place there was an old stump with something growing out of it and we weren't sure if it was dead or alive.  Over the past few days it has started to sprout and has proven to be a crepe myrtle.  I'll take periodic photos to track its come back.

The Green Project....

This past Saturday we started our morning at New Orleans' Green Project.  They are an architectural salvage company who has managed to save lots of original items from blighted properties.  When restoring historic properties these places come in handy and keep you out of Home Depot.  We found some floor boards just the right size to replace the damaged ones on the kitchen floor.  We noticed the wood was milled in the old Bogalusa mill years ago.  You can't help but notice the quality of the past. It is a great feeling to be recycling throughout this whole process.

When we returned from our hunt we found my neighbor "Jr." sweeping leaves so we joined him with the blower and finished the job together.  Everywhere we drove Saturday there was construction going on.  The crew working on the St. Roch Market is working 24 hour shifts.  Very exciting!

The new wood installed.  

Back to the Land.....

Last Saturday I hired Jose and Joshua to help me remove the two layers of tile and wood from the kitchen floor.  I had started on my own but I was so intimidated and weak.  This takes drive beyond belief.  Drive like my grandparents in the field in the July weather.  Watching these guys attack this job sent me under the tobacco shed to my childhood.  I couldn't help but think of early America and the hands that built her.  They had this kind of drive, stubborn and unrelenting.  It's nice to be part of a community going back to the land and respecting it.  It's where we find soul and meaning.

This is more like it, just plain old rugged wood.  We found termite damage in two areas but will find salvaged pine to make our repairs.  

Prepping the "Peacock Room"

This is what I scrapped off the from the water damage but it was so nice I kept going.

We also cleaned up the fan and repainted it flat black.  Natural wood blades will be used as replacements.