Carpenters returned to install millwork created in the shop. Carl and Nick designed and built new fireplace surrounds by copying the style of the old one in the dining room, which was lovely but covered with too many coats of paint as to sand off and repaint. Ed continued his restoration of the original front stairs. He has removed the old carpeting and the staples that attached it to the risers and sanded, filled and primed the stairs. This week he constructed the skirting boards that will go up the wall and be topped by moulding that matches the original trim. And down in the basement, Gagnon HVAC installed an air source heat pump, ensuring we will have a warm game room for future family ping pong tournaments.

On Wednesday, one of the many small mountains surrounding the house (sand, gravel, rocks, dirt) was transformed from a hill of weeds into a tidy pile of crumbly brown loam. This required three pieces of heavy equipment. A very large excavator with huge jaws bit into the hill and dropped its mouthful of rocks and weeds and dirt onto a giant sifter. The sifter shuddered and shook, screening out the big rocks and weeds and allowing the dirt to fall through the cracks. Then a front end loader scooped up and moved the dirt into a new pile. This went on ALL DAY LONG.