Plumbing

At mid-afternoon the plumber arrived, having driven north from Fruitport.  He started in the guest bathroom, using the paper template provided by the manufacturer to position the sink.  Dave cut out the hole — in that beautiful new countertop! — and before long the sink and faucet were in place.  This is a "semi-vessel" sink and sits up over the counter.  After years using flush- or under-mounted sinks, this one seems quite high.  But that's what vessel sinks do!  I'll get used to it.

Dave cuts the hole for the guest bathroom sink.

The sink is larger than I imagined, but handsome.

For such a large sink, the cut-out is quite small.  In the future, if disability requires using the sink seated, I could easily swap out this one for a flush-mounted sink.  However, for the present we probably need to extend the backsplash to protect the wall from water.

Next, the plumber positioned the small sink on the island, and Dave cut that hole, too.  This sink will be available for a second cook, and with the dishwasher immediately to the right, it will serve for cleanup after meals.  The same faucet — a gooseneck — will be used on the larger double sink under the window.  I wonder if the arc is so large that water might overshoot the edge of the small island sink.  I'll have to see once the faucet is turned on.

Dave cuts another hole, this one in the island countertop.

The island's sink, faucet, and sprayer await final installation.

Yesterday Chad completed installation of the carpeting in the upstairs bedrooms and hall, and in the downstairs bedroom.  The upstairs carpeting — a very neutral light brown with a blue fleck — is also used on the stairs to the basement.  The carpet in the first floor guest bedroom is a solid, brownish green. Both are very satisfactory.

A carpeted work room!

The same carpet is used throughout the upstairs.

Finally, toward the end of the day, Dave turned his attention to the stairs.  Earlier, as we had discussed the stairway's construction, Dave and Kyle pointed out that the stringers are made from oak, and on one of them you can see a growth ring which runs the entire length of the board from bottom to top (note the first photo below).  Dave popped out plugs which had been drilled last week in a piece of oak, and put three of them into a tread to see how they would look.  They virtually disappear!  Each plug (nine per tread) will be glued, cut down, and then sanded even with the surface of the tread.

Note the growth ring in the exposed vertical
surfaces of the stringer.  How cool!

Dave pries plugs out of an oak board...

...and then sees how they will look when installed.

You have to look carefully to see the plugs (right edge of tread).

We've had warm weather for the past few days, but Public Radio at Central Michigan Univ. reports that a winter storm warning is in effect for Lower Michigan tomorrow evening into Wednesday.  The forecast is for 6-10 inches of snow in the northern counties, including Alpena/Presque Isle.  Snow, freezing rain, and ice are slated for the peninsula's central counties.  But all this could change, of course.  We're in Michigan, right? •••