Bring the Hammer Down... or Watch that First Step - It's a Doozy!!!

I am not a construction type of girl...

Not in the least little-ist bit.

Before today, my idea of home improvement was handing DJ a bucket of paint and waving as he made his way into another room.

I must admit - I did a pretty great job of installing a new showerhead the other day.

So, you may ask... What were you doing in a stairless pit???

I volunteered to help my brother, Jason, and Sister-in-law, Lindsey work on their house today.

The big goal was replacing the steps into the basement of their 100 year old completely gutted Victorian home.


Aren't I cute??? Because some of the tiles, etc are not exactly... ummmm.... non-toxic (asbestos, animal feces, etc), I had to wear this incredibly attractive do-hicky on my face. I did smile for the picture. Apparently, you are supposed to be able to breathe in these things.

Our job was to rip out the staircase so that Jason and Dwayne (LynZ's dad) could put the new ones they were building in.

LynZ would bang on the planks until they came loose, then I would crowbar them out and throw them out of the way. What she thought was going to take about 2 hours took about 30 minutes. It was great.

The problem was getting back out of the basement, since now there are no stairs. They sent down this ladder and expected me to climb up. I am so freakingly afraid of falling that I almost stayed down in that basement. I watched LynZ go up the ladder (the tall skinny twirp), the ladder shaking the whole way.

I'm not exactly... ummm... a lightweight. I was so afraid.

But hey!!! We got the stairs out. We got me out. I had a pretty good time, and I may actually help again!!!