In my recent post about my new textbook, Lin from Duck and Wheel with String asked a question in her usual elegant and poised manner:
Head gonna ’splode. Are you seriously gonna do that yourself??? Wow.
Hee hee!
I thought I’d post my response here (rather then have it buried in the comments), because I realized that a few of you “newer” readers did not go through the excruciatingly crazy time when we gutted our living room, in the summer of 2007. It was SUPPOSED to be a simple tear-down-the-walls-and-slap-news-ones-up-again job.. but my house is 150+ years old. I guess that kind of project never happens with old homes.
When I opened up the walls, I found a few surprises. One, noggin– noggin is brick, installed in the studs. We’ve no idea why the original builder did that; it was rare even back then. We suppose it was to help keep the house cool. And it does… both summer AND winter. :S
I also found mouse-chewed wires, and quite a few bare wires. And a disastrous mess of mangled wires. Oh Lord, it was a disaster. Long ago, the previous owners ripped off the flooring to the second floor, installed wiring, and put the floors back on– basically encapsulating the wiring. And this is what it looked like, 70 years later when I opened it up.
You can read more about the craziness if you click the links. I had no intentions of doing the wiring myself, but I couldn’t find an electrician who would do one room– well, I did finally get one quote, but he wanted $1500 for it. I decided to study at night and do it myself.
Electrician Shock
Why My Electricity Won’t Work
Things Looking Brighter
The worst part was going into The Attic
It was a very frustrating job at times.
I also installed Cat5 ethernet wiring for the living room.
ALL MY WORK PASSED Codes Inspection! I was so happy.
Besides the living room, I installed wiring in my daughters’ bedroom above, light switches for two bedrooms upstairs, and separate outlets for the washing machine and sump pump. However, half the house still has no electricity. After seeing the condition of the living room wiring, I was too terrified to turn the rest of the old wiring back on. I disconnected everything I could. It’s been almost three years, and I’m hoping praying I can get electricity into the kitchen, dining room, stairwell, and upper bedrooms very soon. This year, we’re tackling the kitchen. The dining room and bedrooms will have to wait, unless a miracle happens.
This is our living room. ALL MODERN wiring!!!
You can read more about the House History and Our History here and all about Our Story of renovations up to now. After the massive 2007 renovation, which was the largest project we’ve ever accomplished yet here, I got a job blogging, and life just got hectic. I haven’t done anything else besides garden work around here. I’m praying the kitchen will be accomplished this year because it’s almost unlivable now. Please keep us in your prayers! I’m a little older now (40s) and rather out of shape because of my desk jobs for the past three years. I’m a little apprehensive about the physical labor involved. But God willing, it can be done. 
Thanks for reading.
23. March 2010 at 3:07 am
I am SO impressed that you went out and taught yourself how to wire your house! AND it passed inspection! AND that you’re still continuing to learn new wiring stuff! Wow.
As for the being out of shape part, my recommendation (as a sometimes fitness journalist) is to start an exercise program to get back into shape. Just grab some exercise DVDs, a selection of both cardio and strength training – get them used – some handweights (3-5 pounds or so) and get moving for a half-hour to 45 minutes a day. I’ve linked to my exercise DVD review site instead of Sparkle’s blog this time because I have hundreds of reviews there, so you can see 1) if a particular DVD fits your level of fitness (or non-fitness, LOL!) and 2) if it sounds like something you actually might want to try out. You don’t have to buy from the site – like I said, you can get these things used from half.com or at yard sales for pretty cheap.
Seriously, a good workout program really affects your whole quality of life, your stamina, energy and your ability to do daily physical stuff. I speak from experience as someone who started doing exercise fairly late (30s). That time you take exercising will be made up in your ability to do things faster, quicker and more clear-headed.
24. March 2010 at 9:32 pm
I’ll say it again…..wow. So, did you leave the bricks in the walls?? Maybe the bricks were there so the house didn’t burn down from the shoddy wiring.
I am very impressed with your abilities to do all that. We’ve done projects, but re-wiring the house?? Nope. Can’t do that.
Okay, I’m sorry I doubted you.
26. March 2010 at 10:16 am
Thanks, Janiss! I’ll check it out!
Lin– Wiring isn’t hard at all, and it’s all color-coded, too!
The kitchen is formidable, because it has special requirements. The worst part of wiring is going into attics and basements. It was awful!
Yes, we kept the bricks in. I had no where to put them (unless I dumped them in the lawn, like the previous owners did on one side of the house, and then dumped topsoil on them– making it impossible to plant anything there! gah!).
26. March 2010 at 5:33 pm
Can you do everything?? Did I read in your About Me in one of your MANY Great Blogs that you have FOUR kids, too. I am beginning to feel really inferior
29. March 2010 at 10:01 pm
Haha Pat…. well I am a Yankee.
We are kinda over-industrious, I guess. Don’t feel inferior, though! 
I surely am not superior!! I do these things because I don’t like to part with my hard-earned cash. Although, I’m starting to feel my age a bit, so I may have to bite the bullet some time… thanks for your sweet comment.