Look at how these Dutch houses lean!!! Now I don’t feel so bad about the walls and floors at the Oaklands. After tons of effort from us, our showers, windows, toilets, and floors are all still a little skewed at our historic building. However, if the Dutch can deal with it for 400 years, well…
Five days of snow. We are so grateful to have a roof and heat. We didn’t have that this time two years ago
This door, as far as we can tell, and we are pretty sure, is original and in its original location. In this building, that is utterly remarkable. It goes to the coal room in the basement, which is now our electrical room. Will cleaned it up and got it working again. It’s the only one…
Today we FAILED our plumbing inspection! After everything is complete, during inspection the system is pressurized and tested with a manometer. It didn’t work hold. It has an ever so minuscule leak. We had to take off every single toilet, sink and shower to get it to work. We are the only State in the…
I really love this picture of Minneapolis, AND you can see the Oaklands. It is the reddish building under the arrow about halfway down (underlined in red) Thank you @Heather McCarty for sharing this photo. The picture was taken in 1959, the year the Oaklands was renovated from an apartment hotel, to an apartment. Lots…
We passed the manometer test that we failed last week, but the inspector wants to come back and test our hot water. As we wait for the plumbing inspector to come back, we are using the old #pocketdoors as a backdrop for cool cubby shelves. Panels were busted out of the pocket doors to allow…
What an amazing day! These guys are incredible! Who? Three pro painters volunteering time to really jazz up our painting and make it world class! Jason the Painter, Steve of Honey Badger Painting, and Ben of Bucket Painting (and an inventor). These pros are working on their day off to help Oaklands shine again. Please…
Merry Christmas! We are very excited to give this gift back to the Oaklands that has been lost for nearly 100 years!
Time to restore the tile. The first picture shows the fireplace tile surround with paint on it. I also included a picture (#9) of the floor also painted red, the fireplace covered, no roof, and four layers of flooring removed. Unfortunately, very, very early on the floor and tiles were painted red. It may have…
Will and Clifton took a break from the Oaklands to help Norman decorate his pink Christmas tree. Every ornament is pink. Pink lights too. If they sold pink trees, I’m sure Norman would have that as well. Up in the bay window, it is quite a sight from the street. Come by and see 300…
