Enter the Tower of the Scribe

[scribe]

Hey guys. I just returned from another long weekend upstate. This is the fourth weekend in a row. and I am tired.

Anyhow, I made some digital pictures of the scribe's tower of madness where all of his future and current collectibles shall be enshrined when complete.

I shall photoshop them and post them here tomorrow.

[scribe]

Here we are in front of Scribe mansion. It is a three story 16 room Edwardian beauty. We picked it up for a song 5 years ago for like $47,000, which is like what someone would have expected to pay in the 60's. This little village has been stuck in a some kind of freakish timewarp. But in 5 quick years the village has done an about face. Lots of city folk have bought in the area since interest rates bottomed out and September 11th made some people want to cash out their equity in the city and move somewhere simple.

Take note of the small window near the peak at the front of the house. That shall be the Scribe's Den of madness.




Here is the view of the side of the house. They have ripped down the old garage that was next to our lot and have been using the lot for staging the new bridge work across the street. hence the large crane in the lot. It kinda messes with the sense of scale. That crane is really really huge.

This picture illustrates the Turret or the Tower of the Mad Scribe. This is the third floor at the back of the house with the vaulted roof. Also the chimney placement will give you a sense of placement with respect to some later pictures.



I threw this in a bit of a diversion from the topic. This is some of my handy work in the house. I am just completing a full overhaul of the existing pantry/pass through in our kitchen on the first floor. I stripped all of the paint and sanded the doors. I replaced the interior shelves with very heavy lumber to resist warpage. I replaced all of the hardware, refitted all the doors and drawers, and painted. I also added the nifty floral scroll work that copies another piece of furniture of ours that will be in the master suite. Finally, I added an undercabinet light to accent the piece. A lot of work! Truth be told I could have built the TSR NonGaming section in the amount of time I invested in this piece. Plus had several hundred dollars to buy some items as well. It really sucks being old and responsible.



Here is the tiny staircase leading from the second floor to the tower on the third floor. I am currently sanding, stripping, and reconditioning all of the woodwork through out the house. The marred up woodwork is from years of abuse and neglect by the previous owners.



Here we are heading up the stairs. The walls have been plastered and screened to prevent cracks. I will be treating the paint on these walls to look like a burnished leather or similar. The steps will be two toned natural wood treads with dark kicks.



As you head up the stairs you can look up into the turret room and begin to understand the height of the ceiling. I removed the existing ceiling and framed/sheetrocked the vaulted portion of the roof line to open it up. Previously the ceiling was flat and located just above the windows. Eventually I will line the dark joists you see with a nice heavy millwork and hang a very large chandelier from the peak.



Here is a view from the turret looking back toward the front of the house and the river. There is a similar view of the river from the Den of the Scribe from the small window seen in the first picture of the outside of the house. Notice the new bridge being erected next to the old one. We really love the old one and have been very depressed that they are replacing it.



here is a view of the backyard from the other side of the turret. We made this little garden a few years ago and haven't had time to develop it further. I have a whole landscape construction plan if I ever pull together some time and money.



Now, here is the door leading to the Scribe's den of madness from within the tower. nevermind all of the stacks of garbage piled around. We have been too busy to be too organized.

The door is barely a full 4 foot tall and it feels really odd compared to the vaulted height of the ceiling in the turret.

[scribe]

Part II -- From within the Den at the Scribe's Tower.





This is immediately what you see while standing within the 4ft entrance. I already removed the old noxious insulation and put new plywood on the floors. The ceiling is merely the roof itself. Eventually I shall hang a ceiling from this and line the vaulted walls with some kind of shelves for the Scribes Treasures.

Notice the chimney in the room in relationship to the picture of the exterior. This area has the highest ceiling and will eventually accomodate the desk and computer.



Here is another shot from within the room. To the left you begin to see the other side peaks of the roof line. They make for small areas but I intend to utilize them for additional storage and an AC unit to keep the treasures cool in the summer.



Further into the room you see the window that is visable from the exterior picture.



I included this picture to show that I have the plumbing from the basement to the Attic all ready to go. I will be putting a toilet in to the opposite side of the chimney. With a small sink for basic cleanup. Also I will place a radiator in this room on its own heating zone for when I am using the room. Ready to go is all of the electricity/phone/cable lines. Add in a refrigerator and I will never have to leave the Den .....much to the aggrieved disapproval of my family.

[Ralf Toth]

WOW!!! At the moment, I am speechless. All I can say is:



Will post my thoughts later the day.
_________________
Tome of Treasures - #1 resource for collectible role-playing games.

[TheShield]

Damn, that looks really great !

$47,000 ? Where is it located ???

[falstaff]

nice little tower to store your collection and family.
certainly looks like some cthuluh-oid monsters lurking in those woods nearby.
you sure you don't have an indian graveyard in your cellar or worse


_________________
*Forgotten Realms update daemon*

A notebook. A pen. A camera. A photographic ear.

[Ralf Toth]

Some more thoughts:

- The garden you created is very cute. I'll have to show the wife, I bet she likes it!

- I particularly like this box on top of the stack of stuff, labelled "Childhood". Amazing, how after some years, all that is left of this probably best part of life is a box of stuff.

- Does the door to the Mad Scribe's Tower creeeeaaaaaaaaaiiiiikk when you open it? If not, you'll have to change the hinges. It just HAS to creak! If it doesn't, please change the hinges to old and creaking ones. BTW, your visitors will believe, the mad Scribe is a dwarf!
_________________
Tome of Treasures - #1 resource for collectible role-playing games.

[Ralf Toth]

Two more things:

- Scribe, you should seriously consider changing your profession to freelancing writer for WOTC or any of those thousands of D20 companies. Move out of town. Stay seven days a week in the house. When you're not writing, remodel the house and garden. Choose a secret druid grove in the monster-infested woods and plant some herbs for enhancing your writing creativity. And become the most happy man in the universe.

- And yes, now I am envious!
_________________
Tome of Treasures - #1 resource for collectible role-playing games.

[scribe]

[Ralf Toth]

[Beyondthebreach]

I have so much catching up to do. Are you living in this house now? I hear you make some current references to working on a rebuilding project . . . is this it?

By the way . . . very impressive (even if my reply is almost two years after the last post )

Catskills, huh? That's only about 4 hours from where I live in Rochester.

[tfm]

That little four panel door is very nice! Have you done the roof yet?
_________________
"This is cool."

[scribe]

I need to update some pictures. I recently built some shelving for the second floor landing. In total I had to make and paint 6 units at least 36" wide with a total of 34 shelves. And I will likely not get to have any D&D books in it as they belong in the attack!

But while that work was going on, I had the guys working along areas of those picts toward the 3rd floor turret leading into the attic. They managed to get all the varnish stripped off the woodwork and the walls finished plastered and primed. No work in the attic for a few years I am afraid. I still have another bathroom to build on the second floor and the entire 1st floor to demo, sheetrock, and finish.

[scribe]