Ian and Scott get a new fireplace

We finally got the fireplace that's been sitting for months in three boxes in front of the chimney out of the boxes! The fireplace is one of those things that we're not doing ourselves. We've waited for three months - all the builders have been busy. But finally they've started. Three days - that's how long it takes to put in a fireplace if there are no problems.
Day 1

The main thing that happened the first day was the insertion of a big tube down the chimney. Actually, it was pulled up through the chimney. The worst thing that could happen at this step is that the tube would get stuck. Then, the chimney somehow needs to be enlarged to get the tube all the way up to the top. Luckily, the weather outside on top of the roof was clear and the tube went up without a problem.

The next terrifying step was to cut the existing chimney out so the new fireplace could be inserted directly under the chimney. The fear here, of course, is that the chimney will fall down during this step - this was the main reason we hired this work done. Again, not a problem. The chimney stayed put.

Day two (yesterday), the fireplace was inserted. This happened while I was working the first day of a new job, fighting a bad cold after the three hour commute.
Everything went great. From here it's all downhill.
Or so we thought. I found out when I got home that our gas pipes are leaking. A lot. Ian let me in on the options.
So the today (third day) the job of laying new copper gas pipes began. Another ten days and we'll have new gas lines and our fireplace should be working.
Grrrr.
I'll post pictures when there's anything you can see. I think most of the work will be done beneath the floors, and ... well, it's all about spiders down there, so until the work is above ground, you'll just have to use your imagination.
In the meantime, I think even half a fireplace is better than having those boxes in the living room.