Home again!

I'm back in with furniture!

We emptied the POD, and it's gone. Some of the contents went into the house, the rest is in the garage. The painter hasn't finished the painting and touch up, so much of the big furniture is in the center of the rooms.

Wait! That's the end of the story.

Wednesday, after I took my car to the shop, I couldn't think about anything but the house and the floor. My emotions were raw, and I cried at the drop of a hat. At 2:30, I finally ask my boss if I could leave for the day because I wasn't doing anything productive at the office. I went to Home Depot, got some floor shine and new mops, and that evening, we swept, mopped, and waxed the floor. I still didn't like the way it looked. We moved in tables to set the TVs and computer on for the cable guy the next day.

I was so excited! The appliances were actually going to be delivered Thursday, and the TVs, phone, and internet were going to be reconnected! Life was going to be back to normal soon.

The fumes and concrete dust were gone, so we set up the air bed for me. I had the day off Thursday; I thought I'd be able to sleep in. Because I couldn't turn off my brain, I was up at 4:45 Thursday morning, ready to do something - anything - to make the floor look better. I decided to paint the perimeter of the floor with a dark color to hide the divot patches and paint residue. I headed to Home Depot to get my newest batch of supplies. At this point, I've spent so much on little things that I was complaining of hemorrhaging money. I chose Cafe Urunia for the perimeter stripe, and headed home with renewed enthusiasm. I spent an hour or more taping the stripe from the dining room all around the kitchen. I started painting in the kitchen because the appliances would be delivered first. Once I painted the first stroke, I freaked out. It was purple!!! What the hell? I sat there for a few minutes trying to decide my next step. I didn't have the paint chip or the booklet it was in, so I had nothing to compare what I had with what I requested. The cable guy was going to arrive at the house between 11 and 12. It was 10. Did I have enough time to exchange my paint because surely, she mixed it incorrectly? I decided I would make it, so off to Home Depot I went again.

I complained that the paint color was purple, she calmly opened the can, put a spot of color on the paint chip, and it matched. DANG! In anger and frustration, I chose the red above it and ordered a gallon if it. I shopped around for some more painting supplies and low-luster sealer and the supplies that go with it. By the time I got back to the paint department, I had calmed down and looked at the paint color sample chips and realized I chose the wrong paint color AGAIN! I chose tile red, when brick red was what I really wanted. Now, instead of purple, I had dark pink! But, dang it, I was going to make it work. I went home, painted the kitchen, then the dining room because that was where the china cabinet was going. Then I did the laundry room because I was desperate for my washer and dryer, and I was taping the office where the computer armoire was going when the cable guy started having problems getting things to work, so I spent the rest of his time there answering questions. He replaced my DVRs with some from his truck, and they still didn't work. He realized I removed a very important little piece of equipment (a splitter) that he needed to make everything work. Of course, it was packed somewhere, so he gave me another. Once he left and the TVs were working, I turned on some Jazz and started to tape off the office floor.

The cable guy took the focus off getting 'er done, and I stepped back and took a look at the color I was putting down. It's a cool red, the floor is a combination of warm colors, so it doesn't look as good as I had hoped. Plus, there are still spots that need to be covered. I decided to make the stripe wider and to paint it walnut - a deep dark brown.

The appliance guys arrived with a huge refrigerator, range, microwave, and dishwasher. The refrigerator is black on the sides - something I didn't notice in the store. I guess because they're displayed side by side, and I didn't look at the sides; I focused on the front instead. So, now when I look into my kitchen, instead of seeing white (like my old fridge), I see a black hole with silver, which makes me think the door is open. I'm getting used to it. I figure it'll be covered with stuff as soon as I find my magnets ;o), so no big deal. The refrigerator is about 8 feet tall. I couldn't even reach the top shelf, so I had to lower it. I thought I'd try a freezer on the bottom, now I'm not so sure about it. Instead of just opening the freezer door and reaching in for ice cubes, I have to open the drawer, and pull out another drawer. Hmmm. I didn't think this one through very well either. I'm hoping I'll get over this too. The delivery guys had to remove my front door and the little catch for my storm door to get the fridge in. They replaced the door, but not the catch. I put it back, but the door didn't close properly. This morning I figured out how to adjust that. I'm becoming so resourceful!

I truly wasn't expecting all these little problems when I started this project. Problems crop up almost every day. When mowing the lawn, someone hit a sprinkler head. I heard it, but they told me it was a rock. I knew I don't have rocks in my front yard. Then when I saw the broken head, he admitted he thinks he hit it. Someone broke a light in a ceiling fan with the 8-ft ladder. Someone cut the telephone wire and removed the box in the living room (trying to be helpful because I was having them remove dead boxes), so the phone base has to be in a room I wouldn't normally have a phone. The clamp to hold the washer drain hose was inadvertently thrown away. I have to figure out what to do with the concrete dust all over the back yard. Someone broke the glass on one of my hall wall sconces. I bought new hinges for the kitchen cabinets, and after a couple hours of putting them on, we realized they don't work because now the doors don't align with the panels and drawers above. Of course, all the little plastic bags they came in have been hauled out with the trash. Luckily, they didn't cost a fortune, but I'll still have antique brass hinges when all the other hardware in the house will be brushed nickle or chrome. I'll just keep my eyes open for something else to use. Pity party over.

By the time my crew showed up Thursday evening, I had my plan. I told them we were going to reseal the floor, and while that was being done, I wanted Superman to clean off the back porch and front sidewalk because we were constantly tracking in concrete dust. So, do you know what we had to do first? We had to disconnect the TVs and get them and their tables and my bed off the floor!

The Behr sealant I got was soooo much better than the stuff we used before. I think it did the same job but without the horrid fumes. I only got one gallon when I should have bought 4, but they made it work. The floor feels amazing. It's smooth, consistent, and I am much, much happier.

When all was done and dried, and everyone was gone, I was left without a bed. It took 2 of us to get it into the garage. Hmmm. I managed to wrangle it back into the house. Except for my coffee pot, suitcase of clothes, and a shower curtain, the house remained empty looking. The TVs and their tables were in closets.

After work yesterday, we started moving furniture back into the house. The POD people called to say they would be by between 10 and 1 this morning to pick up the POD, but our plan was to have it empty because Superman and his sidekick couldn't be back this morning until 11 at the earliest. AND they're bringing the painter with them! Yea! The painter hasn't been well, and now that he's feeling better, he's been having car trouble. He's been trying to get his car fixed so he could get to my house. Superman tracked him and told him he'd bring him to my house because he's holding up the progress. Plus now the painter will have more spending money to fix his car.

While we were moving things in last evening, a coworker came by and hooked up my computer, wi-fi, TVs and phones! Yea! No more having to go to the library to check emails, turn on the AC, and blog.

The POD was empty, swept, and ready to go. I was told it had to be empty, swept, and unlocked. I received it dirty, but I swept it because I can't afford to be charged for anything else! They're refunding $29 because it's not going to a storage facility, but they're charging $74 to pick it up. I don't understand why the $74 isn't included in the total cost. Oh well.

I'm certainly enjoying being back home. I want to do something to nest. While I'm waiting for my crew, I guess I'll wipe concrete dust off whatever I can.

I've decided to replace my drapes and rods with the new style with grommets. I had rings clipped on them before, and I really liked the ease of opening and closing the drapes. The grommets look so much nicer. I'll have double-hung drapes with sheers behind. I had ivory sheers with gold linen-look drapes and they were on one rod. When I opened the gold, I just spread the ivory. It functioned well, but it looked tacky. Actually, I've lived without drapes for 2 weeks or more, and I really like the natural light. I'm even over the privacy issue.

I saw some drapes at JCPenney that I like. Even though I have paint chips that I carry with me at all times to match colors, I think I'll buy a panel and bring it home to see if I like it here. I was really disappointed that JCPenney doesn't carry inventory in the store for most of their drapes. You have to order them online. They don't even have the prices by the panels. They have a range of prices. While you're in the store with credit card in hand to buy, you can't buy. Sigh. My daughter and I will shop for the drapes and rugs. I can't buy anything else until next Wednesday, so this will help prevent impulse buying.

I talked to the electrician about replacing all the ceiling fans in the house - 7 in all. Home Depot has some for $60 and they all match. I currently have at least 3 different styles of ceiling fans in the house, just like my door knobs. It will be nice to have everything matching. Then there's the floor, which is crazy. Now that I see furniture on it, I like it much better. But it still needs the perimeter stripe. So, I'll spend each evening either taping or painting until it's done. Once the baseboards are painted, I'll have to tape them off because I'm not a detail painter by any means.

So, you're up to date on the house update. I see little things that have to be done, and I'm putting blue tape on everything. We'll all have to go through the house hunting for blue tape before it's all done.

Monday the microhood will be installed, and the dishwasher will be installed with the granite counter tops. That's at least 2 weeks away. I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It helps to have some of the comforts of home in the house to calm my fears.