I'm getting excited again! Today I'll seal the brown trim around the perimeter and tomorrow I'll start moving the furniture back into place. The sealer won't be dry enough to slide furniture on, and hopefully, it won't still be wet enough to stick to the furniture, but I'm ready to put the furniture in place. I've been in a holding pattern for a week or so, and I'm ready to be done.
Since my last blog, the touch up painting is almost complete, and the front door knob and dead bolt have been installed. The electrician came by and found that one (or more) of the critters that have been in my attic chewed through the wire to the plugs in my kitchen. He'll be by tomorrow night to finish that up.
The drapery hardware has been installed, and the drapes were ironed and hung. Now I see that my sheers have to be matched up. We just grabbed 2 panels per window and hung them. They weren't uniform in length, so my helper rehung them so they are the same length, but the hems are different, so now I have to figure out that puzzle. I know for sure I need 4 panels of the drapes per window, so I had to order 6 more panels, which should be here in a couple of days. I love the hardware, and the drapes are pretty. I still have the hardware for the bedroom windows up, so I can hang those curtains soon, and the window above the kitchen sink still needs the hardware replaced before I can hang those curtains. I have privacy (for the most part) in the living room and library. Now that the windows are sparkling and actually clear, I think I'll see about replacing the windows that are cloudy while they're replacing the ones that are broken (the one I broke in the kitchen and one that has a b-b hole on the street side).
The landscaper came by and got my yard back in shape. We had to work out the maintenance miscommunication, which will help us move forward. I actually had someone tell me yesterday (OK, so he was a Jehovah's Witness) that he was admiring my yard. Yea!
The bookcases should be here in a week, I'm expecting the counter tops in a week or so, and as soon as I seal the brown around the perimeter of the rooms (today), I'll be able to put the furniture in place. That's what I'm waiting on - putting the furniture in place so I can actually unpack and live in my home. Currently, there's furniture, but it's all still in the middle of their respective rooms, waiting for the sealer.
The kitchen is the only room that needs the floor fixed. We had to move the range back and forth so many times while installing the microwave that the floor is scratched, so we have to restain and reseal, the shoe mould still needs to be added in the kitchen, and the brown trim still needs to be completed. The counter seems to be pretty level. I think it's an optical illusion.
Now, if only the Hallmark channels weren't running Christmas movies, I'd get sooooo much more done! I guess I could record them for when this done and I'm bored. Today, that doesn't even seem like a remote possibility.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Winding down
I think I’m more tired and sort of disoriented since the work on the
house has wound down. I’m still not completely unpacked. I still haven’t found
my silverware or most-used utensils or blender. I still haven’t figured out how
to reset the clock in my range. The refrigerator still isn’t anchored yet, so every
time I try to open it, I have to hold it back with my foot, and the door slams
into the window behind it. My floor always needs sweeping because of the construction dust. I still don't have doors on the kitchen cabinets; they're leaning all over the place, and the hinge hardware is on the one counter top that is useable. And I still don't have power to the plugs in the kitchen (I lost it last weekend).
I’m ready to put it all together - to finish the final details, and my
crew is ready to move on to something else, but there is still so much more to
do. PLUS, I'm not available Friday evening or Saturday after 1:30. I still need a “handy man” to do things like install drapery hardware.
The door knobs have to be reinstalled.
Before I seriously move the furniture into place, the brown
perimeter needs to be sealed. The lower kitchen cabinets need to be leveled, and the kitchen window sill above the sink needs to be removed before the granite arrives (in about 10 days or so!!!)
On the other hand, the place is looking awesome! I love the floor - the spruced up baseboards with the shoe mould and brown perimeter are beautiful and really add class to the place. I have almost all the hardware and software to hang the drapes (I had to order one set of finials.). The landscape crew will arrive tomorrow to finish the yards. Hopefully, all will be finished by this weekend. I have Superman coming to help with the heavy lifting so I can get my car back into the garage. Although I might have to put him off until Monday evening. But I can see light at the end of the tunnel. Some of the work has slowed down because the painter's car broke down, and he's struggling to find someone to fix it and the head crew member has had to work OT at his regular job. His girlfriend (the packing maniac) came over Saturday and recleaned the windows. They look awesome. What she has done in my bathrooms is nothing short of a miracle! My tubs and toilets look brand new. I was thinking I was going to have to replace them because they were in such bad shape with hard water spots and build up from leaks. Everything she touches sparkles!
While unpacking, I'm seriously considering if I should keep objects or pitch them. I already have a small load to take to Goodwill. I bought some bins to put in the unusable space in one of my closets to hold things like hair accessories, extra hair spray, and things that I don't use daily. The bins have cleared the space under my sink, and it'll be easier to find things. I also bought a shoe rack that fits in my other closet. No more over-the-door shoe rack with 3 pairs in each pocket.
I'm looking for the perfect rugs for my room and the living room. I'd also like one in my "work out" room that I can do yoga and exercises on. I found several at Garden Ridge that I like. They have a bunch of rugs, 5x7 for $99, that I'm considering. Do I want flowers, geometric shapes, solid? These are hard decisions. I brought some home the other day, but I took them back. None were perfect.
Anyway, normal should be home soon.
I'm looking for the perfect rugs for my room and the living room. I'd also like one in my "work out" room that I can do yoga and exercises on. I found several at Garden Ridge that I like. They have a bunch of rugs, 5x7 for $99, that I'm considering. Do I want flowers, geometric shapes, solid? These are hard decisions. I brought some home the other day, but I took them back. None were perfect.
Anyway, normal should be home soon.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Scope Creep
So far the $10K investment in my house has grown to about $18K! But, I'm going to like it A LOT when it's done! I mentioned before that my daughter said to call Empire because she doesn't like the floor - but I do. There are a few rough spots that "we" are going to try to fix, but other than that, I'm chomping at the bit to have this end so I can live in my new house. They're finishing the floor (perimeter) today, the appliances are in, I put towels and shower curtains and new hardware in the bathrooms, clothes in my closet and dresser, linens in the linen closet, and my exercise equipment is all set up and gathering dust. Once the perimeter is finished, we can move all the furniture to the walls, and I can start filling the China cabinet and my computer armoire.
The living room furniture is back in place and I also arranged the library and my room. I still have to put the air bed in the guest room back on the floor (it's on its side currently), and figure out why all the boxes in the house don't hold things I want to unpack. For some reason, my everyday dishes and flatware have yet to make an appearance. I only have one coffee mug and 2 travel mugs. The only small plates I have are heart-shaped kid plates.
The living room furniture is back in place and I also arranged the library and my room. I still have to put the air bed in the guest room back on the floor (it's on its side currently), and figure out why all the boxes in the house don't hold things I want to unpack. For some reason, my everyday dishes and flatware have yet to make an appearance. I only have one coffee mug and 2 travel mugs. The only small plates I have are heart-shaped kid plates.
I'm on my own until Monday. I may call Superman to help move some boxes and furniture back into the house Saturday. Next week we'll touch up some of the rough spots on the walls that appeared during the move back in, try to fix the rough spots on the floor, and hang the drapery hardware and drapes, and we'll be done! I just ordered the bookcases for the library. Of course, there's "some assembly required." My kids and I assembled an entertainment center, bookcase, and my computer armoire when they were teenagers, so I think I can handle straight forward bookcases. If not, I'm sure I can find someone to assist.
I still want to replace the ceiling fans so they all match (the electrician wants $100 for each fan + the cost of the fans - another $1,000!), fix the fence between the houses and replace my roof and patio cover. But those will have to wait until it's cooler.
For some reason, the plugs in the kitchen stopped working last night during the night, so I have an extension cord to my coffee pot. This morning, when the alarm went off at 5:30, I sleepwalked into the kitchen to turn on the coffee pot. It didn't turn on, so I tried a few combinations of timer on/coffee pot on/off. Then I realized the plug didn't work, so I carried the coffee pot to the other 2 plugs in the kitchen. They didn't work either. I had to move furniture in the garage to get to the breaker box, but it wasn't tripped. I finally took the coffee pot to a plug in the living room and put it on the floor. It worked there. I don't know what's going on. But it feels expensive ;o)
Once the kitchen countertops are installed, I'll feel like I'm home. I finally put up some curtains in the front kitchen window. I always feel a little exposed walking in there in the early morning with the light on. That's the only window with curtains. I have miniblinds in my room and the room directly across the hall from me. There's a mature crepe myrtle in front of the other street window, so I feel a bit protected.
At 11:30 this morning, I heard some police sirens and lots of talking and honking. It was our neighborhood 4th of July parade! We all took a break and waved to the people in the parade. It's been a tradition here as long as I've been in the neighborhood. I always have a front-row seat because they go right by my house. Now it sure is noisy outside with all the fireworks in a neighborhood where fireworks aren't allowed. Hmmmm.
For some reason, the plugs in the kitchen stopped working last night during the night, so I have an extension cord to my coffee pot. This morning, when the alarm went off at 5:30, I sleepwalked into the kitchen to turn on the coffee pot. It didn't turn on, so I tried a few combinations of timer on/coffee pot on/off. Then I realized the plug didn't work, so I carried the coffee pot to the other 2 plugs in the kitchen. They didn't work either. I had to move furniture in the garage to get to the breaker box, but it wasn't tripped. I finally took the coffee pot to a plug in the living room and put it on the floor. It worked there. I don't know what's going on. But it feels expensive ;o)
Once the kitchen countertops are installed, I'll feel like I'm home. I finally put up some curtains in the front kitchen window. I always feel a little exposed walking in there in the early morning with the light on. That's the only window with curtains. I have miniblinds in my room and the room directly across the hall from me. There's a mature crepe myrtle in front of the other street window, so I feel a bit protected.
At 11:30 this morning, I heard some police sirens and lots of talking and honking. It was our neighborhood 4th of July parade! We all took a break and waved to the people in the parade. It's been a tradition here as long as I've been in the neighborhood. I always have a front-row seat because they go right by my house. Now it sure is noisy outside with all the fireworks in a neighborhood where fireworks aren't allowed. Hmmmm.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Renovation is winding down
We're thinking we can wind up this project this weekend. I have the paint and the chalk line for the band around the perimeter of the floor. We only needed 300 feet of the quarter-round to finish it off. I called a couple places to find the lower-profile quarter-round that we wanted to put along the baseboards. They said they didn't have it.
I was on the hunt, and just in case I could find it, I asked Superman to shop with me so we could use his truck to haul it to my house. After work, we went to McCoy's and found exactly what we were looking for. We were taken to the quarter-round, and we looked at some of the other things they had, both in white and natural. That's when I realized it wasn't quarter-round that we actually wanted; it was shoe mould that we were looking for. We started counting out the unpainted pieces. Then I realized the white was already primed, so I checked them out. They were $1.20 less each! Instead of $4.59 each, they were $3.39! And we'd only have to paint it once!
We hauled them home and I feel like that was a big success! Superman finished replacing the doorknobs, and we called it a night. I made myself comfortable to watch NCIS, and before I knew it, I crashed.
I'm still surrounded by boxes at the office and here at home. At the same time, I'm finishing 2 large projects at work, and the Friends of the Library newsletter is printed and ready to go to the preparer. I have so many things on my mind that I made a big mistake when doing the final details on the newsletter. I prepared the mailing lists and completely left out those people who only supplied mailing addresses. It was a big mistake, luckily, I realized it before it was too late. I could have taken it to the preparer this evening, but I left in such a hurry to look for the trim that I forgot it. So, I'll drop it off on my way back from weighing in.
I plan to spend the weekend unpacking. Once I can push the furniture in place, and I feel like I won't have to move it again, I'm going to tear into those boxes. We packed so quickly and there's so much that I really don't want to keep, so I'll take my time. I guess that's one of the things stopping me. The few boxes I have in my room have things I really don't feel like unpacking, but I don't have any place to put them until I can unpack. It's one of those catch-22 situations. I'll probably make a few trips to Good Will over the weekend as well.
Next weekend is my grandson's first birthday party. It'll be a 'stash bash where everyone will wear a moustache. The invitations are absolutely adorable. Unfortunately, I have a wedding to coordinate about the same time, so I won't be there at the beginning. I'll probably miss the first hour, I also have Altar Guild, so I'll be on that side of town Friday night and early Saturday morning. Maybe I can stay at my daughter's and help her prepare for the party. That would make me feel better for missing some of it.
The renovation is winding down, but it doesn't seem that my life is - yet!
I was on the hunt, and just in case I could find it, I asked Superman to shop with me so we could use his truck to haul it to my house. After work, we went to McCoy's and found exactly what we were looking for. We were taken to the quarter-round, and we looked at some of the other things they had, both in white and natural. That's when I realized it wasn't quarter-round that we actually wanted; it was shoe mould that we were looking for. We started counting out the unpainted pieces. Then I realized the white was already primed, so I checked them out. They were $1.20 less each! Instead of $4.59 each, they were $3.39! And we'd only have to paint it once!
We hauled them home and I feel like that was a big success! Superman finished replacing the doorknobs, and we called it a night. I made myself comfortable to watch NCIS, and before I knew it, I crashed.
I'm still surrounded by boxes at the office and here at home. At the same time, I'm finishing 2 large projects at work, and the Friends of the Library newsletter is printed and ready to go to the preparer. I have so many things on my mind that I made a big mistake when doing the final details on the newsletter. I prepared the mailing lists and completely left out those people who only supplied mailing addresses. It was a big mistake, luckily, I realized it before it was too late. I could have taken it to the preparer this evening, but I left in such a hurry to look for the trim that I forgot it. So, I'll drop it off on my way back from weighing in.
I plan to spend the weekend unpacking. Once I can push the furniture in place, and I feel like I won't have to move it again, I'm going to tear into those boxes. We packed so quickly and there's so much that I really don't want to keep, so I'll take my time. I guess that's one of the things stopping me. The few boxes I have in my room have things I really don't feel like unpacking, but I don't have any place to put them until I can unpack. It's one of those catch-22 situations. I'll probably make a few trips to Good Will over the weekend as well.
Next weekend is my grandson's first birthday party. It'll be a 'stash bash where everyone will wear a moustache. The invitations are absolutely adorable. Unfortunately, I have a wedding to coordinate about the same time, so I won't be there at the beginning. I'll probably miss the first hour, I also have Altar Guild, so I'll be on that side of town Friday night and early Saturday morning. Maybe I can stay at my daughter's and help her prepare for the party. That would make me feel better for missing some of it.
The renovation is winding down, but it doesn't seem that my life is - yet!
Living like it's 1960.
I have a new refrigerator, a new stove, and a new micro(wave)hood. They are all installed, and they are all still covered in plastic. I feel like I'm living in the 1960s. I can see them, but I can't touch them. Actually, they're covered to protect them from us while all is still chaotic at the house.
I got my car back today from the shop. It's amazing how quiet it runs when everything is in working order. I thought Jaguars were supposed to knock and ping and sound like they're falling apart. At least mine did all the time!
Last night I crawled around the floor and installed the little door stoppers so we'd stop putting dents in the walls. The poor painter can't keep up with us.
Tomorrow I'll have to take a long lunch to weigh in, deliver some newsletters, and to hunt down the trim. McCoy's doesn't have it. They suggested Allen & Allen, which closes at 5:00!
I really like the trim above the kitchen cabinets. My #1 guy said it's not special, but I think it's altered. I guess I'll have to drag this long piece that I have with me to compare it to what I can find in the stores. It looks like I'll be trim shopping for July 4th. The members of my crew all have other side jobs waiting.
I mentioned in one of my first blogs about this adventure that we were a party of strangers. We have become family. It's going to be lonely once everything is done. But I'll be able to stop and think.
I got my car back today from the shop. It's amazing how quiet it runs when everything is in working order. I thought Jaguars were supposed to knock and ping and sound like they're falling apart. At least mine did all the time!
Last night I crawled around the floor and installed the little door stoppers so we'd stop putting dents in the walls. The poor painter can't keep up with us.
Tomorrow I'll have to take a long lunch to weigh in, deliver some newsletters, and to hunt down the trim. McCoy's doesn't have it. They suggested Allen & Allen, which closes at 5:00!
I really like the trim above the kitchen cabinets. My #1 guy said it's not special, but I think it's altered. I guess I'll have to drag this long piece that I have with me to compare it to what I can find in the stores. It looks like I'll be trim shopping for July 4th. The members of my crew all have other side jobs waiting.
I mentioned in one of my first blogs about this adventure that we were a party of strangers. We have become family. It's going to be lonely once everything is done. But I'll be able to stop and think.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Nesting
I've moved back in, and I love it!
The movers brought in as much as they could Saturday without overcrowding us with boxes and furniture that we couldn't put against the walls. Everything is in the middle of the floor while we waited for the painter to catch up with us. I picked him up this morning at 8:00, and he got started. He finished the baseboards and window sills, so as soon as they dry, we can move the furniture back - but wait, we have the brown trim around the perimeter to paint first.
I talked to the painter about adding the brown stripe, and he agreed to do it. Then we discussed finishing the floor with quarter-round or caulk to make it look finished. He suggested quarter-round. so that's what we'll do. I have enough paint to take care of that, and I'm thinking that by next weekend, we'll be done!
I started unpacking boxes. I put things in the pantry, my dresser, and my closet. I had a huge trash bag of hangers that I had to untangle and I filled the bar in the walk-in closet with them. Where did they all come from? I don't think I took clothes off hangers to pack. At least I didn't for the other closet. It was so easy to put things back because I just grabbed a section at a time and put them in the box. One box held all the clothes from one closet. They're wrinkled, but I can fluff before I wear.
I've probably emptied about 10 boxes, and you can't see any progress yet. There's an overwhelming number of boxes in the garage still.
I took the painter home about 12:30 and had the rest of the day to myself, all by myself. What to do? I sat in front of the TV for a while, then I realized I was wasting time, so I put the TV on the jazz station and got to work. I showered, washed my hair, and put on a different outfit and makeup for the first time in days.
My daughter and I went shopping for drapers and rods. She suggested a soft green, very pretty drapery panel for the living room. I would have never thought of that. I was looking at neutrals or reds. I only bought one panel so we could test it before I committed to buying 8, actually 15 more. I like the grommet panels because I like opening the curtains during the day and closing them at night. Having the rings or grommets will make that much easier. I'll have double rods with ivory sheers behind. We picked out clear ball finials that are absolutely stunning. I'm so excited.
I'm only going to be here 6 more years, or at least until I retire. Then I'm moving close to my family. I'm 20 miles from my daughter and about 27 miles from my sister. I'd prefer to be closer to them, but it's nice being 4.5 miles from work.
My daughter isn't crazy about the floor, but she likes everything else. She said it looks so light and airy. I think it's because I don't have curtains on any windows yet. But the colors on the walls are really nice, neutral, and relaxing to me. I'm very pleased with everything that's been done.
There's just a little touch-up painting, the perimeter brown stripe, quarter-round trim, caulking the bath tubs, installing the microhood, replacing the ceiling fans, adding drapers and bookcases, and I'm done. My boss told me to think of Murphy Brown and Eldon. Remember that show? Her small home improvement project took on a life of its own. He said that he had the same thing happen - scope creep kept their floor covered in brown paper for 6 months.
I'm thinking of having a dinner party for my crew to thank them for all their time and effort. They've spent so much time here that they consider my home their second home. They're here every evening and weekend. There would be the packer, main man, painter, Superman and his 3 sidekicks, the electrician, and the AC guy.
Then the "reveal" party. Knowing you're going to be invited to check out my handiwork really puts the pressure on me to get 'er done right!
I'll tell my landscaper, who has been conspicuously absent the last couple months, that I'm having this party and I'll be glad to mention who did the landscaping. It can be a good thing or not - it depends on him.
While I'm unpacking, I'm purging and putting everything in meaningful places. If I don't need it, use, or absolutely love it, it's going. My cedar chest, which was a hope chest that held things for the future, will now hold things from my past like wedding photos and things I can't bear to part with but don't want to get rid of.
Nesting is the period between chaos and order when I get to really bring it all together.
The movers brought in as much as they could Saturday without overcrowding us with boxes and furniture that we couldn't put against the walls. Everything is in the middle of the floor while we waited for the painter to catch up with us. I picked him up this morning at 8:00, and he got started. He finished the baseboards and window sills, so as soon as they dry, we can move the furniture back - but wait, we have the brown trim around the perimeter to paint first.
I talked to the painter about adding the brown stripe, and he agreed to do it. Then we discussed finishing the floor with quarter-round or caulk to make it look finished. He suggested quarter-round. so that's what we'll do. I have enough paint to take care of that, and I'm thinking that by next weekend, we'll be done!
I started unpacking boxes. I put things in the pantry, my dresser, and my closet. I had a huge trash bag of hangers that I had to untangle and I filled the bar in the walk-in closet with them. Where did they all come from? I don't think I took clothes off hangers to pack. At least I didn't for the other closet. It was so easy to put things back because I just grabbed a section at a time and put them in the box. One box held all the clothes from one closet. They're wrinkled, but I can fluff before I wear.
I've probably emptied about 10 boxes, and you can't see any progress yet. There's an overwhelming number of boxes in the garage still.
I took the painter home about 12:30 and had the rest of the day to myself, all by myself. What to do? I sat in front of the TV for a while, then I realized I was wasting time, so I put the TV on the jazz station and got to work. I showered, washed my hair, and put on a different outfit and makeup for the first time in days.
My daughter and I went shopping for drapers and rods. She suggested a soft green, very pretty drapery panel for the living room. I would have never thought of that. I was looking at neutrals or reds. I only bought one panel so we could test it before I committed to buying 8, actually 15 more. I like the grommet panels because I like opening the curtains during the day and closing them at night. Having the rings or grommets will make that much easier. I'll have double rods with ivory sheers behind. We picked out clear ball finials that are absolutely stunning. I'm so excited.
I'm only going to be here 6 more years, or at least until I retire. Then I'm moving close to my family. I'm 20 miles from my daughter and about 27 miles from my sister. I'd prefer to be closer to them, but it's nice being 4.5 miles from work.
My daughter isn't crazy about the floor, but she likes everything else. She said it looks so light and airy. I think it's because I don't have curtains on any windows yet. But the colors on the walls are really nice, neutral, and relaxing to me. I'm very pleased with everything that's been done.
There's just a little touch-up painting, the perimeter brown stripe, quarter-round trim, caulking the bath tubs, installing the microhood, replacing the ceiling fans, adding drapers and bookcases, and I'm done. My boss told me to think of Murphy Brown and Eldon. Remember that show? Her small home improvement project took on a life of its own. He said that he had the same thing happen - scope creep kept their floor covered in brown paper for 6 months.
I'm thinking of having a dinner party for my crew to thank them for all their time and effort. They've spent so much time here that they consider my home their second home. They're here every evening and weekend. There would be the packer, main man, painter, Superman and his 3 sidekicks, the electrician, and the AC guy.
Then the "reveal" party. Knowing you're going to be invited to check out my handiwork really puts the pressure on me to get 'er done right!
I'll tell my landscaper, who has been conspicuously absent the last couple months, that I'm having this party and I'll be glad to mention who did the landscaping. It can be a good thing or not - it depends on him.
While I'm unpacking, I'm purging and putting everything in meaningful places. If I don't need it, use, or absolutely love it, it's going. My cedar chest, which was a hope chest that held things for the future, will now hold things from my past like wedding photos and things I can't bear to part with but don't want to get rid of.
Nesting is the period between chaos and order when I get to really bring it all together.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
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.
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.
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