A Day of Rest?

Only talk of maybe doing a little more on the kitchen last night occurred. I think we both needed a break...I sure know I did. Unloaded all the garbage from the back of my truck at the dump yesterday. I told them I'd be back probably on a regular basis for a while.

So we relaxed...spent a bit of time looking for a farm kitchen sink on line and trying to be sure we can get the right cabinet to house it. Looks like we're good to go. Put Chris to work last night taking nails out of the joists in the ceiling. Kept him busy for a little bit, but left a nice mess for Michael to clean up from the floor. He just didn't get the concept that you manage your own mess. We'll be working on that. One less thing we have to do though.

Today I pick up the last of the base cabinets that Schrock had in their warehouse that we could use. So we have the cabinets for the island and most what we needed in bases with the exception of the sink base and a couple 18 inchers. I may be wrong on that, but we are close all the same. They didn't have anything we needed for the upper cabinets except the one we brought home a couple of weeks ago for the corner. That was a great find! We'll call Schrock's weekly to see if anymore come in that we need. Trying to avoid having to buy any of them at full retail if at all possible.

Now, do we strip the plaster and lathe off the walls and ceiling and put up drywall? That is the next big decision. I say go for it and eliminate the worry of things breaking apart later after investing all the time to make it beautiful. What's a little more mess? I can mud and tape with the best of them.

Kitchen Renovation #1

Well, started tearing the ceiling out of the kitchen last night in hopes of raising the roof back to the original height.

9 feet.

This meant me on a ladder.
This meant me with a hammer.
This meant me with a prybar.
This meant me with a razor knife.

Sounds like good ingredients for a bloodletting.
Nothing but a small paper cut. Damn. I mean good.



Pictures later.

New Homeowner Anality

Yes, I did fall off the face of the earth (because it's not round) but I have climbed back onto her face.

Here's the thing - last Thursday we get some snow and predictions of several more inches to follow. So I decide to be a kind and considerate employee and park the company car in MY garage.

My niceness is returned with a bitchy, f**k you attitude. The damn car dribbled dirty snow all over my garage floor.

After I was so nice to the car, it shit snow on my floor. So I was late to work because I had to shovel it out. I just couldn't let that dirty snow, dirty water lay on my garage floor. It had to be cleaned out.

How's that for anality.
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Surprise!

Well my Michael surprised me today! I was expecting to wait on a furniture delivery of our dining room table and chairs and very excited! Well not only did we get our table and chairs but he ordered the buffet and hutch for us too! It is so beautiful! With the exception of an area rug and refinishing the floors at some point down the road, that room is close to finished. A picture here and there, and some other minor decorating over time otherwise. Thank you sweetheart!!!

We were planning on having dinner in there tonight...but that is another story for another day.

Night Off

Tuesday was a night off due to visitation for the unfortunate passing away of my best friend's mother-in-law, Phyllis Kaskavage. I only met Phyllis a handful of times, but from that I could tell she was a great lady. All of us here at Grazing Grounds are thinking of you Jules.

To view her obituary or donate a memorial please go here...

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/02/11/obits/130232.txt


Julie and Tony were in good spirits and I think pleased by seeing Tom and myself. It is a hard thing losing a parent no matter what age. But Phyllis was still young at heart and onery to the end... just like the woman I had come to know the few times I was lucky enough to meet her.

Rest in peace.

Dust, dust, dust

I have started taken the plaster and lathe off the north kitchen wall that is covering the fireplace. It is really hard shit but when it does break it shatters into teeny tiny dust particles.

So now I have a mess.
But that's what girlfriends are for - to clean up after their boyfriends.
Cheesy grinning now!!!!!!

Hammer, hammer, where fore art thou!!!

I lost my hammer. Woe is me. Soory Shakespeare.

If I can't find my hammer, maybe I'll just get hammered.

hours later. I found my hammer. Yay!!!!

Quiet Nights

Well, I have to admit it. At first I didn't want to. But now I have too. i love the life in the country.

It does not take away from or replace anyone, but it is sweet. I walk outside neekid anytime I want. Though lately there has been some shrinkage when I do that. Ok, alot of shrinkage.

But last night laying on the couch and just staying into space (or moving to that empty spot in my head)
I was at peace.
I was resolved.
I was happy.
I was HOME.

Of course how much of that will change after I make the first of 360 payments next month.

I am happy, not just because of the house and all it entails, but because of Allyson as well. She gives of herself freely, unequivocally. For that I am happy. Thank you.

But soon, the real work will have to start and I will begin remodeling. i can't wait.

Kitchen???

Well, slowly each day a little bit of the wall between the kitchen and the remainder of the house is being picked at. Yes...Michael is pulling down just a little bit at a time to cautiously see what is lerking behind those old walls. Last night he chipped away concrete to discover the brick from the back of the chimney doesn't really look too bad. Maybe his idea of having a bit of it exposed will work out. It will be quite a mess either way just getting the walls ready for whatever we decide to do with them.

I think Michael is just aching to start a project, but cautious enough to go at it slowly so far. We'll just have to wait and see. Kitchen designs are starting to come in from the places we visited. It will be interesting to see the different ideas and then making the decision on what direction to take. Good thing there is no hurry!

BTW...a little birdie told me the full affect of being in the country has taken hold of my Michael. He ran outside in his underwear last night!

Hooker's Man Cave

Man do you have a lot of work to do bro'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O66S8srAyWs


also go down to the last dining room post and see it.

Dining almost done

With the exception of receiving the new furniture for the dining room, well table anyway, it is pretty much wrapped up. The buffet and china cabinet will have to wait a while. The new color on the walls is perfect. The curtains look great and even look good with the tablecloth I caught on clearance. All we have left for that room is sand and finish the wood floor, get some drape hooks to pull back the curtains when we want to let the sun shine in and get some wall plates. Woohoo!!

On to the next project...hmmmm....what will it be???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fup9HT87QNo