Progress Is Slow--But It's Progress---July 6, 2010

Progress is slow on the house redo, but there has been some. Yesterday the work on the roof began, today was the 2nd coat, and tomorrow the 3rd coat. Just in time...it's building up for the monsoon! Also, Hank came over and ripped out the ceilings in the kitchen and bedroom, and will finish them tomorrow. I had tried to do it, and was so puny they didn 't even budge. He of course, had no trouble what so ever. Darn...old weak woman syndrome marches on!

So this weekend Johnny will be over to begin and hopefully finish the plumbing and electrical redos. The drain for the kitchen sink is being moved (there were 2 and we couldn't figure out for the life of us why and whether they both drained, or one drained, or ???? So he got that figured out, and why there was a water line hooked to the main faucets that are being move to supply water to the new sink....it was run under the floor, a hole drilled through to the outside, and shoved back up on the other side of the kitchen as a water supply for the icemaker in the refrig! Well, that actually turned out to be a good thing, because the refrig we were given, has an ice maker in it! No more buying ice!!!

The hardest part is that people don't get back to you when they say they will; or they don't show up to do the work when they say they will. So then scheduling the work to be done after that is impossible. Nothing went on last week as we had to wait for the roof to be done before going ahead with anything just in case it rained. That would have ruined the new ceilings, so we were on hold. As soon as the plumbing and electrical are done, then Kenny can come back and frame the wall in the laundry/pantry, frame the air return box for the heater and put in the grill and filter, and put up the kitchen ceiling (bead board to go with the walls). Then Hank or Sonny can do the drywall on the framed walls and the bedroom ceiling, and then Jeff can do the texture on the laundry, living room, and bedroom ceiling.

Just coordinating all this is a full time job, and I'm having to work so that's the pits. Plus, I'm off work today...not to have fun or work on the house, but because I woke up in the middle of the night vomiting, have 100.9 fever, headache, dizziness, and basically feel like pooh!!

I'm hoping to download the before and during photos from the camera today and get them worked on to show you things. I am having so much fun redoing a little hutch I got for 1/2 price at Goodwill. There was a bookshelf in the LL Bean catalog (for $379), and I loved the color. SO I found this little hutch, removed the doors off the top, filled in the screw holes with wood putty, sanded, primed and painted the top the exact same color. It's wonderful!! It just makes me happy looking at it. So now I need to finish the bottom, hook them together more securely than they were, and I have a gorgeous Blue Ocean Breeze (same as Porch Blue in LL Bean catalog) hutch/bookcase for my kitchen.

I also found a wonderful coffee table with 2 drawers and underneath 2 wicker baskets at the Salvation Army. I have been priming and painting it all white, and just have one or two more coats to go on the table itself...the drawers and baskets are done. It is so sweet, and looks very "beachy". I am also gathering dining chairs as I find them. Different styles, different wood, etc, But it doesn't matter, as painting them all white, then doing chair seats in this beautiful teal/ocean blue fabric with big graphic shells on it to coordinate them all. And I found a super old-fashioned white dining room table with claw feet, and they will all sit around it...will seat 8 people well! So if we ever get done, and don't run out of $$, it should look really nice.

Work is hectic, and fall is on its way, so gearing up for more registrations and applications. We're ahead 7 from last year so far, and put in another one this week, plus think there may be another coming in too. So the regional director is happy. I just have lots of file work, reports, etc. to do, so always swamped. It is such a joy working with Kelly...she learns so quickly and understands the whys and why nots of everything, and takes it upon herself to just do stuff. It's great, and we get along so well...laughing and joking, and being bad! Work is fun again, and the students can feel it.

This IS the summer for me to take the plunge (possibly literally) and try the kayak thing. Roy thinks I should wait until August as nights are still chilly and he's pretty sure I'm going to fall into the water, so figures the water might be warmer then. Plus, hopefully we'll be in the house. We're aiming for July 29, with Affinity picking up the RV on the 30th. Wish us luck...I do NOT want to pay another month's rent here! Plus, am aiming for the Jammin in the Pines/ Housewarming/ Roy's birthday party for August 15. I know, I'm crazy!

Comments

[Hardy Coufal]

Slow but sure thing, huh? Home renovations should be like this - more quality than quantity. Probably, next time you do your renovations, ask a contractor to do it for you. More time for Kayaking! Kudos to you. :)