May 10, 2010

Well, here it is the month of May. Today is such a beautiful day! Nice temperature and wonderful bright sun.

On Saturday, May 6, the livingroom window was finally able to be installed. My, how much brighter the room looks. Missing one window can really darken a room. But, now it is in and all I can say is it looks good!

Still working on putting up the pictures that were on the walls before the painting began. Have two more rooms to go. Trying to figure out a way to hang the Grandchildren's pictures evenly without making a million holes. Going to make paper templates and put them up where the pictures will go and then measure and put the real pictures up. As for the pictures in the girls' room...well, I'm still working on that too.

I really need to get outside and work in my garden. It is getting very overgrown. Weeds are every where.

I also need to get the carpets shampooed. What to do when there are so few nice days and lots of rainy days? Just taking one day at a time. My Mom said, "Well, you could shampoo your carpets in August." Ah-h, NO. To late and too far away. Must be sooner.

It's really time to just relax and enjoy these beautiful days with a good book and a glass of iced tea.

Day 13 Floor laying

Okay, I'm late getting this post in. Chalk it up to excitement!

On Saturday, March 26, the floor got laid. Once again they ran into trouble. Bathroom is by no means square. So, they started, got first row in and already don't have a plumb wall. Wall went up years ago. It separated one room from another; what more did it need to do, right? Square? No, way. Needless to say it frustrated the painter who volunteered to lay the floor. Well, after much work and hassle it got completed. It sure does look good. Of course, anything would look better than bare wood. I'm just so thankful. I keep praising the Lord for letting this work get done and that the financial need has been met.

The house is now done and looks wonderful! I just walk from room to room and get excited about how nice everything looks. As you can see it doesn't take much to excite me. Come and visit me and see how nice it looks.

Painting Day 11 & 12

Day 11 starts out with the electrician coming to install the fan/heater/light. Rick and I leave to go look for a carpet for the master bedroom.

The hole for the bathroom light needs to be cut still larger. Electrician installs the light in no time flat.

Rick and I find a grey/silver carpet for the bedroom. Need to position the carpet twice to get it home in our little truck.

Home again to find the painter painting in the bathroom. Ceiling white...check. Walls parsnip...check. Woodwork white...check. Now to get used to seeing the bathroom a pale green. It's not as pale as I thought it would be. Still, I do like it.

Day 12

Oh, yeah, back to the normal kind of day. Try to install a new vanity because a pedestal sink would not work out. How many things can go wrong? Cut pipes for flexible lines. Oops, too short and the flexible lines on hand are for toilet lines. Did I mention these guys are not plumbers? Rick left to get the right flexible lines and Steve starts working on the toilet. Next thing I know Steve is asking me if I have something he can help me with because he had to get out of the bathroom because it was frustrating him. Apparently whatever could go wrong; did. Well, it took them most of the day to complete the installations. So, the only thing left to do is lay the floor.

Painting Day 10

Oh, what a NIGHTMARE!! The bathroom was to be done today. Old houses can give you nightmares.

Needed to replace the fan/heater/light that was in the ceiling because the heater and fan had died. Remove old fixture and get the new one out of the box. Oh, no, new fixture is larger than the old one even though it is the same manufacturer and same design. No problem. Cut the hole in the ceiling larger to accommodate the new one. Bet you think that will do the trick. Nope, ends up the wires do not line up. The new fixture has an extra wire. Time to call an electrician.

Removed toilet and tore up floor around it because when that toilet was put in it was not set right so it leaked and rotted the floor. Toilet and floor removed...check.

Remove old vanity to put in new pedestal sink. Oh, my, is that a big hole in the floor? Yep, and check out the hole in the wall. Apparently when the vanity was put in the plumber put a hole in the wall for ??? and one in the floor for ???. Oh, and the new pedestal sink won't go in unless we reconfigure all the pipes. Did I mention nightmare?! So, we may have to go back to another vanity. Oh, all's well in the old house. It just takes longer to do things in them.

So, the painter did get the tub walls regrouted and filled the holes on the walls. That is something and a move forward. Just a small set back to try us. We will continue to move forward. Don't forget tomorrow is another day!

Painting Day 8 and 9

Day 8: March 16

Master bedroom painted. Oh, my, where do you go with all the things in this room? Well, photo albums got taken downstairs. Furniture had to stay in the room because there was no where else to go; let alone getting it there. That meant he had to paint around a dresser, a bureau, two metal closets, a file cabinet, a desk, a bookshelf, and oh, yea, the bed. So, woodwork white...check. Walls Blue Opal...check. Lookin' good...oh,yea!!

Day 9: March 18

Boys' room painted. More things to move out. All Rachel's books that were taken into this room and put on the bottom bunks had to be put into boxes. Three boxes full...check. Shelves that had the boys' books on had to be put into boxes. Five boxes full...check. Okay, now where do we put eight boxes?? Rachel's Room!! Oh, forgot all the games, the TV, and the dvd player. Oh, did I tell you that you can hardly move in Rachel's room.

Time to paint. Today he had to work around two bunk beds, two dressers, a metal closet, and a rocking chair. Put the two sets of shelves into the master bedroom. Crazy! Ceiling and woodwork white...check. Walls Blue Opal...check. Boys' room completed! Yeah!!

Next week he will work on the bathroom. This is the room that will be completely remodeled. New floor...new sink...new toilet...and of course a new paint job.

So, stay posted for a few more days to read about the rest of the work that will be done. Oh, and have a wonderful weekend!

Painting Day 7

Day 7 is done. Girls' room painted today. If you've ever been in the girls room you know how bad the wall right inside the door looked. Well, no more! Let's see...woodwork white...check. Walls Blue Opal...check. Wall inside doorway repaired...check. This is like moving into a new house...from old to new.

I now have a five day break from painting. He will be back next Wednesday. That will give me time to put some of the rooms back together and pack up some things that are left in my room so he can start there when he comes back.

So, let's see...my room next Wednesday; the boys' room next Friday. Then afterwards...the bathroom will be done. That will include a new toilet, sink, floor and of course PAINT. Wow, this is absolutely wonderful.

What's funny while this is being completed is that while he is working there is not much I can do. So, I pretty much am stranded in one area. Hope this doesn't give stay-at-home wives a bad name. No, Steve, I'm usually extremely busy through the day. I don't get to sit around like this. We stay-at-home wives do have much to keep us busy. I just go crazy trying to get things done before you arrive and after you leave.

Painting Day 6

It's the morning after day 6 that I finally can document how it went. Smoothly! No problems to report on yesterday's painting.

So, what got painted yesterday? Our little hallway with lots and lots of woodwork. Oh, did I say I love our painter?? There is one small wall in our hallway with lots of doors and woodwork. Well, I thought about asking him to paint the very small ceiling area in the Blue Opal as well. But, I forgot and to work he went. He also painted the stair well from our living area down to the church. Day is done and I go to see what he has done. Woodwork white...check. Small wall Blue Opal...check. Ceilings white...no-o-o, Blue Opal!! Yeah!! I told you I love this painter. He knew what to do to break up the white from the woodwork. How's it look? Wonderful!!

Oh, yeah, his name is Steve Kieffer and his business is called Top Coat.

Painting Day 5

Today the livingroom got painted. White woodwork...check. Blue Opal...check. Nice and bright; oh, yeah. Just an ordinary day. Nothing bad happened. Everything went according to the plan.

Five days of painting and the house is looking good; just the bedrooms left to go. Small break for the next few days as the painter has another small job to do.

So, over the weekend I'll be cleaning up the dust and dirt. Washer is coming tomorrow. Oh, yeah, I'll also be doing a ton of wash.

Have a nice weekend even though it is supposed to be raining.

Painting Day 4

Good day today! Everything went smoothly. Today I needed to remove all the

books from the top shelf of the book case so the ceiling could be painted. I'm sure that was more than 100 books.

Painter came and it was right to work. Finished spackling the walls in the TV room and worked some more on the ceiling in the livingroom. Then it was straight to painting. Woodwork white...check. Ceiling white...check. Walls

Blue Opal...check. TV room is completed. How bright and beautiful it

looks. Livingroom will be painted tomorrow.

Also, went out looking for a washer this evening. Found one a Lowe's. Yeah, they will deliver it on Saturday. Already have someone looking for clothes they need. Hang in there guys!

Oh, pray for my Aunt Arlene H. She is still being treated in the hospital for

pneumonia. She has been in the hospital since the second week of January.

Painting Day 3

Well, you've heard the expression when it rains it pours. Well, it poured today. Awoke and the plan was to get some wash completed before the painter came again today. First load in and washed. Check. Second load in and washed. Well, sort of. It washed, but on the final spin the washer decided that the gears would grind and the basket would not spin thereby leaving the load sopping wet. Yep, WET! Like I said, it poured...water that is. So, the clothes went into a large clean trash bag to await being taken to a laundromat so they could be rewashed, sort of, so they could get the water spun out of them.

Painter arrives and the pressure in my head is building. Well, I ended up with a migraine like I haven't had for a while.

So, into the boys' room I went closing both blinds to make the room dark and down on the bed I went...two and a half hours of down.

The painter worked in the kitchen today. White woodwork...check. Wow, now the cabinets look dingy. Hey, Mr. Painter-man would you paint my cabinets white?? Sure! Okay, now we are on a roll. Walls- Blue Opal...check. Now, the cabinets need to be painted. White cabinets...check. Wow, to how the kitchen looks now. Kitchen painted...check.

I haven't taken any pictures of the painting because I haven't looked at how to operate the new camera I got at Christmas. Will have to check out the camera so I can get pictures and maybe they will get posted.

Maybe day 4 will be calm and peaceful. Here's to painting and a nice house!!

Painting Day 2

Okay, the challenge today was to see how much wash I could get done before the painter came. Climbed out of bed @ 5:50am. Surely at least three loads could be completed. Start with dress clothes. Separate the ones to be dried in the dryer and put them in the wash first. Okay, check. Boy, that was easy.

Load of clothes done washing. Shake out and put into dryer. Okay, check. Wow, I'm on a roll. Next load in. Time to eat breakfast. Side tracked and now it's getting later. Washer buzzes and clothes are ready to come out and to be hung. O-oo, is that a very young Mel Gibson in this

movie. Now I'm really side tracked. Well, at least the clothes made it from the washer to the

basket. See, I can do this.

What!! It is now 8:30 and the painter should be here any minute. Here he comes. No more wash for now.

The painter replaced the portion of archway he had to remove yesterday and started painting the woodwork. Guess I'll hang up those clothes that I took from the washer. I am advancing even though I cannot wash any more clothes.

White. Do you know how bright white is? Whoa, the walls look really dingy next to this white paint on the woodwork.

Oh, now the painter must leave to go to another place to bid on a job. Well, maybe the alcove will get completed today...at least that is his plan.

Time passes and paint is being put on the woodwork and walls. Looks absolutely wonderful!

Best part...nothing needed fixed or replaced and the painting moved forward. Alcove

complete...check!!!

Woodwork--white. Check. Walls--Blue Opal. Check. Looks wonderful! Check...check...check!!!

PAINTING Day 1

The painter came today for his first day of work. Said he would like to get the alcove outside the bathroom almost finished.

Well, this house does NOT like the word finished. Job was to remove mismatched crown molding and put up new matched molding, remove loose paint from ceiling, and put on a coat of paint.

First mistake was taking down the large crown molding above the bathroom door. Oops, molding covered unfinished wall. New molding will not cover unfinished wall. Okay, no problem. Will buy more large crown molding to re-cover this area. Check.

On to the rest of the molding to be removed...second mistake. Oh, look, an electrical wire was hiding behind the molding; only it is not connected to anything. Okay, no problem. Cut the wire. Check.

Now to deal with the wall at the doorway where this wire ran up in front of. Nasty, unfinished wall. Well, could put up corner molding...nope, too wide. Remove wood from side of archway and replace with a wider strip. Okay, no problem. Truly was no problem.

Trim electrical wire to floor so the wood strip will fit. Oops, wire is live! Third mistake.

Thought this project could be well on the way to be completed today. NOT happening.

Must find out where the wire is after coming through the floor. Go downstairs and look under the drop-ceiling. Oh, there you are! Make sure the breaker is off and cap the wire. Okay, no problem. Check.

Day is almost over now. Well, no paint on walls in alcove and only an hour left. Patch holes and nicks in kitchen and start repair on livingroom ceiling. Okay, no problem. Check.

The joy of working in an old house. Deep breath. Close my eyes and think about how it will all look at completion.

On Saturday evening, Feb. 19, Hannah came up from VA for a visit. She came Sat. evening because she got a new dog, Ava. Looking forward to meeting her.

After church on Sunday we went out for dinner. Had a fun time at Marco Polo. Just love their food. Best Chinese around!

When we got home we got another surprise. Titus and Shayla had also come up from VA to visit until Monday night.

Nathanael stopped over Monday morning and stayed through the night.

So, we had a full house once again with only Isaiah and Alicia of the Claytor gang missing. Talk about a rowdy and fun time. They were in their glory telling all their stories from growing up. Ah, what a mother didn't know.

Today is Friday...time to be with Brooklynn. On our way over to the house we pass a motorcycle shop every time. Well, this time she says, "When I'm 16 will you get me a motorcycle?" It was hilarious. She was very serious. She knows you have to be 16 to drive. She has already said that when she is 16 she will drive my car to my house so I don't need too. She has also asked me to get her a car...of course, it must be blue. Smart girl. Very good color.

Brooklynn had four shots last evening for school so right now she is taking a nap. They must have really wiped her out. Maybe they gave her sleeping shots as she doesn't always take naps now.

Grandma spent the last two nights here because on Tuesday a young guy who tried to commit a burglary at a house down the street from hers was hiding in her yard behind her kitchen wall and the cement wall. She had opened the door twice not knowing who was there and when she realized where he was hiding and that she didn't know him she yelled at him to get out of her yard and then quickly closed and locked the door. Needless to say it shook her up and she didn't want to be at the house. The police were already searching for him at that time because the owner of the other house was at home and confronted him and chased him. The police didn't realize there was a gap behind the wall of Grandma's house. They have not caught him.

This weekend I must prepare the house for painting. Insulation put in on Valentine's Day and this coming week and the second full week of March the painter will patch and repair the walls and then paint. So, all things on the wall must come off and all small knickknacks must be put away. Now, where do you go with the furniture in the Hobbit house? Um, the middle of the floor. Paint one wall and put furniture back...push other furniture to middle and paint other wall. It will definitely be fun. NOT!! I will need on long vacation when all is finished. It will look nice, but I will be exhausted from things being out of order!

My youngest daughter tells me I should write here on my blog. What do you say when you have not been on since September?

Well, I could back-track and tell you what has happened since then. No, that would probably be long and boring for you to read.

So, I'll tell you that as of today I am healthy and alive and busy and crazy as ever...and...and...and. Well, you get the point.

We had our house insulated on Monday. Some people have sick kids on Valentine's Day...me, I had a contractor come into my house and make a MAJOR DUSTY mess. I thought I would go crazy with the amount of dirt it had left behind. Old plaster walls are very messy. It took 15 hours to dust, suck up, and wash it all away; only to have my youngest daughter pull a book off her shelf and comment about the amount of dust still on it. CRAZY!!

My Pennsylvania granddaughter received yellow roses from her Pappy for Valentine's Day. She was very excited but wanted to know why Aunt Rachel got a glass (vase) to put her roses in and she didn't. All was explained and she loved the roses and the idea of taking them home to put in a glass...no; vase.

Hannah is up for a visit. She got a new puppy today to keep Rocky company. Rocky...take care of that puppy.