Let the boxing begin. Not to mention the kitchen cleaning.
I started battling the dust in the kitchen this afternoon. Unfortunately, Kathy is sick, so I didn't have her expert help.
I also started moving boxes of kitchen things into the breakfast area so they'll be handy when I finally have dust-free cabinets to put them in.
While Bud waited for the cable/Internet installer, he sanded and painted the vent covers we washed the other day. They look great. He also started putting the covers back on the lights on the deck steps. Those look much better too.
When the installer finally arrived late this afternoon, he couldn't do anything after all -- because the company has to drop a line from the pole to the house. So that's the plan for tomorrow.
Laura's dad is still in the hospital. Last I talked with her, the mass near his pancreas still hadn't been biopsied.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Day 405: Oct. 14, 2008
Bud whirled all dervishlike outside again today, putting out another truckload of mulch, more grass seed. He also cleaned the patio and the deck.
At lunch, we moved the patio table and chairs from the garage to their rightful place on the deck. Now to have a drink!
Laura's dad is in the hospital. Although his doctors don't know exactly what's wrong yet, they suspect the problem is pancreatic cancer. I'm really hoping that's not the case -- and I know I'm far from the only one.
At lunch, we moved the patio table and chairs from the garage to their rightful place on the deck. Now to have a drink!
Laura's dad is in the hospital. Although his doctors don't know exactly what's wrong yet, they suspect the problem is pancreatic cancer. I'm really hoping that's not the case -- and I know I'm far from the only one.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Day 404: Oct. 13, 2008
Five truckloads of mulch later, Bud's somehow still standing and the area surrounding the deck almost entirely covered.
Upstairs, Chester put a second coat of urethane on the great-room floor. Dwayne, the drywaller, finished up his work on the kitchen ceiling; and Robert and Gary, the painters, got to work on their first coat. They also painted the ceiling of the front porch.
At lunch, I was on wasp duty. About seven or eight got into the guest room through an open window this weekend, much to their regret. Spraying them was scary, but very effective. I spent the rest of the time cleaning wasp spray off the ceiling, the light fixture, the wall, the window and the floor. As of this evening, none of their buddies had shown up to check on them.
Kathy cleaned the upstairs again. I think it's going to be a while before we stop tracking dust from the driveway and rooms that haven't been cleaned into the clean areas of the house.
After work, I moved a couple of small pieces of furniture from the garage into the house -- a jewelry chest that used to belong to Bud's aunt and the mirror that goes on the dresser in the guest bedroom.
Upstairs, Chester put a second coat of urethane on the great-room floor. Dwayne, the drywaller, finished up his work on the kitchen ceiling; and Robert and Gary, the painters, got to work on their first coat. They also painted the ceiling of the front porch.
At lunch, I was on wasp duty. About seven or eight got into the guest room through an open window this weekend, much to their regret. Spraying them was scary, but very effective. I spent the rest of the time cleaning wasp spray off the ceiling, the light fixture, the wall, the window and the floor. As of this evening, none of their buddies had shown up to check on them.
Kathy cleaned the upstairs again. I think it's going to be a while before we stop tracking dust from the driveway and rooms that haven't been cleaned into the clean areas of the house.
After work, I moved a couple of small pieces of furniture from the garage into the house -- a jewelry chest that used to belong to Bud's aunt and the mirror that goes on the dresser in the guest bedroom.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Days 402-403: Oct. 11-12, 2008
So I misunderstood when I thought Jimmy said Jesse was coming Friday. He actually said Chester -- which was even better. Chester sanded the entire great-room floor and put the first coat of urethane down.
He'll be back Monday and Tuesday for the second and final coats. After that, we have to wait 24 hours to walk on it, and then a week to put furniture on it.
Friday night and Saturday morning, I washed bed linens for the new house (using the washer and dryer at the new house!). On Saturday, I put sheets on both beds, and stuffed the comforter for the master into its duvet cover. I also ordered a comforter for the guest room. Bud took care of things outside. Watering the newly seeded grass, cleaning the patio, that stuff.
On Saturday evening, we went to the farm for dinner to celebrate Chris' birthday. I promised myself all day that I would take pictures, so that I could show you my side of the family really does exist. When I forgot the camera, I figured I'd take phone pictures. Then I forgot those too.
Sunday, we vacuumed the central air vents and painted the insides black. We washed the vent covers, which are drying in the garage and will need new coats of paints also.
We moved a few pieces of furniture from Bud's mom's house. There were a couple of large pieces we had planned to move, but they're still crammed full of things, so we made new selections. We'll try to clean out the others this week or next weekend -- since we won't be able to put stuff into the great room yet, we'll have a little time on our hands.
He'll be back Monday and Tuesday for the second and final coats. After that, we have to wait 24 hours to walk on it, and then a week to put furniture on it.
Friday night and Saturday morning, I washed bed linens for the new house (using the washer and dryer at the new house!). On Saturday, I put sheets on both beds, and stuffed the comforter for the master into its duvet cover. I also ordered a comforter for the guest room. Bud took care of things outside. Watering the newly seeded grass, cleaning the patio, that stuff.
On Saturday evening, we went to the farm for dinner to celebrate Chris' birthday. I promised myself all day that I would take pictures, so that I could show you my side of the family really does exist. When I forgot the camera, I figured I'd take phone pictures. Then I forgot those too.
Sunday, we vacuumed the central air vents and painted the insides black. We washed the vent covers, which are drying in the garage and will need new coats of paints also.
We moved a few pieces of furniture from Bud's mom's house. There were a couple of large pieces we had planned to move, but they're still crammed full of things, so we made new selections. We'll try to clean out the others this week or next weekend -- since we won't be able to put stuff into the great room yet, we'll have a little time on our hands.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Day 401: Oct. 10, 2008
As Bud and I took our evening deer cruise last night, a frog hopped across the road in front of us. I stopped, and Bud got out and caught the chilly little guy.
Bud handed the frog to me through the driver-side window, but the pass didn't go smoothly. The frog jumped down onto the floor and disappeared.
When I got out to look for him, he was snuggled up in a tight area above the hood release. I reached for him, and he moved further into the dash.
So we finished the deer run -- with me fearing the whole time that our new friend would jump out of hiding and onto my feet, at which point I would scream and drive off the road.
But we managed to stay off the sidewalks on the way home. I checked the floor and dash again after we had been back for a while. Nothing. Bud looked everything over once more early this morning. Nothing.
We resigned ourselves to the fact that we had sentenced our poor little frog to a sun-baked death and ourselves to weeks of dead-amphibian smell.
When I piled my stuff into the Jeep this morning to head for work, I reached across the console to put my purse in the passenger seat. I checked the floor for frogs, found the right key on my key ring and started to climb in.
Then I glanced down at the console, where our spotty green friend sat calmly (and literally coolly, as I found out when I picked him up) in the change tray!
He was chilled again, so catching him wasn't a challenge. Holding on to him 'til I got to the new house to release him was a little more interesting.
We're hoping he'll hang around his new home in the garage retaining wall for a while. But we've tried to institute an unsuccessful frog relocation program in the past, so we're not optimistic.
Bud handed the frog to me through the driver-side window, but the pass didn't go smoothly. The frog jumped down onto the floor and disappeared.
When I got out to look for him, he was snuggled up in a tight area above the hood release. I reached for him, and he moved further into the dash.
So we finished the deer run -- with me fearing the whole time that our new friend would jump out of hiding and onto my feet, at which point I would scream and drive off the road.
But we managed to stay off the sidewalks on the way home. I checked the floor and dash again after we had been back for a while. Nothing. Bud looked everything over once more early this morning. Nothing.
We resigned ourselves to the fact that we had sentenced our poor little frog to a sun-baked death and ourselves to weeks of dead-amphibian smell.
When I piled my stuff into the Jeep this morning to head for work, I reached across the console to put my purse in the passenger seat. I checked the floor for frogs, found the right key on my key ring and started to climb in.
Then I glanced down at the console, where our spotty green friend sat calmly (and literally coolly, as I found out when I picked him up) in the change tray!
He was chilled again, so catching him wasn't a challenge. Holding on to him 'til I got to the new house to release him was a little more interesting.
We're hoping he'll hang around his new home in the garage retaining wall for a while. But we've tried to institute an unsuccessful frog relocation program in the past, so we're not optimistic.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Day 400: Oct. 9, 2008
Bud rented a mini skid loader this morning and backfilled the remaining area next to the patio under the deck. (Much better, and faster, than a shovel!) Then he used a rake to even it out.
Nice disco-ball effect from the sun shining through the deck, huh?
Reno grouted the front porch, and he said walking on it will be fine by the time to mattresses arrive tomorrow. He also reiterated that it'll be OK for us to walk in the kitchen and sun room too.
Gary (the painter, not the contractor) put a second coat of stain on part of the deck. I think he'll get to the rest tomorrow. Jesse also will be there tomorrow to reinstall the recessed lights that got moved because of the new cabinets.
Bud says the cable installers are scheduled for Wednesday. I guess they got "rushed up" after all.
So that means our big hold-up is going to be the hardwood floors. Time for me to get the phone number from Jimmy so I can pester Chester!
Nice disco-ball effect from the sun shining through the deck, huh?
Reno grouted the front porch, and he said walking on it will be fine by the time to mattresses arrive tomorrow. He also reiterated that it'll be OK for us to walk in the kitchen and sun room too.
Gary (the painter, not the contractor) put a second coat of stain on part of the deck. I think he'll get to the rest tomorrow. Jesse also will be there tomorrow to reinstall the recessed lights that got moved because of the new cabinets.
Bud says the cable installers are scheduled for Wednesday. I guess they got "rushed up" after all.
So that means our big hold-up is going to be the hardwood floors. Time for me to get the phone number from Jimmy so I can pester Chester!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Day 399: Oct. 8, 2008
Here's how close we are to finished: Gary and Jimmy took their table saw today and went to work on someone else's two-day project. Even though they're not gone for good yet, it was sad to watch them leave.
The tile's still groutless, but you get to see it anyway -- because I didn't take any new pictures today. (I think they're grouting tomorrow -- except for the bullnose edges, which won't be here 'til the middle of the month.)
Reno sealed the kitchen and sunroom tile this afternoon. We can't walk on it for at least 24 hours. So, doing out-of-the-house stuff today, we bought mattresses for our bedroom and the guest bedroom. They'll be delivered Friday evening. I hope there's a way to get into the house by then!
Speaking of mattresses, I've been puzzling over when I can stop with the "Day XXX" post titles. I think I've decided to give them up after we spend our first night in the house.
But even then, we not be fully in. We also stopped by the cable office this afternoon, and although the woman told Bud she'd try to "rush them up," the first appointment was for the beginning of November!
They're coming to do the phone a couple of weeks before that, so we're hoping they can do both (and the Internet too) at the same time.
The tile's still groutless, but you get to see it anyway -- because I didn't take any new pictures today. (I think they're grouting tomorrow -- except for the bullnose edges, which won't be here 'til the middle of the month.)
Reno sealed the kitchen and sunroom tile this afternoon. We can't walk on it for at least 24 hours. So, doing out-of-the-house stuff today, we bought mattresses for our bedroom and the guest bedroom. They'll be delivered Friday evening. I hope there's a way to get into the house by then!
Speaking of mattresses, I've been puzzling over when I can stop with the "Day XXX" post titles. I think I've decided to give them up after we spend our first night in the house.
But even then, we not be fully in. We also stopped by the cable office this afternoon, and although the woman told Bud she'd try to "rush them up," the first appointment was for the beginning of November!
They're coming to do the phone a couple of weeks before that, so we're hoping they can do both (and the Internet too) at the same time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
