Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Jenny From the Block

The kitchen countertops are installed! They are massively thick butcher block maple. 


The appliances were supposed to be delivered yesterday but only the fridge and microwave showed up. After fighting with Lowe's for over an hour, they agreed to deliver the remainder of my order (that they already charged my card for) this morning. Nick said they're in, but I haven't been home yet...

What's better than butcher block countertops? 

FINISHED butcher block countertops!


And how about that fridge?!


Thank you to Nick for working hard on his special day. Happy 8th anniversary, Nick and Blake!

Aren't they precious?!


Up next, the rest of the appliances and the sink and tile backsplash...

Monday, September 22, 2014

Artsy Fartsy

This past week has been a blur of activities!  There's lots going on at the house but it's a little here, a little there--maybe not as thrilling as it should be to earn a blog post...however, people are grumbling to me, at me, about me and my bloggy absence.

The absentee concrete guy finally showed up to rip out the remaining stumps and posts with a bobcat that we weren't able to manhandle on our own.  By absentee, I mean I wrote him a check THREE weeks ago on the day he was supposed to show up.  So this past week he did tear out some things and hauled one load away.  He ended up leaving two of the largest stumps (that touch the house) and a huge pile of debris in my postage stamp back yard, but that's okay because he was coming back the next day to chainsaw down the stumps and haul everything away...
I should be grateful this much was done

That was Tuesday.  He should stick to concrete and not demo.  On the plus side, I never gave him the check for the extended delay, half-work he's done.

Tom and I had artsy fartsy day when the yard was being demoed.  Remember the ugly exterior door that went to the dilapidated-porch-turned-fab-bath?
Old kitchen exit door

I decided I needed to save every bit of the old house that I could and that a sliding pantry door would be a perfect purpose for this gorgeous, dust and grime covered piece of history. We Tom took an hour or so to scrub it down.
Eww--the outside was cleaner than the inside

The door is white...those aren't shadows
Next I slapped on contact paper and free handed a Louisville staple, fleur de lis.  It took another hour or so to cut away the design.

I heart X-acto blades!
 Then we sprayed it down with frosted glass paint.

Not too shabby
Nick and his helper, Cameron, installed the finished product over my newly finished pantry and chalkboard wall in the kitchen.

The hardware was epoxied in place and there's tape covering it here.
Lots more happened last week, but I'll leave you with the thought that the countertops have been installed and they're being stained and finished today!



Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Chicken Dance

I finally got my Kentucky drivers license! Two years isn't too long, right?! Well, Tom's in town for an extended visit and I thought he'd enjoy nothing better than a trip to the DMV to watch me get new tags on my car. Yeah, the state trooper said, "No way, Jose!" to my window tint. What the heck?! Guess I'm keeping Okie tags for longer.

The good news? The kitchen is well underway...





The Bobcat even installed a cat flap for the feline babies this weekend. 


The butcher block countertops are scheduled to go in tomorrow. Love!

They're also making progress with the front bathroom. Grouting tomorrow.


Tom's been a trooper with the construction mess. We learned how to make microwave coffee mug omlettes that are surprisingly good. We also did and "interesting" dance to the bathroom/kitchen to clean and prep a whole chicken for a great crockpot recipe yesterday.  He held the can while walking backwards as I walked and juggled wet chicken bits over the trash bag. 

Dish doing has been fun too...


Thursday, September 11, 2014

Thinking Outside the Box

Since the extended wait didn't seem to end for the stinkin' bathroom floor tiles, Nick laid the cork floors in the kitchen early this week! Too bad there are tarps covering it. <disappointed face> I promise they're in and they're lovely!

I ordered all the stainless steel appliances today: counter-depth fridge, 5-burner gas range, over-the-range microwave and ultra-quiet dishwasher! They are scheduled for Monday, September 22. Yay!!!  Lowe's has a ton of rebates and so does my electric/gas company. Delivery is free and I also used my USPS 10% movers coupon and Ebates for another 2% cash back. I'll be saving around $550, not including delivery! Double yay!!!

The kitchen cabinetry arrived today and Nick's apparently been a carpentry casanova. 





This is good stuff, Maynard!

My Uncle Tommy is coming for an extended stay this weekend and I'm so pumped! I hope he can handle scaling boxes, constant meandering and a healthy coat of construction dust for a few more days. 


Oh, yeah...some tile came in...it's a start!


Was it worth the wait??? 

Monday, September 8, 2014

Big Wheel Keep On Turnin'

It's been a busy week! I'm sitting outside the store waiting for the Bobcat to pick me up. We bought two new bicycles and accessories. Yay! Two bikes don't fit into a Camry. Boo!  Bobcat is taking bike #1 home and (hopefully) coming back to get me.  Guess I could trek home if he doesn't show up...

The back bathroom is complete and the front bathroom will be finished as soon as the evil Tile Shop gets my order in.




The driveway was poured this week. It's 10x44 and will fit our cars nicely!







They're supposed to come back today to dig out all the brush and posts. Double yay!

We spent the morning in the laundromat. It was a filthy place that charged $2.50 for cold wash only and another 25¢ per 10 minutes of drying.  After killing our second unsavory bug, I promptly ordered a lovely set of Samsung front loading machines on my iPhone while we waited.  They're scheduled for delivery today. Whew!

The kitchen cabinets have been ordered and the flooring has been delivered too!