Here A Man, There A Man

For this single chick, having a bevy of men running around the house is almost overwhelming. It was, indeed, a cast of characters. In order of arrival:

Character 1: Master Carpenter Man. He is always here. I'm secretly wondering if he might not be close to holding the deed on my property.

Character 2: Appliance Store Owner and Installer. He was here to install the microwave that I reserved from him two months ago.

Character 3: Son Right Back. He was actually back, crutches and all. He is in rehab trying to get back on his feet after his bravado of jumping out of a perfectly good plane. Trust me, he is paying dearly for that one. Men! He was here, lending his hand to help his poor mother get a piece of her house back together.

My first challenge was organizing and directing vehicle parking. It seems all wanted the choice spot in my yard which is accessed by backing up into the yard close to the porch. Obviously, three vehicles can't do that at the same time. Well, maybe it isn't obvious to you, but you are going to have to take my word for it. It won't work.

I mentioned to MCM (Character 1) that he might want to move as Appliance Store Owner would be arriving in about ten minutes. He fortunately had to head to the local lumber yard for something, so I didn't have to nag him about moving.

Appliance Store Owner showed up next and took the coveted spot backing up to the porch to unload the over the stove microwave which he came to install.

Son Right Back was right behind him and parked his truck in the somewhat narrow driveway. I waved from the back porch and told him that MCM had gone to get lumber and would need to get by him when he got back. That didn't seem to bother Right Back. He just got out of his truck and came on in.

I said something to Appliance Store Owner on his way in about having too many men to deal with this morning. He said that wasn't a usual complaint of most single gals around here. We both laughed.

So, here we have Appliance Store Owner bringing in the new microwave to go above the stove. My microwave has been on the fritz for a long time, and I'm looking forward to some popcorn this evening.

Isn't this fascinating? Ooooohhhh... wrapping... Styrofoam.. The best part is that he is doing the work. I wouldn't have a clue how to install this. Let the experts do their work, I say.










See.... There is a little light under it for the vent. It has a nice vent there to keep all that nasty grease contained. Lovely, really.











Ah, the thing is in place and ready to go. I'll be using it today. That deserves a Tah Dah!
















Right Back is working on getting my dishwasher put back in place and ready to go. I love that he is talented... and licensed to help his mother. See his crutches in the upper right hand corner.










There it is! I'll be able to use the dishwasher again. Yea! Things are coming together. I may actually have everything in order one of these days. Doors and drawer fronts will be a nice addition.

As to MCM, he is working on that hallway that is pictured in the last post. Of course, that will take awhile as nothing is as easy as it seems.

As I write this post, everyone is gone and it is deliciously quiet around here. Thank goodness.

What is THIS?

Wait a minute! This does NOT look like the kitchen... or the dining room. So, what is THIS?

No, the dining room isn't quite finished, and the kitchen isn't quite finished. So.... we started the hall off the kitchen. It seems we were talking about the hall and it just seemed that that nice oak flooring would good in the hall as well. After a bit of discussion, Master Carpenter Man headed to nearby city and Lowe's for the flooring. He took up the carpet and found some old tile underneath. He has taken that off too and it is currently a typical MCM mess. Oh... it will look good one of these days.

I'm going to be painting in the dining room, and you will get to see pictures of it soon. Aren't you excited? Sure you are. I'm going to have it all fixed up one of these days. Really.
Tah Dah and all.

White

This picture isn't going to get your senses anywhere near overload. It is white. It is the dining room... plain white. The interesting speckles on the crown molding are little spots of Bondo which will be sanded away when MCM returns. It was a Bondo nightmare after trying to put the crown molding back in place. MCM put 1/4 inch drywall over that wallpaper, so took down the molding. He said that drywall was very dense, and it took a lot more work to get the crown molding back over it. You really won't see any of that once he has put his magic touch on it.

You might say that MCM escaped as headed for Houston to work on some volunteer project there for a few days. He will return, and I'd best have some work done here myself. I've put a primer on the bottom half. He did the top. I've been sanding the woodwork and plan to caulk next. I really don't like doing any of this, but I will. I'll even try not to whine.

I can't really finish with the color until MCM gets that Bondo sanded. Then I'll get to put color on the walls, and I'm really looking forward to that. I'm going to put the room back together and threaten MCM if I see any of his stuff in there. It may not work, but I'll try.

Things are coming along, and I am starting to see the light at the end of the remodel. All is well. Tah Dah.

More Log Rolling

I've decided that I'm in training for advanced log rolling. Working on a house is definitely a challenge, and not one for the faint of heart. Things are always changing and switching directions. Surprise, surprise!

You have been following the endless tales of my kitchen remodel. So? What is this? Not the kitchen. Definitely not the kitchen.

I mentioned that the dining room needed a little fixing on the wallpapered part of the wall. The sad tale is that the original wallpaper was put on over drywall without any priming. The result is a nasty little surprise when one wants to remove the paper and do something different.

MCM worked to help me do something about this. We were going to sand the loose places and then seal it with some oil based Kilz. Then he would use joint compound for drywall to 'mud', sand, and hopefully I'd be able to paint. Nope! No such luck. It soon became obvious that the work involved was going to be too labor intensive, and the result wasn't even guaranteed.

After about an hour of trying to make it work, the decision was made to take down the beautiful crown molding that he put up in October and add 1/4 inch drywall.
These telling pictures show him taking down the molding, and starting the drywall process. Actually, it will be a better fix in the end. I'll be able to paint and know that it won't come down in strips on the floor.

What a nice selection of colors!







I really don't know what I'd do without my capable Master Carpenter Man. Love that guy! In spite of all the doings with the house, he has remained calm and always gets things worked out the best way possible. Yea for him!

Another Day

MCM brought the wall cabinet shells yesterday and put them up. Yea! The shelves are going to be adjustable, so you can't see any shelves yet.

He wanted to get the upper cabinets in place and then finish the tile work. It is actually starting to look like I may have a kitchen.

MCM did tell me that I need to decide on hardware, etc. for the cabinets. I've learned that there is always a decision to make.



See how it is looking like a kitchen!

MCM also told me that he is going to work on the dining room walls on Monday. The papered part has to have some tender loving care as the first layer was put on over drywall that hadn't been primed. So... we have a plan. It is a messy plan, but a plan. I'm not really looking forward to it, but it must be done. More on that on Monday.

Of course, the kitchen won't be finished by Monday, but I think he is considering drying time and working other things around it.






MCM will be taking this plain cabinet and fussing it up a bit today... I think. I've learned not to think much about what he is going to do as I'm usually wrong.

By the way... I really like this oak stain color. It is Double Fruitwood. Pretty.

The Work Goes On

Master Carpenter Man arrived yesterday ready to start some tile work. I just love it when I know I'm going to get to watch the process. I also love the fact that he can do just about anything. I knew I would see progress, and that is what I'm ready for.








After quickly changing out batteries in the camera, I captured the almost beginning of the tile being applied to the wall. Yea! Progress!

I did know that I'd have to miss out on seeing a good portion of what was going on as had to go to a podiatrist... to see about a foot problem I've been messing around with for awhile. (More on that stupidity later.)






See... see...oh... see. More is done.












I hung a little swatch of fabric for a new window treatment that will come at some point.

MCM is going to come put the upper cabinets in place so he can see about that before putting in the rest of the tile. I hope he will be here to do that today. We will see.







Tile around the stove area. This is a glazed stone. I love the unique look as each tile is different. It really complements the colors of the oak cabinets.

More later..... I hope.

Progress

Isn't it love-a-ly? Isn't it beau-ti-ful? Isn't it grand?

What once passed as a dining room has been obliterated by droppings from Master Carpenter Man and my own crazy idea to remove the wallpaper. I've got to have his help to do some work on the wallpapered area and prepare it for painting. The problem is that their are two layers of paper, and the first layer seems to have been put on over drywall without priming it first. That means the paper pulls the surface of the drywall and damages it. Oh... there will be more blog items about this.

I just took this picture to let you get the feel that I'm still in a mess.




Some progress is being made. Here the top of the cabinets sits to get a little extra help from MCM.






Keep going down.... more excitement below.









MCM worked to get things just so so as he installs the cabinet bases.















The counter top is just resting here for the night. More will be done tomorrow. Tah Dah

A Sense of Humor

Master Carpenter Messy Man has a sense of humor... indeed. I'm glad as it sometimes is the only thing that gets me through the kitchen remodel ordeal.

I found this on the side of the cabinet that will go next to the wall and never be seen. Yes, I will buy the quality cabinets... by crackey. I'll say that it gave me a laugh. I needed one.

The floor is finished. I think MCM will be putting the base cabinets in place today. He rejoiced that he could finish the floor without having cabinets to worry about. It was his little perk. Things are coming along... I think.

Goodbye Sink

After a week of rain and no work, Master Carpenter Man has returned to tear up everything is sight and start putting in the cabinets. Alas, the sink is going. This thoughtful man has left the sink in place through all these months, but now it must go... absolutely must go. I'm going to get to experience doing dishes in pans in the bathtub. Lovely. It really doesn't sould ideal, but it is what one does.


Here we have the process of destruction.


Look at the big empty space below the kitchen windows. Someday... soon... (I HOPE)... there will be a new look here.


I have to admit that I'm more than ready to get this process over and get back to some sort of a normal life. I'm not sure what a normal life is anymore.





Last week MCM set one of the base cabinets in. However, there is still work to do over here, and he couldn't bring his table saw. The silly man didn't want to have his table saw sitting in the rain outside. He is so picky. Just kidding.

I do have a stove! I'm going to be so thankful when all is back in place. I may not even know how to act.