Windowsills

Annie has been painting window sills lately, as well as the rest of the window frames. I know what you're asking in your head but are too polite to post as a comment: Why didn't they paint the window sills when they painted pretty much everything else in their house? There's no need to overcome your bashful tendencies, because I will be forthright. We couldn't really figure them out. I mean, I was in a hurry getting all of the trim in, and the window sills were never removed, and I didn't know how they were mounted or what their shape was, and I didn't take the time to find out what a window sill really was.



Here's some before-and-after for ya!




TTFN

I dug a ditch

Saturday was largely invested in digging a ditch behind our house. It is modest, but it took the better part of a morning, and it is at least some temporary attempt to alleviate the millions of gallons of water that assault our home every rainstorm.

The main trick is the fall rate. You want at least a quarter of an inch every two feet (if memory serves) and I had to construct a level adapter by taking a quarter-inch bit of window trim and duct-taping it to the end of the two-foot level. Since we had some leftover frames from discarded cabinet doors, I used one of these to keep the level above ground so I could actually read it (and yes, I did make sure the frame was square before I used it for this purpose).

It was rough. I pulled something in my back (Annie suggested I push it back) and I got a bit of the prickly heat, but at least I'm safe in knowing that a couple of hours after digging the trench, some moles demolished one end of it.

I can't wait until it rains, though.

Trim in the Kitchen!

This week, we managed to purchase some trim, paint it, and install most of it. The baseboards went first, of course.


Then there was some hiding behind the refrigerator...


Followed by some window trim...



We are quite pleased with how the trim is playing out. We still have to install a threshold, hide the nail holes, and caulk, but it is looking pretty good. Also, I'm still really happy with the knobs:

Knobs!!!!1!!1111

Yes, it is the return of picturez.



We installed knobs. I used a drill.



Here are the results. We are very happy with them, because now we can open our drawers and cabinets without having to grip the edges of the door and put pressure against the slides/hinges from a direction from which those slides/hinges were never designed to take pressure. It's okay if you don't understand. I took a big test today, and my smooth language filter is not in operation.






We hope you enjoy them. We certainly do.

I Weed Et

This weekend, I attempted to perform the customary maintenance rituals on our lawn. The grass had grown quite high enough, so I went after it with gusto. Until the lawnmower gave out, the blade shaft bent once again. But then...

Then, I pulled out our weed eater for the first time. It's electric, thus requiring our exceptionally long, heavy-gauge extension cord. The vegetation around our house had begun growing into the siding, so it was an appropriate debut moment.

I've used gas-powered weed eaters before, but this has them beat. It's light, it's effective, and I understand how the line feeds from the spool into the outside world.

I had a good time, and our siding is safe from vine-related incursions.

Proverbs 24:27 - Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

Cabinets Stocked! (Partially)

We ran out of shelf liner! We'll get some more and then we can finish putting away minor kitchen appliances, fancy serving dishes, etc., in their proper places!

Also, we ordered some knobs.



Pretty soon, these babies will be adorning our kitchen and making us happy.

Cabinets Stocked...?

Tonight, we are hoping to finish the touches on the finishing touches on those cabinets. We finished painting them this weekend, and now we just have to line them and stock them. (Well, we want to install knobs on them eventually, but that's another story.) The hope is that all of the kitchen items that are piled up in the guest room and the study will be in the kitchen tonight! I'm excited!

Primer Primer

I think I may have learned the greater portion about how to prime cabinets. Annie still did the larger share, though:


I still overwork the paint. I have to work on that. It is not in my nature to use more than I deem I need, unless I'm at a Chinese buffet.

The cabinets are now primed, and Annie has been painting them all day. I hope we have our dishes put away by the end of the weekend! Our guest room is crowded.

Happy Mother's Day!

I am behind in posting.

We are beginning to put the initial coat of paint on the cabinets. I'm not a really experienced painter, making this a learning phase: if you will, a primer primer. [Token laughter appreciated.]

Other than that, we've been pretty busy doing other things. We'll get some pics as we paint the cabinets, though.

Peace!

I am about to overdo it

Okay, a picture is worth a thousand words, making this my longest post ever by about THREE MILLION WORDS. I haven't had a flash drive for a week, so I am now reporting to you, Dear Reader, from our laptop inside of a Panera Bread. Buckle up.

Remember how I was attaching concrete backer board to the floor? Did you wonder what the mortaring process looked like? BAM!


Is one angle not enough angles? BAM!


Perhaps a slight change in zoom level will be to your liking? BAM!


Okay, seriously, I won't upload every picture of everything. WHOOPS!


All right, I'll change subjects. The following night, I had to start by taping and mudding the joints of the concrete backer board with the same mortar that would be used under the tile. HERE IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE.


This was the beginning of the all-night tiling marathon.


This was the first tile I have ever installed in my lifetime.


Obviously, it was not my last.


I think this was the last one of the night, or rather morning, like SIX AM IN THE MORNING.


On another day in another week, we started grouting. That was more pleasant.


We used this borrowed rubber float (thanks, Tom!) to cram that grout into the cracks...until I got tired of it and started using my finger. I have already communicated the folly of this, I believe.


Once the grout was cured, we took down upper cabinetry, removing doors first.


It turns out the cabinet was attached to the wall with screws. Being familiar with these fasteners, we made short work of removing them.


Don't worry, folks, this was UNIMAGINABLY HEAVY.


To drive the point home, it was a full TWO HOURS between that last picture and this next one. Okay, not really, but it sure felt like it.


SURPRISE.


Then we removed the window, opening a channel betwixt the world of the kitchen and the world of the utility room. HELLO.


Ah, yes, and something new, about which I have not yet blogged. Do you know what it is? It apparently took four grown men to do it:


And they did it quite well. BEHOLD!


Do you know what they did yet?


I leave you with a panorama of what is now our kitchen.





You've come a long way, kitchen. [sniffle]



II Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.