Beany's House Project.

[kitkatz]

I am tired just reading your busy posts.  Have fun moving and renovating!

[jbeany]

Time's up!  It's now almost 5 am.  My movers will be here in 3 and a half hours.  I admitted I wasn't going to get any sleep tonight sometime about 11.     I have a substantial portion of my kitchen cupboards clean and freshly painted, but the bottom row of big cupboards still needs work.

 Yup, that would be the cupboards of doom.  Dear lord, the previous owner clearly never cleaned ANYTHING.  So thickly grimy and disgusting, I actually found it faster to use a razor blade to scrape the dirt off the areas where the cupboard doors were grabbed to open them.  And - here's the best part - when the grime started to build up substantially on the cupboards, rather than cleaning them, he pulled them off the hinges and flipped them upside down.  This gave him clean places to grab onto.  Seriously, that's the only explanation I can think of for why there is hand print grime on the top of the cupboards near the hinge - on 8 foot tall cupboards.  All those with the hand prints up top also have hinge holes on the opposite side. 

Thankfully, I still have until the end of the month on my lease.  My kitchen stuff, with the exception of my very large and heavy microwave, is staying put for another day or two.  When I have all the cupboards sanitary enough to put clean dishes in, then I'll bring them all at once.  It will be easier to organize, and I have plenty of empty boxes and milk crates to transport it all.

Okay, I logged on to pay a few remaining bills and transfer more money from savings.  Then I'm tearing apart my computer and loading it into my car.  I won't be online for a day or two, most likely. Or longer - I need to scrub the floors in the entire house just like I did the kitchen - on my hands and knees with a scrubbie.  I mopped tonight, and it certainly looks better and smells better, but it's a hardwood floor, and the mop just doesn't get the grime out of the seams.

Plus, Wednesday, I may not get out of bed at all.....   

[jbeany]

It's now Thursday evening, and everything I own is now at the house - someplace.  I know it's here, just not exactly where! 

I finished loading the last of my things from the apartment kitchen into the car today, and rented a steam cleaner and did the carpet.  I need that security deposit back!  I also used the shower at the apartment, since my grout sealer won't be completely dry until late tonight.  I paid off the remainder of my lease, and dropped off all my keys.  Everything that isn't perishable is stacked in the kitchen, waiting for me to finish the cupboards and put it all away.  I've still got rooms to paint, floors to deep-clean, curtains to put up, and a laundry sink to finish installing, but.....I'm sitting at my desk in my new office watching the rain splash on the tree in my front yard, with a purring kitten on my lap, and another sprawled purring on the desk next to me, eying the flashing icons on the computer screen with far too much interest. 

Messy house, unfinished projects, and still no job, but life is good.

[willowtreewren]

Loving it, Jbeany! 

[okarol]

I just think back to what life was like when you were on dialysis. And after your transplant, all you went through. You have come a long way baby!!
I am so happy for you! 

[jbeany]

Bathroom is nearing completion.  Need BIL to bring over air nailer to get my trim up.  Every attempt to nail it by hand has been complicated by the fact that the walls are NOT straight lines.  Nail one end, the other tries to pop loose over the curvy parts.  Then I can caulk the trim and put down the threshold and I'm done with one room.  Hurray!
I do need to have BIL tighten down my new shower head.  It drips a bit where it's connected at the top, and I can't get it tight enough by myself.

 I'm repeatedly finding that I lack the hand strength to do what needs to be done, even if I know how.  As if being female with short fingers wasn't enough of a handicap, I've still got minimal gripping strength in my left hand after the nerve damage from the failed fistula surgery.  After nearly a year barely able to use it all right after the surgery, I won't complain. I can do most normal things again, but it does get annoying when I'm working on something at 2 in the morning and there's no one around to turn something for me.

Or open something - it took me longer to get the little metal jars of PVC primer and cement open than it did to actually do the rest of the plumbing on the laundry sink.  But I finally pounded them loose and got the laundry sink put together and plumbed into the drain.  Even did 3 loads of laundry last night.

Upper kitchen cupboards are done and loaded with dishes and food.  The remaining 4 on the bottom are tonight's project.  I plan to scrub them and see if I can paint over the mess without having to sand them down inside, at least with a covering of contact paper to top them off.  If not, it's going to be a few days project to sand and paint the mess under there.  Once those are done, the kitchen will be as done as it is going to get until I have money for major remodeling. 

Then it's on to the closets.  I still have giant boxes of clothes and bathroom supplies.  I need to paint the insides of the clothes closets and linen closet, and install the organizers I bought.

Then paint the bedroom and office, then scrub the living room walls and touch them up - I bought matching paint for the existing color.  Then paint all the trim in the living room and hallway.

Then, I get to scrub every bit of hardwood flooring on my hands and knees.  Uggh.

Then I can decorate - and hey, I'll only have two levels left to work on after that - the basement and the upstairs!   

Makes you want to run right out and buy a fixer-upper, doesn't it?   

More pics, now that I've found my camera cable...

[jbeany]

And more -

[jbeany]

Still more...

[Bill Peckham]

Wow
Must feel good to see progress

I just think back to what life was like when you were on dialysis. And after your transplant, all you went through. You have come a long way baby!!
I am so happy for you! 

 

[Chris]

What about buying some cheap white floor tile that is pre glued forthe cupboards? Other idea I have takes more time, buying a thin sheet of plywood, cut to shape, paint and install.




Selfsticking was the word I was trying to think of, not pre glued

[okarol]

You are really transforming that place! Kinda makes me feel guilty, i need to paint something! 

[jbeany]

What about buying some cheap white floor tile that is pre glued forthe cupboards? Other idea I have takes more time, buying a thin sheet of plywood, cut to shape, paint and install.




Selfsticking was the word I was trying to think of, not pre glued

Self-stick vinyl tiles might be good.  Have to keep that in mind.... 

[jbeany]

The cupboards of doom are done!     My kitchen is now fully usable, and I even ate a meal sitting at my table finally.  I still have a few switches and outlets to change out, and the faucet to replace, but everything is finally tidy and clean. 

I painted the insides of closets last night and today - the bedroom, office, and linen cupboards.  Opened up my Rubbermaid closet organizer and measured it out.  Shoot, most the wood pieces that were put up to hold the old shelves and clothes rods are going to be in the way.  They had to come out.  Look out!  Woman with a hammer, a chisel, a pry bar, and a mission.  I just finished prying them loose and patching the holes.  Once the patch is dry, I can paint the left over spots.

Has anyone ever watch the movie Pleasantville?  Remember the part where they wanted a short list of "Approved" colors?  Was the entire 50's on this list?  I wanna know.  I pried loose the boards in the office first.  The original paint under the boards is the same pink my grandmother had in her bedroom since time immemorial.  Since the kitchen was also pink, I guess that's not a surprise.  Of course, the kitchen was also the same mint green Grandma used to have.  The same bright yellow she had in the kitchen at one time was in mine as well.

But what really got me was finding the same mustard yellow under the boards in the master bedroom that used to be in my grandfather's room.
 
Gram was adopted, and her dad vanished from sight as soon as her mom announced she was preggers, so who knows.  Maybe they were related!

[boswife]

oh boy was this FUN!!  this somehow kept slippen by me and man was it fun tonight to sit and go over it.  What an amazing home you've made and so fun to watch you do it!! It sure makes me want to get some paint and be brave and paint.  I love what you've done and geesh what energy and determination you've had.     WoW!!  So nice and cozy and will be fun watching the rest of what ever it is you decide to do next.  Love it and thanks for sharing!!  beautiful!!

[Chris]

Looks great and the cat too!

[cassandra]

Lovely, lovely

[jbeany]

oh boy was this FUN!! 

It's been a lot of fun and frustration for me, but well worth it!  It's been fun sharing it, too.    

Looks great and the cat too!

It's Murphy in both of those pics.  He was bound and determined to add a few more white spots to his coat while I was painting.  Dora had the sense to stay out of the way!

[natnnnat]

Wow, look at how its coming together!  Catflap and all!  Murphy's incredibly cute.  Is that an enormous camilia outside the kitchen window? Its all looking so nice now!!!
 

[jbeany]

Wow, look at how its coming together!  Catflap and all!  Murphy's incredibly cute.  Is that an enormous camilia outside the kitchen window? Its all looking so nice now!!!
 

The catflap was already installed when I moved in.  Dora has figured it out.  Murphy, well, bless his little heart, is a bit slower at things.  I bought a second cat pan for the basement, so my growing kitties would have two options, one up, one down.  The new pan has a flap on the door that pushes in very easily, but takes a bit more on the way out.  He's got that down now, mostly because of sheer panic.    Eventually, he should get the hang of the one in the door, too!

I don't know exactly what the flowers are - some kind of giant rose bush with some wicked thorns.  It's actually on my neighbor's property, cascading over my fence and covering part of her bedroom window, so she has something prettier to look at than my side door.  I love it - it makes for a lovely view while sitting at the kitchen table. 

[jbeany]

My closets are all white, pretty and full of organizers.  Clothes and shoes, too.  I've got almost enough room in just the one in the bedroom - but I am going to miss having a large walk-in closet where everything is spread out nicely.  Guess I'll just have to get rid of some clothes.

I planned to rest on Sunday, read the paper, relax - just a bit of laundry and shopping, no projects.  Yeah, right. 

I got the shopping done - always a joy in an unfamiliar store, but I'm not driving 25 minutes back to the old one when there's another just 10 minutes away.

I had one last load of laundry in the dryer, and I was thinking about going to bed early.  I carried the clean stuff up and put it away.  As usual, when I arrived in the bathroom to put away the washcloths, there were little dirty cat prints all over my nice clean white tub, toilet, and sink.  This has been a source of annoyance since I finished the bathroom.   I've been wiping up kitty prints two or three times a day.  I had a white sink at the apartment, and they never left footprints on it, so I suspect it's coming from the grubby basement floor.  I haven't done anything to it yet but a quick sweep.  So, I figured while I waited for the laundry to dry, I could at least do a quick mopping in front of the laundry area.  That's where I walk the most right now, so that's a good place to start.

On my way down the steps, I remembered the puffs of dust the dirty brown carpet gave off when I watched my brother-in-law walk up it in front of me the other day.  Uhhh, right.  Maybe it's not the floor.  And even if it is partly the floor, cleaning it won't do me any good if I'm tracking the grime from the nasty carpet along it.

So, I started yanking.  3 hours later, I finished.  I was so filthy I had to take a second shower for the day.  I thought the green shag carpet on the upper stairs was bad - at least it was only ugly and overly tacked on.  The basement stuff was horrible!  Both cats and I were sneezing from the dust and dirt flying.  And even more nails, because they kept trying to pound in more when the stairs started to shift.  It didn't help, because they were shifting because the treads were broken.

3 of the treads are snapped in two lengthwise.  All of them have had some application of black goo in squares in the center.  It was painted on thickly in the centers over the ugly gray cement paint, and then a notched trowel like one I used to put tile mortar up with was dragged through it.  I'm sure it gave lovely traction, but it's going to be impossible to get off and a horror to paint over and attempt to put any nice looking tread patches on.  As a whole, they are a banged up, gooped up, half-nailed together mess.

So, after the shower to get rid of the grit, I got online and found out that new stair treads in paintable pine are less than $10 each at home depot.  Of, yeah, much better option.  The cost of the sandpaper and stripper to clean the old ones would be nearly that much, never mind the effort.  So I went shopping again today.  I had to have them all cut down, since they only come in up-to-code 11-1/2" width now, and not the 9-1/2 that I need, but hey, that's what all those guys in the red aprons are there for.  They were happy to cut 2 inches of them for me, and I took all my scraps home as well, 'cause, hey, who knows what I'll need to do next?!

I also bought enough screening and parts to make screens for all the windows missing them, and all the bits and pieces to mount them properly.  I had found the kits during the previous shopping trip and bought one to try.  Once I figured out how easy it was, I just bought the parts as needed for the rest. 

I also got some more fans.  I'm going to miss having central air, too!

So, projects for tomorrow, when it's supposed to be hot again - screens and basements stairs.  Time to break out the pry bar again!

[jbeany]

The stair project expands in scope as I go....

I knew the treads were split.  I figured I might need to replace a few risers as I went.

I didn't realize that the treads were splitting because the stringer underneath was disintegrating. 

BIL arriving tomorrow, so I can get his opinion on if it would be easier to add on squares of 2x or just install a new stringer to the inside of the existing one.

Okay, off to paint something instead....

[Chris]

No idea what a stringer is. I guess I need to look underneath the stairs in the basement to possibly find it.

[jbeany]

Treads are the part you walk on.  Risers are the piece of wood at the back that your toe touches.  Stringers are the zigzag pieces underneath that the treads and risers are nailed to.  There are usually two, sometimes 3, stringers spaced out under the stairs.

I did all the puttering projects instead of stairs yesterday.  All the little stuff that needs doing, but that don't have any visual impact.  I replaced the battery in an existing smoke detector and got it mounted back on the wall.  I dug my carbon monoxide detector out of my packed boxes of stuff, replaced the battery and hung it up.  I used the little bit of paint I had matched to the existing color in the living room to touch up all the holes I spackled and painted some spots in the hallway that clearly had gotten handled a lot.   I painted the wood outlet covers I bought to put in the living room.  I sprayed bug spray around the outside of the house and the garage.  (Two words:  jumping spiders.)   I filled the bird feeders I had washed and hung up the other day while they were still wet.  I pulled some weeds from the horseshoe pits.  I poured boiling water on the ants' nest by the garage.  I put a handle on the cupboard over the gas meter so I didn't need a screw driver to pry it open every time.  I put door stops on two doors.  I measured and made another four screens for various windows, three of them upstairs, so I could have more air flow in the house during the upcoming 90 degree weekend.  I did a lot, and it doesn't look like I lifted a finger.   

[Chris]

All this morning?
You do not sleep much I take it?

[jbeany]

All this morning?
You do not sleep much I take it?

That was yesterday, after tearing up the bottom two steps and having to stop.  My brother-in-law had to reschedule, so I guess I'll be waiting to see what needs to be done on the steps.  I think I'll paint one of the bedrooms today instead.  Or nap all day.  One of the two!