There is a Body in the Backyard

This past week my dad has been visiting me here is cool Minnesota.  The weather has been wonderful for working.  We got a lot of things accomplished in the short amount of time.  I believe on of my dad's favorite parts of the week was when he buried a body in the backyard.  We were out getting rid of all of the little trees that were growing in my yard.  I also raked up a lot of twigs and leaves.  Dad in the meantime was getting soil out of my bags of sod and putting the dirt up next to the house.  While I was raking stuff up near the garage I found a body.  Don't you worry....I screamed like a little girl.  There it was lying there with its beady eyeball staring blankly at me.  What a sight!  I have near had a body in my yard.  My dad just picked up the shovel and dug a shallow grave, where we laid the poor guy to rest.

Today I talked to my neighbor about the body.  I found out that my neighbor has a bee bee gun, which he will illegally shot the invaders in his playhouse.  They have been breaking ruining his garage and playhouse.  There are some seriously conniving creatures around here. Poor little squirrels, rest in peace (at least the neighbor is no longer leaving warfarin (Coumadin) around to kill you).

When at First You Don't Suceed: Try, Try Again.

I know that my weight is going to be a continual struggle.  It seems that almost every time I have a personal struggle (not necessarily life threatening), I tend to put it back on.  Sometimes I do well for a few years, others it is months.  I am hoping that I can get on a roll and then with therapy keep it that way.  So, back to the drawing board I go.

After talking to my mom, she used her detective, online skills and sent me an email about where she thought I should head- Get In Shape For Women.  I didn't let myself stew on it for too long.   I called them up and set up an appointment for later on that week. It was an interesting process because they won't accept everyone.  I went to exercise with them, answered lot of questions, and then was accepted into the programs after signing an agreement that I would stick to the meal plans.  So, out the door I went to start working on eating well, going to the gym, and be accountable for what I do.

Following this plan, which includes:

No white flour
No white sugar
No white rice
100 grams of protein
Limit sugar
Drink at least 64 oz of water
Eat approximately 1300-1600 kcal

This has been interesting to do without a fridge, stove, kitchen sink, or practically anything.  This last week I did get a freezer that is in my basement.  I have now had several Kashi (whole grain, whole food) frozen meals and some meat cooked on a George Foreman grill.  I have been drinking protein shakes and eating Greek yogurt with berries.  Don't worry there are some greens and oatmeal in their too.  I am not sure how much I weighed at the beginning (a little over a week ago), but I know that from last Monday to this Monday I lost 7 lbs.  Yay me!  Here we go again, but at least this time I have people who know my name, are expecting me to show up, and also send me texts.  It is true I am paying them, but it is kinda nice to have cheerleaders.

Oh the Joy of Cabinets

 I was so happy when I came home to this scene at my house.  As I left for work today my cabinetry was being installed.  This area is where the fridge was previously.  Now it is where the stove will reside.  The stove is scheduled to come tomorrow.  Bad news is that I won't be home.  Good news is that my Uncle Jeff was kind enough to step in and help me out once again.  Yay!  They will be taking my old decrepit stove, which has been residing on the back porch with my toilet.

 Here is the home of my new fridge.  I am sad that my new fridge won't arrive until October.  Oh well, you win some and you lose some.

This shot is just what it looks like.  This is the cabinetry for the sink.  I am so excited to have my farmhouse sink in place.  I am not sure why it gives me so much joy, but I am going to be so happy when I have a functioning kitchen again....or actually for the first time since May.

A Side Project for Sometime

I know that many people will think that I am nuts....which I will confirm that I am one.  A month or so, I was realizing that my little red loveseat is coming upon its last days.  I can now feel the wood through the cushions when I go to stand up.  Plus, it is oversized and something that isn't as bulky will be better in my front room.  I have become a Craigslist fan.  I have been perusing for furniture to put in my house.  I love the older/modern feel.  I decided that I wanted a settee for the front room.  I looked until I found this settee from the 1800's.  Someone else had it waiting for reupholstery, but was moving.  I picked it up for $70.  It is a sturdy little settee.  I am not sure if one of the reasons I loved it was because it reminded me of my parents front room.  We had something similar that was reupholstered at least once.  I love the roses at the top of the settee.

 It is old enough that it is stuffed with horse hair for cushioning.  I had to ask what was sticking out when I was buying it.  It looked odd to me.

 I also really like the poofy edging.  I am not certain how I will replicate it, but I am willing to try.

 The other edge arm needs a little work, but I figure the whole thing will be getting a face lift.

Above is from a side view.  It is not very big, but I think that it will serve its purpose.  I found a reupholtery class, but I would have to be able to carry it by myself.  I can't get it in the car by myself, so I am going to have to keep searching.  Or get some pointers from people who do their own reupholstery.  I am thinking of using a damask pattern.  I am not sure what color yet.  I am going to have to keep thinking about it.

24 Hours of Progress

 Yesterday, as previously stated was the big kitchen floor day.  This is what was under those lovely tiles.  Yuck!  It took me a while to get them all up. I have the blister to prove that I personally did the work.  By the time I was ready to sand it was the afternoon...getting ready took longer than expected.  Many of these photos were taken when it was dark outside so you are going to have to put up with some of the coloring.

 This corner of the room had been stripped by Caitlyn, so it wasn't as sticky as some areas of the floor.  Although, this was the improvement seen after just one pass.  I was so happy!  I was totally ready to float away with my rose colored glasses.  Oh whoops!  I have never been the rose colored glasses kinda girl. 

 Yesterday's second tool of the day.  The hairdryer was the tool of the morning, the sanders was the tool of the evening.  This thing is a powerhouse.  I totally love power tools.  They make me feel strong. Rrrroarrr!

 Then I began staining the floor.  I chose cherry.  The main floors color is kinda orange which is now my favorite.  Lee had sent me an awesome picture of a multi-color floor.  I really wanted it, but came to the realization that to buy all the colors and take the time to color the little strips different colors would take money and time.  Money and time were two things that I really can spare.  I wish.

 Here is a picture of where the stain meets the front rooms floor.  There was a nasty gold divider, which I removed last night.  The wire seen across the floor is a phone line that goes to upstairs.  I am going to get rid of it because the phones don't work upstairs.

 Here is the entire floor stained.  Yes, I know that the adhesive was not removed from behind the plumbing.  I decided that because it was going to be covered by cabinets I wasn't going to spend the time it would take to hand remove it and then sand it by hand.

Today the floor is covered in polyurethane.  I went for the satin finish.  I like the old, more worn look, so I didn't really want too glossy.  In the left-hand of the photo that is the flash, but you get the idea.  I think it turned out okay for my first wood floor finishing.  Can't wait to see what it will look like with the cabinets in place.  My only problem now is that the floor is not going to be dry enough for the men to work on the kitchen tomorrow.  Hhhhmmmm.  I have a fan facing the floor and am praying for a quick drying time.  I keep you updated.

After and Before

AFTER

AFTER

 These pictures don't look so different and I look at them now.  It always looks so different in magazines (perhaps it is because I couldn't make the house frown and I should have a terrible lighting in the first picture.  So, I will assist you by pointing out that the eves on the before photo as sagging (i.e. you can tell where the house stops supporting the roof.  Plus, to the left you can see all the branches growing out of the bottom of the tree.

BEFORE

Branch free.  In fact, I can now see the neighbors poor yard from my front yard.  In addition, I need to come up with a better path to my backyard, so that my lawn does not look so warn out.

The detriment of having plants right next to the house when people are working on your roof.  All in the name of weatherproof housing and improved insulation.

Kitchen Updating

The tool of the Day is the Hair Dryer.

I have the weekend to remove the tiles found underneath the cabinets, sand the floor and refinish it.  I have a lot of work ahead of me.  I can't flare up my carpel tunnel, so I keep taking breaks.  Here are the old tiles laid down with asphalt....filled with asbestos.

Any one in need of some lovely curtains?  They will be available as soon as you are.

The new cabinetry waiting for me in my living room.  We are all cozy together.

Remember these jems.  All. gone.

So, back I go to the hairdryer and the putty knife. BFFs.

The Chamber of Secrets

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now I am fully aware the the Chamber of Secrets was in the plumbing of Hogwarts, but the ventilation that was put in my home reminds me of a snake going throughout my house.  I may be warmer and cooler because of it, but it was a sacrifice on beauty right now.  It has also made two of my closets practically obsolete.  The above closet was pretty small to begin with, so now I am attempting to figure out what to do to make it look better.

This is what the top of that lovely closet looks like.  HHhhhmm.

The basement was already a bunch of plumbing and piping so there was not a very big change in its beauty.

This is the biggest "eye sore."  It was NOT supposed to come this far out.  You can't tell from this angle, but it comes out as far as the middle of the wood on the door frame.  Covering this up is going to require creativity.

This is where is was supposed to go, but they couldn't get through the ceiling for some reason.  They called me after they had done the work, so I was a bit horrified when I came home from work to my dilemma.  I just continue to contemplate while I work on other projects.

My coat closet has been taken over by venting. You can see the venting starting in the middle of the closet and then going over to the wall.  Perhaps a box of some sort should be built over the bottom.  Currently, the closet is filled with kitchen stuff....that is because the kitchen is getting its remodel these next two weeks.

Finally, a Bruce Update

After a week of screaming and running around like I little girl, I evacuated Bruce from my house.  Many of you heard about it first on Facebook, but here is Bruce and the tools used for removal.  Pyrex and USPS, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Bruce was freaking out the entire time he was in the bowl, so I was worried he would attack me when I set him down.  He was good though.  He didn't move for about 20 minutes.....more afraid than his captor.  I am so glad this fiasco is over....wwhheeww.