Still workin' .....

A few of the areas downstairs now have new suspended tile ceilings.... we've been busy after tearing off the finished drywall and changing it all over.  Most of it got ruined with the water damage from the burst R/O unit cartridge... along with the walls and baseboards and casings etc...but, we didn't re-do that ourselves this time.   We had just finished it at Christmas and didn't have it in us to do it all over ourselves yet again I guess.

The rest of the insurance claim "re-build" is finished now..  it's just us doing our own work with the ceilings ... Greg wanted to do them himself so he could move some lights and organize cables and wires for electronics on his own timetable.

Just the office left to do now.. and we can start hanging pictures and moving the last of the furniture back down there.   It'll be nice to have my front room back to normal...once again....

The hobby room is still over flowing with "stuff" that doesn't belong... it's hard to figure out where to put some of it now.  We sold our desk and office credenza when the water damage happened and we had to move furniture out of the downstairs.  Now... we have nowhere to put some things... time to purge even more I guess.

We spent Sunday purging and re-arranging the storage area downstairs .... it is kinda roomy in there now... ahahaha...oh, oh...  maybe I can put more stuff in it... I better not even think about it.  Just give some stuff away or send it to good will or something...


Wanna see our handiwork?
The landing before we got the tiles all in position..

Fire alarm and lights all done..tiles all in....

Entryway to exercise room...

Speaker and light together in one tile originally...but we moved and changed things....

Entryway now finished...

Thinking about it.....

Karen stopped in to see if any stitching was happening in between snow shovelling...and, well, ...it wasn't, of course.

It's already been almost two weeks since somebunny decided we had to tear the drywall ceiling down in the finished tv room and replace it with a suspended ceiling.  Mostly because of some wiring ..  ... and, well, .. you know how it goes....   it does take time, effort, and lots of work, to get things back together again.  Now that he is back at work after the Christmas break... he only has such a few hours each day to work on it...

So, the room still looks like this...plastic protecting the other half of the room... drop cloths covering the carpet, tools all over the place and lots happening overhead..

Moving some pot lights and re-arranging wiring, etc...

However, my stitching buddy came for tea on Monday ...  and, although we didn't actually do any crafting or stitching...we did discuss what we are going to make in 2014 and that got me thinking 'bout stitching..and that lead to looking at stitching stuff later in the day, and that ... you get the drift............................

I've decided to make a pouch with the completed blocks from the first stitching class I took with Karen. It was going to be a wrapping cloth...but, since doing the little pin cushions and loving them...I decided to turn these into a smaller project that I know I can and will finish.   I do like the joy and satisfaction of completing a little project and being able to look at it and say..." I made that".  Maybe it sounds almost arrogant, but to me it's more just a bit of slightly smug satisfaction in knowing that I worked diligently and carefully on something; actually finished it off, and am happy with my project.  I like that feeling.

Here is the placement of my blocks...it could be a smallish wrapping cloth, I suppose ... or I could make a few more blocks and make it somewhat larger....but, no...I've decided a decent sized pouch that I can use for bits of lace, or pieces of fabric, or something like that, will be better.  Useful and still pretty ... just what we were striving for actually, if we were going back in time in our minds and hearts while stitching away on our treasured little bits of fabric and trim........

For some reason, even though I didn't measure any block....they all turned out to be exactly the same size across.  How strange is that?  They are not  the same length.  I may add a bit of lace or some trim here and there to change the centre as it might look like a seam down it.  That may look just fine.  I won't really know 'til I have it stitched down.  But, if it looks strange, or I don't like it  ...I can fix that .... we have ways.   I'll decide later.  Probably much later.......

If you come to the blog sort of regularly, you may remember seeing some of the embroidery and embellishment, but if not..here are few shots of the areas. I tried to incorporate most of the techniques that Karen was showing us in the class.

Today I'm still trying to get somebody to buy my sofa and loveseat... because, Monday some new ones are arriving ... who wants a really nice sofa or a  loveseat, traditional style...exceptional shape...for next to nothing? ... Anybody in Calgary reading my blog? .....

Wooooohoooooooo!!!

I've got my oven working !!!  There will be a little roasted chicken for Christmas dinner after all !

Baked some loaves of bread for the first time since July...... aaahhhhhh ..... nothing like the smell and taste of fresh bread.....mmmmm...

The manager of Legacy cabinets actually came with one of the finishers...and together they managed to re-build the opening for the oven... and the appliance installers came the following day to hook things up.  My stove is working!  And..I love it.

See how the opening originally didn't even match the drawers on either side?  It is hanging lower by far than it needed to ... for looks as well as for the size of our oven.  It doesn't need to be down there...and then... on the third attempt to arrange an opening that fits the oven...they still made the opening too short to cover the bottom portion.  So..even if it was the correct size ...which it still wasn't ... the width measurement was the height...and the height was the width....it looks ridiculous.

Finally...it looks like this.  Perfect.  But, it took a lot of time and effort and headaches and arguing on our part to get it the way it should be...not just the way we want it to look.

However, the dishwasher panel still doesn't fit...now it is too short... after being too long the first time.  The panels for the fridge are almost ruined.  The screws are too long for the area where they had to put them for the brackets that hold them on to the fridge door. ....and they almost punctured the front in many areas.  They are saying they will repair them.  I don't want that.  I want new panels.  Done properly.  We are "discussing" it.

For now... and until well after the New Year....I am happy to have my stove top and oven working.  I am happy to have a proper dining room area.... crowded by my pretty tree...... with plants all in the wrong area.... like we have every year when we have to make room for our tree  ...hahahha... I love it!
I like to put it there so I can admire it from the kitchen...cuz... that's where I spend most of my day.

Must go....  today I'm baking some double chocolate chunk cookies with cherries ...... and because I feel happy and have more energy...I'm going to be playing with some little walnut mice decorations too... have several on the go... assembly line fashion.  There are 3 little girls who moved into a house across the street.... I want to hang some on their doorknob.   I always like to imagine how surprised kids would be to find somebody has left them a little giftie....I know I would have been as a kid.... maybe times have totally changed and I'm just out of the loop, old and funny... ...but, ...maybe not.

 Especially at Christmas.

it's handy for piling stuff on...

and gives things an even more festive look don'tcha think? ..

Window coverings..... wheeeeeee

No longer do I live in a gold fish bowl with plastic and green tape crosses on the windows to try to save the birdies....I did take off one side a few weeks ago and a tiny thrush tried to come in right away.  He must have seen my plants on the inside and just flew straight out of the big spruce and right into the window...trying to get to the plant I think.  Poor little guy.  I put green tape crosses on it right away and left the other plastic on.... but,  now...it can come off on the first day above zero ...and the outsides can be washed.....

Please excuse the oven in the dining room.  New opening on it's way.....

Ever closer to being back to normal..... although the kitchen won't be in total action for several weeks yet from the sounds of it.... but, tomorrow...  maybe the fridge will be hooked up.  That'll be nice...the other one is out in the garage...and it is getting pretty cold to dart in and out for things.... I just want to stay in where it is toasty and warm.

Furniture movers are supposed to be coming today.... but are already over an hour and a half late..... so I hope they still do show up.....

The roads are slippery and they could be just running late.....

Fingers crossed.....

Oh, and ...forgot to say the little thrush was fine.... if slightly dazed for a bit.  I saw him staggering around on the ground under the spruce...then hopping..then he flew up into the tree and gave me what for.... as I was quickly tearing off tape and getting in the windows.....

There's a snow warning...

...and it's happening ...... big fluffy flakies..... falling steadily.... accumulating rapidly....
Can't believe winter came this soon and is definitely hanging around. Yesterday it was -8C, but with the wind ...darn, it felt more like -15C.... brrrrr...

my ribbon grass again... drooping now ...

And, look what's blooming in the house?  Not very many blooms this year, but, I'm surprised it survived at all.  It has been moved from here to there and back again and totally covered in dust and grime and not even watered most weeks since July.  I cleaned it up and voila... flowers....
My American Thanksgiving Cactus....it refuses to wait for Christmas.... hahahha...

I'm washing down all the plants .... real and artificial .... they are all filthy and covered in dust...of varying types.... drywall, sawdust and just plain ol' dirty dust from living in the garage for months and then moving into the basement when it got too cold for them outside... somehow they too, survived.  They must be tougher than I gave them credit for.
This one is tall enough I have to sit on the ladder to get the top branches...

something fun ....

These are the tiles I found for the new en suite bathroom..... just one course of mainly field tiles the same background colour with a few of these interspersed here and there.  There are other little characters...but, these two are the nicest of the grouping.  Maybe a row of little "liner" tiles above them... I've never heard that term before ..I've always thought of them as trim ... but, there are some with tiny bumps on them that remind me of bubbles.... they could work great.

I especially love the lily pad one ...  aren't they cute?

A slap in the face...

I guess the guy doing the hardwood didn't like it when I noticed a repair job he did.  There seemed to be a big sliver of wood missing on one piece of the floor right near the doorway to the master bedroom.   I have no idea how it got damaged in the first place, because our floor was in pristine condition before any of this renovation began.  However, there it was...and he had repaired it by using some gummy dark brown putty.  Not only did it look ridiculous, but, it had sharp edges and was dangerous.  I told him it was not going to do and he would have to replace the piece instead of the tacky repair job.

This is what he did.

To me it is like a slap in the face.  He cut out a five inch piece and replaced it with this.  As far as I am concerned, he did it on purpose.  I didn't notice til after he left the house.... and then he was gone on holiday for 3 weeks.  So...it will remain like it is for another week or so.  The contractor said..well, now it looks worse than it did before.  Gee, ya think?   And, I know for a fact it won't be staying like that.

Why would a professional hardwood person do something like this?  A rookie wouldn't even try a trick like this.  How dare they call themselves professional at all?  This is not professional.  This is just downright ridiculous.  And infuriating.

I could slap him all the way around the block.

The stupidity continues.

No word from the cabinet people when the panels will be ready for the dishwasher or the fridge .. ..or when the other drawer will be done..or when we can expect any work to be completed on the too large opening for the oven or the too large opening for the microwave.
So...we wait.  In the basement.  Except for when I am cleaning upstairs...in anticipation of moving some furniture up sometime soon.  One room is now ready for occupancy.  The small bedroom.  The painters finished some touch-ups today.  I got the floor washed in that room yesterday and also the windows... there was an area on the ceiling they forgot after drywall repairs and sanding..but, that got done today.  Better do it now than have them jumping on the bed doing the painting.  They would.

The floors must be washed on hands and knees...in order to get all the stubborn, sticky, fine drywall dust from beneath the baseboards.  It is not as easy as sliding a mop around..... and my knees will only take one room at a time.  So... today I just did a few cupboards and drawers instead... baked a batch of muffins in my little toaster oven and thought about digging out some small furniture to move in......

it's officially winter...

....... at least it is at my house.

This morning it is -8C .....and it snowed about 6 or 7 inches yesterday .....

If it wasn't for the temperature and the snow... I would be singing that old boll weevil song....again......... "looking for home."  Anybody old enough to remember that one? .... .....  we still have no address .... no street numbers on the house.... the plate with them on it sits in the basement....along with all our other stuff....and, of course, us.  Waiting now for a much warmer day so that the rock guy can come and take off the tacky ruined chunk of hearthstone he thought we should use to put the numbers on.  Then... drilled holes into it by some unacceptable method that caused chipping and flaking around every hole for the stainless screws.  And, then.... glued, mortared and screwed it into position and then... placed rock around it.

Yep... it has to be chipped and chiseled off now...and quite a bit of rock with it.... replaced with my new idea of a metal plate which a young guy made exactly to our specs.... powder coated with a lovely matte black and our stainless numbers on it.  Then... it has to be placed, screwed into position and the rock reworked to look good around it.  And it won't be happening in this cold.

The weatherman is saying +9 C  by Monday...I sure hope he is right...... we need a couple warmer days when the rock guy can come to do the necessary stuff ..... oh, please let there be a warmer day .....soooooon........we need numbers.  It is the law....they must be displayed....

a week zipped by..

it's Monday....again......

The weather has taken a drastic turn.  A few days ago it was fall......

now......it's winter...

-5C .....

snowing lightly......

Won't be using the Barbie''''.... I'll be 'toaster-ovening' some chicken.... that little guy works great.

Guess we can put away the patio furniture ...
Looked out the basement window and saw the spruce decorated with snow and pretty red leaves that had blown into it from the Mayday tree....which is now naked after some cold and blustery winds...

Not long now til we decorate our indoor trees ....

hmmm....lots of swearing going on upstairs...hope it looks better than it sounds when it is all done.  The finishing carpenter is up there ..... sawing, hammering and of course, swearing and grumping.... not many people sing, whistle or hum while they work do they?  Maybe they all need an attitude adjustment...or ...a new job.....

In floor heating..

...   in the ensuite bathroom.  The tiles were laid yesterday and Saturday.... but, now the room is piled high with doors, a bathtub and the surround for it ...some shelving and oh, yes... sandpaper.  Sandpaper for the big sanders....

The hardwood (which is everywhere except the bathrooms) was given a first sanding today.... then, coated with filler and the second sanding is underway.

WOW.   I was a total skeptic when the contractor told me the hardwood sanding would be "dustless".  Yeh...right ...and I'm the Queen of the Nile.  I can't remember my exact words...but, they probably were more or less that...or maybe shorter four letter ones....can't say for sure.

Well....it is.  Dustless that is.  Totally.  I'm still in shock.  And, I love it.
                                                           

The sanders have big bags on them...... plus they are attached to long vacuum cleaner hoses that lead to this.... two vortex vacuums.  Almost 90% goes into the small one...and the really fine stuff ends up being siphoned off into the larger one....somehow.....

Sanded entryway.. .. the old hardwood...with patched areas...

Now that I can see that beautiful wood under there all sanded and pristine, I just want to leave it like that!  No stain, no colour not even any lacquer ... it looks amazing...

But, ...colour we must.... and choose we must......drat......

I killed it.....

.... my poor little toaster oven.

It just couldn't handle being on at 400F for half an hour .... and then again a second time.
It was pretty tiny and old.... and, I had to do two separate bakings to use the muffin mix I had made up.

But, look at the first batch....they were great...

Quite a bit tinier than I'm used to baking...but, eh ..  ...I found some foil containers that fit the oven exactly ...so they had to do....

How I miss my kitchen and doing some proper baking....

Yesterday... instead of hanging out in the stinky, smelly garage ...cuz it was even worse in the house and basement than it was out in the garage ...I went shopping.  Bought a new toaster oven...on sale for $49.... down from $79....  the cheapest thing I have bought in the last 3 months.  There just aren't any bills that low in Reno Central, believe me.

We were forced to evacuate the premises (even had to stay in a hotel for a couple nights) by the eye watering fumes of the lacquer they were using for door and window casings..... how do they stand it, those poor painters?  And...they don't even wear masks!  NOT a good thing.  That stuff has to be totally toxic.  It doesn't seem to bother anybody else quite as drastically as it does me..... and I know my sister has the same problem with horrible odours ... she declared that the two of us are like the canaries of the world.... others should take heed if we begin to feel faint...or drop off our perches......

Here is the story for those who may not know about such things.

"""Life for an actual canary in a coal mine could be described in three words: "short but meaningful." Early coal mines did not feature ventilation systems, so legend has it that miners would bring a caged canary into new coal seams. Canaries are especially sensitive to methane and carbon monoxide, which made them ideal for detecting any dangerous gas build-ups. As long as the bird kept singing, the miners knew their air supply was safe. A dead canary signaled an immediate evacuation.

Even as gas detection technology improved, some mining companies still relied on the canary method well into the 20th century. Other animals were used occasionally, but only the canary had the ability to detect small concentrations of gas and react instinctively.

Today, the practice of using a bird to test the air supply has become part of coal mining lore, but the ideology behind it has become a popular expression. The phrase "living like a canary in a coal mine" often refers to serving as a warning to others. The actual canary had little control over its fate, but it continued to sing anyway. In one sense, living this way indicates a willingness to experience life's dangers without compromise."""

poor little birdies....  I bet it wasn't meaningful to them.... 

and... I don't know about the willingness to experience too many of life's dangers part either ..... especially without compromise......that just seems plain silly doesn't it? .... but, then what do I know?  I'm just a canary.