Monday, July 8, 2019

What has Debbie been up to??

Oh my goodness...summer is here!  

I tried so hard to get prototype Mase finished before July hit but I did not succeed.

We had a smallish disaster in my kitchen that thwarted my plans


My refrigerators ice maker valve in the floor began leaking under the floor ruining the sub floor.  My refrigerator now resides in my dining room!  

This project lead to the need for an electrician to remove a wire that the house was actually sitting on.  It was a live wire that supported the outlets in the kitchen.  It is amazing that we didn't have a fire but that it what breaker boxes are for.  The breaker did trip often from those outlets.  I am so glad that is fixed now!

All of this is leading to the beginning of a renovation that I have wanted to do for a long time now and to start it, a heater duct needs moved so the HVAC people will be here today to see if it can be moved how I want it.  Eventually, this space where the refrigerator belongs will become a kitchen library, essential oil and herb drying station.  I will eliminate the TWO refrigerators we have in the kitchen to one very large refrigerator placed on a different wall and surrounded it by pantry and I will extend the island.  

With the floor replacement, one cabinet has to be removed, the one you see in the photo here.  They won't be able to save the counter tops which is fine with me!  That helps with my reno plan as I desired to have quartz countertops.  :)

I am not yet sure if I will replace all of the cabinets just yet, or buy the new giant fridge.  I first have to see how much the new quartz countertops will cost.  (Insurance will pay for replacement value of what we have then I pay the difference for the upgrade.)

Anyway...along with that....

The Dolly House is getting a face lift!

I was told that it would need re-stained every three years.  The porch deck actually needed re-stained after the first summer here but I just could not get to it nor afford to have it done.  

With the wonderful sale of Merle, I was able to hire a handyman to do it.  He's doing a great job and I can barely wait to see it all done!

Here are progress photos:

You can see some serious weathering in this photo:



And absolute weathering on the porch deck as he, Ray, has the deck almost sanded and ready for stain:



This wall from the railing back has been stained with the new color:


And I chose a contrasting color for the railings which are shown stained here:



The rest of the walls will be the same color as that one wall that is done but the deck will be another color.  A trifecta of beauty!!!  Oh but then there is the original red on the trim above the brick that will be re-stained the same red.  

Here is a look from where I sat in the shade the other day:


Oh and Mase???  

I've got the back/top part of her hair plus brows and lashes to finish!  

I will get to work on her today I think.

Wish me luck!



On Friday, we leave for a weekend family reunion and when we return, we are bringing my senior inlaws home with us for a week of fishing and thrift store shopping.  

Three seniors in the house with no kitchen floor and a fridge in the dining room and a credenza in the living room...unless they show up today to get moving on it!  They haven't done anything since they removed the noisy fans after 6 days of drying.

4 days after my inlaws arrive, one of my best friends is coming for 4 days to visit and go to the Bronc riding with us...an annual sold out event that we have every year here.  It is wild time!!!

Three days after she and my inlaws go home, I leave for 5 days of Cowgirl Camp and then...July is gone!  

Happy summer everyone!