Our River House Fixer Upper - Week 23

This week the captain was busy with the kitchen floor.  While installation is easy enough, with a house this old, there are some challenges.  But, it is down and I like it.  

 

Some trimming here and there along the baseboard and we are done with the floor.  Woo HOO!!!

I was busy priming the living room.  This room is still our catch all for our work related "stuff"...saws, paint, tools, master bathroom cabinets and commode, etc.  That room is packed, and  the only cleared area is a path from the front door to the hallway room.  When I get up in the wee hours of the morning to head to work, I have to be extra careful not to trip on anything as it can be hazardous in the dark!

If you will remember, the walls had very busy wallpaper initially.  I steamed the paper off and then the walls were patched and sheet rocked, and that was that.  Now this room is ready for priming, and painting.  So, I started the priming step this week.  

Got it done.  Now will start working on the trim work (UGH!!!).

We did a few minor other projects this week.  Installed a backdoor outdoor light, and a new interior ceiling light in the living room.  All in all...another productive week on the house.

It is getting there!!! 

Until next time...

Enjoy! 

Our River House Fixer Upper - Week 22

You know what excites me?  Kitchen Bling!!!  I have a stove!!!!  This is such a treat after not having one for a while.  

 

 

 

 

 

I am so happy!  Now we can start having home cooked meals.   After eating sandwiches, salads, microwaved not so good dinners, crock pot wonders, and restaurant food...I can tell you I am ready to cook!!! 

 

The counters have been sanded and walls have been touched up.  Once the floor is installed, we will need to add toe molding (or whatever it is called) under the cabinets,  install trim at top of cabinets and paint the final touch ups.  

We are already loving this room.  With the river view,  and our love of food, I think we will enjoy spending time with family and friends in this room. 

We are also spending some time furniture hunting.  We need living room furniture and a few other pieces.  Oh, and a dining room table.  Can't wait!

Until next time...

ENJOY!!

 

 

A Meaningful Day with Meaningful Friends

Good friends...not just friend friends, but those friends that you grew up with, kept in touch with, and love to pieces.  Those friends that you don't see too often, but when you do...it's like you've never been apart from each other.  I hope everyone has those special type of friends.  I know I do, and this weekend, we spent some time with two of my dearest friends.

It is amazing.  We don't see each other very often, but the bond is deep and I believe we would do anything in our power to help one another if so needed.  I love those two special gals and I know they love me.   It was a special treat to spend some time with both of these strong, beautiful women this past  Saturday.  The afternoon and evening was spent in laughter, tears and love.

The river is still as beautiful as ever, and overlooking the bluff brought back many wonderful memories spent on that river.   We would spend our days in school/work, but our evenings and weekends were on that river.   That's is, after our chores at home were done!   

As always, when we get together, there must be food!  And once again, we ate well.

After dinner, the younger generation had a treat in store for us.  We spent a few hours in a 4 x 4 roaming the fields in the dark.  Great fun with great people.

We made a pact to see each other more frequently.  Life is too short not to.

E.T. and CAT...I love you guys!

Our River House Fixer Upper - Week 21

I finally got around to painting our front door.  I went back and forth between color choices and just decided to paint it and if I did not like the color, it's not that hard to change. So...I decided on black.  Yes...black.  I know, the trend is to paint your front door something bright and colorful.  I just wasn't feeling it for this house.  😕😕

Now that it is done, I am not sure I like it.  I will give it a week or so, and if I still am not sure, then I will change it to my second color choice.  

I also went to work on a piece that my dad made for me many years ago.  I have stored it at mom and dad's, but recently picked it up as I have plans for it in the dining area.  It is a large bookcase, and was stained and varnish.  I want to paint it and have it placed in the corner of our kitchen/dining room.  

The bookcase will give us storage and by painting it, hopefully it will look like a built in.  Will see. 

The captain is busy prepping the floor for our vinyl laminate planks.  He has also been working on installing the baseboard.

And there you go...another week has flown by!!!

Until next time...

Enjoy!!!

Our River House Fixer Upper - Week 20

We started off the week by taking Sunday off and headed to the boat for a relaxing afternoon with friends.  No painting, sanding, scraping, sawing, sweeping, cleaning...just relaxing.  It was a wonderful respite.  

Back at the canal for a few hours

They did not want pic taken

Noisy, but lovely to watch

 

 

 

On Monday, it was back at it again.  I did not get a chance to do much work on the house, but the captain did.  Our counter top finally arrived and he was busy working to get it installed.  

"Granola"

Our choice for counter top was Corian.  Granite was out for me...while it is beautiful, I find it to harsh for me.  My daughter has granite in her home and it really is lovely, but I have cracked a few dishes on it...I am too heavy handed I suppose.  It is also loud.  Makes a lot of noise...that's my fault...too heavy handed.  The Corian is a little more forgiving with me.  Plus, I can cut on it if I choose...it will sand out any marks.   

It arrived in three long sheets and Captain Man went to work on cutting and gluing in place.  

This process takes some time.  The glue sets pretty quick, but needs to be left alone for about 24 hours.   

One side of the kitchen counter top almost done.  Still needs back splash added.  It is already cut and routed, just needs to be glued in place.   Once all the counter tops have been glued, then the seams and top will be sanded, which will create A LOT of dust.  😢   Dusting is a never ending job in this renovation project.

We are keeping an eye on Hurricane Irma and hoping for the best for our friends in Florida.  We are praying they remain safe and will not suffer any damage from this storm.  

Until next time...

Enjoy!

 

Our River House Fixer Upper - Week 19

We are into week 19!  Still working hard each day to make our house our home.

It is taking much longer than we thought, but we are doing most of it ourselves, and with me working and the captain having to do much of it alone, it is taking more time. 

Our  kitchen counter top is on its way...we ordered it last week and the last tracking update shows it is in Charlotte, so we are hoping it will be delivered soon.  Captain Man installed our kitchen sink, but can't install the faucet until the counter top is installed.   Once the counter top arrives, we will  have a working kitchen sink!  OM Gosh...I will be so happy. 

This sink is HUGE!

With a coffee cup inside to show scale

The island construction is done, now waiting on the counter top and slide in range.  Then all that's needed...trim and paint.  Don't worry, the floor is next, we will not be using the lovely green vinyl linoleum.  We are at this time researching flooring options.  We like the look, easy maintenance and waterproofing of the floating vinyl planking, but Captain Man is not sure if the existing floor will allow this type of application.  The floor is not level and has an area that may not be conducive to vinyl planking.  It is what we want, but may not be what will work.  So, that is still up in the air. 

Bathroom door with hardware

Works well...

The hardware has been installed on the bathroom door.  And I added another coat of paint.  All done!

I have completed the scraping, priming and painting of the hallway...YIPPEE!! 

And we are pleased with the way it looks.  All that is left... buy a runner rug and get a piece of furniture for the side wall...something like a entry or console table and we are done with that room!

Scraping...

Scraping and sanding

Priming

and more priming

One coat of paint

and the last coat

and we are done!

My sweetie also found time this past week to surprise me with a new headboard for our bed.  I wanted a paneled headboard, and he made one.  Found it in our dining room when I got home from work.  He is so sweet.  it looks great and  I love it!

 

Our paneled headboard

Staining the headboard

My end of day retreat!

I took some time to paint our front porch swing.  One of the arms was broken and I wondered if I should just get another swing.  But my captain fixed it with epoxy.  After some priming and a few coats of paint...it's as good as new.  I am enjoying sitting on our porch in the evenings, relaxing and getting to know some of our neighbors.  Life is good and I am thankful.

As we start our new week...I hope each of us take the time to remember those that are suffering due to Hurricane Harvey.   It has been hard to watch the devastation and know so many are having to deal with such loss.  Hopefully each one of us will try to do something that will benefit those that have lost so much. 

Until next time...give thanks...and enjoy!