I spent the week watching pros work :)

Drywall patches, door alignments, minor electrical repairs ... DON E!

Today I'd like to install the new front door... but heat pump #1 is acting like the huge piece of garbage that it is again and I have to go out and troubleshoot it when I get home from work. I *HATE* heat pumps. Give me a simple natural gas furnace with fewer systems to break and I'm happy.

It's looks like the reversing valve is acting up because it works fine with a/c but has trouble when heating. Did I mention how much I hate this thing? It came on when the temperature hit 68 and now it's 64 indoors.

I'm at LAX several hours early for flight to CR. MIL is going to be on supervisory duty, hopefully, for the get-the-pendants-lit and maybe installing the rest of the scribe and the last filler appliqué. Yes...I picked up the last items from HD today, three pieces of scribe. Besides the two things that may get done while I'm gone, the other kitchen things are:
Me-finish painting, install last rollout in pantry and organize pantry and drill holes for a rollout at the top of one of the low cabinets under the window. It will be for leashes and such, du I want it right up T the top as high as it will go.
Local GC-base boards (and maybe new molding around the three doorways)

Window/door co- breezeway door

Someday not soon--backsplash

I'm working on gel-staining the kitchen cabinets. It is a long, slow process, that will have to be done in sections. Giving everything plenty of dry time to (hopefully) avoid the problems some other refinishers have experienced (by putting on later coats too soon). This is my first time working with the gels; used to the old absorbing stains. I was rather nervous, but so far so good! :) Thanks for the information and encouragement everyone!

Have a great time in Costa Rica cal_quail! Beautiful country. We ended up flying from San Diego to Newark, then down to CR. That was a long flight! But we avoided LAX... ;) [Although that wasn't really why we flew that far out of the way.]

Feeling very humbug this year. Not looking forward to the holidays at all. I hate shopping and trying to buy gifts for people I have no idea what they want/need (some I haven't talked directly to in decades; others I have never even met!)--stresses me out to no end. I'd so much rather just relax and enjoying the season and forget all about exchanging gifts.

Have fun in Costa Rica, I've heard it's beautiful there!

I'm in Orlando this weekend. I really need to get the laundry room at least looking decent if not done before company arrives for Thanksgiving week. in addition to that I've got to hang and/or move a few paintings and clean out my dish hutch.

Costa Rica rocks! Don't forget to go zip lining and see a volcano or two.

The heat pump is back in action - just a breaker that *someone* forgot to reset once they (I) was done cleaning the air handler. It still doesn't work very well but whatever.

I trimmed the door yesterday to correctly fit the opening and that turned out really well, though it filled the house with smoke. The smoke alarms went off and the cat was thoroughly freaked out for the rest of the evening. Whoever did the door that's in there now I think just freehanded it and they did a lousy job of it. After work I'll mortise in the hinges, hang it, put in the lockset and windows, then the doorknob hardware.

I had a love note from the bank my CC is from in my inbox this morning about suspicious activity on my account. Someone over 1,000 miles away hit up a number of places yesterday. The account is deactivated and it's all taken care of, but no spending for me until the new one comes in the mail since that's the only card/form of payment we use.

Cal_Quail, be safe! :)

Shicksal, I know the phrase "what NEXT!?!" is in your head, but don't say it out loud. There can always be something next. Hang in there. Thank goodness the bank caught it.

Gyr_falcon, that's why I always work. The holidays are always difficult for me, so I prefer to let others enjoy themselves.

If it warms up some today, I'm going to work on my potting bench. Only mind 50s, but that can be OK if there isn't any wind. (I wrote "wine" but quickly corrected that.) Monday and Tuesday should be in the mid 60s before we cold-crash later in the week. I want my bench done by that, so I can pile crap on it and get it away from the front porch.

Yeah! for crap-hiding places. :)

Then I work.

Have a great Sunday, all.

Hey!
Last week, at the last minute, I asked if anyone had any ideas for a moon gate. I'd posted this inspiration picture:
{{gwi:2776}}

Just thought I'd tell you that the Plumbing forum came up with this -- although it's not PVC or anything I expected:

Can you imagine what I could do with this, with my incredible DIY skills? (Read: ignorance makes one fearless.) I actually think my inspiration picture might have come from a piece like this. Given the color.

Can you imagine spending on, say, $200 - $400 and selling it for $1000? Quite an inspiration...! :)

CEF - what about trolling craigslist for trash round trampoline? Often kids outgrow them or the jumping part rips and people just want rid of the frame. Kinda thing you could get for FREE....

I have no idea where you would get one unless you knew someone who could weld.

From the minute I got home from work until about 5 minutes ago I worked on the door. It's in but not 100% done yet. Windows are tacked in place and the deadbolt is the only way to get in or out. I wanted complete but am happy with where I stopped for the day.

I had a call from my bank today too Schicksal, charges as far away as Europe were attempted. They blocked them all and cancelled the card. I used it it Home Depot to buy the floor for the guest room, so I guess that's where someone got the number.

Enjoy Costa Rica!!! Forget about the house for a while and enjoy the trip!!
As for me, things have escalated quite quickly. On Tuesday we were still talking to the bank about financing, on Friday afternoon, this happened.

That is the beginning prep work to pour a slab.

The plumber should be here in the next day or two to put on the sleeve and the concrete guys SHOULD be back by the end of the week to pour the footings for the new MIL quarters we are constructing on the side of the house for my parents.

You know, I always thought of pier and beam as "cheaper/lower end housing" and now I am quite envious of it. Adding on to a slab foundation is a royal PITA and this makes the second time in the past year I've done it....

Awesome, it's happening!!!

I also used to think of pier and beam as being old fashioned, but have rethought that in recent years too since others I know have had to get their slabs repaired, or go to great expense to move or fix plumbing lines. The repairs add piers. Guess what already had piers to begin with... Maybe they should have built them in before pouring the slab.

I tried to guess where my number was taken from but in the end, who knows. They're bought and sold in huge blocks online and it could have been from someone breaking in to one of many places I've bought things from, the huge data theft at Target, HD or one yet to be discovered. Either way it's a blessing in disguise because I signed up for a card that has cash back instead of what I had beforehand that does nothing. I have no problem putting the replacement in a sock drawer once the new one arrives.

Looking forward to progress pictures Texas, that looks to be a fun project.

I'm heading to the bank this morning, someone's been trying to charge things on the debit card all weekend and they've frozen the account. I'm going to suspect Home Depot though I suppose it could have been anywhere. Problem is they froze the account and wouldn't let any deposits in but they sent all my automatic payments out! There better not be any overdraft fees or I'll have to throw a hissy fit.

Last time I went to the US, they cancelled my debit card. Luckily I found out when I was back home and not over there. I explained I live about 1500m from Detroit and I go frequently but not regularly. They said I can hop online and give them an advisory so it doesn't happen again. I also shopped at US HD (backsplash tile and Citristrip which I have yet to use). No weird activity on either account though, so that's good.

I need to sort out this motion light. I don't have a single switch (nor is it in the landing) so I'm going to have to see if I can get a decent looking fixture that will work, I have to grab some groceries this morning so I might pop into Lowes/HD to see what they have, if anything. They make them for outdoors, so I can hope for an indoor one!

My yard is a blanket of leaves. I'm off today and they owed me a day so I'm off tomorrow. My oldest is in a Remembrance Day ceremony at school so hopefully the rain holds off and I can get the yard done between today and tomorrow.

Have fun in Costa Rica, Cal_Quail!

Schicksal, the door looks great! What are you planning for window coverings for the front window?

TexasGem! Wow! Good for you. How's your jaw? Not terribly painful I hope.

CEF, you need to take a welding class!

Off to get the boys' lunches ready. Have a good day everyone!

Window treatments... that's a tough one. I have some awesome vintage ones that would take care of the window facing the street, but there's another window in this room facing sideways so there aren't enough for all of them. I'm also not sure if they are long enough.

Longer term plans include possibly making the windows larger - removing the plywood part would basically let me take them down to the floor. I would also need to do this in two bedrooms, and possibly the dining room.

Also, in one of these pictures there is a cat hiding in the room. Can anyone spot it?

Cat is looking out the window in the exterior shot. Cute cat and great door!

My CC bank mid October sent me a new account and cancelled the old one due to the HD theft. Target did the same 2 weeks ago. Hopefully that will avert any problems.

Schicksal your cat looks like my old (deceased :( ) cat. I LOVED that cat! He would follow me around like a dog. He sat on the back of the chair when I fed my babies, if I was laying/sitting down reading a book he'd be next to or on top of me.

Today my oldest felt sick and when I was at the grocery store, he called to say he threw up and then felt better. Since he felt so good this afternoon, I made him help me do the leaves in the front lawn. We got them all cleaned up except for a pile for his brother to jump in, and we got the canopy and seat cushion of the swing put away, the patio table and chairs put away for the winter too. Our little eating area looks so empty now! We worked for just over 2 hours. I still have to do the back yard, but hopefully the weather holds and I'll do that tomorrow.

Today I worked non stop on the door from the minute I got home until now. It's basically put together now but I need to stain the pieces of wood that hold in the windows and finish them. The doorknob is also in so we can use it like it belongs here now. Everything about it has taken forever since the whole thing is made from scratch.

Pics of lights and fans will come tomorrow. I need to clean up first.

I've seen a bigassfan! There's one over the bar at the resort.

Card compromises, blech. Been there, luckily not in any of the recent ones.

T-G Way cool that it's rolling along.

Door looks great schicksal. (Haven't heard from the door guy in two weeks after he assured me we'd get it in by Thanksgiving. Don't think it'll happen now.)

CR great so far. Today was the only "work" day. Good workshop and good 'vision' session after dinner from the owner of the company. Ziplining tomorrow.

I've often thought I'd like to weld. I like the things I could do if I could weld. But as I'm afraid of fire and many fire-related things, I don't think it'll ever happen. But I think Christine could do it.

You all have been so busy!
I have not...major adjustment getting used to my hours change at work, but it's happened. I now wake up everyday about 5:30! But I am usually asleep by 9:30, if not sooner.
No school today...
Aside from a bit of cleaning and cooking a roast for dinner..not much else has to be done. But I am sure I will find things to fill up my day. Starting with another coat of Citristrip on the 2nd coffee table top, taking it apart to put the legs and skirt in a big trash bag to rub CS on them too.
Youth football season is over, so last weekend was spent car shopping and buying Saturday (we purchased hubby a 2012 Passat, gas though couldn't make any good deals on TDI's) he's happy with the bigger cabin. I am now driving the 07 Jetta. Mini van will hit the shop for a few things and then be gifted to our son and wife with baby on the way.
This weekend hubby assures me that he'll figure out if he really fried the range hood or just has a wire crossed some where. Also finally remove the cabinet run over the peninsula.
Need to get good measurements and draw out the kitchen/floor plan for help here. Play with a design tool or two to get better visuals of my thoughts and ideas.
I've been in contact with a tree guy. We are trying to work out the details and price for removal of my 4 very large Doug Fir's in the front yard. Still not ironed that all out yet.

Lots of little steps towards big expensive changes..lol..

I hear you about early hours. I'm at work at 5:30 on weekdays / 5am at weekends. Today is a long day because of meetings - 5:30am to 4pm.

The food I brought for lunch is something that can only be cooked in an oven, not a microwave. Oops. And since I'm cashless and cardless there's nothing to eat for lunch today. Bad times.

I still called Habitat though - they're coming to get a TON of stuff on Thursday.
- One kitchen worth of cabinets that were removed from a condo at Kiawah
- Double bathroom vanity
- Our old front door
- The interior door that arrived damaged
- Two kitchen sinks / two bathroom sinks
- Microwave vent
- Old recessed lighting

I'll be as glad that it's gone as they will be to have it! :)

That stinks on the food. Hopefully you won't be starving to much! I keep granola bars and chocolates at my desk. Just in case..
Since we still don't have a micro, it's all about reheating in the toaster oven or on the stove top in a skillet with lid no 2 minutes and eating lunch when I come home every day..
Your door looks awesome btw...

I won't talk about what the kitchen pumped out til you get home and eat....

Not much else done outside of the cooking and baking... Need to head out on some errands...

Normally I do have a little with me at work but bars are the one thing I am out of. There is still a little candy left over so that will come with tomorrow and I had leftover pasta and chicken + PBR this evening.

Today I didn't do much - I just wasn't into it because I had my brother on my mind. I did put coat #1 of stain on the trim though and get the lock figured out but that was it. We like the new door because it really fits in with the place, but also because it just works as a door a lot better than the old one. It's cut correctly for the opening and you don't have to fight it to make it lock or close.

This is the picture of both the fan and light that was asked for. The angle is kind of a cop out but there are too many tools lingering around the room that I wanted out of view.

Hot digitty, that's my kind of room schicksal! Is the big ass fan all it's cracked up to be? Is the light diffusion of the PH5 perfect as they say?

i'm sorry to hear you have something weighing on your mind..especially family.

Well now that you've had some food and a beer..

My kitchen pumped out the following today:
Loaf of honey oat bread with a touch of red wheat flour too
Cream cheese filled mini banana bread loaves
Leek and Potato Soup
Dinner was a most delicious slow roasted top loin roast, au gratin potatoes cooked as long as the roast, quick ceaser salad and thick slices of the oatmeal bread with lots of butter.
Hubby had a Stella with his meal.
I had coffee before he arrived with a good glug of eggnog from a local dairy.
With football season, dinners are usually at almost 8... Tonight..we were done by 6:20. So nice...House wise I vacuumed half of it and did a load of wash.

Now I'm hungry...

I'm home sick from work today as I've got some sort of nasty bug that no one else in my office wants. I didn't feel like just lazing about so I finally got my laundry room ceiling painted and the walls primed. With any luck I'll have it painted and shelves hung by the end of the weekend.

That's no good but at least you were able to get some things done!

@terri - Wish we had something nice to eat like that here, but no such luck. I think tonight is another fend for yourself night.

@Kiwigem - I think both were with it. I set up Sense Me on the fan so it turns itself off and on whenever the temperature is right and I'm sitting nearby. The light needs a very bright bulb. I have a 23W CFL bulb in it now but would like a brighter LED equivalent. The surrounding areas are well let though so the difference is noticeable. It's a bulb thing though. Very little light shines upward.

I moved out the ton of cabinets a builder friend gave me that he removed from a condo + some other materials I had removed or left over so the den has a ton more space. The stuff takes up about the same amount of space as a car in the garage. Habitat is coming in the morning for it and I told them they need to come here first or there won't be room on the truck.

Those look like some pretty decent wood cabs!

Well not every night is gourmet...tonight is canned chili on beef hot dogs.
Pre dinner..more coffee and eggnog...

High today 39F I think...gorgeous blue skies..but brrr...29 when I got in the car at 6:30 am.

They're pretty nice and I held on to them because I wanted to use them in the house with the crushed roof. The kitchen they were removed from was too different though, so they can go to someone else who will appreciate them.

I am still waiting on Habitat to show up but in the meantime I have been able to put up a lot of tools and other things, which is nice. I also unearthed from behind some removed lumber that I threw away our sugar containers. Those have been missing for ages now and I'm glad to have them back. With any luck the den will no longer be a huge embarrassment after today. Maybe only a small one.

I waited for Habitat and cleaned. That was my today. The big scary room is no longer that bad anymore. I think I posted a picture of it a few weeks ago when it was still full. Here's how it looks now.

I need to find someplace that can restore flokati rugs BTW. In not sure how to go about doing it, but that's the rug that's rolled up. This will not be a DIY adventure.

Don't be jealous of the killer linoleum we found underneath the carpet! :p

Wow Schicksal. That's. That's a lot of brick. I can't wait to see what you do with that space!

I have a design for all of it. But this room is in queue behind the master bedroom and bathroom so think... 2016? It was the garage from 1959-70. The room has five sides so it is hard to conceptualize but...

- The wall with the one window will be mostly sliding glass doors and lead to a patio and pool.
- The wall with the fireplace will be the same, but with a different fireplace. This one is in very bad shape and is dangerous to use. We would like gas instead.
- The wall to the left of the fireplace is behind the breakfast area and will remain. Can't do anything here. It used to have a lot of windows, but they were filled in when the addition was made.
- the wall I took the picture from is already open but the pony walls will go away. The dining room will go down 1' to the original height so there will be only one step between rooms.
- The final wall leads to the garage. The window looking into the garage will go away because that is not a nice view. Also, fire codes.

The floor will be terrazzo and the new fireplace most likely red-orange brick with a white stone rectangle... Something I saw in a picture I saved of another MCM house that I plan on borrowing the design for. The false beams in the ceiling will stay. I currently own no furniture for this room besides the rug and will need to get some.

This AM I'm waiting on the concrete guys to come pour the footings, what's everyone else up to?

Schick- I can't wait to see what you do with that room.

Terri- as always your food sounds delicious!!

I'm updating the 3D model I made of the house to reflect how it actually turned out. This has allowed me to start designing the next area to be redone, the master bedroom/bathroom/closets/ 1/2 baths.

I'm still battling the plague. I've just started on new (apparently made of gold going by the price) antibiotics which I'm told should do the trick. Plowing forward though. Just finished patching some holes where I removed things from the walls in the laundry room. Should be able to get it sanded and painted by the end of the weekend.
I got tired of saying "I need to..." Every time I walked through the house so last night I made a comprehensive "to do" list. 64 items long. Some I can do myself in very little time, others need a professional, others need $. This way at least I can organize the process and move forward.