Heethar's House

The Last of the Amber Glass

2010-09-19T15:12:00.000-07:00

Slowly but surely, we have been purging our house of the amber glass that once appeared in numerous spots. The lantern and the porch light were the first to go. Then, the transom was replaced when the front doors were done. Today, the garage doors were updated.

We picked up six pieces of reeded glass from Cline, where they cut it to size for us. It was ready in about 30 minutes, and cost less than $200. Back at home, C started removing the quarter round which held in the amber windows.

Turned out that we had the glass cut just a little too small. Perhaps we would have benefitted from removing one of the windows prior to ordering the glass? Our solution was to shim the bottom edge of the new window with foam weather strip. This worked like a charm, and I rather like that it offered a cushioned spot for the window to set on. We replaced the quarter round, and were done in no time.

We are very happy with the results, and with the increased daylight in the garage.

The Cherry on Top

2010-09-03T15:30:00.000-07:00

When we started transforming our entry, I knew that finding the perfect light fixture would be a little tricky. It took a while, but I stumbled up the right item while shopping for our dining room fixture. Lumens.com, how I love you. After refinishing stairs, capping planters, updating tile, replacing doors, painting walls, and removing scrolled iron, it was time to order that fixture.

I was unsure how, exactly, C was going to install the light. Working around stairs and with the high ceiling, well, that just isn't my speciality. Fortunately, I married well. And, we have some tall ladders.

After a year and a half, our entry it complete. And the light fixture is the perfect topping.

Railing Modification

2010-07-19T20:23:00.000-07:00

Our 1969 split entry has some of the best and the worst of the period. Perhaps my least favorite is the scroll pattern on the iron work.

We found some replacement styles that we just loved. We quickly determined that such an undertaking would be a budget buster. About then, a friend made an offer we couldn't refuse. He'd come over with his saws-all and metal grinder, and I'd make dinner for him and his wife. DEAL!!

E cut through the weld spots with little difficulty, and grinded them down to ensure no rough spots. I touched them up with a little paint. As a bonus, he also removed all the scroll work on our deck. You have just got to love the helping hand of a friend.

Front Door - Before & After

2010-04-05T18:12:00.000-07:00

Before:

After:

Front Door, Revisited

2010-03-24T20:43:00.000-07:00

Back in October, I posted about the prospect of getting a new front door and transom. We loved the idea of getting the door replaced prior to the cold winter months, but it was, shall we say, cost prohibited.

Somewhere along the way, we spoke to a friend of ours who happens to be a handy sort of fella. Well, this fella (Greg) has a small business doing construction and the like. He had some ideas of how to make the project reasonable.

Basic fiber glass doors were ordered from the Home Depot. Greg found a local glass guy who was able to make the re-lights and the transom. I went shopping for super cool hardware at the oh so lovely Chown Hardware.

We waited a few weeks for the doors to arrive, and then work began. Currently, the doors are in the garage, stain drying, and awaiting modification. Greg will cut the doors to install the relights in the same fashion as the Langston.

Installation is estimated for this weekend.

Bisque Cooking Hood

2010-02-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

With the new cooktop in place, the range hood was next up. Besides being inaffective, the range hood was very low. I had to lean around it to see what was cooking on the back burners.

Back to Sears Outlet for the matching bisque micro/range hood. (The trim above the hood has been finished since this picture was taken)

2009-11-18T21:34:00.000-08:00

In prerpation of our first turn hosting Thanksgiving, we did some work in the dining room and kitchen.

The first picture is of the orginial dining room fixture. Not only did the style no fit our personalities, it was missing some "crystals." The new fixture, which we found on Lumens.com, really helps bring the room in line with our style.

In the kitchen, we put in a new cooktop. The 4-burner, gas cooktop was fine, but 1 of the burners didn't work. We scored a 5-burner at the Sears Outlet for $300. While a full kitchen renovation is in our future, this will do the trick for the time being. And, while bisque isn't exaclty cutting edge, I think the color actually works with the counters.

Front Door

2009-10-12T18:52:00.000-07:00

I met with the door guy today (Kevin from Classic Sash & Door). I worked with him on the window project at the old house, and called him to start talking front door & trasom.

Our current doors are a mess! Hallow core. Mis-matched hardware. A peep hole a foot shorter than I am tall. And, oh yeah, a one-inch gap between the floor and door which invites the East wind into our house.

This is sure to be a long process. We are looking at about 10 weeks. I had no idea! But, at this point we are hoping to go with a door style produced by Crestview Doors in Austin. The Langston is our style of choice. The windows will be made of "narrow reed" glass, as will the transom.

More to come as the project unfolds.

Entry Tile

2009-09-04T20:52:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I love about our house is the entry. As my boss put it, "Wow. You have the potential to spend a lot of money making this cool." Indeed! It is a big open space all its own. And, every single aspect of it needs to be updated.

We have made the first step. The floor. Now, I don't know how we did it. Or, if it was a full moon. But, C and I agreed on the tile selection immediately. Folks, this is unheard of! We don't agree on these things. Typically, one of us is stuborn until the other gives in, and then we decide that we are happy with the results after the fact. We do not agree at the beginning. Period.

The product that brought us together was a 12 by 12 slate in "California Gold." We found it at United Tile for about $5.60sf. Then, we went to Tile Outlet where it was $3.60sf. However, we bought from Tile for Less for $2.99sf. Plus, they have a bunny. Who doesn't love a bunny!

With the tile selected, we set out to demo the original tile. As it turns out, the tile was set directly into the concrete slab, and wasn't going anywhere.

Plan B - Set the slate on top of the old tile, and trim the doors.

The results. Ben Liebman, 503-314-8785, did the work. He did the bathroom/utility room tile at the old house, and is really great to work with!

Beware - Images of Ant Parade Ahead

2009-08-30T18:55:00.000-07:00

We had a full inspection done prior to purchasing our house. What I failed to realize is that some pests don't come out until the sun does.

Back in May, when the temp was hitting the 70s, we started seeing ants around our patio. My wishful thinking had me focused on the hot tub, thinking that ants need water too. Unfortunately, these ants were carving out an home in the header of our lower level bathroom. The hot tub was not the destination, just a spot along the route of their commute "home."

Bruce "the bug guy" came to our rescue. (Bruce Gaddy, Advantage Pest Eliminiation 503-558-1092). First, he created a small hole in the wall with which to spray inside the wall. The ants started pouring out.

Then, we began removing sheetrock for clean up and further treatment. We were on hand with the shop vac to collect the dying critters. Yeah, the black on the bottom left is a mass of dead ants.

Lost in Translation

2009-07-26T22:38:00.000-07:00

We bought a new couch for the family room today. While removing the packaging, we learned that the legs (there are five in the picture package) had a crystal clear self image.

Bathroom #1 - Wallpaper removal

2009-07-19T13:52:00.001-07:00

The great thing about updating a 1969 house is finding, and in some cases removing, the remnants of 1969. Yesterday saw the launch of the first bathroom remodel. We have 3 bathrooms to tackle, and are starting with the lower level, guest bath. I removed the below pictured wallpaper, but had to snap a couple pictures as keepsakes. Can you imagine an entire room covered in such imagery?

Take note of the "India Talc" and "Windsor Soap" in the first picture. Such detail!!

The New House

2009-07-11T08:31:00.001-07:00

It has already been referred to as the Brady House. Our 1969, split entry just waiting for us to add our personal style throughout.

The 4 bedroom, 3 bath, quarter acre is far more than we were looking for in a house. Yet, we could not pass up the opportunity.

In many ways, the house is stuck in 1969. Fortunately for us, the prior owner was attempting to flip the house and had completed much of the demo we would have otherwise done ourselves. A big thank you to him for removal of carpet, etc.!

Some of our initial projects included a new furnace, water heater (tankless), refinishing the floors, carpet in bedrooms, roof repair, and thinning and removal of trees.

SOLD!

2009-05-09T21:26:00.000-07:00

On April 22nd it was official ... we sold our first house. All that work will now be enjoyed by another couple. We have already started on our new project. More on that soon. For now, let's celebrate the successful closing of a home sale dispite the slowed market.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-03T20:22:00.001-08:00

Laundry Room

2008-11-30T13:57:00.000-08:00

One of the things that sold us on our house was the large utility room. The house lacked storage overall, but the utility room was the largest room in the house. And the one in need of the most serious facelift.

We converted the once utility room into 3 separate spaces; 2nd bathroom, pantry/storage, and laundry room. While we have been using the bathroom for months, and have the pantry stocked with food, we had not completed the laundry room.

Part of the hold up was the horrible plumbing job by American Plumbing Services. They came highly recommended and had great reviews on Angie's List. No matter ... they messed up our project. Lesson learned: Although a company may have overall good reviews, find out about the individual assigned to your job, and their personal performance history.

C, an Electrician Apprentice NOT Plumbing Apprentice, set off to redo much of the work we paid good money for. The problems stemmed from the fact the water supply was not recessed into the wall, the shut off valves stuck out from the wall 8 inches, the drain pipe was secured only by the fitting at it's base, and the exhaust pipe was 2 inches off the wall. All of this prevented us for being able to push the washer and dryer to the wall. Rather, we had to float them into the room about 10 inches; precious real estate to say the least. Another issue was the mounting of cabinets with the exhaust pipe running the height of the room.

Another problem we had with the plumbers was the drilling of holes in the top of our new utility sink. We had assembled a temporary stand, and in an effort to "help" us they drilled four screws, one in each corner, right through the top surface. The owner of American Plumbing Services promised to reimburse us for new sink. We have yet to see the results of that promise.

C cut into the wall, re-plumbed everything to include placing the water supply and drain in a tidy little laundry hook-up box. He then patched the wall and installed cabinets.

We shopped around for the cabinets and decided upon the self-assembly required Ikea cabinets. With a kitchen remodel in our future, we considered this an experiment to help us determine if we wanted to use a similar product for the kitchen. The assembly was simple enough for one person, and the initial install was also completed solo. The final tweaking did required two sets of hands. One thing we learned about the Ikea product was that while most items are in stock, cabinet doors are custom order. We were able to take the cabinets home on the day of purchase, and the doors were delivered a couple of weeks later. The hinges for the doors are pretty amazing, and we were able to snap the doors into place without take the cabinets off the wall.

My dream laundry room includes a shiny red, front-loading washer and dryer. My budget does not include those items. In order to achieve a colorful element in the room, we painted the wall beneath the cabinets and above the washer/dryer red. While the pictures don't show off the color, I feel like I have my red and didn't blow the budget to get it. Win-win!

Follow Up - New Windows

2008-11-30T12:08:00.000-08:00

It has been a month, and we still love the new windows. Although we live on a dead end, we still experienced a fair amount of street noise from the gravel road. That has been greatly dimminished. But, most exciting is the cost savings on our heating bill.

Last week I recieved the gas bill and set out to do a comparison. If you look at the same period in the prior year, we saved $80 with the new windows. When I average the last 3 years bills for the same period, there is an average savings of $50. Of course, there was an investment in the new windows, but it is nice to see a cost savings in addition to the aethstic improvement.

Our windows were custom order insulated glass, installed by Classic Sash and Door.

The windows are in!

2008-10-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

Back in August, we ordered windows to replace the last remaining single pane glass in the house. Today they were installed!

The before picture shows the storm windows circa 1970 with their unsightly aluminum frame. The center window was busted and missing when we bought the house. We never dared remove the others for fear of breaking them too. We may not have liked the look, but it was better than the draft created without them.

The after picture shows the new double pane, insulated/gas filled glass. To keep as much of the original look as possible, each window was custom made to fit the opening (12 in whole, the window wraps around to the left with 3 more panes). The installers cute small strips of wood which the primed and set into the frame to hold the glass in place. You can still see some spots of former paint, but with a fresh coat on the trim these babies are going to look awesome!

In other news, we have made good progress on the laundry room. We made a trip to Ikea last night to buy the wall cabinets. We only needed 3, thought it would be a piece of cake. Well, we were wrong! Turns out most of their doors are customer ordered. We came home with the cabinets but won't have the doors for about 3-4 weeks.

C did assemble and install the cabinets today, and was happy with the process. We have long considered using Ikea cabinets when we get around to doing out kitchen. This was a test run of sorts, to see if assembling the cabinets was worth the cost savings. So far so good. Check with me again when I've been eating out of a microwave for months and I may have something different to say.

Tying up loose projects... Take II

2008-09-01T19:24:00.000-07:00

Back in January, I wrote an entry about all the loose ends we needed to tie up around the house. The projects that were 90% complete, but that last 10% seemed so out of reach. Well folks, it may have taken me a couple of years, but I FINALLY got the office ceiling painted. You may recall, we (read: C) moved the closet back in Nov. '06.

This weekend also saw touch-up paint in the new bathroom, re-hanging of curtains I took down to wash a year ago, hanging of new curtains purchased a year and a half ago, adjustments to surround sound installation, installing of the register covers in the new bath/utility rooms, and prep for the hanging of cabinets in the utility room.

Remaining untouched is the trim from the floor install. We have a call in to someone more talented than us to hire out the job. That doesn't seem to be moving too fast though. (Leave it to me to wait 2 years to work on something, then not want to wait a week for a quote). Anyone know a finish carpenter or flooring guy/gal who is both available and good??

2008-08-20T18:30:00.000-07:00

We've taken a little break from working on the house, which has been amazing! We've been rediscovering how we spent our time prior to being home owners. So, since my last post ...

C turned 35. We celebrated with a round of golf at Edgefield, followed by a BBQ back at the house. It was a great time, which finally wrapped around the fire pit in the wee hours of the morning.

We traveled to Las Vegas to see our friends Katie & Eric get hitched. While I've been to Vegas many a time, this was my first time staying in a hotel. We were at the lovely Mandalay Bay, and were upgraded to a 60th floor suite upon check-in. While C will tell you this was because "they know class when they see it" I will tell you the truth, which is that they gave our room to someone else. Oh well! Worked fine for me!

Once we arrived home from Vegas, we met up with my Aunt Ann & Cousin Melissa who flew in from the East Coast for a week in Portland. We set off for a few days at Cannon Beach, where we really, truly wore Rocko out for the first time ever. It only took one run on the beach, followed by two walks, followed by a hike, and the little guy was done.

Back in Portland, we had a birthday party for my Aunt at Plainfield's Mayur. Our friend David B. joined us. We originally met David through my mom, and they did a cross-country bike trip together back in 1982. It was great to have him join us, and to re-introduce him to Plainfield's. It was a perfect night: the weather, the food, the company.

Melissa headed back to NYC, while Ann stayed for a few more days. We got to be tourist in our own town, taking time to go to a different coffe shop each day. Dine in a favorite resturant each night. Visit Cupcake Jones, and First Thursday, wonder Powell's and leave with a pile of books.

We wrapped all this adventure up with a few days at home, enjoying the yard, and not touching a thing. It was so great that we did it again last weekend. Actually, last weekend was so hot we spent the day trying not to melt.

All of this brings me to the point, that there is very little new to report on the house. BUT, we are moving forward with the window replacement. The contractor was back today to give us another option, which we are happier with that the one first proposed. Now it is just a matter of getting the windows made, delivered, and installed. Can't wait to have new pictures for you!

Windows

2008-07-17T21:44:00.000-07:00

This is a picture taken when we bought our house, four years ago. Most of the picture has changed since then, but not the front windows.

I have a love/hate relationship with these windows. They are one of the only original features of the house. While many houses around us once had similar windows the majority have been switched out for something lacking period style. All other windows in our house have been replaced. They open, they close, they have screens on them ... all things I value after living in one too many houses with window painted shut.

But, these windows are single pane with bad aluminum storm windows on three of the four columns (the fourth wraps around the left side). The missing storm window usually results in plastic covering the offending column in winter months.

I've made an appointment to have Classic Sash and Door come give us a quote on replacing these windows while maintaining the character of the design. It will be somewhat of a challenge, as the interior of the house has a solid wooden grid which the windows are tacked to from the outside. Each window will have to be custom made, along with strips to hold them into place. New windows will be thicker than the current single pane, adding to the insallation challenge.

Bathroom is done ...

2008-07-17T21:41:00.000-07:00

and, has been done. I've just failed to post any pictures.

2008-06-17T20:55:00.000-07:00

We've been awaiting the installation of the floor tile, which we are hiring a contractor for. This pause in house work has given us time to well, do other house work. We spent much of the weekend in the yard. In between fits of weed pulling and flower planting, Rocko and I took a nap in the newly hung hammock which C surprised me with last week. Hurray for summer in Portland!

Sasquatch

2008-06-02T21:38:00.000-07:00

I spent Memorial Day weekend with my oldest and dearest friend at the Sasquatch Festival. No, we were not celebrating the rumored beast, but rather enjoying 3 days of live music in the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington. It was an amazing few days! We experienced a full range on weather, one moment huddled under a tarp, and the next smearing on sun block.

The shows we enjoyed were as follows:
Saturday - Fleet Foxes, Beirut, Ozomatli, The New Pornographers, Crudo, M.I.A., Modest Mouse, The Breeders, R.E.M
Sunday - 65DaysOfStatic, Blue Scholars, Cold War Kids, Tegan & Sara, The Presidents, Mates of State, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Death Cab for Cutie, and The Cure
Monday - Matt Costa, The Hives, Built to Spill

I was completely blown away by Blue Scholars and Crudo. Generally, I'm not a hip hop fan, but both of these groups put on an amazing show! Tegan & Sara, The Presidents, and The Hives, who I knew a little of each, made me love them all. Great energy!! R.E.M., my all time favorite band, and the sound of my youth, played through the nastiest rain, managing to pull of a terrific show despite the conditions. And, the Cure, who I've mostly ignored since 1993, played songs dating back to 1978, completely confusing all of the teeny boppers.

It was a good thing that the music was so amazing, 'cause the conditions were not. We were camping on-site, which we were well equipped for. However, the advertised showers were hardly sufficient for the thousands of campers. After waiting in line for two hours, we decided that we'd shampoo in the sink and sponge bath our way through the weekend. While I know I took a shower Saturday morning, and one Monday night, I still felt like I had three days without bathing.

Which brings me to the update on the house. The second shower is done, done, done!!! It is fully functioning and lovely. I just installed the shampoo/soap rank thing-a-ma-bobber.

In tile news, C has indeed been pushed over the edge. He interviewed contractors, and found a guy to install the floor. And, I don't know if I've mentioned it on here, we are putting in radiant heat!

We are getting closer to being truly done, but we aren't there yet.

Shower Tile - DONE!

2008-05-14T20:06:00.000-07:00

I lost count of how many days it took. I think nine to lay the tile, and two to grout it, but the shower tile is done! The fixture is not in yet, nor are the shower doors hung, but we are one step closer nonetheless. Upon completion, C told me he wants to hire out the tiling of the floor.

Tile - Day 5

2008-04-08T21:31:00.001-07:00

A few pictures to get you current on the state of the tile. C has spent 5 days tiling, I believe. One wall down, one and a third to go. And, no, we don't have polka dotted tile ... those are the spacers.

A closer look at the accent tile.

The medicine cabinet is in, as are the sconces.

Tiling the Shower

2008-03-16T19:17:00.000-07:00

Day 1

Day 2

C is a trooper, but I think this may be too tedious for him!

Meanwhile, I finished priming the hallway. I have only 2 coats of paint, and cutting of trim to return it to the state it was in only 5 days ago. I know I really wanted to have the walls skim coated but now I don't know what I was thinking!!

Gardening, Beth's Tree & Sheetrock Prep

2008-03-09T21:45:00.000-07:00

C & I spent much of the weekend enjoying the outdoors, granted it was by working on our yard. We made a trip out to Recycled Gardens on Saturday where we bought two mature plants (one Laurel and one Camillia) for a steal of a deal. We also made visited Portland Nursery, where we found exactly what we were looking for, and spent the money we save by getting used plants earlier in the day. While we were out, a dump truck delivered bark mulch.

The new plants are in the ground, and a third of the mulch is spread. We also did some repair work to the lawn where the plumbers had ripped it up during the install of the sewer line.

Perhaps the most meaningful yard project was the planting of a Dogwood in memory of my Mom. When my Mom was growning up in Virginia, her father planted three Dogwoods, one for his wife and for each of his two daughters. When C & I desgined the front yard we included a Dogwood as a center piece, when was planted the week of our wedding ... a ceremony of sorts. Upon my Mom's passing, her sister suggested that we add a second Dogwood to our yard. Today was the day we made it happen. Complete with the use of some of her ashes, Beth's tree has been planted. It sits outside of our front windows, framing the view.

Finally, we prepped the new bathroom & utility room space for the sheetrock to be installed tomorrow. In addition to finishing those rooms, we will also skim coat the main hallway to repair bad seaming and patch the wholes from the installation of the attic stairs. I'm so excited to come home tomorrow and see the progress!

Mystery Date

2008-02-24T11:33:00.000-08:00

Last month, C sent me an invitation to join him on a "Mystery Date." I knew nothing but the day on which it would occur. Yesterday was the day I'd been waiting for.

After a nice breakfast, C told me that we would need to clean our guest room as we had a dog sitter coming and that I should pack an overnight bag. The bag was the easier of the two tasks. After a couple of questions to determine formal or casual, indoor or out, I was all set. Then came the guest room.

Since September we have been piling parts and pieces for the new bathroom in there. Not to mention scraps from Chrismas, overnight bags from weekend trips, and the pile of dry cleaning I'd yet to deal with. I think the preasure of knowing someone was coming so soon was exactly what we needed to sort through all of the stuff.

House in order and bags packed we headed off. A quick stop at the cleaners and Goodwill, and then on to I-84 east bound. Skamnia Lodge? Maryhill Vineyard? My mind was wondering where we could be heading. C pulled off the road at Multnomah Falls. It was lovely, as usual. Before we could get out of the car he turned it around and headed back to town. Where were we going???

Just off I-84 in Corbett sits the View Point Inn (www.theviewpointinn.com). He had arranged for us to stay in the suite, and made dinner reservations. The view from our room was spectactular! There was an amazing sunset, glowing red, over the Columbia River. We had a roaring fire in the fireplace, sipped wine, and completely relaxed. This morning we enjoyed brunch, again taking in the view of the Gorge, before made the 15 minute drive home.

It was a fantastic suprise, and a place I'm sure we will go to again. To all my Portland friends, check this place out! Great for Mother's Day brunch, watching 4th of July fireworks, or for a surprise date with your special someone.

Tying up loose projects...

2008-01-28T21:47:00.000-08:00

Our sheet rocker (Alternative Drywall, 503-504-8968) was out last weekend to take a look at our project. While they aren't available until March, we agree that a good contractor is worth the wait.

Rather than sit idle between now and the completion of the sheet rock I started thinking about what projects we have around the house sitting untouched. I'm realizing that my/our follow through has been somewhat lacking. Case in point, our floors. They were finished November '06, and we've yet to complete the trim. It drives us both crazy, and yet we've seemed to have lived with it this long. But, no more! We will get it done.

Then there is the ceiling in the office. It has a big spot which remains unpainted from when C moved the closet. Again, this has been sitting since Nov. '06. Twice I have taken time off of work to complete this project, yet the primer remains.

I don't usually consider myself a slacker, but I can't come up with any reason as to why I haven't completed these projects. We've got at least four weeks until we can move on to the next phase in the bathroom/utility room. I hope that in that time I can get some stuff done.

Bring in the sheetrock!

2008-01-20T22:56:00.000-08:00

It is official, we are ready for the sheetrock! The bathroom/utility room project looks pretty much the same. Regardless, we've hit a major milestone ... we're ready for sheetrock. This also means that our tools have been put away, and we've cleaned up the space.

I took the liberty of doing a couple of quick floorplans to give you an idea of the transformation.

Before:

After:

I'll have new pictures as soon as we have walls. Here's hoping it is soon!!

Destractions

2008-01-13T16:34:00.000-08:00

I've been a slack of a blogger lately. It has been nearly a month since I've posted anything dispite the best of intensions. While I've not made time to write, I have captured 35 stars in Super Mario Galaxy, each getting me one step closer to saving Princess Peach.

By way of catching you up to date:

We had a wonderful gathering of ugly sweaters

New Years included the best hat of all time!

We just spent a lovely weekend in Eugene, catching up with many friends and leaving Rocko to wear himself out on a 2-day play date.

The bathroom/utility room project is progressing. It doesn't look much different, dispite the numerous hours spent in there. The HVAC has been re-routed, the electrical is finished, and all the walls are framed. We are getting closer to calling in the sheetrockers, which is when the change will really start to show.

Bathroom Update

2007-12-16T21:42:00.001-08:00

After much delay and a number of discussions with the business owner, the plumbers (American Plumbing Services) finally finished up 2 weeks ago. Since then, we've took a little break to retreat to the coast and hosted a holiday sweater party (watch for the upcoming post and associated pictures). The work on the bathroom does continue, albeit at a slow pace. To say that we have run out of steam is an understatement! Regardless, progress is being made.

The above picture shows the framing for the wall that will separate the bathroom from the utility room, the pocket door neatly stashed in it's pocket, and the white oval on the wall is the interior of the medicine cabinet. The area on the right, with the pocket door, is the shower stall, and the toilet and closet will be to the left of the vanity/medicine cabinet.

The above picture is of the shower as it currently stands. The Wonder Board is up, and awaiting tile. We picked out a great glass mini-subway tile in greens and browns for the accent tile while the majority of the shower will be a white ceramic subway tile. We have a lot of work to do before we lay any tile, but I'm trying to keep the goal in mind.

Re-post: Home Depot Contest

2007-12-13T17:47:00.000-08:00

If I had enough guts, I would do this myself.

Please take a moment to help my friends Julio & Stephanie. They are awesome, and completely deserve a killer prize

Here is their blog posting:

Have you heard about the Home Depot $25,000 Holiday Gift Card Contest?

Do-it-yourselfers are currently posting videos on You Tube showcasing home improvement projects in dire need of attention. On December 17, a winning entry will be chosen, and Home Depot will award some lucky homeowner with a $25,000 Home Depot Gift Card.

What can we say? We couldn’t resist! So, if you haven’t already submitted an entry of your own, we’d love it if you would click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Mr6WrO-ADA

View count accounts for 20 percent of the points awarded to each submission, so we really need to get as many people as we can to watch our little video as soon as possible because the contest ends this weekend. If you’re a horror movie fan, you may even get a chuckle from our submission. We can pretty much guarantee that our entry is one of a kind.

Thanks in advance for watching!

November 26

2007-12-03T09:38:00.000-08:00

C and I were fast asleep during the early morning hours of November 26th when I heard a few tones coming from somewhere in the house. I stirred and drifted off again. The tones returned. They were familiar, but distant and slow coming.

"What is that?" I said, trying to place the tune, and figure out why I was hearing it at 4:30am.

"I don't know." C responded.

"But you do hear it?!" I asked, seeking confirmation of my sanity

"Um-hmm" He drifted

I recognized it! It was Edelweiss playing from my childhood music box, which had been my Mother's before mine. It resides in our office, on a shelf along with her ashes and a few other special belongings of hers which I chose to keep.

I sprang from bed and hurried down the hall to quiet it, and to try to make sense of why it was playing when it hadn't been wound in years. Had the cat knocked it over? Was a shelf falling down?

Once in the office, I saw that all was in perfect order. The music box sat undisturbed. I opened it, expecting to see the gears spinning as they do when it is winding down. It was still. No sign of movement to explain its tune. All that was left to do was accept the unexplainable, and say "Hello Mom."

Utility Room Tear Down

2007-11-26T16:20:00.000-08:00

We have been working on adding a bathroom to our former utility room. Here are some pictures of the mess...

Rufus Update

2007-11-26T15:49:00.000-08:00

On Thanksgiving we took Rufus for a long weekend with some potential adoptors. Upon arriving at their home I was shocked to see what a perfect house it was for a big dog, yet they had not previously had one.

They called last night to confirm that they love him, and are making him a permanent member of their family. YEAH RUFUS!!!

Found - Stray Doggie

2007-11-03T23:12:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we saw this guy wondering the neighborhood, and he would take off anytime we tried to approach him. On Wednesday I came home to find my darly husband laying in the street trying to make friends. Little did I know at the time, but he had spent the over an hour sweet talking the big guy buy the time I got home. We spent another hour before he ran off. Thursday the guy stopped in long enough to eat the food we'd left for him, having noticed his too thin state the night before.

Today we were working on the house (surprise, surprise) when Rocko started romping around the yard. I looked up to see that our friend had returned. We spent some time working with a neighbor to try to get a leash on the doggie, but no luck. Well, Rocko is smarty than us! He ran into the back yard, and his buddy followed him. We quickly closed the gates and have kept him captive since.

We do not intend to keep the new guy, but rather get him to trust us enough so that we may get him in the car and to the vet. He needs to be fixed and put up for adoption. He is super sweet, well behaved, and as far as we can tell his only issue is that he is scared from his life on the streets. But, he is coming around! Hopefully we will be able to get him to the vet sooner rather than later. In the meantime, Rocko gets to have a friend sleep over.

Returning to Work

2007-10-28T21:23:00.000-07:00

After five days at home, I will return to my real job in tomorrow morning. I'm sure I will have a busy week, which will include playing catch-up after a total of two weeks out of the office. And, I have four new-to-me people joining my team.

As much as I enjoy my work, I will miss the time to focus on the house. The plumbers got the "rough-in" done, and now we have much work to do ourselves. Regardless, we spent much of the weekend playing. That said, we did work on the house all day today, so I guess that means "much of the weekend" is actually less than half of it. Hmm...

I used to dream about the day that I would own a home. I knew that I would take care of it and make it my own. Never did those dreams include the smell of rotting leaves as you pull them from gutters, or the heft of pine needle filled yard debris bags (4 bags of pine needles!!!).

Tomorrow, C also returns to work. After two weeks of training, he is entering a new program which includes a new employer. His return to work will be filled with excitement, unknows, and possibility.

Much excitement and activity lays ahead for us! But, for tonight I'm going to bed early with my Aunts newest book, Informed Consent. Check out her blog if you have a second. You'll see that my weekend was also filled with a wonderful visit, and a drive to Multnomah Falls.

Return of the Plumbers

2007-10-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

Today marks the start of the enterior work for the bathroom addition.

The former laundry room has been cleared out. We got all the cabinets demoed, the carpert removed, and most impressively, all of our stuff stashed elsewhere in the house. Which left a blank canvass for the new bathroom, laundry room, and storage space. We modified our layout, opting to put the bathroom on the back wall (where the laundry used to be) and create a new and seperate room for all that laundry and cleaning business. On the positive side, this will allow us to add in a wash tub, which I'm sure I will use for dishes once we tear into our kitchen. The downfall is that we will have to immediately deal with the removal of the window 'cause a shower is going in its place.

As I type this, the plumbers are tearing into our walls, jack hammering our floor, and doing all that they need to do to gain access to set the new water and waste lines. They expect to spend three days here. At the end of that time the rough-in plumbing will be complete, and our work will begin again.

For now, I'm off to Home Depot and the Tile for Less (the only tile store I know of that has a bunny).

We have a cave in our backyard

2007-10-08T20:45:00.000-07:00

The plumbers arrived this morning to dig the trench for the bathroom addition sewer line. They had been here a couple of hours, and I'd just arrived home from running errands when the lead worker bee told me he had something to call to my attention.

"You have a cave in your backyard." He said

"What? From the moles & squirels? Yeah, they are pretty annoyning." I responded in jest.

"No, you have a cave. It is about 12 feet by 3 feet."

"Shut up! You're kidding, right?" I protested.

"No, come around here. I had to get a light to see to the bottom."

"OH MY GOSH!!!!" I could see the cave.

Turns out the "decommissioned" septic tank wasn't completely decommissioned. Apparently this tank, which appears to be dug by hand with cinder blocks stacked up the enterior, is MUCH larger than necessary for a house our size. A typical tank would only be about 4 or 5 feet deep. This would be great news IF we were using it. Unfortunately that is not the case.

A truck load of sand will arrive in the morning. We have a call out begging our dear friends for assistance with the shoveling and dumping, and shoveling, and dumping.

I guess the attic ladder project may not be next afterall.

And, we're done!

2007-10-07T09:56:00.000-07:00

We put the family room back together a little over a week ago, and have been putting on all the finishing touches. It is finally ready for it's blog debute...

New Doorway to Family Room, and Rocko

Interior with Curtain Divider

Work Out Space Behind the Curtain

Enterainment Space, and entrace to Laundry Room

Storage, Storage, Storage!!!

Up next:
The plumbers arrive tomorrow to put in the trench and sewer line for the new bathroom. And, C installs an attic ladder, thus creating access to store stuff up there.

Family Room Progress

2007-09-21T22:20:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been a slacker. Sort of. C & I have been busy working on the family room and our at our real jobs. As a result I haven't posted any new pictures. But, that is all going to change right now.

The wall and ceiling paint are done, and the lights are in. As with many do-it-yourself projects we spent more time on these items than we anticipated. It feels sooooooo good to have them done!

Painted Walls

New Lights

We will spend the weekend trimming out the windows and doors. I hope to be moving furniture in by Sunday. Keep your fingers crossed!!

Time for Paint

2007-09-14T16:27:00.000-07:00

I took the day off of work today to get started on painting. The sheetrock was finished up yesterday, and looks fantastic! I rolled around on the floor with Rocko last night in celebration of the room looking like a room, and not a construction zone.

I spent much of today priming, which took more time than I expected. But, I was able to get the finishing coat on the living room wall, and get the dining table cleaned and positioned in it's new spot. I'm very pleased with the finshed wall! You can't even tell that we knocked a portion of it down 2 weeks ago!

Now we are moving on to color selection. The good news is that C & I are agreeing on what colors we like, and those we aren't crazy about. We'll see how they all look with different light, and with the accessories I purchased.

As the weekend begins, we are expecting cooler weather. This will be great for C, who plans to spend much time in the attic running eletrical for the new lights! As for me, I'll have my feet on the ground and a paint brush in hand.

Sheetrock - Day 1

2007-09-10T17:37:00.000-07:00

What a difference a little sheetrock makes!!!

Patch of living/dining room w/ new pocket door

Interior of family room

Pocket Door Progress

2007-09-04T20:02:00.000-07:00

The remainder of the 3-day weekend was spent finishing the previously mentioned electrical work and insulation, but the icing on the cake was the installation of the pocket door frame. Nothing like a little fun with a Saws All to make a mess. Here, you can see the old doorway (right side) and the portion of the cut wall (left side) laying on the floor.

After the installation of the framing you can start to see how the flow from the living/dining room will change with the relocation of the door.

The door is awaiting its final coat of paint prior to hanging.

DC Pictures

2007-09-03T21:22:00.000-07:00

Washington Monument
As seen from the Jefferson Memorial

WWII Memorial

FDR Memorial
You've got to love a man that loved his dog!

Mount Vernon
George Washington's home

Capital Building

Library of Congress
Ceiling in Great Hall dedicated to education reads:
"Poetry, Music, Architecture, Sculpture, Painting"

Family Room Progress

2007-09-02T12:27:00.000-07:00

After two weeks of travel, it was time to get back to work on the house. I had a few week days at home to connect with contractors. It took some doing, but I finally was able to connect with tradesmen who were not only qualified to do the work but actually capable of returning phone calls! The sheetrock will be hung & finished on the week of the 10th, which gives us one week to finish up our portion of the work. YIKES!!

Yesterday was spent removing the old air conditioner, which left us with a hole perfect for a drive-thru window.

Today we are cutting a hole in the wall to relocate and convert the door to a space-saving pocket door. In addition, there has been electrical and insulation done each step of the way.

2007-08-30T08:39:00.000-07:00

Going Home

2007-08-29T07:24:00.000-07:00

I am flying home today after spending a week and a half in DC for vacation/work. I've had a great time visiting family, sight seeing w/ C, and relaxing too. But, there is no place like home! I'm excited to arrive in my lovely city, see my happy dog, and fall into all of the routines that I've created for myself.

Here is to home! May yours be one that you love.

Window #2

2007-08-19T22:22:00.000-07:00

Work on the house continues. The goal for this weekend was to get in the second window. The plans for the window size changed a few times, ulitmately building our design around what was in stock at the Home Depot. I hate to give them that kind of power!!

Again, C did most of the work, and I ran around like a crazy woman trying to get everything else done while making myself available should I hear a cry for help. I was actually very busy getting ready to travel for work. But, I did manage to do a good deal of yard work, and both C & I went out with friends.

But, back to the subject at hand ... The demo showed us that the wall we were so pleased to discover insulation in, was in fact not insulated.

We took the time to add insulation, knowing that we will spend many a winter night watching a movie, or perhaps some really bad TV. (I just finished a Gene Simmons Family Jewels marathon ... I'm hooked).

The weekends goal was met! The second new window is in!

Up next, removing the bad old air conditioner, installing new lights & electrical, and moving the door. Plus, C is meeting with a contractor this week to get estimates for sheetrock installation.

In other news, check out this pic that I snapped tonight. Sleepy boy!

Earlier in the week, he was treated to a doggy cup cake. What a life!!

Progress - Window #1

2007-08-11T19:57:00.000-07:00

Today saw progress on the family room. The first window is installed, and as I type this, C is putting the finishing touches on the exterior for the night. The patching of siding and paint will wait for another day.

We were both off of work early yesterday, which afforded us the opportunity to go to Home Depot on a weekday. This is key! However, as I stood in the parking lot watching my husband tie our new window to the roof of his car I began to wonder if we were in over our heads. Or at the very least, if we should have driven the truck!

With sunlight hours left to burn, we were able to demo most of the old window framing last night.

This morning, albeit closer to noon, we popped the old windows out. Rocko had fun discovering how to jump through the wall.

As normal we ran into issues along the way. By now we are pretty good at making it up as we go. I found myself getting in the way on this project, as much of the time there was work for only one person. C did a good job of being the worker while I tried to stay out of his way.

Without further delay, the first glimpse of the new window.

Next up, sitting in front of the TV, enjoying the breeze through the OPEN window!!!!

2007-08-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

There is no turning back now! The paneling is in the driveway, and the family room is a total freaking mess ... it is great!!!

To our delight we found two walls already had drywall under the ugly 70's decor. Next step: mapping out the electrical work and replacing windows. We've also discovered that the room has decent insulation, so replacing the windows should be enough to improve climate control.

For your enjoyment I've included a before picture (taken during the house inspection 3 years ago). You'll have to hang out a little longer to get a glimpse of the after shots.

2007-08-04T08:32:00.000-07:00

I've been inspired! I have a few friends who have the most wonderful blogs, and I check them daily for updates. Today is the day I join the fun, and put stuff out there for you all to keep tabs on the house, the dog, and me.

Other than the creation of a blog, I will be making a trip to Crate & Barrel today. Last year, for our wedding, C & I registered at Crate & Barrel. A semi-major purchase made in connection with that was our dining set (do you know that when you close out a registry you get 10% off everything you buy -- register for stuff that you are willing to pay for yourself, save some cash, and redecorate your house when closing your registry).

We waited about 2 weeks, maybe 3, for our table to arrive. The chairs had long since been sitting in the dining room awaiting their partner. We rushed out to the store, about 30 minutes from our house, and wedged the table into my tiny car -- this involved me scooting my seat up as far as I could. Naturally, we were stuck in rush hour traffic, taking us 2 hours to get home, all the while my 5'10" body was squeezed into a seat set for someone under 4' tall. As we started to unpack the table we discovered that it had major shipping damage. We immediately contacted Crate & Barrel, who ordered us another table, and told us we were welcome to assemble the defective one for use until our new table arrived.

The assemble went smoothly, and we turned out temporary table upright. The darn thing split in half and crashed into our new flooring. My husband rushed to see if his floor had been damaged! I got back on the phone with Crate & Barrel.

After 4 weeks, our replacement table arrived. We backed everything up, and made the drive to the store, taking my husbands truck and making sure to avoid traffic. The new table was assembled and in our dining room in no time.

Not but an hour later did we get our first scratch, from a deck of cards. Which was followed by a scratch from setting the keys on the table. Which was followed by a dent from a box of poker chips. Which was followed by many scratches from bowls and plates. All of this has caused us fear from setting anything on the table, and a dependancy on place mats!

Today, we return the stinkin' table. We will not be exchanging it. We've found a replacement which will go nicely with the chairs (I've had no problems with them at all).

2007-08-01T21:06:00.000-07:00

Front Path - Before

Front Path - After

Back Fence - Before

Back Fence - After

Office Exterior Wall - Before

Office Exterior Wall - After

Office Side Wall - Before

Office Side Wall - After

Fireplace - Before

Fireplace - After