Frazzled Friday

We were so busy making trips to the hardware store, that I plain forgot we were out of coffee Thursday morning.  We also had to make a 45 minute drive so that Hubby could vote again (by the way the contract passed, although Hubby still voted no).  Could be worse on both situations, but not bad either - I had instant organic coffee and the contract wasn't as bad.

I had a lot on my plate.  First, Mia is coming today for the weekend, and my chicks were still in the living room.  She'd eat them for sure.  Yet my kitchen was a mess too, and laundry?  Don't get me started.  I have to act quickly, and organize a portion of the utility room to move the chicks back in (that room has a half door to shut to keep the chicks safe.  

By the way, the chicks have been giving me a chuckle lately.  One time I checked in on them, one was standing way on top of the feeder trying to escape.  Another time one had a wood chip in it's mouth.  Oh boy, they are so much fun to watch.

Treasures I found while cleaning the utility room?  a brand new pair of garden gloves, 3 pints of pickled beets (yay!) and two containers of margarita salt (a margarita should be my reward when I am completely done).  This could take many days though.  With the chicks in there, it's tough to move around and clean.

I also managed to clean out and reorganize my tall storage cabinet that holds canning stuff etc.  I actually made room for all that replaced tupperware that I just got back.  I typically use it all during the holidays, so it's out of the kitchen now.

Update on my hair oil that I infused.  I have been adding some jojoba oil, and like it better than simple olive oil.  As soon as stinging nettle is in season, the new oil will incorporate jojoba.  Although I am pleased with jojoba oil, have placed an order for a hydrating oil, so I'll post as soon as I give it a try.

On a good, and different subject, we ran into a neighbor.  We were informed our nuisance neighbor moved to another state, allowing one of his daughters to live in his house.  The best news?  A farmer purchased the land that is adjacent to our property at the backside (woods, river).  We should be quiet around here, at least for a year or so, until we expect he'll be back when he runs out money.  Word is, he has never worked a job in his life.

I just realized that this is my second picture-less post.  Sigh.  I best get back in gear, but cleaning resumes.

Chicks in my Living Room and the Saga

Hubby immediately went to work, skipping dinner the day I had to shut off the entire water supply.  Most of the bathroom ended up in the kitchen, and some of the utility room ended up in the hallway.  It was squeeze and step over stuff for a few days.

Not to mention, dirty dished and laundry piled up.

Chicks were moved to the living room, to make room to start moving the washer and dryer, but that didn't happen.

The bathroom floor (kitchen bathroom) was ripped up, boards removed to be able to see where the leak was.   Found it.  The toilet was removed, the boards cut to access under the house (we do not have a crawl space).  The wall to the right in that picture is connected to my utility room.

However, the first cut of drywall in the utility room wasn't quite spot on.  Second cut?  Spot on. 

Four trips to the hardware store .... off and on verbal extremities coming from the utility room, there seem to be problems to deal with as he worked.  Meanwhile, I watched some tutorials for my own projects, made phone calls for one big ticket job, and other stuff.

We also did some pricing on new flooring for the bathroom, and heat tape while we had pipes exposed (by the way it wan't a water leak from the pipes cracking due to cold, it was a connection that had split apart in the wall (oh yeah for that).

Sitting down after the water was back on.....

Me:  "Well I shouldn't have kept saying I needed to get that utility room cleaned."

God listened.  God motivated.  Not good, and not all bad either.  For the first time, I stayed calm in this "storm."  Knowing that my "MacGyver" husband and I would team up and fix it.  Or should I say fix "things."  Many things.

I'm trying to get things back to normal.  The utility room cleaning will soon be underway.  Thanks to this situation.  I am purging, and thankfully a few kids in apartments are taking some items.

I'm thankful we had homemade "lysol" wipes on hand to keep our hands clean and sanitized.

I'm thankful the leak was in an area we could get to.

I'm thankful I keep flush water on hand year round.

What concerns us, is why after all these years, the pipe split apart.  Bad work?  Poor quality of water lines? Hm.  

Oh, we found a second leak in the same area.  Apparently we are not done.