"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Monday, April 11, 2022

Kitchen Havoc

The Good:  The kitchen flooring is in.

The Bad:  We have to take several pieces back out and replace due them leaving debris under them and flooring with bumps.  They didn't sweep good enough and then put a fan on it.  We have a 2 year warranty with these guys, but my husband wants to do it himself and be done with it.

Oh, after they moved the fridge back, they made a mark in the new flooring all the way across.  They had to replace about 15 pieces due to something under the fridge wheel.  This was before we noticed the debris under several after they replaced those.  

They didn't put any of the trim back in, nor the supports under my counter top that is the desk. We'll be doing that after I paint today and my husband installs the kitchen heater. 

We had to remove the heater prior to all of this, due to the fact the first people we hired for the joist/seal plate/sub floor repair.  They didn't put any sub floor or under layment under the heater.  They left an open gap.  

It's been one big headache.

I allowed them to use my canopy to cut wood outside.  First people we hired cut the wood inside, so all my cupboards have to be cleaned on the inside and out.


They left the canopy bag outside in the rain, then snow, then rain again, and my husband discovered it.  It's covered with sawdust, so guess who is cleaning that today?

We sold one kitchen table to a family member, but she had some sort of excuse, so we decided to give it to another family member who just got an apartment, but it's still on our front porch.

We decided to downside the kitchen furniture, hence selling one of them.  We had 2 tables in there due to our large family.  We plan to put an island in it's place down the road.

I tell ya' locating stuff for the bathroom we are gutting, has been a bit rough.  We have been all over to locate a vanity, which was in stock, but sold out while the flooring was going in.  It's a half bath, so we needed a smaller vanity.  The shower is going in the trash/metal to a scrapper.  They put in the cheapest one they could find prior to us moving here.

I downsized that bathroom too, and will remove the wall cabinet and only have the vanity for extra toilet paper.  No kids, hence no extra storage.  I located the vanity/sink, and a new light fixture however.

We have lots to do.  Today my only goal is to paint where the heater goes, so it's dry prior to my husband getting off work.  He'll install it.  Then we can move my hutch and table back into the kitchen. 

I have all my kitchen curtains down to wash as well.  Thanks to the first people we hired, they are covered in sawdust.  My to-do list is long - clean windows, wash curtains, laundry, sweep and mop kitchen floor, wipe all counters, paint, pay bills now that I can get into my living room to the computer, and so much more.

On a good note, while the kitchen flooring went in, I have cleaned almost all of the master bath floor grout.  I have to move tile and grout bags to finish one last corner, and rugs go back down.  We have located a person to repair the shower tile floor, but it's on the back burner for now.  Next up is the living room, and half bath.  Both need done badly.  Just say a prayer, the joist issue under the living room is not as bad as the kitchen was.  I'm voting for new carpet, but he's wanting the glue down vinyl we used in the kitchen.  Not sure what we'll do until we know how bad the living room is.





Friday, April 8, 2022

Brewing Coffee in the Bedroom and other "I can't make this stuff up" moments

 

Cleaned grout

before cleaning grout

While the men's worked on the kitchen flooring, I worked on the master bath tile grout.  In the past I have used homemade grout cleaner and was pleased with it.  A friend hosted a Norwex party and I purchased the paste they sell.  Oh my goodness.  It made the grout bright white (septic safe too). It may be hard to see in the photo, but oh my goodness I am so delighted with the clean grout.  I have much more to clean today (it's a larger bathroom than you think).

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I had to climb thru this to get to the computer this morning.  It's the entry way from kitchen to living room, where the "office" is temporality set up.

I got a text at 4:42am.  It was my sister.  I was somewhat in a state of worry, because my husband had already left for work.  He didn't tell me he had to leave that early, and the coffee pot is set up in the bedroom. I always pack his breakfast, lunch and coffee.

Oh, and the kitchen is half painted, because a cabinet unit was sitting there and was moved. Now my husband doesn't like the yellow.....sigh.....

Another old house surprise.  They men's knocked out cement that was used in the kitchen entry from the hallway (this is where the old house back door used to be before the addition).

They found roof shingles under it!  They have now put down self-leveling cement.  Next up is the under layment and then new flooring.  I have to say, the boys working with him remind me of my daughter's deceased boyfriend.  They are hard working, seem to want to be always busy and know what they are doing.  I'm impressed so far.