Happy New Year 2010 - Celebrate!

Day 30: Coming together

They finished the backsplash tile today but will come back Monday to do the grout.  At the same time they will stain the floor grout.  I'm still vascillating on that color.  The backsplash is turning out just wonderful.  A few little electrical tasks will finish it all up.  The replacement pendant light arrived today and appears to be in good condition. 

So no more pics or updates now until it's done. 

Happy New Year to us all!  May 2010 be a better year for our country and for the world.  May we each find some personal peace in this year.

Day 29: Backsplash start

Yep, it's different than what I had decided.  And I think it is oh so right.  I love it.  The local store didn't have enough pieces in stock and my contractor drove to Layton to get more to be finished up tomorrow.  These 2"x2" tiles are on a 12" x 12" mesh backing, but our workers are very particular and used lots of spacers to ensure all those little things stayed just the right distance apart.  The terrible snowstorm today didn't keep them away, and they promise to return tomorrow. 

The lighting company was less than satisfactory.  Even after talking to them TWICE yesterday, and finding out the replacement order had inexplicably been cancelled, they failed to get the light on order.  It took two more phone calls today to get the thing on its way.  I insisted that it be shipped overnight at their expense and they agreed.  But I'll only believe it when I see it.  The electricians won't be out on New Year's Eve so I'll still have to wait until next week for that to be finished up.  But it looks like just about everything else could be done tomorrow.

Here's the backsplash so far.  I'm loving it.  Looks like my evening is going to be dedicated to snow removal in the driveway and walks.  So glad I'm off tomorrow.  I'll get pics if it ever lets up.

Day 28: The 80/20 Rule

More running around yesterday looking at backsplash options.  I suddenly felt I was one the wrong track and needed to be more sure of my choice.  I overwhelmed myself looking at new tile stores.  The trouble with most of the tile I saw is that it requires special order.  When I focused on in-stock tile, the options narrowed considerably.  And yes, I took home more samples and pondered the various looks.  I finally made a decision today just at the wire as my contractor needs to pick up the tile tomorrow and will be here to do the backsplash.

Today we got the dishwasher hooked up and icemaker too.  The garbage disposal is not working and will be replaced tomorrow.

The unbelievable item is the lighting store let me down - again.  The order for my replacement pendant light was apparently cancelled.  When I called earlier this morning, I was promised a call back.  When I didn't receive one, I called again she had gone home, but another employer broke the bad news to me.  The light was again ordered but they weren't sure when it would be here.  The store blamed the manufacturer, the manufacturer blamed the store -- the exact same excuse they used on the last failure.  I have no recourse but to wait for the light which means it won't be here before New Year's.  With all the things that could go wrong with a big project like this, you wouldn't think the biggest problem would be with simple straightforward orders of light fixtures.  Yes, there may be a blog devoted to this store.  I no longer think of them as the 'elite' lighting store I once did.

Tomorrow backsplash, new garbage disposal, and we're going to stain the grout to please me.  Then I think just some final electrical.  And the 80/20 rule?  They say 80 percent of the result takes 20 percent of the effort and 20 percent of the result takes 80 percent of the effort.  Thus, at three weeks it looked almost done, and at four weeks, it looks very much the same.  But we are close, really close.

Day 26: Getting organized

Yes, we skipped a couple of days. I actually used my kitchen on Christmas day, prepared a light meal and snacks. It was so pleasant, even though I had to dig through boxes every time I needed a bowl or a spoon, etc. The day after Christmas I cleaned out any remaining sawdust from the shelves and drawers and wiped the insides all down and then started moving things in. That has been a slow process, but I'm just about finished. I decided the thing to do was start with the things I used every day and put those in the most convenient places, and then work backwards to the least-used items and put those up high or at the back. I like my arrangement so far, and I still have a lot of empty space in the lower cabinets. I've moved things in that I had to store in a hallway closet because of lack of storage space for pots and pans and pantry. I still need to move in the baking pans and storage containers, but plenty of room for all. I'm delighted that I will get that hall closet back for keeping my vacuum and other cleaning implements.

Here's a peek at some of what I've put away so far.  I also have pots and pans in the deep drawers in the island.  Stirrers and ladles in the top drawer to the right of the stove, knives in the top drawer to the left.  Flatware in the drawer nearest the dining room.  Other utensils in the wide flat drawer of the island.  Still have many empty drawers and the lazy susan, bottom and top shelves of the pantry.  I'm stopping for the day to go out to dinner.

I have a backsplash dilemma.  More about that tomrrow.

It's my birthday too, yeah

My birthday coming at the end of the year always seems to provide a good opportunity for reflection and resolution. That was never more true than this year. I do feel I'm on my way to discovering and making my new normal. I feel in charge of my life instead of the other way around. At age 62, it seems odd that a person would still be changing her life -- where is my rocking chair and knitting needles?! Not yet. I survived. I feel alive and energetic. And optimistic.

None of us knows what the new year holds. But we can be sure there will be shakeups in our lives--things we cannot control. But we can be in charge of change in our lives just the same. Years ago Oprah had a challenge she boiled down to "Charnge Your Life". I have taken that challenge to heart permanently. I know I will be thrown off track now and then by life circumstances. But I intend to be in charge of the direction of my life after all. I'll cope when coping is necessary. But most of all, I'll be moving forward improving and relishing my life.

Christmas Day

A lovely quiet morning.  Oh so cold outside, but at least it's not storming.  I'm thinking of my friend in Minnesota today, terrible weather there.  The picture here is from my own yard last January following a big storm.  Don't we appreciate the sunshine more after such days?

Watched some Tabernacle Choir and Christmas Mass while I had coffee.  Read a few blogs but didn't comment anywhere just because I wanted to have my own private time for awhile.  Played some Christmas tunes on the piano and sang along.  Doesn't that sound silly to entertain yourself in that way?  It's what I do.

Wandered around the new kitchen and began thinking about what goes where.  I may or may not start moving things in today.  I have the whole rest of the weekend.

Jenn and Zach will be over later.  I bought food--more than we will want.  After that, a movie.

It's a new way of celebrating Christmas.  More low-key than in the past.  Steven and Simone and family are in Brazil.  Jeff and Brittany are spending the day with Brittany's mom and then the Strate's.  We had celebrations earlier.  Of course Eric is in Kansas, and his kids in Virginia.  I wish they could be here, but understand they can't.

It seems there is so much pressure to spend Christmas day in a certain traditional way.  This year I consciously decided ahead of time I would not be pressured by anything, but would just do what felt right, good, timely.  It has resulted in a quiet, happy Christmas.

There's a lot to be said for contentment.  I think I've had just the right amount of Christmas.

Happiness of the season to all my bloggerland friends.  I hope you get to spend it in just the way you like.

Day 23: Plumbing and really time for a rest

The plumber is here and things are progressing with getting water hooked up.  Contractor and I discussed backsplash and I may totally change my idea on that.  I'm going out shopping again on Saturday.  I think I did too much yesterday--feel exhausted today.  I wanted to start putting things away, but I don't know if I'll really make any progress on that today.  But since I don't go back to work until Monday, I think I'll take it easy today and try not to overdo.
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Later: Plumber finished fairly quickly but did not hook up the dishwasher or the icemaker in the fridge.  No problem, I at least have a sink and water now.  That's stainless steel dual bowl sink and Delta faucet with a pull-down sprayer and a soap dispenser.  Very sleek and chic, don't you think?  And yes, that is late afternoon sunshine you see peeking in from the dining room.

 

Day 22: Granite! Plumbing! Oh, what a day!

Today brought surprises of the good sort.  I already had plans for a busy day.  My best friend of 50-some years was taking me out to lunch for my birthday, accompanied by her sister and their mom, who have all become such good friends.  And before that, we planned to decorate Christmas cookies.  And I figured I could squeeze in a trip to the driver's license bureau earlier to renew my license since it is due to expire on Sunday.  I got out the door early and found no waiting line at all -- in and out in 15 minutes -- at the driver's license bureau.  Returned home to kill a half hour playing Scrabble  before leaving to do the cookies.

And then the surprise.

Countertop guy called and said the granite was finished and they wanted to deliver it TODAY, around 2, he said.  I agreed to leave the house unlocked for them in case they arrived before I got home.  Then with some back and forth phone calls, my contractor said the plumber would like to come tonight to hook everything up.

So I hurriedly shoveled snow off the driveway and sprinkled salt everywhere to make sure nobody slipped, and then left to meet my friends.

So here we are a few hours later, cookies decorated, a fabulous lunch at Tuscany, one of the finest restaurants in Salt Lake, and then a dash home to find the granite just being carried into the house.  As we speak, they are drilling holes for the faucet and soap dispenser.  I'm so excited, I am almost in tears.

It is just beautiful.

I was planning on taking my son out to dinner tonight for his birthday (I know, but that's how things are this time of year when you have so many birthdays).  We'll be flexible on the time now as the plumber will be coming around 4.

Check back later as there WILL be pictures!
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Ok, it's later.  Took my son out to dinner for his birthday which is tomorrow.  It has indeed been a long day. Plumber couldn't make it and will be here in the morning.  Here is a promised pic.

Day 20: Appliances

Can you believe we're at "appliances"?  I can't.  It seems like so long ago since I picked them out.  Well, they're here, and it wasn't easy to get them into the house.  The stove and fridge wouldn't fit up the stairs due to the railing that could not come off.  So they decided to take them around to the back where the double french doors open right into the dining room.  Trouble is, the route entailed not only a short but rather steep hill, but also deep snow.  Oh, dear, I was afraid to see the delivery bill.  Turns out they only added on $5 more than I was quoted.  Whew! 

The electrician had an emergency job elsewhere, and promises to be at my house tomorrow.  There's still quite a list for him to complete. I need to return the defective light fixture, and I may have to resort to a very negative blog post about the lighting company.  I am so not happy with the customer service I've had from them.  We'll see how they handle this defective product. 

Countertop guy say "Wednesday".  If it really happens, the plumber will be there the same or next day and get everything hooked up and we'll have water.

The backsplash will wait until after Christmas - no problem.  We're also working out an issue with the color of the floor grout.  It's too light to my liking and we are looking at coloring techniques before sealing it.

Here's today's pic.

Day 19: We need a little Christmas

After working so hard cleaning and moving furniture yesterday, it seemed like the house needed something festive for the holiday.  So I did it, I put up the tree.  Did a little more cleaning, too.  And laundry.  I wonder why I feel so tired.  Big day tomorrow, better get some sleep.

Day 18: Cleaning up

Today no workers in the house, and with the dirty work behind us and all the tools and equipment gone, I am finally able to clean.  It's a big cleaning, including walls and every surface in the room.  Despite sheets and blankets over everything, a fine dust made its way in.  The walls were covered with a film.  Even my plants had a dusting which I resolved by putting them in the shower.  They perked right up with that.

I took on a job that may have been inadvisable, but sometimes you feel so compelled to get something done you just have to figure out a way.  I had decided I wanted the two large bookcases removed from the living room and moved to the basement.  They are each about 6 feet tall, 30 inches wide and 15 inches deep.  And very heavy.  But how does one weak woman wrangle a bookcase down a flight of stairs (actually 6 steps to a landing and then another 6 steps).  You use gravity and leverage.   I walked a bookcase to the top of the stairs, carefully tipped it toward myself allowing it to lower as I slowly moved down the steps, finally sliding it on the carpeted stairs.  On the landing, I tipped it up on its top, walked it to the next flight and repeated.  At the bottom of the stairs, I tipped it on its side and dragged it to its new location.  Repeat for 2nd shelf.  Yes it was slow, but I had no-one to call on for help.  My son who lives nearby has a back problem, and my son who has a good back is vacationing in Brazil.

It has taken all day to move furniture and clean.  I also moved my dining room table and chairs back in place, which was much easier.  I was able to move the bottom section of the china hutch into place, but I couldn't think of a way I might lift the upper section, so that will have to wait for the workers on Monday.

Throughout the day I've taken frequent breaks and made Scrabble moves and rested.  I feel pretty good after all that, though I expect to feel it more tomorrow.  Here's a shot of the covered furniture all pushed together taken the day the cabinet installation began.  Followed by tonight, clean and back to normal except the plants that are still drying in the bathroom.

 

Day 17: Let there be light

The electrician came back today and finished  most of the remaining wiring and installations.  It had an instant impact.  And it's not finished.  One of the pendants had to be moved and ended up being right on a strut or something like that, and he needs a different type of device there.  One of the pendant burned out and we discovered it had a defect with a wire pinched in the assembly so that will have to be returned.  The light over the sink has not been tried as we discovered it takes the small base bulbs of which I had none.  But the two can lights got moved out enough from the cabinets and all but one of the under-cabinet task lights were installed.  Monday they'll be back to finish those remaining things and install a chandelier in the dining room and lights in a couple of bedrooms and, if my luck holds out, run a phone line to my new office.

The contractor and crew also finished grouting the tile and tacked the carpet down to adjoin and then cleaned up and made things look so nice. 

Monday will be busy.  Applicances get delivered and installed, electricians will be here, contractor and crew, countertop guy briefly.  This weekend I will clean, clean, clean.  If I'm not too tired, I'm thinking of putting up my tree. 

Here are today's pics.

 

Day 16: Odds and Ends

Not a lot to report today.  Contractor dropped by later in the day to start on some of the finishing.  The lighting guy has been overwhelmed and has been having trouble getting here, but he will be here tomorrow.  Many odds and ends will get finished up tomorrow.  Pics when things look different.  Loving it more and more.

Oops correction, today is the 16th day.  Although at this point, who's counting?