What are you up to today? This week?

[havanaholly]

Well, here's a quick update on the move. We have replaced the missing appliances. I found the exact stove I wanted at a Habitat for Humanity ReStore, an elderly GE with the controls at the FRONT and new elements. A different charity thrift store had just gotten in a nearly new washing machine, and a local appliance store had the basic dryer and fridge I wanted. I found THE sleeper sofa at a secondhand shop and have been vacuuming, disinfecting and cleaning it and we located online sources for upgraded mattresses. Our across-the-street neighbors' pastor is a housepainter the rest of the week and so far he has finished the kitchen, utilityroom, livingroom and front bedroom. I finished hanging the window panels in the front room and we moved his "new" desk & chair in there and it looks outstanding. We still have to get bookcases and I want to repaint the punee (Hawai'ian daybed) and re-cover its mattress. I hung the sheers over the livingroom window so now it's beginning to look civilized. As the rooms begin to look done I'll begin taking "after" pictures.

We're off in the AM to load the truck and utility trailer again and bring back still more stuff! Amazing what living 20+ years in one house accumulates!

[Muriel]

Spent 4 days at the new house painting (well two of those days were half days as we had to drive back and also did some diy shopping) Sitting room is done, master bedroom is done, Natasha's room is very nearly done - we can't decide on how to paint the grass on her mural. I want more blended grass whereas Chris wants individual larger blades, so for now it remains unfinished until we decide! Guest room needs a second coat on the trim of one of the walls. Dining room is unchanged. We'll strip the wallpaper there first over the next few months. New appliances are in the kitchen - just need to plumb in the dishwasher, and we've got some sample pots for paint in the bathroom - where we'll likely change the tiles, so holding off painting at the moment.

While we were painting my sister and mum came up regularly. It was very nice to have them there to help out, especially entertaining Natasha every now and then while we painted.

Packing is going ok, got lots of filled boxes and are doing those bits and pieces that don't fill a whole box. All the dollhouse furniture is packed and just about all the building supplies packed too. Just gotta wrap the houses up. Want to be all moved now and starting to settle in! Not long though, Monday's the day.

Had the last post natal group session today. Going to miss the lovely mums and new friends I've made, but hopefully will find a similar group near our new home.

[Muriel]

Sounds like you got some great finds Holly! We'll be keeping our eye out for some pieces of furniture (especially sofa/chair set) over the next few weeks.

[Syphon79]

My office decided to send a couple of folks in my department to a conference and learn about a new information sharing program. It's not too bad (it's luckly about a 20 min drive from my apartment), and it's being held at a local community college. Free wifi for my laptop!

Good thing my boss paid for the conference fee -- the free lunch and breakfast being offered is so-so (a little nervous about the potato salad I ate), and the schedules that were provided where the workshops are located were a nightmare (or funny, depending on one's sense of humor). Plus, I found out I'm the only girl in the programming workshop I'm sitting in right now. As one of the guys joked "good thing you're wearing an engagement ring -- think these guys were ready to ask for your number!"

Besides this conference (it's from Thursday till Saturday), BK and I are in the final stages of the wedding planning. Guest list has ballooned, so we're looking at our finances to see where we can cut if the guest list doesn't change.

Uh-oh...looks like class is starting. Will hopefully be back online!

[Anna]

I have been a bit on the silent side for a while, lots of things have ben going on, the RL house renovations is going full steam ahead, we have wrapped up the digging around the foundation (we do have a full basement) and added a layer of insulation around thhere, put down new draining pipes (is that what it is called?) and the refilled the trenches, we have built/poured concrete for a new set of stairs going down to the basement, took a lof of fiddling creating that mould LOL, but that too work out eventually. Latley we have been working on the exterior as we are changing the trim colour from dark brown into a shade of green that works with the bright yellow shade that body of the house has. We'll change the foundation colour as well (it too is dark brown) after we have repaired that which probably won't be done until spring.

So hubby and I have been going up and down the ladders painting, the front of the house is allll done, trim is done on one of the gables and the back of the house, so now we'll take care of the yellow as soon as this raining stops for more than five minutes at a time...

Then I have got a new job as head master/principal at a new school, a bit further away from home than the other (about 50 minutes ride) which I started first of August, lots of new things to get to know, deal with and the former one, well just let us say that paper work really wasn't his thing.... at all! Stuff is mostly put into plastic folders and then tucked into the ring binders here and there, I found important paper that should have been filled out tucked into the stack of applicants for sub assignments...

Met the teachers the day before yesterday, the former headmaster's wife still works at the school, so I need to tread a bit lightly there, but he is a gentle soul that truly have loved to work with the kids in school and hated the administrative side of the work, so I think he is pretty happy to have retired right about now LOL

Well, that is about it I think ;) Ooops, almost forgot, got a big box with lights in the mail today, happy about that, they were a steal so really happy with that!!! :yes:

Hugs

[havanaholly]

We came back today with another load in the truck and also in the utility trailer and found the painter and the neighbor from across the street and two of his grandsons finishing up the second coat in the master bedroom and finished up the hall this afternoon. The house is painted! I got the shower curtain hung and all the stuff put away in the guest bathroom, and we got the sofa and sofa table into place. I think we'll have to turn around and go back for more, but I want to cook a meal in the new house first.

[sparklepuppies]

WooHoo Holly!!

[Muriel]

I bet all the fresh paint makes a huge huge difference already Holly! Great that you could find someone good and reliable

One more day of packing! To be fair, we're doing well, but really have had enough of it Didn't quite get done what we wanted to today - Natasha decided that tonight would be the night to howl unless being held and walked around for two hours. Then continued waking up crying and needed lots of attention. She must be sensing the stress (though we're not that stressed really, just a bit more than normal). Sleepy time for us now, long day tomorrow.

[havanaholly]

Muriel, is it too soon for Natasha to be cutting teeth? Mine all howled miserably when they cut theirs.

The house LOOKS much better. The fumes were a bit much, we sat around all yesterday afternoon after the appliance store delivered and installed the new fridge and dryer, and got my washer set up, waiting for the painter to return to finish touching up. He works for a painting contractor as well as pastors a Pentecostal church, so we know he sometimes has snafus in his plans. I finally went up and down the hall pulling off the masking tape and both around the a/c filter cover and along the baseboard below it some of the paint stripped off along with the tape. We're headed back to havana after breakfast in the AM with the truck the utility trailer and my car, to see how much stuff we can bring back on this trip (cookware & kitchenware and silverware, at least). DH used a few *magic* words to install the livingroom drapery rod, but we're both inordinately pleased with how the dressed window looks. We still have a bit of work to do before any rooms are ready for pictures, but I did take one of the ofice with its window covering & desk.

[chellebelle]

Holly, I wish you many happy and blessed years in your new home!

Muriel, I wish the same for you, and hope your little beauty has a better night.

When my daughter was a baby, she had us up many a night. We adopted her at birth, and she had failure to thrive, as her doctor termed it. ( her birth mother was an addict, but thankfully had cleaned up when pregnant) I slept on the couch with her snuggled up on the warmth of my chest. Finally, we gave her a pacifier, something not used much 31 years ago. After that, she calmed down somewhat, but she didn't sleep all night until she was a teenager, and then we couldn't get her to wake up,lol.

I've spent most of today preparing the quick craft project for this month's mini club meeting on Tuesday. It's my turn, so I needed to get busy.. We're making paper printie quilts like those used in the Beaver house. I printed about 40 different sized and patterned quilts, hopefully enough that everyone can pick out one or two . Then I took them to the garage and laid them all out on folding tables. I then sprayed them all with Krylon Matte finish 4 times each side. I also printed out the directions for everyone. By that time, I was completely exhausted and had to rest. So, after a nap, I popped in here to catch up. All in all a slow but fun day!

[Selkie]

So Holly and Muriel, when do we get picks of all the befores and afters of your new RL house projects.?

[havanaholly]

I'll do "afters" as we get each room complete enough not to have stacks of packing boxes blocking the view. I'm an old anachronism and use film, so it'll be after I've filled up the roll and get it processed (hopefully with a photo CD at the same time!).

[KathieB]

Quiet Sunday here. Reading a murder mystery. Pork roast in the crock pot. Going to see The Help this evening. I've read the book twice. Reviews indicate the movie is faithful to the book. (At 147 minutes running time, it could nearly be the book verbatim!)

Tomorrow's agenda includes a general yard clean-up (deadheading, pulling out plants that are finished, etc), then I'm going to get out the Pierce kit and start in on the historic Bohemian Inn & Tavern. I figure I have a couple of months before we'll start thinking about heading south for the winter. That ought to give me a good start. I'm fairly sure of what it will look like when done. There's just the small challenge of bashing in practical ways to make it so!

[havanaholly]

Kathie, how's the front-opening BH coming along?

We are back in Havana with the truck, the utility trailer and the PT Cruiser, packing more items into boxes that can then be packed neatly into all the available stowage space in both vehicles, and water-damage resistant furniture to go on the utility trailer. Hopefully next trip we can return the utility trailer to its owner and get him and some of our other hefty, younger friends to help us load the furniture onto a small U-Haul van, and come back with us to unload and then party.

[KathieB]

Holly, sounds as if you're making great progress with the move. Having seen all that you managed to cram into your little A-frame, I can see you scooting up and down the highway several times before your move is complete!

The front-opening Beacon Hill is the New Orleans project. Just before we left to come north for the summer, I decided to abandon the idea of front opening in favor of a turn-table/slider arrangement that will permit storing against the wall yet give easy access to turning it around. Someone here did that. I need to find the details so I can on with it when we go back down in the fall.

The whole idea of the front-opening was to keep the footprint small yet be able to see both sides. I think the turntable on a slider will accomplish that, so I don't really feel as if I've failed the challenge.

[mesp2k]

...I decided to abandon the idea of front opening in favor of a turn-table/slider arrangement that will permit storing against the wall yet give easy access to turning it around. Someone here did that. I need to find the details so I can on with it when we go back down in the fall.

Hey Kathie ! I drew up something for Shannon60 for a swivel / slider > TOPIC. Don't know if she ever constructed it ?

Kathie watch out for the 'tip over' factor !

Weight down or brace the table to a wall...

[KathieB]

Mike, that's the post I was looking for! Thanks! I've bookmarked it so I can find it when I'm ready to build it.

[havanaholly]

Either here or on Small Stuff there was considerable discussion about zero-clearance turntables.

[havanaholly]

Either here or on Small Stuff there was considerable discussion about zero-clearance turntables. As for running up &

[havanaholly]

Either here or on Small Stuff there was considerable discussion about zero-clearance turntables. As for running up & own the ighway, at current

[havanaholly]

Either here or on Small Stuff there was considerable discussion about zero-clearance turntables.

As for running up & down the highway, at current gas prices it's rapidly losing its charms!lol A lot of that stuff was the result of cramming ten pounds of ptatoes into a five-pound sack! Most definitely I foresee a lot of thrift store donations in our future, as well as a yard sale or two.

[chellebelle]

Tonight is the unveiling of the Beaver House at my mini club meeting. I'm so excited to share it that I'm in a tizzy, lol. In addition to taking that, I'm in charge of the project, and it's all ready to go. Paper quilts, markers, scissors and paper cutter all packed, so I checked that off the list. Then I remembered that I borrowed some miniature Collecter magazines last month, so I rounded them up too. Another check mark. Next, I had to find a catalog from the fine art supplies warehouse and company that our dear friend runs Members order from him sometimes,and one needs the catalog. By that time, I figured I should just put everything into a plastic storage container, so I had to go find one that wasn't full of mini stuff. No dice, so I combined 2 boxes of trim pieces, and washed the glitter that leaked into the plastic container. Then I needed to go pick up the things for the refreshements, because it is my turn. I decided to make pineapple upside down cupcakes, and I just finished putting them on racks to cool I had just enough batter left over to make Dan and me a little 3" mini cake. I baked 24 cupcakes, but we have new members joining every week. At last count, we're up to 16. If a few more show up, I should have enough. I pondered what to have as a beverage, and went with cola, gingerale, lemonade and bottled water. I hope that covers it as far as what everyone wants. A quick stop at the "Everything is a dollar" store for plates, napkins, forks and cups. All in a bag on top of the plastic container. I have my icemaker on high, and am bagging clean ice in freezer storage bags.

I still need to shower and wash my hair, but I think a nap is in order, or I'll be too tired to be any good teaching the project. Wish me luck, I'm kind of worried about fumbling, bumbling and slurring words if I get too worn out.

[KathieB]

Michelle, a nap is a good idea! When you get up, you'll be calm, cool and collected. Keep in mind who your audience is ... they'll love the house and the project!

[havanaholly]

Michelle, we want to hear all about how the meeting reacted to everything.

In the ongoing saga of the new house today we discovered that SOMEBODY cobbled the plumbing under the kitchen sink who not only didn't understand matching pipe, but after we mopped up all the water from the first washing of unpacked dishes we discovered that none of the joints had any sealant in them. I put my bucket under the U bend so I could drain the sink, and that trap is only about 8" off the bottom of the cabinet floor. I will let you imagine my 5'2" stretching to pull the stopper with one hand whilst holding the bucket centered under a trap too long to stand the bucket up. On top if everything else we need to get a RL plumber out to fix it and, since he (she?) will be there anyway, go ahead with the other work we had hoped to hold off on until later in the year.

The Bahama shutters are finally made and the installers are supposed to show up at 0930. The painter is due back at 1000 to rehang the utilityroom shelf and fix the kitchen sash window.

[chellebelle]

The meeting went great! Looking back, I wonder why I was so worried, lol. 3 other ladies brought their finished projects, a kitchen in a cookbook, a music room

with a piano and sheet music for wallpaper and the cute added touch of all her grandchildern's pictures in frames on the wall, and a oriental themed room. We brought mine in after everyone had ohh'd and ahh'd over those, because we were setting up the refreshment table (the pineapple upside down cupcakes were a big hit), and putting out the quilt project. Dan finally carried the Beaver house in (covered) and set it on the table. As he uncovered it, they all crowded around it, and they were kind of stunned. Then everyone started talking all at once, saying very nice things and giving high praise. I just turned all red and got embarassed, I'm shy that way, so all I could say was thank you to each of them. It took a while for them to all look at it, so I waited by the table where they were going to sit, and I let Dan do all the showing off. He's good at that, lol.

Then I began the quilt project, and it was very well recieved. All the members know about the MS, and I'm getting less self conscious about it. They all left happy with their quilts, and most even took several extras that I printed off just in case to have a bigger selection. All in all, it was a very fun night, and while I'll never be comfortable with being the center of attention, I did enjoy the Beaver house being the star if the night.

Holly, I hope you get all the plumbing, painting and everything else done soon. We're all waiting for the photos so we can celebrate your new home with you, even if it's only on the forum! I know I'm excited for you! (PS, Please excuse my ignorance, but what are Bahama shutters? )