Midway through week 14

So week 14 officially started Tuesday.  By the end of Friday I should have counter tops and a refrigerator.  Today I came home to find that the lighting had been installed.  At first I was really surprised that they figured out where they all went but then I found that they saw my notes on the coffee table in the living room.  I guess I'm happy about that but they could have called or texted and I would have told them where they were.  All in all, it doesn't matter because it's up and it's fabulous.

I also got the ovens installed and the washer and dryer.  The washer may or may not have a dent in the front.  I'm not sure if it's supposed to be like that or not.  I'll find out tomorrow.

I can't wait to be done.  Have I said that before?  Lately?  I bet I have.

The old kitchen...an in depth look at awful

I realized that I had pictures of the old kitchen from when we were starting to clear things out.  It looks completely hideous but here you go.  I don't usually have a tv on the kitchen table nor are my countertops completely cluttered with stuff but when you're packing up, they just might be.  Also, just for reference, the dining area had a computer desk and a bakers rack/bookshelf on the left so it was even more cramped than it looks in this picture.

The lovely dining area

The kitchen in real life..packing up, not a hoarder.

This is the powder room.  The former owners were fond of the corner sink.

See that wooden thing?  That held the microwave.  My BIL sat on it in 1993 and it's never been the same.

More pretty.  The laundry was behind those doors that stick out on the right.

The empty dining area.  Still ugly but better than the plain paneling was.

Ok, off to watch the Phillies.  Hopefully they will win.  They currently are but there's still time.

Done with week 7...

I'm afraid I'm starting to lose it.  I honestly don't know how much more of this basement kitchen thing I can stand. 







See how my head is tilted?  That's how I have to walk in the basement so I don't clock myself on a pipe.  It's actually getting really painful but there's not much I can do about it.

Anyway, we are getting floors put in and who knows what will happen next.   I hope the cabinets will be ready to install when they need it.  I'm going tomorrow to finally make a decision about granite or marble countertops.  It's all so expensive and permanent.  If I don't like it, I won't be changing it any time soon so I'm getting a little paralyzed by the process.

Also, word to the wise.  If you ever decide to do something like this, make sure you budget a lot extra (like 15% or so) because stuff comes up all the time.  Things you want, things you have to do and a million other things as well.

I'm off to take some advil.  Maybe it will help.

Yippee!

We have walls!!  Wanna see?

We also have wood flooring sitting in the middle of everything.  It almost looks like a real room now.  I'm really very excited but I know we have a long way to go.

My dh and I were talking about why it seems like we have been at this for so long.  We started moving stuff and packing things right after Christmas because we thought things were going to start the second week of January but then it got pushed back two weeks.  That's why.  It's really been a long time of upheaval but it will all be worth it.

I need to pick a hot water dispenser, garbage disposal, a faucet and a few more things in the next few days.  It's killing me.  The choices are making me nuts.  Plus I tend to read far more reviews than I probably should which only muddies the waters further.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring.  I'm sure I'll have something to say.

How are we cooking?

Our temporary kitchen has been set up in the basement.  We've learned quite a few things about our basement in the 9 years that we have lived in this house.  The pipes overhead are very low.  They hit around 69 inches off the ground which would be great if I wasn't 70 inches tall.  A concussion is in my future.  The one outlet we use for the extra refrigerator goes out when it rains, we get water seeping through the floor sometimes, it's a yukky 100 year old basement.  We did not, however, learn that there are only 2 outlets down there until we decided to put the temporary kitchen and laundry down there.  Since the refrigerator is plugged in to the outlet, we decided to get a big old power strip to use.  Surprisingly enough, you can still only use one appliance at a time.  I've already fried one strip and it's supposed to be for power tools and things.  I did it with a toaster and a microwave.  I'm just good at destroying things.

We just finished week two of being completely in the basement.  It really isn't fun.  Especially when you can only use one appliance at a time.  I had envisioned being about to cook fairly well but that is definitely not the case.  So far my arsenal contains the following:

- Microwave
- A small oven (looks like a toaster oven but bigger and it bakes/broils)
- Toaster
- Coffee Maker
- A Crock Pot (which I am not fond of)
- Electric Skillet (courtesy of Mom)
- Electric Griddle (also from Mom...she had lots of appliances)
- A big electric turkey roaster
- A big weber grill outside

Luckily I also had a stainless steel work table that I bought from Ikea a number of years ago.  That has been incredibly helpful.

I think we have managed to cook about 5 days out of 7 so far.  Not too bad but I still think I need to pare down the dinner plans.  Less elaborate is better.  Also, I've started drinking wine out of plastic cups because the giant 100 year old work sinks down there are hell on wine glasses.

Week 2

This is what my kitchen looked like after it was emptied out.  Our dishwasher died on Christmas Eve of 2010.  Most of the minimal counter space was used for drying dishes.  I would show you the picture of what it usually looked like but I'd have to kill you and that's not nice.

Anyway, notice the drop ceilings and florescent lights.  The lovely plastic parquet floor tiles (they're self stick!), the wall paper (peach and turquoise), cabinets that have lost most of their shelves and drawers that are falling apart.  What you can't see are the beautiful backsplash tiles.  I had to immortalize these things for posterity.  Are you ready?

I believe they are monarch butterflies.  They are definitely unattractive. 

Here's what it looks like now.

Yikes!