Life is good

The last few weeks have been a bit intense.  I've been working lots of hours plus the kitchen project has been very active.  We've done most of the kitchen project ourselves (more John than me), but this week we had a demolition crew on Monday, plumbers on Tuesday, Pat helped John install the uppers on Wednesday and plasterers were here on Thursday and Friday.  John has been busy managing all that plus getting the upper cabinets installed and getting the doors on.

I am tired of having people besides John making banging and scraping sounds in my kitchen.  The cats are tired of it, too.  They have been locked up in one room a lot while all the workmen were here and they have cabin fever besides hating the banging  We are living without a kitchen sink.  Did I mention I've been working during all this?

And now things are back to normal.  No workers are scheduled to come and work this week except for the counter top template guy.  The uppers have their doors installed and they look good.  I'm done with work until July (big woohoo for that).  We even got caught up with most of the gardening, at least the parts I need help with.

Tomorrow John is putting up the crown molding.  Then we move the base cabinets into the kitchen for installation.

Really fun drawing tool

Fractal Drawing tool

You can do things like this

And this

Living without a kitchen sink

We are without a kitchen sink for a few weeks.    I really thought it would be pretty inconvenient, especially doing dishes.  Since we took out the sink, we've had all ten of our meals at home, cooked from scratch.  We are still composting, just as we did before.  We aren't using paper plates.

 It hasn't been so bad.  We wipe all the dishes with  paper towels before attempting to wash them, which is what we do when we camp.  I've been washing many things in the bathroom sink and the big pots and pans get washed in the basement laundry sink.  It really hasn't been so bad.

breakfast dish

after wiping with paper towel

The upper cabinets are on the wall!

Pat helped John install the upper cabinets today.  Thanks Pat!

John explaining the process

Holding the first upper in place

Trimming so it fits the wall countour

I think they are doing some sort of stretching here

And they are up!

Next patching the plaster and installing doors on the uppers.  

My name is donaleen and I have a penstemon problem

You see, I just HAVE to keep buying Ruby Penstemons, even though I have several.  I refuse to say I have more than I need.  I can't resist Ruby.  I've had this problem for several years.  And now I have a new problem....I am the same way about red salvias.  Maybe I am part hummingbird.  Or maybe the hummingbirds whisper in my ear.  They do love both of those plants.

The other day a woman who walks by regularly told me the hummingbirds are quite proprietary towards our garden.  They buzz intruders.

Did I mention I also save cardboard boxes?  Yup, I got issues.

Fairies and Flowers and Birds Bathing, Oh My!

After demolition

Demolition went well.  

Now it looks like this.

Removing the uppers

 There goes the sink

John thinking about the next step 

Our pile of trash

Checking level