Sunday, May 22, 2011

The Project: Week 18: A Prickly Problem

This week we:
  • put down cement backer board on the master bath floor... with about 250 screws! Thank you to whoever created the battery powered drill and screwdriver bits!
  • painted the master bedroom ceiling
  • installed the washer and dryer. Trying to run the vent for the dryer was like doing laporascopic surgery... we had a tiny space in which to stuff a 4" vent and then try to connect the vent to different ends - it took two of us at least an hour, with a lot of swearing and grumbling and even a temper tantrum involving throwing things!
  • cleaned out the garage in the barn.
  • installed the wire for our in-floor bathroom heating and put down a layer of mortar to protect the wire.
  • tore out the carpet in the master bedroom.
  • installed pulls on the cabinets in the kitchen.
  • pulled lots and lots of thistle in the back yard.
  • brought up more boxes and pillow cases stuffed with linens. I put the linens away and the linen closet that looked very large when we bought the house now looks too small. It's stuffed! Shhhh... don't tell anyone... I'm a secret sheet hoarder!  Why do I hang on to so many sheets and towels? For example: I have two twin beds, but I probably have 7 or 8 sets of linens for them and some unmatched sheets. Many have the boys' names in them from having visited camp and probably have more than a few stains.  Then there are the towels. I think they multiply when the linen closet door is shut! But... I also think they eat their smaller, weaker siblings to do so ... as in, I don't have the matching wash cloths any more! Hmmm, I think I'm going to check with the animal shelter to see if they'd like some linens!

This is the wire for the in-floor heating.
It has since been covered with mortar, and next week
we'll install the tile.
I can't wait to walk barefoot into the bathroom on a chilly day!

The in-floor heating wire can not be broken. 
It comes with this handy-dandy "Loud Mouth" that shrieks
if the wire is nicked. I was so worried that this thing would
yell at me while I worked!
Luckily, Mr. Loud Mouth was quiet!

Geesh! The washer & dryer have been in place less than
three days and already they are covered with stuff!
Tucker is checking out my mortar bucket. 
I think he's hoping there is something good to eat in there!

OK - Take a look. You may never see this garage
looking so clean again. Like the washer and dryer,
it will soon have its own collection of stuff!

Huge sections of our yard look like this.
That's just part of my thistle collection.
Who says I can't grow anything?!!
We met our neighbor to the west. 
She said that for the past few years our yard has been
a thistle field with plants that were chest high!!
Thistle tea, anyone?

    4 comments:

    1. I'm lovin' that in-floor heating!
      Thistles are a pain for me too.

      ReplyDelete
    2. Whew...as always you get alot of work done. Isn't amazing how flat surfaces collect things? My washer and dryer seem to collect all sorts of items not even used in the laundry room. Hope you can get the thistles under control.
      Connie

      ReplyDelete
    3. In floor heating is such a good idea for the Colorado winters (and Spring). Clever thing, that Loudmouth gizmo. I'm glad it didn't yell at you.

      I can't image those thistles growing waist high. I bet your neighbors are happy that the house has good owners who are beautifying the property. How are you tackling the thistles? Do you spray them? Or do you have to just dig them all up?

      ReplyDelete
    4. well, the Gold Finches will adore you if you leave the thistle and let it bloom and go to seed. But that's up to you. I am so jealous of the heated floor. I got to walk on one of those once in winter and it was so nice! As to the sheets and towels, I feel for you. I have a hard time letting go of the sheets too. But DO hang on to the towels! Those are always needed when you least expect them for barn animals, sudden flooding, etc.

      ReplyDelete

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