The Noblesvillain

Dad’s out for a visit which means we have new projects to do.  First on the list is updating our shed.  I’m not sure on the age of the shed, but the house and porch are 30+ years old.  From the state of the shingles, it may be the shed dates from that era as well.

Shed:

Shingles:

We’re going to replace the shingles, paint, and then clean/organize the interior.  A squirrel thinks that our shed is really a granary (and a nice one at that!) so we need to fix some squirrel damage.

The interior holds a couple of purchases of hardwood lumber for woodworking projects that have been on hold for a while.  Two work benches help ‘organize’ the space and various shed implements occupy space as well.  Because the lumber takes up 2/3rds of the floor width (and the workbench covers the remainder) the other implements have no place to go.  In my life, when things don’t have a place, then they look like this:

It’s great to have Dad out for a visit.  It’s even better that he insists on doing projects while he’s here.

The landscaping around our house is as old as the foundation (1971 or so) and could use some updating.  We have already done a good job in the front yard replacing the old timbers with rolled concrete blocks.  On Sunday while Jenny was working, the boys and I worked on improving the back yard.

The boys helped quite a bit.  Mark gathered up chipped rocks and put them in the wheelbarrow.  Adam scared away any curious wildlife that may have interrupted our project.  I listened to the first weekend NFL broadcasts on the radio.  The work isn't finished, but is is well begun.

View the Web Album:

In August of 2004 when we moved in, our kitchen looked like this:

Don't adjust your monitor--those are the real colors.  This past week we've done a number of transformations including an update of the floor, cabinets, and counters. 

The flooring is a laminate 'tile look' in 16" x 48" boards (purchased four years ago waiting a good time to install!).  The cabinets are Maple in a Chestnut color (the house woodwork is dark--the cabinets are dark as the older ones but with a more pleasing red tone replacing the eerie green cast).  The counter is a granite-look laminate.  The appliances had been updated before we arrived.

My dad and I did this all over the course of seven days.  Here was my plan:

• 1.5 days to rip out the old counters, cabinets, and prep the floor
• 2 days to put in the floor
• 2 days to install the cabinets
• 1 day to install the counter

Well, that adds to 6.5 days, so I'll book a plane ticket for dad to come for seven days.  Seems reasonable, no?  Hindsight tells me something different.   You can see some in-progress work in Jenny's post.

Given a fixed project time and the threat of not ever having running water again (the sink can't be installed until the counter is done which relies on the cabinets which sit on the flooring...you get the point), we were able to squeeze this project into our schedule.

Here we are at about 9pm the day before Dad's flight back to South Dakota.  If you look closely, you can see a bit of the sink peeking through from behind us.  An hour later the water and drain were hooked up and we were officially 'done!'

Ambitious?  Yes!  Seven long days, dozens of 'problem solving' breaks, a week of Jenny rousting the boys, lots of take-out meals, a day's help from friends Shawn and Wade, numerous sore muscles, and we're done!

Lots of minor things remain like under cabinet lighting, backsplash tile, scribe and toe kick trim, door hardware, covering the rear peninsula cabinets, final fitting of the counter, overhead lighting, and stowing of all my tools, but whew, the kitchen can be used again!

AND IT LOOKS GREAT!  (And a cheer to Dad for being a great partner in the project so it had a chance of success.)

The chairs in our kitchen take a lot of abuse.  In addition to regular duty supporting our weight during meals, they also serve as a

• table (when a boy kneels and plays with toys on the chair)
• stand (such as when a bigger boy wants to play with playdough but doesn't want his booster)
• bridge (the dump trucks being pushed by both boys have to go somewhere!)

They also get moved around and perhaps stood upon by an adult needing a convenient step ladder.

It is no wonder that the legs of the chairs started to wobble a bit. For a simple Sunday project, Mark, Adam, and I decided to tighen things up.  The base of the chair has two nuts (not to be confused with the nuts working the project) per leg and these had loosened themselves a turn or two.  After I found the right size socket, Mark was able to get them snug (and then dad helps to get them tight), but I was very proud of the proper use of a ratchet.

It may not be clear, but Adam has a socket extender (a metal bar) that he is using to test the soundness of the seat through striking it.

By the way, you'll have to check out Jenny's post about Mark reading a book to Adam (video).