kitchen update #6

Slow but steady progress. The stove hood is now fully installed and operational. The ceiling is completed and painted. Now we are waiting for the countertops! They are pretty much done, so they will come and install them next Friday the 29th. After that we need to do the trim, backsplash tile and finish the floor. The floor will be a little longer, as we will need to get some boards milled and then have someone sand it. We are still trying to decide on backsplash tile. Will wait until we get the countertop in to match a couple of colors and styles. Hope to have all but the floor done by the dessert party on the 6th?!

Kitchen update #5

We have had a good deal of progress lately, though no time to update things. My parents were here for the past 2 weeks, which allowed me to get a good deal of things done, that I have not gotten to in the past. Fixing old outlets, moving electrical boxes, getting trim pieces done, etc...

We also had the cabinet guys here and the installers for the stove and microwave. Amazingly it all came together and I was actually able to make a rib roast and popovers in the new oven. Also we had baked eggs and chorizo for Christmas day breakfast!!! Yum!!!

It is starting to look like a real kitchen again. The dining room table is cleared off and usable again. Now we need to finish up the walls, get the island hood installed, then finish the ceiling, do the trim, and get the floor done. Can that all really happen by the 2nd weekend in February? I hope so. Oh yeah, the countertops are coming in mid-January. The color we picked is a dark grey, which it turns out is called "Kendall grey" Coincidence or destiny?

Kitchen update #4

So, another week and more work done on the kitchen. We did get most of the painting done. The ceiling and soffets are done and look amazing. We got 2 coats of the granny apple green on the walls. Tomorrow the cabinets are supposed to be coming. The cabinets should be done by Wednesday, and hopefully the oven will get installed. We need to get a gas person here to get a line run for the stovetop, which might be a problem? Maybe we will even get the crap all put away off the dining room table and have dinner there!! We'll see....

Kitchen Update #3

Well, the work continues. After the third week we are finally getting to the end of the hard stuff. The second coat of mud is on, waiting to get sanded tomorrow. At least the majority of it. This week, the stove wire gets moved, allowing for the finally wall to be taken down and then built again. Hopefully we will get the gas line for the stive done as well. By next monday, we need to have the place ready for the cabinets to come in.

Everything seems to be falling in to place. Might even have a stove and oven form Christmas!!
Till next week.
r

Kitchen Update #2

The kitchen is consuming us! Poor Rich, having to do most of the work hasnt even gotten out to play or exercise at all! I can at least squeeze a run in between chores. Today we worked some more on the putting up the drywall. Rich had to figure out a very tricky corner which took the majority of the morning, it's now 3:00, we'll probably see if we can finish the dry wall this afternoon and call it good for this weekend.

The Kitchen Renovation Begins!

Yep, we did it... we started the kitchen! After years of talking about it, we decided this is the time to get going. We always said that when the stove died, we'd redo the space, but dang it! They made stuff to last back in 1976 and that stove is hanging tough. The idea is to make the kitchen much more user friendly, with an updated look and open the space a little. So...
Picture #1: The before - . We had already taken out the drop ceiling shortly after we moved in and put up the track lighting. We also added recessed lights over the counters.

Picture #2: The soffets come down to open up the ceiling even more. We had to leave the soffets in over the sink and fridge because there is a beam and some duct work in those.

Picture #3: Opening the walls. We wanted to open the space to make it seem bigger. What a difference!! We took out the wall between the kitchen and dining room. This will have a hanging vent between and a service bar into the dining room. We also took out the wall between the kitchen and the front hallway - boy does that sun stream in to the kitchen now! It's awesome.

The big pantry cabinet was moved over by the sliding glass door - a new vibrant green on the walls ...

More updates later!

Cyclocross

Well that cyclocross season has started!! A beautiful weekend here and nothing like getting waxed to celebrate!! I started in the Men's A 35+, which is where I usually race. Even took the usual last spot in line after the start (somethings never change). Usually I have the endurance to maintain contact and knock off a few guys toward the middle and end laps. Watching the B-Men's race before ours, I was starting to worry.The top five there were absolutely flying. Probably should be in the A's.
Anyway, here I am in last place at the end of lap 1 and I finally catch back on to the caboose (well, the guy in the main group). After getting by two guys, I am trying to ride comfortably and smooth. I come the a sharp right and decide, I can just turn without braking. Getting into the turn, I quickly find out that is not going to happen and go crashing straight into the chain link fence. So much for being smooth?! No worries, got right on, no one passed me, still not DFL!! Only a couple other little bobbles on the sandy corners and I manage to get 2 more passes so I think it went okay for the first time out. LOTS of bike set-up changes to make. Also, next time I am not going to rake leaves for 2 hours prior to the race. My back has been howling!! Live and learn. Till, next week, I'll be working on my starts!!