Return of the Rooster

Hi All...

Here is the latest! This is a long one...

Kitchen: Part 1:
- Well, we thought we were "done" with the kitchen for now. However, after we finished painting the kitchen, we realized we had a bad batch of paint!
- When our paint job dried, there were chunks in it. The walls almost looked as if they had a stucco texture.
- So we decided to repaint. We took the paint back to Home Depot and explained the situation. They normally don't take paint back, but they made an exception. We actually just wanted a new can of the same color, not a refund. They gave us the paint!
- So, Adam sanded the walls and repainted. And we're back in business! It looks great!

Kitchen: Part Deux:
- As I mentioned, we were left a dinette set by the previous owners. See my post below. It is not the snazziest looking; however, the chairs are on wheels, which makes dinner really fun ("Need some butter? One sec... Weeeeeee!")
- We decide to call and check on getting the chairs recovered. CHA CHING! A lot of $$$ for something you only "kind of" like. We could have bought a whole new dinette set for what the reupholsterer wanted to recover the chairs.
- We didn't want to abandoned the dinette set altogether. Lucky us: both of our moms sew very well and offered to help us. Since Adam's mom lives closest, she was the lucky winner of this project. (Mom, just wait, I have a second project for you with the left over material :). I see some window treatments in your future...)
- We purchased a fun red with yellow flecks nubby material at Joann Fabrics and the recovering has begun... here is a sneak preview of the chairs coming together...
- We plan to refinish the table top too just to make it look a little nicer...










LIVING/DINING ROOM:
- I've had a few requests from blog visitors to see what is going on with our living/dining room... Well, here you go:






- Absolutely Nothing.
- This room is serving as kind of a catch all for now, since we are still in construction mode for now. Actually, it looks a lot tidier than it has in the past. We just cleaned it up recently to make room for our new living room furniture that will be arriving September 2. Here is what our couch, love seat and chair look like( ours will be covered in a charcoal grey microfiber):





- I also plan to stain/paint the dining room set black and spray paint the chandelier silver. Of course, we'll paint this room, but I don't have a clue what yet. I am kind of waiting to see how our furniture looks.
- However, we don't plan to finish this room until the upstairs is done, since the handy men will be walking through with dry wall, plywood, carpet and other materials. Adam's estimate for our floor being done upstairs is September or October. We shall see.
- Until then, once our furniture arrives, we'll keep it wrapped in plastic, against the wall. Needless to say, we don't plan on entertaining anytime soon. I'd like to have a house warming party some day... Maybe on our one year anniversary of closing :)

SPEAKING OF ANNIVERSARIES...
- Our two year wedding anniversary was August 7. Hooray! Here are some the pretty flowers sent to me at work by my hubby. You might notice they are the same flowers as in my bridal bouquet. Is he good or what?



UPSTAIRS:
- Oh, the upstairs. Sometimes I get depressed when I go up there. Seems like there is so much to do. However, Adam and his dad spent a lot of time working on repairing bad electrical and plumbing. These are not very visual things, but we'll save us a lot of hassle in the long run and will keep us safe and what not.
- There has also been a bit of a work break upstairs b/c the handy men have had various weekend conflicts to contend with. However, the game is back on next Saturday (Saturdays are work days at our house), so look for some progress upstairs soon!
- To satisfy your curiousity, here is the current state of affairs upstairs as of today. You'll notice a few pieces of drywall up in the bathroom, and the area around the toliet ready for... well, the toliet to be installed (Adam could explain it better, but I am writing today, so that is all the explaination you get :). Now, the photos:







BASEMENT:
- I've also had some queries of what our basement is looking like these days. Here you go:







- The basement is basically where all our old apartment furniture is these days. It is where we work out and watch TV. And do laundry.
- We have a load of stuff up against the wall, as you can see, that is waiting for us to find it a place. Some of this stuff will be stored upstairs.
- Note the photo of the area formally known as the SULLIVAN TAP. We'll be selling this bar and stool set, if you know anyone who is trapped in the seventies and is looking to PAR-TAY! Eventually, this bar area we hope to convert into some kind of a bathroom, since our main floor bath plumbing is right above this area.
- For now, Adam had the bright idea of turning this nook into a storage area for some of our junk. So we plan to do this some time in the near future.
- Someday, we'd like to remodel the basement. But, as we've learned in our adventures in homeowning, that day will be far down the road because THIS CRAP TAKES FOREVER!! Especially, if you are doing it yourself. Or in my case, if your poor husband and poor father-in-law are doing it. This is not a knock against them of course -- They are doing a FANTASTIC job! I guess I never realized how long and how much moola this whole process takes. And as many other homeowners have told me, it never ends. There is always something to do! That is why it is an adventure, I guess. :)

AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST:.
- A very important day is rapidly approaching:




- August 16 is the anniversary of Elvis' death. Ov vey. Folks, I am giving you a photo of the 1977 Elvis. It is not pretty. No it isn't. But I serve the truth here on this blog. And this is what Elvis looked like when he died on August 16, 1977. This is what too much fun will do to you.
- HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN! Guess what happened on August 16, 1978? Me! Yes, this last chunk of my post may be a little self centered, but that's what you get to do on your birthday.
- Today is my "pretend" birthday. Adam's mom is cooking us up a tasty birthday dinner and made me a pineapple upside down cake for the party. Yum!





I am a lucky girl. Thanks for reading! More to come soon!
Carole (& Adam)

PS: Speaking of Elvis, have you seen this web site:
www.elviscup.com

Maybe someone will book an appearance by the Elvis cup at my next birthday...