Don’t sweat the small stuff

Self-talk often helps, so when you see me wandering around just talking to myself don’t judge me, I’m just trying to keep my sanity.

I’ve been in this old house for a very long time and in the beginning we had made some improvements and then all of a sudden it’s felt liked we’ve stalled, for years.  Naturally, we’ll blame it on the kids and my hubby has also blamed it on me (I was the one who decided to quit working in 2001 and I still have no regrets about that decision although I do miss my cleaning crew quite often J) and I’ll blame it on Jer, he’s always saving for retirement, I swear he wasn’t born in ’65 but he must have lived through the great depression, he doesn’t like to carry any debt, he’s a cash man.

So we’ve started changes, and we have planned some big changes into the next year (roof - again 20 years passes pretty quick and new siding.)

We are starting in the kitchen since I still have the same old Formica counter top that was in the house when I first moved in – it’s time. 

Updates were done in the 90’s and 00’s in the Kitchen (but like I said 20 years passes very quickly), Jerry can be quite handy when he has the time, I love the custom cabinets he built, and I love when he re-did the window and door trims, but when whoops (aka Genevieve) came along it seems like everything stalled (I didn’t realize child #4 would have such an impact.)

Years ago faux wall paper paneling was put up in the kitchen (actually twice in one year because I burnt the nipples – baby bottle nipples – boiling them in a small pan when I got a little distracted and the water evaporated – amazing how six little nipples could cause so much smoke damage). I plan to have the paneling removed and I had hoped to restore the wet plaster walls. 

To prep for the new countertop and back-splash Jer has removed some of the paneling and my heart sank just a little, construction adhesive was used, I’m not sure if we’ll be able to save and refinish the wet plaster (I will call in the experts and then I’ll need to determine if we save or if we gut and just replace with drywall).

The difficult part in all of this for me will probably be the passing of time from start to finish. Countertop, Sink, back-splash first, then the wall demo and repair and lastly I’ll move to the floor. The last time I did the floor I did all the demo and prep work for the new floor, was surprised when I removed the linoleum to find much older floor material probably from the 50’s and of course under that was the old hardwood.

That was back in the days when I had a lot of energy, 20+ years also has had an impact on my energy level.  And I chuckle every time I hear Jerry say how sometimes things seem so much more difficult or intense to accomplish, how he feels it so much more the next day. Then, of course, I remind him you’re preaching to the choir, I am 8 years your senior, just wait until you’re my age J.

Right now I just need to keep my OCD in check, to remove some of the paneling Jer removed some of the cupboard doors, honestly it’s driving me nuts every time I’m in the kitchen because I want to close the doors.  Self-talk isn’t helping.  I actually think I’m going to have him put the upper doors back on and if he won’t, I’ll do it.  I’ll have to continue with the self-talk, deep breath, eventually it will be done, the master plan will all work out and in the end I’ll be happy. I’m happy already that I’ve got Jer spending a little J. 

Funny story about the new sink, I picked one out I liked at Menards, Jer found the same sink online but cheaper, we ordered – didn’t know the seller was going through a third-party, third-party shipped the wrong sink, low-end.  When we contacted the seller they discovered that the third-party changed their inventory without notifying them and they gave us a full refund and told us to keep the sink (which I’m not going to use, not sure what we’ll do with it yet). Now that’s customer service.  Honestly, I would have been very happy if they would have just gave us the credit and sent us a return shipping label.  So I have a double-sink, looking for a new home at a much discounted price.

But for now, I’ll just keep taking those deep breaths, it will pass, the end will come – at least for this project until it will be time to start another. 

Please close the cupboard doors :-), you can see all the construction adhesive on the walls under the paneling.

Jer, years ago refinished the door and replaced the trim, this will stay. 

Number One reason for the wall demo, there is just dead space above the fridge, I want to open it up some, also I don't want to be limited on the height of the fridge.  

For the most part the cupboards have held up well, after all they are Jerry Built, who would expect anything else.

I love the detail Jerry put into the replacement trim, if only he had time to do more window trim in the house, the honey do list could be huge.