Monday, November 29, 2010

Back after a long break

Sorry to have abandoned you lately, folks. On the 15th some bug got a hold on me, and to quote Rosanne Rosanadana, I thought I was gonna die! Coughing and feeling miserable, I was a very whiny patient, I'll tell you right now. I did go out to the cabin and to work on the 16th, but didn't have the energy to blog about it then. 

Once I got over that bit of evil, it was the holiday. I rode with family up to the Panhandle and had a good visit there. I want to thank my Mom for the goodies she sent back with me, which I will show you in a minute. And I hope your Thanksgiving was a good one,  as well.  Donations of pecan pie are being accepted, if there's any left at your house.

Now that the holiday weekend is over, it is time to get back to work. I took the carload of things I had brought back from Mother's house out to the cabin tonight after I got off work. After unloading that load, I rolled up the ol' shirtsleeves and got busy.

First let me show you the handiwork from the 16th. I really worked hard on that kitchen floor that day. I would pour warm, soapy mop water on an area about 2 feet wide and 4 feet long and let it soak while I worked on doors and windows. Most of the day the kitchen looked like this in one spot or another. 
The final product doesn't look very pretty yet, but it is now mostly clean, believe it or not.
While on our trip I found some wonderful ideas for refinishing this floor, which is actually subflooring. With the floors being so uneven I doubt tile or even a vinyl floor covering would work well in here. But I found some marvelous ideas, if I can figure out how to reproduce them. We will see as this project progresses.

While floors were soaking I started on the door and window in the kitchen.
After knocking down the dirt daubers nests I went to work scrubbing off the door facings and even cleaned the inside of the screen door! Scrubbing the door itself revealed a nice sturdy door. Needs paint, but I nearly hate to even say that any more, I've said it so much. After I got all the woodwork clean I worked on the glass. Took the curtain down and put it in with the laundry to do when I get near anyone's washing machine. 

Once the door was clean I attacked the window and it, too, looks much better. Look, you can see outside! Nature! Trees! Yeah! I need a ladder to do the outside panes on the window, couldn't reach them from the ground.

In between rounds of mopping, which progressed fairly quickly once I was past the high traffic areas, I had my choice of chores to do while waiting for the next floor section to soak. I decided to keep working on doors and windows and headed to the front room. 
Much better, I think. The bugs and mildew and dust are all gone. 

I didn't have the tools needed to fix the hinge on the entry way door. It became clear that it couldn't take much more use without the repairs, so I did the next best thing and put a stop to using that door for now by blocking it with one of those big wooden cabinets we had set out on the front porch.
As you can tell, it was getting pretty dark by then, and I was feeling worse and worse. For the next several days it was all I could do to drag myself to work and back home, so the cabin was sorely neglected.

Fast forward to today, the 29th. The plan (today; it may change tomorrow, or even in an hour, who knows) is for me to move in on Sunday. I have an area rug I want to use, so decided the biggest issue would be to get the front room floor clean, so the wax and soap spots don't ruin my rug. 
See all the black spots? That is what I have to remove. The white stuff near the top of the photo is Lysol cleanser, sprayed on with a spray bottle. 
The main trail of spots is in this general area. After scrubbing with a mop, I got down on my knees with a green scrubber and scrubbed the remainder off. Well, I did have to use my thumb nail to scrape some of it off. So much for that manicure! 

I think I mentioned that my mother sent things for me to use in my new home. While my floor was soaking I unpacked towels and window sheers and decorative items. Most of it went in my bathroom, with the following results.
It is starting to fill up! Notice my 'step' to use getting into and out of the tub.There are cinder blocks all around the house, so I put some of them to use. The edge of the tub is just high enough that it is difficult to get in and out of the tub, so this should help with that problem.
See that doll sitting on the top shelf? My grandmother Reagan, who we recently lost, crocheted that doll. Isn't she pretty? It won't take long to finish filling these shelves, once I start unpacking my things.

I hung the freshly washed kitchen sheer back on the kitchen door.

Mom had sent a pair of blue sheers, but they were too long for the bathroom window, so I put them on the front room door.
Notice the shelf on brackets to the right of the door? Every time I walked in or out that door I would hit my head on that thing. Yes, I have an overabundance of coordination and grace, I'll admit. However, my patience levels have been below par lately and that shelf reached out and tapped me once too often. I had in my possession an electric drill, so decided that tonight was the night to take that shelf down. 
The wall needs a good scrubbing, but after working on the floor all evening it was put to a vote and unanimously decided that could wait until tomorrow. (Hmm? Yes, it was just me out there. Why? Of course, it was unanimous. What's your point, anyway?)

Another chore I had thought about doing was also tabled until tomorrow. In the front room are three florescent lights. I want to take those down, however, I couldn't find the ladder I thought was here. It was getting too dark to tromp around outside to look for ladders or anything else. 

Tomorrow. I will do that job tomorrow. Right now I have to go back to my daughter's house and get another load packed and in the car to deliver out here tomorrow!

Thanks to Mother for all the goodies. I had fun fixing up the bathroom with them. 

Last on today's items to discuss, but definitely not least -

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TRACY REUTHER!!! Forever 21! 

I'll see y'all tomorrow!

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