Adventures in Remodeling

Under Construction (chuckle chuckle)....

July 12

Earlier today I had picked up my special order of new doorknobs for the entrance doors. The old ones were getting corroded and the shiny surface wearing off, and besides, it's a good idea to change the locks when you move into a house. But the steel doors have a special shape to the latch so had to be ordered. Anyway, the front door refused to open as we were about to leave for church. After we got the door open (not much of a trick; Kathy could turn the knob and I could push), I "just happened" to have a whole new doorknob kit, 3 of them in fact, so I simply installed the new one, which almost made us late. The keys to all 3 of them are the same, of course, so one key will get in any door after I get done.

July 19

Well, I feel like we're really moved in. Refinished my computer desk and have reassembled it, built a workbench in the double garage including electronic corner, redecorated 4 rooms (5 if you count the end of the garage that now contains the workbench), replaced the disposer, repaired the dryer vent, unpacked nearly all the boxes.

Disposer? I wasn't going to do any plumbing if I could help it, but the disposer was puddling all over under the sink. Took a whole day and five (5) trips to Lowe's to get first a new disposer (In-Sink-Erator -- I thought that was a rock group) and then all the drain pipes and stuff in the right lengths.

Aug. 6

We're giving away great carloads of boxes to people at church and the living room looks like someone lives here. Kathy put lots of knickacks into the built-in display shelves by the big fireplace, I've wired it for sound (4 speakers quadraphonic/Pro Logic/whatever), and Kathy bought some really nice tables (not exactly end tables but they go by the sofas) the other day, and it's very pleasant. Found a lot of my Christian instrumental music and jazz on CD. All I need now is a big subwoofer in the middle....

We've redecorated about 6 rooms. (I say "about" because there are still finishing touches here and there.) Built myself a workbench in the garage, which is very handy as I'm building shelves for Kathy's sewing/quilting room. I now have a table saw, router, drill press and belt sander. Just assembled the router table this morning, used it to finish some shelf supports. Workbench is 12 feet long with a vise on one end and the grinder mounted on hinges so it can swing down out of the way. Router table is sitting on a table we almost didn't move here; glad we did.

We're finding our way around the countryside, went to Ft. Wayne the other evening and Kathy found a set of dishes she likes. She will pick them up tomorrow morning, Lord willing. Had to get the dishes first, of course, so we can pick the right color of paint for the dining room....

Aug. 10

Time flies when you're having fun. While I was gone for a week to Purdue University, Kathy got started on the sewing room, including laying new carpet. There is a cove that used to be for a vanity, where we're going to put shelves. I have spent a couple of mornings with the table saw and router making the shelves and supports. Kathy is doing the sanding and painting. Our new shop vac is now a necessity, not a luxury, so that we don't track sawdust all over the house. We're vacuuming about once an hour and I emptied out about 3 gallons of sawdust into the garbage can this morning, then vacuumed again. Half the fun is learning what all of the new "toys" can do. I'll try not to go broke buying router bits.