Tuesday, February 21, 2012

The Snowball Effect

The snowball effect on this old house is that when you decide to do a big project...the destruction just keeps rolling,   This was the day we uncovered the sun room floor -pulling the carpet.  It feels like we have been pulling carpet - vinyl and staples from the floor for about a month...oh yeah.  We have been!


Of course the new flooring will go all the way down the basement stairs so we had to pull the final blue shag off the steps.  It revealed that the paneled wall was "firred out" and that the stairs ran underneath it.  The paneling was cut to form to the carpet and left impossible trim options so it came off the wall too.  (Ah more pink and brown brick - how lovely)


It then dawns upon me that these once wall papered walls still have the glue on them.. Do I really want all the water and TSP solution on new vinyl... uh NO - so these get washed.


At this point I am looking for a volunteer to wash the walls but apparently she thinks pointing the camera is a better job for her.   (She actually was pulling staples and nails out of the sunroom floor - we really do make a great team)

And You might as well paint those walls now - so I did - but did not take pictures yet!




This is my hobby distraction from home repair.  A couple of the Angel fish have paired up and have begun laying eggs.  Of course Clown loaches like fish eggs for breakfast - So I purchase a use aquarium and set it up for Angel breeding - we will see how they do. 

Friday, February 3, 2012

Well I am floored!

You may have wondered what we have been up to lately in this old house!
We have been working on the kitchen and it is time to get a bid on new flooring - but what where we up against.  Here is it - 8 Layers of floor!

counting up from the bottom we have
green and white tile
underlayment
vinyl
another layer of vinyl
another layer of underlayment
another layer of vinyl

and when you get to the dining area
carpet pad
and the top carpet!

and I did not count the leftover rubber backing from the former carpet that was stuck to the underlayment in the dining area



This is the leftover rubberback from some original carpet.  The white stains are the "pool traffic pattern" from the slider to the hallway.   It explains why the carpet stains would not disappear - they were coming up from the bottom...well maybe.

Both layers of underlayment were stapled down - so we spent many hours pulling staples - about ten per square of tile.  Nancy was a great help making sure the junk and dust was all taken out.


Pulling the staples and nails

This green and white tile is original to the house about 1953-54.  We could have kept it for the color - but there were lots of holes from all the staples - and most tiles are ready to come up.  We will keep them there until the new flooring is ready to be put down.


This shows the before picture of the cupboards - they are yet to be painted.

Allright!  Nancy came home from running errands - Time for some OG

This shows some of the painted cupboards!

Okay - now back to pulling staples.

One fun thing we found on a corner tile was a muddy dog print.  He must have been in there just prior to laying the floor!

Monday, January 9, 2012

Just a little clowning around


It was Time to rearrange the aquarium!  a thorough gravel cleaning and major water change.  I rearranged the contents a little bit - not much, and it has made a huge difference for the clown loaches.  They have been active all day and into the evening - where before they were under the rocks before dark.  They have even been doing the "loach happy dance"  something I have only see them do occasionally.  There are four in the tank - and they are hard to photograph - but tonight they were hanging out together...must be the full moon.  Of course nothing gets by the Gold Sevrum...he thinks he is a loach!





Playing over and under

A loach on the rocks...cool!


Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Birthday and Anniversary Party


January 2 was Harv and Megs 64th Anniversary and Megs 85th Birthday

We met together to host a party for this very special occasion.

We missed some family members that were not feeling up to par or could not be there due to the driving distance..like they were out of state or something...but the party must go on!





Noah and Broden jammed some awesome tunes on the double organ - there are two keyboards, just right for brothers to share (sort of) - and then a spare one for even more sound!  It even had an accelerator pedal that make it louder!....often!

The honored couple with dessert - Coconut cream pie and apple pie from Russes
We really did have a fine sandwich bar before this - but I did not take any pictures of it...I was eating!



Broden decided to take Great Grandma for a little spin. 
 He begins his training as a CNA just like Grandma Nancy

Keep your feet up...I'm hitting second gear!





Clayton  brought some toys for the kids to play with if they could not find enough to do in a nursing home. 
 This is a tail tag game - so the kids were "chasing tail" in the nursing home chapel!
.....Not unlike some of the residents I suppose




Nancy brought the paper and crayons for the kids to make Birthday Cards



What great grand kids...What great Grandparents!




Pie Panic! - Hurry up!


Ah ...The ladies

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Christmas with the Baars

This is the table the adults were going to sit at...but Sydney claimed it for the kids, and said something about the 99% and occupy the big table!



Judah wishing he had teeth


Broden digging in!


Nancy created a puzzle hunt for each of the age groups - find all the pieces and put it together for a prize.  some of the adults are still trying to figure it out!




Broden found the doll toothbrush and tooth paste were irresistible...and yes he brushed

Maggie looking for puzzle parts...Broden with his find!

Judy and Sophie!

It was a great time - but the kids were moving so fast I ended up with many pictures of carpet - and walls where kids where at the time I took the picture - oh well!

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas continued

Drill bits...what every remodeler needs!


This says you are going to DAY Camp at Geneva!  and you will like it!

One of the great joys of Christmas - playing with the kids toys!

Do you think he likes his truck!?

A mesmerized tool and die engineer!

Grandma's got the boys cookin! 
Yes they are also playing with the boxes that the presents came in!

More Christmas 2011

This is the great family picture - everyone looking at the camera and posed accrodingly...a half a second before this was taken

This is the Mother Lode of Lego's and the expression is real!

Noah presents his gift to Broden


Ahh the new earrings!

Christmas Soldiers 

Judah is throughly enjoying the Christmas activities

It's a Jeep thing - you would not understand...now how about mudflaps to match!