Kitchen nightmares and renovation

We decided to continue upon our masochistic ways by renovating our kitchen.  True to form we set out seeking bids from contractors, not necessarily qualified contractors.  Why break the pattern now? 

We started with a kitchen with a 15 foot long center island  by 3 feet. It weighed  considerable amount as it consisted of 1.5 inches of MDF, 1/2 inch of duro-rock, mud and tile. To stop the kitchen floor from saggin/possibly collapsing we had purchased every floor jack within the state of SC and placed them in the crawl space to support the kitchen floor.

 Our thought was to rip out the existing kitchen cabinets and island, do a minor re-layout of the appliances, and have a much smaller center island.  We started the cabinet maker/contractor interviews in April, selecting the one we thought best suited to understand and possibly complete the job. We had a better chance of winning Powerball than this coming true.  After finishing the area hardwood floors in the area (25x28 feet)

we called the cabinet maker/contractor to let him know we were ready for his cabinets to be installed.  What cabinets he asked?  The ones he hadn't started? he said.  Like I said we can pick contractors.  It was know the 3rd week of July and we had been without a functioning kitchen for 4 weeks to this point.  After close to two years of continuous construction of some sort I was ready to snap.  We actually fired the clueless sloth and probably should have fired me also. 

Falling back on old habits, we sought out Home Dumpo, placed an order and waited another 6 weeks for cabinets to arrive and be installed. It was now Labor Day and with a light at the end of the tunnel that wasn't another crack contractor we had a flurry of success.  The results:

It's been a long long time

Well after a considerable time being away from this babble depicting SC life at 486 Coleman Bridgem I'm back. It seems we may have solved the problem of dependable internet service with the third ISP, Excede Satellite service.  The real test will come in 5 minutes when I try to upload  some pictures of the estate.

Don't look know blog fans, but it took less than two minutes to upload the above breath taking pictures.  I declare this blog now functional.  You poor bastards the flood gates will open now.

Finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We've learned a lot and we're not quite finished with our 3 contracts with the contractor, but it's close.  Close enough to crack a cold one, light up a Marlboro and enjoy.  Unfortunately I can't do either and live here, so enjoy the photos.

Well I'll post more in with another subject as either Google or Verizon are limiting my upload of photoss at this time.  Piss heads

51 weeks

We've had a lot of changes in 51 weeks

Polyurathane

I never want to see another can.  So far 31 hours of labor invested by the two of us.  More to do.  Just not any more today.

This is our long haired miniature South Carolinian pony

Oliver out

Lots happening at Camp Aiken

Lots of progress as we are finishing OUR major project list and still trying to save some almighty greenbacks.
Pictures of a fully functional bathroom, refer back to the previousd pictures and let me know why I'm mot drinking again (at least yet).

Better yet, the flooring in the kitchen area is in, it took the Mrs. and I a full day and a half of pounding nails (using a tool) and it looks mah-va-lous as some Long Islanders would say. Proof is below:

Still don't thnk so?

But the absolute best part is after 11 months of eating standing up, on the couch, on the floor, or anywhere but a table look what we have..................................................................................................................

That's the building permit on the table and a candle.  Food will be there shortly.

And the final update is the "hers is bigger than mine" update.  But that will be set up in a minute under the title of Polyurathane.  I've got to publish this before I loose it in byte heaven.

It's like pulling teeth but.....

we're getting there.
I apologize for the gaps betweens posts, it's not that we don't have pictures, successes and failures to share with you, it's the frigging internet connection.  It's been 10 months since we inhabited Camp Aiken and the only thing slower than our internet connection is our 13 year old Wheaten Terrier.

I find it difficult to sit here while a picture takes 10 minutes to load to this blog, and they aren't high resolution masterpieces.  On top of the slowness is the monthly usage limitation Verizon enforces with our contract.  5 whole gigabyte a month which can be consumed watching a couple of idiots in videos we receive in emails, which buffer, buffer, and buffer some more.  And the cost you incur if you exceed that total is criminal. A five minute video can consume 45 minutes, watching 3 seconds at a time; but we move slow down here in the South
 
I've got to stop typing and post some pics, my typing skills suck.  We kind ogf hit a lull in construction but have had some finished trim completed.  We had the idea to re-use some of the old exterior claboards as molding.  We borrowed a monstorous plane  and ran the claboards through.  The finish went from this

to this (which is an interior window sill in the new section of the kitchen)

Better than Andersons I'll tell ya...

We also used the trim to frame around a piece of stained glass I had bought my better half in NY.  She had an  idea to insert it above the door leading from the kitchen to the front door.  The workers created the space and we used the claboards for highlighting the glass:



We were also able to salvage just enough of the interior tongue and groove of the old exterior kitchen wall to make the addition to the kitchen blend in with the 100 year old section of the kitchen fairly well

Since I seem to be all about salvaging this post we also salvaged the bead board from underneath the porch roof on the front of the house.  I keep saying we but this has all been my better halfs idea(s) to reuse what we could to preserve the feel of the 112 year old house.  I've just been shell shocked for 10 months and totally useless so kudos go to the female speicies.  So we reused the bead board to rebuild the ceiling in the spare bath

We haven't figured out how to illuminate the space yet.

Well, lots more has gone on and we'll see how the internet Gods treat me tomorrow night and perhaps we can get some more pictures posted.

A special hello to the beer drinking person we hired after her deft tractor driving demonstration, she got some poor news about her health but is a battler and we love her dearly, hang in there.  The paddocks need cutting.

Oliver out