I didn't mean to slack on the posting.

I did, however, mean to slack on the bathroom.  After a push to finish it before Christmas (fail), and then a couple projects where I thought I was doing quite well but realized I had installed things improperly (I am not good at moldings.  Just - not.), I needed a break.

So I altered my tack a bit, and decided to tackle some projects where the raw materials were in the house, I just hadn't done it.  Sort of a use it or lose it kind of deal.  Also a make things work a little better kind of deal.

I hung a shelf:

Twice, actually, after it fell down.  Turned out the anchors I selected just weren't big enough.  Oops. 

I put hardware on the pantry doors:

Ok, so I have to stretch to reach them.  Maybe this won't be the final location of said hardware.

I also:

  - cut and installed a shelf in one of my kitchen cabinets (with the side effect of making the glasses drawer much much easier to use!)
  - put shelf supports in the counter under the sink to hang the dishrack (so. very. exciting.)
  - hung the artwork my friends made for my birthday 2 (3?) years ago
  - made good progress on the shelves in the bathroom (they aren't done, but you can use them!)
  - installed a cat door in the basement for Jaimee's cat when he visits (let's not talk about the fact that he won't go through it yet)
  - and cleaned the basement.

But then it was time to ease back into the bigger projects.  I still didn't want to return to the bathroom, though.  So - have I mentioned that I hate my upstairs closets?  Well, I do.  Or did.  Or both, really.  I mean, I have huge closets, so I really shouldn't complain.  But a shelf and a bar just don't use the space efficiently.  Plus bifold doors just shouldn't exist.

And - here we are:

We (Jaimee put her muscles to good use too) took off the bifold doors, took down the shelf and the bar, and put up this thing of beauty.  The bar will get new life in R2's room.  Of course we had the usual reno issues; plaster crumbling in certain spots, drill-walking creating some not quite level hooks, cutting the long shelves too short because I was too focused on one side of the plans - but we overcame and this thing is solid.  There are still no doors, the other two closets and the upper storage areas still have the old doors, and the middle closet also desperately needs to be redone, and the inside walls really need painting - but this is SUCH a nice step!  No more trying to get my sweaters out of a falling apart wire system, no more dust collecting on the bottom items, and more usable space.  

Of course this came with a spring-cleaning type purge (also helped by watching Hoarders too much), and decluttering a bit has felt good too.

Currently I'm fighting a mouse infestation (those critters are BOLD.  They stroll on the counters!  They meander through the bottom shelf of the pantry!  They poop ON the snap trap bait!  I shall overcome.).  So that might have to dictate the next project, meaning that I might have to focus on sealing up the pantry/nook/kitchen before I can return to the bathroom.  TBD.  But work continues!

There's critters in them thar walls.

I think I'd prefer gold in the hills.

Got home from Mom's to the sound of something wandering around in my kitchen chimney. At least, I thought it was in the chimney - until it wandered over the cabinets. And this morning it wandered over to above the bathroom door frame. I know I run a hostel - but for two legged guests, not uninvited four legged ones! So I called the exterminator, who told me that unless I chopped a hole in the wall or found where it got in, there wasn't much they could do. Not amused. If anyone sees Superman, please ask him if I can borrow his xray vision...

On the plus side, my new dining room table and chairs look great, and the gas guy just replaced the meter with one that can be read from outside, so they'll stop wringing my doorbell on random mornings.

The sky is falling!

Real life version of Chicken Little, right here.

Sunday night I thought the house was falling down. Turns out it was just paint falling off the tin ceiling. And last night some fell off the hallway ceiling. Thank you humidity, yes I promise to get back to work.

In other news, saw a mouse on Fri night, causing me to spend $40 on anti-rodent accoutrements. The mouse was captured and killed by Stiletto (Erin's cat) last night. Animals 2, Sarah 0. But thank you kitty!

Actually scheduled the floor guys. Spent two evenings, and borrowed muscle power, to empty the dining and living rooms so the guys could come today. Last night they called in sick. Living in a shambles of a house until next Tues now. Contractors 1, Sarah 0. I get a discount now though, so maybe we'll come out even...

Mouse Butt

Finally, a picture of the mouse in Erin's bed. I wish we had video of our heroic capturing efforts, but sadly our hands were fully occupied. So you'll just have to imagine lightening fast reflexes with a tupperware container (mine), screaming and jumping (Erin's), and determined hunting (Stiletto's)...

From Mouse

There was a mouse in the house!

In Erin's bed to be precise. With some belated assistance from the cat, I caught it and threw it outside. I'll blog the full amusing story later - but any suggestions for vermin control that we can use with a cat in the house would be greatly appreciated...