We have been a little held up with illness and moving. We moved in with no shower screen, no kitchen, skirting boards not painted but we will manage.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Day 43-45 floors,moving and mayhem
Moving is always a stressful time. I personality hate it. Not only because of the time it takes to sort,pack and unpack but also because it makes me confront the fact that we have way more than we need. Being a teacher and a crafter I do like to collect things like fabric, teaching resources etc. the crafter in me thinks that I can use just about anything so it gets saved for future crafting. Disorganisation central!
We have been a little held up with illness and moving. We moved in with no shower screen, no kitchen, skirting boards not painted but we will manage.
We have been a little held up with illness and moving. We moved in with no shower screen, no kitchen, skirting boards not painted but we will manage.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Day 42 - almost broken
Today almost broke me. I got a bit of a sleep in and thought it was going to he a great day, first mistake. The plan was to pick up all the lights and get a quote and pick up kitchen cabinets from Ikea. This was not the actuality. You know when you are driving along and the kids are cranky and you think, I could turn this car around right now. Well when I felt that at the Boondall entertainment centre exit- I should have.
The next omen- go via tag didn't go off.
The third omen- light shop closed. ( at this point I'm thinking- ok should have checked- my fault- never mind)
Fourth omen- cars lined up to get into car park at Ikea. I still persist. Find an awesome park and think all is right. With the world again. Did I mention I had to wake up both children to get out!
Play centre full so I soldier on, along with the population of the south east corner of Queensland, and make it to the kitchen section. They now have a Medicare style machine to get a ticket for help. Ticket in hand my two well behaved kids and I get to planning to kitchen. Kitchen planned, hit print, number called. The world has aligned and then I hear it. " I really need to do wees." No chance of holding on I pass my ticket to the lady, place both kids in the trolley and like a salmon in mating season swim upstream through the population of greater Brisbane dodging the bears scowling at me for going in the wrong direction. Toilet stop complete we waited in the food line for another half an hour and had a delicious lunch.
My energy renewed, and toddler in the play centre, I grab my ticket and get planning again. I did get my quote just as the time in play land ran out. Now to get out of ikea with a baby who has developed a temperature and a toddler wanting to push their own little trolley. Fast forward through an hour and a half, an ankle tap from a trolley, abandoning the trolley to avoid the purchase line only to wait 15mins in the line for an ice cream bribe for good behaviour. I swore I wouldn't resort to caffeine- I cracked right there in the soft serve line. It did little for my approaching migraine.
Travelled most if the way home at 80km/hr for no apparent reason and go via tag worked! Pulled into the driveway only to realise I'd forgotten to get money for tradies. Off to the ATM and back again. Pull into the driveway- hubby rings. He gas forgotten floor estapol. Two really cranky kids and I got to bunnings and get all essential tools. Drive it over. Dumb on footpath. Beep horn. Drive home.
Showered, kids fed and waiting for the boys to return. Sorry to rant but today was definitely a day I want to forget. You know it must be bad if you get out of ikea without buying anything. I am so ready to curl up in bed. Shame the girls are both sick. A long night ahead I fear.
Oh - first coat should be on the floors.
Reno tip for today- don't go to ikea on Sundays. Period.
The next omen- go via tag didn't go off.
The third omen- light shop closed. ( at this point I'm thinking- ok should have checked- my fault- never mind)
Fourth omen- cars lined up to get into car park at Ikea. I still persist. Find an awesome park and think all is right. With the world again. Did I mention I had to wake up both children to get out!
Play centre full so I soldier on, along with the population of the south east corner of Queensland, and make it to the kitchen section. They now have a Medicare style machine to get a ticket for help. Ticket in hand my two well behaved kids and I get to planning to kitchen. Kitchen planned, hit print, number called. The world has aligned and then I hear it. " I really need to do wees." No chance of holding on I pass my ticket to the lady, place both kids in the trolley and like a salmon in mating season swim upstream through the population of greater Brisbane dodging the bears scowling at me for going in the wrong direction. Toilet stop complete we waited in the food line for another half an hour and had a delicious lunch.
My energy renewed, and toddler in the play centre, I grab my ticket and get planning again. I did get my quote just as the time in play land ran out. Now to get out of ikea with a baby who has developed a temperature and a toddler wanting to push their own little trolley. Fast forward through an hour and a half, an ankle tap from a trolley, abandoning the trolley to avoid the purchase line only to wait 15mins in the line for an ice cream bribe for good behaviour. I swore I wouldn't resort to caffeine- I cracked right there in the soft serve line. It did little for my approaching migraine.
Travelled most if the way home at 80km/hr for no apparent reason and go via tag worked! Pulled into the driveway only to realise I'd forgotten to get money for tradies. Off to the ATM and back again. Pull into the driveway- hubby rings. He gas forgotten floor estapol. Two really cranky kids and I got to bunnings and get all essential tools. Drive it over. Dumb on footpath. Beep horn. Drive home.
Showered, kids fed and waiting for the boys to return. Sorry to rant but today was definitely a day I want to forget. You know it must be bad if you get out of ikea without buying anything. I am so ready to curl up in bed. Shame the girls are both sick. A long night ahead I fear.
Oh - first coat should be on the floors.
Reno tip for today- don't go to ikea on Sundays. Period.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Day 41- carpet be gone
All the carpet is up.
More kitchen shopping for me today- thankfully masters had another cool trolley for the kids to try as I chatted with the lady. Excellent customer service again. Well done masters!
Hubby has been ripping up the floors and sanding today.
Reno tip for today- if you are sanding floors for the first time make sure you punch the nails in and putty over the holes with a matching putty before you sand the floors with a drum sander.
More kitchen shopping for me today- thankfully masters had another cool trolley for the kids to try as I chatted with the lady. Excellent customer service again. Well done masters!
Hubby has been ripping up the floors and sanding today.
Reno tip for today- if you are sanding floors for the first time make sure you punch the nails in and putty over the holes with a matching putty before you sand the floors with a drum sander.
Day 40- goofing off!
I went to look at kitchens today. We lived in Beijing for a while and this reminded me so much of being there! Nothing like a good smoke filled tiny falling down office in a warehouse to get you a good deal.
Under the Lino tiles in the kitchen was a tar like substance that was proving quite stubborn to remove. Thankfully there was Goof off. Nothing like getting your dad to handle the toxic chemicals. The guy at bunnings assured me it even smelled nice. I think he'd been doing a bit too much goofing off if you ask me.
Hubby painted his first(and I think his last) ceiling today. I didn't realise he hasn't painted one before. I assured him it was better than cutting in the walls. I of course lied. He asked me about 2 mins in why would I think it was better- what isn't good about doing the limbo permanently for 1hr or so.
Paint is done!
Today's Reno tip- get out of painting the ceilings by conning someone into it who has never painted one!
Under the Lino tiles in the kitchen was a tar like substance that was proving quite stubborn to remove. Thankfully there was Goof off. Nothing like getting your dad to handle the toxic chemicals. The guy at bunnings assured me it even smelled nice. I think he'd been doing a bit too much goofing off if you ask me.
Hubby painted his first(and I think his last) ceiling today. I didn't realise he hasn't painted one before. I assured him it was better than cutting in the walls. I of course lied. He asked me about 2 mins in why would I think it was better- what isn't good about doing the limbo permanently for 1hr or so.
Paint is done!
Today's Reno tip- get out of painting the ceilings by conning someone into it who has never painted one!
Day 39 - concreting in the rain
Now I know concrete can set underwater but it didn't need to rain for the first time in 90 days the day we were pouring concrete slabs for the air conditioners! Thanks to the help of all the tradies and my dad we ended the day with the kitchen walls rebuilt, the bathroom downstairs with new walls, concrete slabs for the aircons and done painting.
I know the muchy crunchers had been upstairs but I think that must have been their holiday home- their crunchy commune was definitely in the bathroom downstairs.
Today's Reno tip- if you are getting air conditioning fitted remember that it will cost about another $800 to install, more if you are on the second level and you must have a large area to place them. You can buy large pavers or pour a small concrete slab.
I know the muchy crunchers had been upstairs but I think that must have been their holiday home- their crunchy commune was definitely in the bathroom downstairs.
Today's Reno tip- if you are getting air conditioning fitted remember that it will cost about another $800 to install, more if you are on the second level and you must have a large area to place them. You can buy large pavers or pour a small concrete slab.
Day 38 - ikea again
Those of you who follow Facebook will know that I arrived at ikea before it opened today. I always forget the open at 10am but never fear- spotlight is here! Indi and I got our fabric fix and some yarn for the baby blankets before fitting the hordes of people lined up to get into ikea. I know their breakfast is cheap but the line up was crazy. Today's task was wardrobes. After nearly 4hrs,multiple phone calls and a quick feed for miss I in the aisle of the self help area I realised we couldn't fit the doors in the car anyway! Decided to get the man to come and quote on Tuesday.
Today's Reno tip- make sure you take into account the size of objects before you attempt to pick them up from the shop. All the best customer service helpers still can't get a square peg in a round hole!
Today's Reno tip- make sure you take into account the size of objects before you attempt to pick them up from the shop. All the best customer service helpers still can't get a square peg in a round hole!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Day 37 - window shopping
With 7 days to go until we move in upstairs it was essential to get s hurry along so today was hire a Tradey for a day. That's right ( it would have been nice to win the money for one) we had some paid help today. What better way to celebrate all this progress than to do a bit of window shopping!
I did the dash this morning to pick up a new window for the kitchen. Im sure the men at the shop would have preferred i wait in the car while they put it together but it was fun to watch. After a bit of baby car seat Tetris we had the window in. A very tentative drive home and I was amazed with the progress.
End if today- kitchen window out and in, kitchen window built in, door built in, bathroom in, toilet in, second bedroom skirting and architrave on!
Reno tip- sometimes it's better to pay someone to do parts of the Reno you feel they would be much quicker at. If its going to take you a week to do something they can do in a day- it's sometimes worth the $500 dollars.
I did the dash this morning to pick up a new window for the kitchen. Im sure the men at the shop would have preferred i wait in the car while they put it together but it was fun to watch. After a bit of baby car seat Tetris we had the window in. A very tentative drive home and I was amazed with the progress.
End if today- kitchen window out and in, kitchen window built in, door built in, bathroom in, toilet in, second bedroom skirting and architrave on!
Reno tip- sometimes it's better to pay someone to do parts of the Reno you feel they would be much quicker at. If its going to take you a week to do something they can do in a day- it's sometimes worth the $500 dollars.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)