Now that we can See...

Now that we have adequate lighting in the bathroom, my first thought is that it's time to start wearing foundation. My second thought involves Tile.

The floor tile is hex tile, which I like in general, though this particular installation seems to be missing some Symmetry in spots. Despite this, I find it adequate for my bathroom flooring needs, other than a couple of missing tiles for which I need replacements. Since these are the original tiles, which don't have bevelled edges like hex tiles available today, I'm either going to have to scout out my favorite building material salvage stores like The Re-Store or Second Use, or lift up the toilet and pilfer some of the tiles from under the Loo.

For the wall tile, I need a Game Plan. Clearly, the Original Charming Plastic Wall Tile has to Go.

I know I want white subway tile with an accent, probably black. Although I liked the clean white look of the subway tile in the Ballardia bath, it looks a bit too Craftsman for my Art Deco era house.

Some thoughts from my Idea File:

Traditional white and black options:

Here's an option with glass tile from DIYNetwork, and lastly, a Modern twist with subway tile going the wrong way and little glass mosaics. I'm not actually considering that option, just threw it in because it looked Fun.

Things are looking up

Remember our dismal bathroom? Great strides were made today in our Sanitary Facilities, which yes, are actually sanitary now thanks to our costly Side Sewer Adventure.


On the ceiling, instead of framing and a couple of gaping holes, we now have a can light and a ceiling fan.

And yes, there above the mirror is a Mercer Double Horizontal Sconce from Pottery Barn, quite a value at a mere $99.

Now if we just get that trim repaired, the bathroom might be somewhat tolerable.

Happy Anniversary Ballardia II

It's been one year since we closed on our Ballardia residence. And what have we Accomplished in 12 months?


The List:

• New 200 amp circuit breaker, replacing the Original Charming Fuse Box


• Removed carpet and refinished hardwoods on main


• New Gas Furnace, Thermostat, and water heater, replacing their Charming Counterparts


• Dryer and Dryer Vent
  
• New dining room chandelier


• Paint in living room and dining room


• Kitchen Facelift, including dishwasher & disposal


• Basement demo and insulation


• structural fixes


• Garage wall


• Bath updates - new sink, toilet & fan


• New sewer line


• low voltage wiring - well, started anyway
  

As a list, it seems somewhat impressive....It Sounds Like so much progress. But the sad reality is that after Lots of Time and Pots of Money, there is not a single finished room in the entire house.

The kichen tile still isn't grouted, and the fridge blocks the back door leading to the Rotten Steps and Yard Beyond. The living/dining room are missing trim and have boxes strewn everywhere. The main floor bedrooms & hall remain unpainted, also missing trim. During our structural exercise, the doorbell wire was cut and it no longer works. The bathroom has cracks in the walls, part of the window trim torn up to accomodate the fan wiring, and still has that icky yellow plastic tile. Throughout the house, low voltage wiring dangles out of boxes in the walls where we haven't managed to terminate it yet. Upstairs still looks like Summer Camp.

Perhaps it is fitting that today is the day the Value House across the street was torn down.

Value House Before:

Value House Today:

Things could be worse, after all.

The Plum Crop

Remember that backyard plum tree that Dorothy purchased for $5.68 at Ernst in 1975? It seems it's ready.

I say 'plum', but what I really mean, and what is in fact on the Ernst receipt, is 'Italian Prune'. I am going happily along with the California Prune Board's remarketing efforts to discourage the images of Regularity conjured up by the 'prune' word.

I am not sure what to do with the crop this year, so I am simply pitting them and putting them in the Ginormous Freezer for later.

Last year, I tried making Plum Brandy, which seemed like a good idea at the time, but the product was not terribly popular with friends, even though I refrained from calling it Italian Prune Brandy. Of the 6 bottles I made, I still have 5 1/2 of them. Need some? Or perhaps I should peddle it at the local Senior Center?

This year, I'm thinking of dessert recipes - perhaps Purple Plum Pie, Plum and Walnut Crisp, or maybe Plum Berry Crisp. Pork dishes might be good too - Pork Chops with Gingered Plum Sauce looks yummy, and will no doubt leave fewer leftovers than the Plum Brandy experiment.