Let the demolition begin!

The current view of our kitchen, with a door and a staircase
chopping a huge chunk out of it.

Since we moved to the new house this past summer, we've been chipping away at relatively small projects, like installing cabinets in the dining room to supplement the lack of kitchen storage.

Because of all the walls in the way, the only way I can get
a picture of the dining room is through a slit of doorway.

We also had to remove a wall in the kitchen to make room for a larger fridge. And by "we" I mean Stephen.

Dreaming

The existing kitchen at the new house.

Getting our current house ready to sell is a seemingly endless task. As soon as we tidy/freshen one thing, we notice something else that isn't quite tip-top condition. It's easy to feel discouraged, so I've started fantasizing about our new house.

Well, I'll be.

I love this counter top even more now! 

Have you ever had something that you really liked a lot and then found out it was even better than you'd first realized? That's what has happened with our counter top.

The Big Reveal

Clematis and salvia from our garden.
I'm seriously contemplating having this picture printed to hang in the dining room.

Done. The kitchen is done. Done like dinner -- never was that phrase more appropriately used, I think. Let me show you the glory that is now my kitchen.

Tuesday Coffee Chat: DIY

This may be the least flattering picture of me in the whole entirety of my existence.
Booking liposuction on my neck right now. 

Many of you may justifiably be wondering why I haven't posted about our fabulous new backsplash, especially given that I posted some sneak previews on Facebook a couple of weeks ago.

Colour me happy.

We have, at long last, painted the kitchen!

The last time I wrote about our kitchen renovation, I prophetically wrote, "We have arrived at the stage in this project where it is easy to run out of steam. The space is functional and attractive. But there is still a long list of things to be done. Not least of them is the backsplash. Every time the water splashes onto the counter, I wince."

That was at the end of February, folks. Almost exactly two months ago.

Counter Revolution!

New countertops, installed.

I was actually a little nervous about installing a lighter-coloured granite when we have dark cabinets, but I needn't have been. They are in, and they are gorgeous.

Kitchen Update: It's what's on the inside that counts.

A pretty kitchen is a wonderful thing, but if it is poorly organized, then its beauty really only runs skin deep. With our renovation, we really put a lot of emphasis on the organization behind of all our stuff -- the insides, as it were. So today, let's take a peek behind the doors and inside the drawers, to see what's lurking.

Kitchen Update: Rude Awakening

It's coming together! 

Tonight, as I prepared dinner, I actually giggled, I am so incredibly happy with the workflow in the room, how much counter space I can spread out in, and how conveniently all the cooking tools are grouped. Oh, and how bright the room is, now that most of the lighting is installed.

Kitchen Update: Changes, Counters, Backsplash, Budget, and Timeline

Phase two, in progress. 

Every time I have started this update, I've been overwhelmed by the sheer volume of this project and what has been happening with it. Not a day goes by but we have to make changes, redo work that we'd thought was finished or reevaluate priorities and budget.

In other words, it's just like every other project on the planet: no matter how much you plan ahead (and we really thought we had it covered), there will be surprises.

Corners and Counters

Click the picture to enlarge it.

At first glance, it doesn't look like much has happened since last week, but it has.

Slow and Steady

Just a few of the boxes for our kitchen renovation.

Project managers love to trot out the "time-cost-quality" saying: You may choose to optimize only two in any project. If you want to improve the quality, you're going to have to increase time or cost or both. And if you want to reduce time, you're going to have to increase the cost.

Kitchen Renovation: Phase I

Phase I: Before
The yellow post-it marks the cabinet that will not be used in the new kitchen.
The white notes indicate what is in each drawer.

Because this corner of the kitchen contains neither appliances nor water hook-ups, it is the logical place to start our renovation, as it will (conceivably, we hope) cause the least disruption.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

The crowd of kitchen renovators at IKEA during the post-Christmas rush.

Today, after two false starts, we finally made it to Lee Valley Tools and IKEA to purchase some of the fixtures and all of the cabinets for kitchen renovation.

At Lee Valley, we picked up a fancy pull-out fixture that will make the best use of the one blind corner we will have in the kitchen.

Blind Corner Unit from Lee Valley

Fear of Commitment

Our kitchen, the day we bought it.

We're about to take on a big project, but I'm feeling really ambivalent about saying the word, "Go!"

Things are heating up.

New (used) range

We've been living without a proper oven for the past three and a half months, since the electronic controls died in December.

Cookie Exchange

Are you hungry yet? Cranberry-chocolate chip cookies and Bouchées aux noix

My office decided to have a cookie exchange this year - something I haven't participated in for many years.

The only thing I did special for the cookies was to toss in some dried cranberries and then, instead of dropping lumps of dough onto the pan, I formed balls.

Although you don't get to taste these treats, I will share the recipe for Bouchées aux noix with you.

The original recipe (which I have modified) was given to me by my neighbour Odette way back when we lived in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu and is a well-worn favourite in the Stephen Sibbald Famous Recipe Book. These may be the most the delicious bars I have ever tasted. They are a fair bit of work and incalculable calories, but are worth all of it.

Bouchées aux noix

Preheat oven to 400F.

In food processor, with sharp blade, combine:
2 cups flour
1 cup of COLD butter (or your mixture turns to paste)
6 Tablespoons of sugar

Process until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Dump it into a jelly-roll pan (which I have always called a cookie sheet, but real cookie sheets don't have sides. You will need the sides.). Spread the crumbs evenly across the pan, then gently press them down and into the corners. I use my hand to start with, but then use a large spoon to make the edges smooth.

Bake 5-8 minutes at 400F.

While that is baking, combine the following in the food processor:

3 eggs
1 ½ cups of firmly packed brown sugar
½ teaspoons of baking powder
½ teaspoons of vanilla
1/8 teaspoon of salt

Pour the mixture into a bowl. It will look like this:

Sort of a foamy liquid.

Stir in:

A total of 1 ½ cups of stuff. The original recipe called for chopped nuts and shredded coconut, but I've always believed that chocolate is a worthwhile addition to any dessert, so I added chocolate chips. And then I wanted something red for Christmas one year, so I added maraschino cherries. Here is what I added this year:

½ cup chocolate chips
½ cup sliced almonds
¼ cup chopped maraschino cherries
¼ cup shredded coconut

You could, of course, do this in the food processor, but I find it chops up all the yummy bits too much. 

By now your crust should be out of the oven and have been cooling on the counter. Carefully pour the topping over the crust, trying to distribute fairly evenly so that all the solid bits don't end up in the middle.

Being careful not to tear the crust, use a spoon to gently push the topping around. I sprinkle on a few nuts (when I use nuts) to alert people who have allergies as well as for decoration. This is what your treat should look like now:

Bake for 10 minutes at 400F. Do NOT undercook or you will end up with a goopy mess. Make sure the top is nicely browned. 

When it first comes out of the oven it will be kind of puffy, but that passes so quickly that I was not able to get a picture. 

The smell is heavenly!

Run a sharp knife along all edges to separate them from the pan while it is still warm, but DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CUT UNTIL IT HAS COOLED. You will just end up with a goopy mess.

Now, to cut these into diamond-shaped bits worthy of their deliciousness. This picture does better than words.

Tip: use a sharp paring knife dipped frequently in a cup of hot water and wiped on a wet cloth to keep your cuts tidy.

Bonus: all the little bits at the edges that form oddly shaped triangles -- those are for the chef.

This recipe doubles well and freezes well.

A Drain on the Pocketbook



Shelley Long and Tom Hanks had nothing on us.

It's been 25 years since Shelley and Tom had us laughing at the trials and tribulations of home ownership. When the movie came out, Steve and I were newlyweds, still renting our homes. I don't think we even saw the movie at the time as it didn't relate to anything in our lives.

Well.

Here we are, living the dream, er, the nightmare. Chez Sibbald IS The Money Pit.

I don't remember much of the movie, but I do recall that when the couple moved in, the house had been stripped of all fixtures - even the ones that were nailed down. Similarly, when we moved in, we found that the house lacked any of the following:

• towel bars or hooks
• toilet-paper holders
• mirrors

Not as bad as their situation (I believe they didn't even have doors), but humorous nevertheless.

Our house inspection had warned us:

• the roof was on its last legs (or shingles)
• the fireplace had no flue (I'm not even sure what that is)
• the chimney needed a new liner and repointing of the bricks
• the furnace was old and tired
• the air conditioner was ready for replacement
• several of the windows were old (including two single-glazed)

So what did we do? Why, we set about making improvements!

I think our house deserves one of these!


• an inground pool! (Oh, sweet mercy, will I some day regret that decision?)
• landscaping to correct the grade in the backyard in order to put in the pool!
• upgraded wiring to allow for hooking up the pool!
• gas line in order to heat the pool!
• double the number of cabinets in the kitchen!
• new chandelier! (small potatoes, but still)
• built-in shelving in the living room!
• new furnace!
• new air conditioner!

And then, the money ran out. Truth be told, the money ran out well before these were done. We're still paying off the landscaping. And, um, the furnace was on a one-year deferred payment plan, so it comes due in July.

This is the fifth house we've owned, so it's not like we're completely new to this. But we'd spent the previous five years in a rental home which was only six or seven years old and needed no improvements (though if we'd been the owners, I'm sure we'd have found places to spend money - not least of which would be getting rid of the beige carpet and all the brass light fixtures).

The home-improvement cycle is like childbirth: you swear you'll never do it again, but then you fall in love with the results.

You'll note that we have not yet tackled the following from the inspector's list:

• the roof was on its last legs (or shingles)
• the fireplace had no flue (I'm not even sure what that is)
• the chimney needed a new liner and repointing of the bricks
• several of the windows were old (including two single-glazed)

Those are on the agenda for this summer and fall. Along with finishing the landscaping around the pool (it currently is little more than a gorgeous pool, a beautiful patio and a great deal of mud surrounded by a lovely fence).

SURPRISE!
The paint is right at the base of the maple.
Click picture for larger view.


Plus, we still have to deal with the surprises, like the sewage drain from our house to the main sewer line. Said drain has been crushed by a very mature tree (presumably planted by the city) on city property. While it is almost certainly City responsibility to pay for the repair, there will likely be some collateral costs to us as well.

Or like the surprise ant infestation. Latest word is that they are carpenter ants - so not to be taken lightly. We'll have them exterminated soon. Ka-ching!

And, the city is "rehabilitating" the sewer system on our street this summer, which means they'll be ripping up the bottom third of our driveway. Our driveway is in dreadful condition as it is, so now would seem a good time to get the whole thing regraded and repaved. Right?

Part of me regrets doing the pool before we'd done the other more sensible improvements, but a pool is really a long-term lifestyle purchase (I won't call it an investment, because it's not). Ten years from now we'll be empty-nesters and the pool will see much less use, so we seized the moment.

I fully anticipate a comment along the lines of Anonymous, who wrote, "You are so lucky to be able to afford it! You are certainly not living in poverty. :) ," which is true, and I am grateful. But I also know there are others who consider our two professional incomes and mutter to themselves (or to others, but never to us), "What do they do with all that money?" The answer? Possibly not what you would do with it, but it's certainly not burning a hole in our pockets.

We Belong Together

I've mentioned some of my OCD shenanigans in earlier posts. What I failed to mention is that I've also gone to such extremes as using my beloved label-maker to identify the correct function for each shelf and bin in the fridge. 

I like things sorted, classified, ordered. I like to know where to put things, and where to find them. Amazingly enough, I have found a like-minded partner in Steve. Early in our wedded life, when we were so broke that we sometimes sold books in order to pay for the groceries when funds ran low between paycheques, we got very excited about buying colour-coded hanging files and tabs, so we could organize the filing cabinet that we painted bright red.

What? Well, of course we still have it. And of course, it's still colour-coded.


Two peas in a pod, we are. Of course, that doesn't stop us from ribbing each other. He has given me a hard time about the whole fridge-shelf-labelling incident, for example. Well, now it's my turn.

Today, while I was at work, Steve had the day "off" - which means, he worked plenty hard on stuff around the house. Top of his list: putting drawers into the kitchen pantry. This pantry was narrow and deep and virtually impossible to find anything in, beyond the first couple of cans or boxes. It made making a grocery list very hit-and-miss.

But now? Look!


Oooh! Aaaah!

But, what's that? Look closer:



Well, I'll be. He's labelled the drawers.

Yes, indeed. We belong together like can[ned] beans, tomatoes, and pasta sauce.

Getting there

In some ways, we really haven't progressed very far since we moved in three weeks ago. But really, a lot of work has been done.

The biggest change is that we had the supplemental cabinets installed in the kitchen -- yippee! I am super excited about how the kitchen is turning out. We now have TONS of storage - in fact, several shelves (the high-up ones) are EMPTY. We actually have more storage space here than we did in Colorado, despite being in a smaller space - I am so impressed with how efficient drawers are. And we didn't even use the "blind corner" at all - just blocked it off (more about that later). And, bonus, IKEA just happened to be having their Kitchen Event when we purchased, so we got $350 of IKEA gift certificates!
Next up in the kitchen is to install matching granite countertop (next week), then tile the backsplash (also next week, I hope). I'm having a tough time choosing backsplash. We have narrowed it down to three options (use the poll in the right-hand column to tell me which one you would choose):

1. Classic subway tile in a pale grey to match the floor, with a steel-faced-tile accent stripe. The advantage of this one is that it is very light in colour, so it doesn't darken the room any further than the cabinets and countertop already do. The steel strip is very trendy and ties in all the appliances and the steel cabinet handles. (But "trendy" could make it look very dated in a few years. We all remember "harvest gold.") [These did not photograph very well, but I promise you, they look very chic.]

2. Slate-look stone small mosaic tiles. I love the colour and texture of these tiles, but wonder if it might be too "busy," especially given the multicolour countertop. Also, kind of dark.

3. Small, grey glass tiles. Oooh, I love glass tiles - the sheen, the depth as the light splashes through them. But I wonder if they will further darken the room.

In other, non-kitchen news, Steve built bookcases alongside the fireplace and installed a beautiful new mantelpiece. I like the design of that "feature wall." I love the extra storage (we really needed it) and love the heavier, classic mantelpiece, but I wish we'd used a thicker material for the shelving. It doesn't look substantial enough, and I strongly suspect the shelves will sag sooner rather than later. Not looking forward to redoing this job.

Other things in progress:

• There has been no sign of the missing area rugs (except the small Egyptian one we found earlier).


• I am slowly working my way through the boxes yet to be unpacked. There are many.


• We have taken three FULL van loads of stuff to Salvation Army, and will surely be taking more.


• We have selected a pool contractor and design, and will start construction in a few weeks!


• We hacked back much of the meadow in the backyard, including one-third of the overgrown, unkempt, mosquito-infested cedar hedge. Steve mowed, and the yard actually looks usable now.

• I've decided that I quite like my master bedroom. It is small indeed, but everything fits (well, except for most of Steve's clothing, which is stored in Brian's closet), it is sunny and cosy, and, while it doesn't have a full 4-piece ensuite bathroom, it does at least have its own water closet.

• We've ordered two corner china cabinets for the dining room. Until they arrive in September, all the china and glassware will remain in boxes. As I mentioned above, we left the "blind corner" in the kitchen empty (i.e., no cabinet in the kitchen, but it will have countertop over it). Instead, we will cut through the wall on the other side and will install built-in drawers in the dining room. A little unusual, to be sure, but a really efficient use of space. It will give me somewhere to store all my dining room linens and serving pieces.

So all is progressing here. Don't forget to vote in the backsplash poll!