Thursday, December 06, 2007

Anticipation

That title doesn't have anything to do with the photo here; I'll get around to the photo in a minute. I am in kind of a "hurry up and wait" situation now with the house. I am just waiting on the filter media to arrive. The shipping company called today and said it would be here tomorrow. I am just waiting on the propane company to come set the tank so I can then hook up to the house and have heat. Of course, I have plenty of other stuff to do. Those are just the last two things I need to move in. Well, technically I need handrails on the deck but I can do that right after moving in. The insurance company only needs to see them when they come out to inspect the house. I did receive the very last of my shower tile that I had to reorder so I can finish that completely. Turns out I was able to order only what I needed, not a whole new box so that was very good. Lots more painting to do this weekend and maybe put up a couple of small, temporary kitchen counters. I also really need to go ahead and purchase my refrigerator and get it in the house. I am having another panic attack over that one. I would really like to have a side by side but I am supposed to be building a "green" house. Living a more sustainable life, you know, and side by sides use a good bit more energy than a regular fridge. Now, having a side by side might allow me enough storage in the freezer that I would not need another, smaller freezer which I had thought about purchasing. I would like to be able to put up some veggies from my garden and stuff like that. Of course, I have looked at the Energy Star side by sides but I know you can get even more efficient fridges. The real kicker is that the one that I found that I really, really, really like is a side by side and not even a Energy Star! But it only uses $8 a year more energy than Energy Star of equal size. If I buy it I'll feel like a hypocrite. Allen just rolls his eyes at me. Am I being too.........nutso?
Well, on other subjects, the photo shows some of the many rafter tails that I have had to cut in around. I love that detail but it is a pain in the butt to do. I did learn one trick to painting close to something like that though. I have several areas in the house where drywall butts up to wood or steel and it never seems to finish nice right on the edge. It's always got a ragged little crack and you just can't make a straight paint line there, or I can't anyway. So, what I learned to do was, after I had sanded the sheetrock as best I could, I ran a small bead of clear, siliconized acrylic caulk down this joint, making it very smooth. After the caulk dries (clear, it will be white before dry) you can cut in a very smooth paint line against the wood and if any caulk gets on the wood or steel, you don't see it.

Well, I am afraid I made a butthole comment on Florida Cracker's site about his little talking Christmas tree and my wanting to smack it with a stick. I hope I did not offend him; I was really just joking. I wouldn't really hurt it but those things like that kind of give me the willies. Oh well, sorry.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Back in the day, when I was remodeling our kitchen at our house in St. Louis, I'd heard about that business of using clear caulk. But a builder friend of mine told me not to since it would turn gray over time. That was more than 20 years ago, and maybe the chemistry in caulk has changed since then. Plus, my caulking would have been in eye-level places, whereas yours up by the beams wouldn't be.

Don't worry about the Florida Cracker. He can take it. Just watch out though. He can give as good as he gets!

Pablo
http://www.roundrockjournal.com

Jenn said...

Go with the regular fridge and get the small freezer. You won't regret this.

I left a secondary freezer at my place in Michigan when I moved to Arizona, and I can't believe how much I miss that thing!

I'm getting a new freezer for Xmas. Yay!

Anonymous said...

Have you had a side by side before? It's really hard to fit some things in there (most pizza boxes, etc) It may have more space than a standard freezer, but in my humble opinion, it's more difficult to dig that stuff out. I'd still like to give the Maytag Wide By Side a try if they still make them, but (sorry) I'm not terribly concerned about my "footprint" on the earth--until it relates to my January gas bill!

MamaHen said...

Hey Pablo! Well, caulk has improved recently and even the cheapest comes with a 30 year warranty against discoloration. However, that is still a valid point and partially the reason why I suggested a very thin bead.
I know FC is a good natured fellow; I just forget sometimes that I am not used to polite society. We play pretty rough at work and I forget sometimes that other people are not used to our type humor.

Hey Jenn! I am really leaning that direction now. I had that combo before and liked it. Congrats on your new freezer!

Hey Linda! No, I have never had a side by side and I think that is why I thought I should have one. It seems like a step up but now I'm not sure. They are so narrow. And I really just don't need something that big.

R.Powers said...

No,no,no. No offense taken, rather laughing out loud because everybody in my family except me says the same thing!

I wish I had gotten by here sooner to ease that worry.

Fagettaboutit!

:)