Windows update

It's time to get some new windows! I am calling tomorrow to order 2 new bedroom and one bathroom window. We had the guy price everything out and it's only going to cost about $1500 for everything on the main floor, including the huge picture window! That one is only about $270, which really surprises me. The bathroom one costs about the same, but I think that's because of the privacy glass.
If you spend over $1500, you get a $500 tax credit on the Low E glass. Good ole Obama is throwing us a bone....or whatever.
We'll probably do the other bedroom (2) and dining room (4) towards the end of the summer. We just need to get our room done so we can open them in the hot weather. Right now they're stuck closed and have no screens.

The yard

Now that the kitchen is 99% done, we've moved outside. Thank goodness. We've had 23 days of no rain in the area, which means a great garden and a lot of watering. Those are three different varieties of tomatoes, of which I can't remember right now.

The poppies could actually use some water.

This is a rose that came with the house. Apparently it drove the old lady nuts. I'm not really sure why. I think it's a climbing rose, but it doesn't really look like it. It gets about 20 feet tall before the end of the summer. This is the first time I've seen a bud on it! I think it might bloom if I keep taking care of it. I'm pretty excited.
Here's our ugly sideyard. This is important because I just finished staining the fence...both sides. Our neighbors are lazy. They wonder why they have to pay for an exterminator to handle their rat problem. And that's why we have a fence.
The flower box is full of annuals. I ripped all the mums out to make room for geraniums, etc. Of course, this means it'll look ugly and bare this fall.
There's the garden! Look at all that lettuce and spinach. We can barely eat all that. It looked a little fuller before I ripped out the disappointing radishes. They grew up and not fat.
And here's one of my blueberry bushes, a little blurry. I can't believe we're getting fruit the first year! I spent a lot of time preparing the soil and now I water them like crazy. So hopefully the hard work is paying off.

That's it for now. We still have a lot of work to do. Right now, we're working on ordering a few new windows for the bedroom and bathroom. It's warm.

Cabinet jigs

We finally got the hardware knobs on all the doors. We had to drill two holes because one cabinet was the wrong size (so we got a new one) and Buddy broke one of the doors while we were installing the sink (so we got a new one).

This jig design is my genius idea. I'm so proud. It totally worked. Now we have ALL of the drawers to drill. We're going to the store to pick one up for a sample.

We still need the 2 pendant lights above the sink and we need to frame out the door. The trim pieces are going to be hard because they don't make them anywhere. We went to one place in Ballard, but they didn't have it. Next stop is Blackstock on Lower Queen Anne. They close at noon on Saturdays. So stupid.

Spring is here...finally

Spring is here and we've begun the transition from inside work to outside. Of course, we're still tinkering around with the kitchen. We still have to install the hardware, 2 pendant lights over the sink and re-frame out the door. All that stuff needs to be ordered, measured, just plain given some thought...which I don't have right now.

So here are some of the yard's highlights. There's still A LOT to do, like pour the back patio and so much weeding. The list is endless.

Hydrangeas

Tulip- late bloomer

Mess of a rose garden + a couple poppies

Rose, Bologna variety

The new climbing hydrangea + newly planted sweet peas

The herb pot (probably too soon)

New wind chimes above our window!

Lettuce barely breaks ground

Radishes, trying to survive the slugs, ants, squirrels

Spring invades the veggie garden

Blueberry bushes! Sweet peas in the background.

One of many clematises. (trying to hide the shed)

Another clematis, climbing home made trellis!

Cherry blossoms.

Cherry blossoms.

Geranium starts...amongst the hardy mums

Blueberries and a climber!

I don't have a picture yet (rolled my ankle on a rock and limped inside), but I planted two blueberry bushes and a climbing hydrangea this afternoon!

The picture to the left is a hydrangea, but mine will look a little different. Mostly because it's climbing a crappy old chain link fence. But you get the idea. My parents brought it as a gift on Easter. Good gift. They said there's practically took over the whole fence. I do remember, as a kid, that huge vine thing almost blocking the gate. Dad finally had to cut it down or risk losing the 4x4 posts. Anyway, I'm excited for that!

The blueberries might be okay for a few years, but I'm worried about what will happen when they reach the hard WA clay. I hope they survive. I dug huge holes and backfilled with peat moss and compost. I don't even care that much if I get berries. I just what a couple huge shrubs in the back yard.

Also, something is eating my radish leaves. Any ideas? I bought insect spray because I know we get ants back there. I thought I saw some whitefly buzzing around though.

My ankle hurts.

Backsplash is done

Check out the rest of the photos. There are some random ones thrown in there. Enjoy.



I painted a fake window with chalkboard paint. Now I need some chalk.



Now I have to seal all that tile. Ugh. Question is flat (so it stays the same as you see it now) or high gloss (really showing off the marble).

Getting closer...

This post won't have any pictures, because we finished up this weekend too late for the good light. But just imagine Fir floors under the new light. The grout is all crammed into the tile backsplash! Finally, there is a backsplash. So now we're looking at new hardware, pendants for above the sink, and filling nail holes. Oh, and we have to fix the door trim. That'll be a big, expensive job that starts at Dunn Lumber. We'll probably wait until after the trip to Espana.

Side note: I'm done with this crap. I've moved on to the yard. Of course, this is a fleeting afair with the sun that won't end well. Like all spring flings, I will be left in the dark and cold. Luckily, I got a lot done. 1/2 yard of compost spread in the terrace, rat traps placed behind the bricks, herbs planted, radishes are coming up, fushias and geraniums in the dirt, and dahlias in the ground. I'd say that's a lot for one weekend!