Camping... Inside

Our life, as KCA explains it to me, is much like camping. I cannot confirm this myself as I did not grow up camping, but like I've mentioned before, if this is what camping is like, I don't know that I'm interested. I'm kidding, but it's true that it takes a certain amount of patience, and a toughness that cannot be taught in any sort of exercise that involves pitching a fort in the backyard but moving inside when it's cold at night.

No, much like camping, there is no refuge from the state of our house. We wake up in the morning and it's freezing. We head to the future dining room where there is a couple of dusty chairs and a coffee table and KCA sits while I make eggs that seem to always go cold on the walk between the stove and the table. We eat them with plastic spoons, yes we don't have forks and have failed at all attempts to locate our silverware in the great abyss of our boxes. After spooning our scrambled eggs down, KCA washes our pan with cold water in the sink using a wash cloth. Then we head to our bedroom to get dressed in the cold and put on clothes that while appear to be clean, kind of feel dusty. Everything feels dusty, even the dogs.

We only have a few working lamps that don't provide nearly enough light within the dark paneled walls and thanks to the shortly arriving daylight savings it is dark when we wake up and dark by the time we get home. We have no heat... no internet... no television... and few of our belongings unpacked. When we are not at work or class, we are doing house projects. 

I don't say any of this to complain but only to serve as a reminder to myself in the future and to explain to you just explain exactly how hard this is.  Living in a house under construction to this extent must be similar to the expectations of parenting. Everyone tells you how hard it is, but until you do it.. you really have no idea. (so I've been told).

This process has been intresting for sure. It is definitely exciting, and rewarding, and yes it does fulfill every HGTV fantasy I've ever had- but it is definitely an abrupt lifestyle change.

The great part of this is also not only that we get to have a great house in the end, but KCA and I have realized that we really do work well together. Even more importantly, we have both been able to see the humor in this and as a result have had several moments that result in laughter and an even closer bond.

Our current bedroom/ future guest room:

(note the old bed sheets for curtains... chic)

(we're forced to share closet space for the first time)

Moving Day

Today was the big day...

We woke up at 6 and headed to the truck rental place. After picking up what KCA says was the hardest to drive14ft moving truck ever, we headed back to the house. Luckily our good friends the AC's were waiting at our apartment to help us. RR showed up shortly after to help too. Much to our disdain it managed to rain all day but went fairly quickly and smoothly... well after KCAs moving truck run in with our landlords tree. oops! It took us about 4 hours to pack up the truck, and my car to capacity. Then all 8 of us, including the two dogs of course, headed to unload at Sunkist.

(the moving truck)

After a rather sketchy drive full of  AC and I gasping as we drove behind KCA, AC, RR and Annie, watching the truck sway from side to side as if it were a boat about to capsize- we finally all made it to Sunkist. Then came the parking. It took KCA a good 20 minutes to park the truck as it rocked back and forth and we all hoped for the best. Once it was in place and the emergency break was on, it took us a good while to unload despite the fact that we decided to not unpack anything but our clothing and toiletries.

After deciding the living room would be most easily converted into a storage unit due to its location and the fact that it's the ONLY room without current construction, we began filling every square inch. EVERY SQUARE INCH.

(before)

(after)

(yep)

The rest of unpacking went smoothly, except for convincing KCA to leave the house to get dinner for everyone. No, it's not that we are all lazy, it was because we needed her to leave, despite her reluctance, so that I could do this...

after KCA finally left to go get Thai food (the hardest to get delivered to our new residence :] ) I set that up, well unlit (with the help of the ACs) When KCA and RR returned I proceeded to play and not really eat my Pad Thai while RR excused himself to go to the "bathroom" aka to light the candles. It was a bit damp from the rain all day and pretty windy so what would have been a few minutes turned into a while. In the midst of which KCA asked if someone should go check on RR, to which we all suavely, I'm sure responded with "he's fine!". Then of course there was the dog catastrophe that happened in the master bedroom which was the room with the window looking out to the yard that was full of the candles (above ^). While we were setting up, AC accidentally moved a bag of food from on top of a shelf to the floor not knowing there was food in it. This led to Annie consuming 4 slices of pizza and 6 slices of pumpkin bread. We were alerted to the scene when Dude, I'm assuming, tried to get in on the action. Upon the sounds of a dog fight we all got up and ran to the bedroom but after realizing KCA might see the glow from below if she came in the room I quickly picked up the empty food containers and encouraged her to go back and eat her dinner. RR finally got all 100 candles lit and texted me. I felt my pocket vibrate and headed for the bedroom. I was so nervous that I apparently yelled "Babe!" in a rather shakey fashion and sounded more like "Baaaaaabe". The ACs said that when KCA heard me she first whispered to them "uh oh that doesn't sound good". KCA then responded back to me by yelling "what?". I was also so nervous that I apparently missed that part and after a few seconds just yelled again, "Babe, come here there are racoons... a grip of them". Yes, I don't know why that's what came out, but it did. Apparently KCA headed to the back window but he ACs caught her and said "umm I think E is in the bedroom". She ran in to see the "racoons" and this is what happened.

don't worry.... she said yes.



Be Our Guest

In the future... not now... we're using the guest room now...

That's right, RR and I headed over to Sunkist yesterday afternoon and spent about 6 hours painting it to get ready for move-in day. Not much to report back in terms of the guest room but that it's painted, and much better than before. We weren't able to complete it, but it is livable, and clean which makes that the first place in our house that is either.

(after cleaning and primer)

(closet interior= yellow)

(Buddy, RR's dog, ended up covered in paint... whoops)

(final color... green... not the best lighting)

Reminiscences from a Kitchen (Marc's Blog)

A Guest Blogger?  I earned my Guest Blogging invite by spending 5 days in the kitchen. You do that, you get a guest blog invite. 

Eli has set a lofty writing standard for the Sunkist blog; so I will be striving for witty, erudite, pithy and insightful.   As I read what I write, it seems like blah blogging to me.  But I was invited.

Who is this Guest Blogger?  I am Marc, Dad of Kimberly (KCA).  Gretchen and I had discussed the possibility of my coming out to help get Sunkist ready for habitation, and when I saw the blog, I knew I was going. KCA and I agreed I would put in a full Mon-Fri stint, and I asked KCA to give me a list of what needed doing. 

So when we went over the first morning, prior to my tour, I was handed my list.

Polyurethane Vanity

Kitchen—clean, sanitize (Killz), spackle paint
Guest bedroom — clean spackle paint

Master bedroom — clean spackle paint

Den—remove paneling; clean spackle paint

Rehab carport structure

Mailbox support

Plus a couple of minor projects.

So I asked:  if I finish this today, what will I do tomorrow?

Ninety percent of my actual effort was focused on the kitchen, and the vanity got refinished.  Oh yes, I also “managed” the 2 contractors and the City and PG&E inspectors.  Got by with only 2 Home Depot trips plus one hardware store trip (to a part of town KCA told me not to go back to).  Plus replying to the 12 or so daily texts from KCA.

Overall, this is a serious project. Sunkist has a super view, and great potential, nice layout, good hardwood floor.  I like the plan.  It needs lots of work, but that’s what you can do when you are 30.  A good cleaning will really help.

My week felt similar to a week of backpacking alone. Instead of walking all day, I was cleaning, sanding, painting. The contractors were occasional fellow hikers.  I slept at Sunkist 3 nights, mattress on floor, no shower, with few working lights.  Breakfast and lunch were somewhat spartan and quick.

Ah, the kitchen, my kitchen (maybe there should be a small plaque on the wall commemorating my efforts?). How can painting a kitchen take most of a week?  Try 10 cabinet doors, 5 drawers, 8 shelves, and 3 old casement windows.  Took doors off, hardware off, drawers and shelves out.   It has been a very long time since this kitchen was really cleaned. My full routine included some wall and ceiling repair.  But the bulk of effort was on sanitizing (bleach and pine sol), sanding grime off when needed, a full coat of “Killz primer” (2+ gallons), and painting (1.5 gallons Behr Ultra White Semi Gloss Layex Enamel).  The cabinet interiors had been artistically sponge painted with black over white (a zebra look), making that “white white” hard to achieve.  This wasn’t craftsmanship; it was a germ and grime attack. 

I was very proud of my end product, and it was truly needed before move-in.     Was it full completion?  No, I could have used another ½ day to paint walls and put it all back together.   I finished aching and sore, very tired, but feeling like the old guy contributed.  It felt good. 

the best housewarming present ever...

So KCA's parents gave us the BEST housewarming present two people could ever ask for... her Dad. Yep, that's right, Marc volunteered to come and stay at Sunksit for a WEEK to help us with house projects. We really could not have asked for more. He worked like a dog (not one of our dogs.. they don't really do anything but lie on the couch... more like a K-9 unit) and without his help our kitchen would be far from livable. In addition, after working as hard as he did, I  invited him to be the first guest blogger and he made time to write a great blog. All we can say is...

Knocking things out... literally

It's funny to think that we'd ever be happy, let alone thrilled about walking into our house to find multiple walls knocked out. But, for the next few months, knocking things out literally means knocking things out metaphorically. Thus, it is good.

The first wall we noticed missing was the wall that seperates the kitchen and eventually-to-be dining room.

(view from dining)

(view from kitchen)

The second wall that has been taken down is the master bedroom wall. The wall was plaster so in order to replace the window they must build an entirely new interior wall. This means that our room might not be ready to live in immediately, but totally worth it for the view we will have once we have a larger window.

The third thing we noticed was the bathroom-if we can even call it that- as it is really just a hollow wooden shell of what used to be a bathroom. (I guess it's kind of emo in that regard)

We started some other demo on the kitchen... and worked on the kitchen floor for a good 8 hours. After 8 hours I can tell you it is obvious we will be the FIRST set of owners without an affinity for vinyl flooring. I think by the time we are done ripping it up we will have increased the floor to ceiling height by several inches.
Oh also, there is a really disgusting layer of adhesive under the last layer of vinyl flooring. It's pretty much the worst smell I have (maybe) ever smelled... and that's coming from someone who grew up in Los Angeles and spent a lot of time on the 5 freeway. This smell is not only bad, but strong and fumey smelling... yes even stronger than the markers they don't allow children in junior high to have because of "huffing". Side note: Speaking of markers, I have taken it upon myself to sharpie different mustaches on the construction masks for an added touch of elegance.

We also got our fridge delivered today. I never knew I could develop a deep love for an appliance, but it has happened. Stainless steel, french doors, bottom pull-out freezer. Ok, ok, I'll wipe the drool. But seriously... it's amazing.

Last but not least... the prisone... I mean dogs... have been very patient with us despite their confinement... We remind them frequently that this is all for them.

the demo begins...

We got the bathtub delivered today! It looks great. The guy who painted the outside said that he left it out in the sun to dry and that he couldn't keep people out of it, even with a SOLD sign on it. Kind of weird to think strangers have been in our bathtub before us, but glad to know we will have a bathtub so cool we could charge admission.

(dachshund not included)

In other good news, we finally got rid of the shed. This nice guy actually showed up and took it. Well, actually it didn't happen that quickly. He wanted to re-use it so he spent about 3 hours disassembling it using our drill that was never fully charged and a screw driver. Poor guy. But, our yard does look awesome now and about 3 times larger.

We spent the day ripping out a good portion of the paneling in the future dining room. It was quite the task. KCA and I decided that if we do something for Halloween this year, we think we will dress up as paneling.

We also started demo-ing the bathroom. Hopefully this means we will be getting a working bathroom in by the time we move in. *fingers crossed*

(KCA did that with her fist... no not really)

(soon to be gutted)

(old shower door in the old bathtub)

(gross shower)

(goodbye header)

(shower rot)

As if we weren't busy enough, we also decided on paint colors today. But you don't get to see those... yet.

The outside of the house should be getting painted this week. I will post pictures as soon as that happens. Goodbye ugly brown color, we won't miss you.