Daughter’s Moving Day: Just Days Away!

After many months of work, Daughter’s move into her modular home on our property is finally imminent! 

When the house was trucked in and assembled in June,  there was still a list of things that had to be completed, and inspections we had to pass to make sure plumbing/septic system, electrical, and mechanical (heat & A/C) were all up to county codes.  

The  last required item on the list before she could move in was steps for the front and back doors.  The steps could be as simple or elaborate as we wanted, as long as they were  built to county safety code specifications.

We opted to have a 10 ft. x 16 ft. porch built on the front of the house.

The back door opens into the laundry/mudroom and since this is primarily a utility entrance, we chose to have just a  landing with one set of steps going toward the barns, and one set of steps  down to what will eventually be a covered carport/parking area.

 

Both the front and back door  steps passed code inspection this week and we have finally been granted a “Certificate of Occupancy.”  The Certificate of Occupancy was the “golden ticket” we have been working toward.  Without it, the  electric company would  not turn on the power.  Hopefully,  the power will be on TODAY and getting Daughter moved in  can commence!  YEAH!

Obviously, we still need to finish the siding, bringing  it down to ground level  to enclose all that open space underneath the house, but having the siding finished  was not required to obtain the Certificate of Occupancy so it is a project that is on the “To Do” list (as well as painting or staining the handrails and spindles, the covered parking area, landscaping, grass etc.).

Daughter is taking some of her riding students to participate in an out-of-town  horse show this weekend so if the electricity does, indeed, get turned on, I’ll probably spend some time over the next day or two cleaning up the construction dust, vacuuming the carpet, mopping the tile etc., for her so she can start moving in the first of next week.  I know she’s anxious to get into her very first home.

More Laundry Room Progress

Waaaay back in May, I posted some photos of new storage cabinets we installed in the ginormous laundry room at the house in Hooterville and said I anticipated having the third wall of cabinets done and ready to share “within the next few weeks.”

Sheeesh!  What I SHOULD have said was “within the next few MONTHS”! 

How did I forget that since buying the house/farm last October, it seems like we have at least 2 dozen projects in the works at any given time?   “Urgent Need”  seems to play a big part in which projects get completed, and which ones drag on and on.  Invariably, if we start one thing, something else pops up that ends up having a higher priority level.  The laundry room is one of those projects that keeps getting neglected for other things.

You can see the initial phase of the laundry room here.

This is the “before” photo of the 3rd wall I wanted to put cabinets on. 

When the cabinets were installed, we were left with the hot water heater sandwiched in the corner so the next dilemma became how to conceal it but still leave it easily accessible if it should require temperature adjustment, repairs or replacement.

The partial “wall” in the photo below got me thinking about how we could create something similar to hide the hot water heater.  (Don’t you love this laundry area?)

 photo source:  Ballard Designs catalog

After walking around the home improvement store looking at possibilities, my hubby and I decided…

2 hollow core doors…

turned at right angles to each other and slid between the cabinet and a 2 x 4 mounted to the wall provided an easy and inexpensive solution.

 

Just a couple of screws (covered with plastic caps) hold the doors together and in the event we need to get to the hot water heater, we simply remove the caps and screws, and slide each lightweight door out. 

The cabinet to the left of the hot water heater enclosure is free-standing so it can also be pulled out of the way if an even  larger space is needed to  access  the hot water heater.

The guy who is doing my kitchen remodel had a piece of  black and gray laminate left over from his own laundry room that I really liked so he used it for the countertop here in my laundry room (and gave me a great deal on it).

There is still quite a bit of work to be done here…

 

but I’m happy with the progress so far!

Sad, Mad & and Just Plain Sick

UPDATE:  I contacted the furniture store where I purchased the sofa and unfortunately, I do not have good news.  I will try to post a more detailed update early next week.

In the meantime, I would recommend any of my Florida readers who might be shopping for furniture AVOID the following :

Matter Brothers Furniture, Ft. Myers, Naples, Pinellas Park and Tarpon Springs, Florida

and any  furniture manufactured by

Capris Furniture, Ocala, Florida.

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Remember my NEW slip  covered sofa?

It was time to wash the slip cover and since it was the first washing, I was very careful.  I washed it in cold water, air dried it until it was just damp, put it back on and…

UH OH!

IT SHRUNK!

A lot.

It’s now about 4 inches too short to Velcro closed in the back.

It seems to have shrunk the most horizontally.  It reminds me of a lady wearing a dress that’s at least 2 sizes too small. 

Stretched to the max and the back corner pleats don’t even fall at the corners anymore.

 

Not good.

Not good at all.

I’m sad, mad and just plain sick over this. 

Good-bye Summer

Labor Day weekend.  It’s sort of the unofficial end of summer.  How can summer be almost over already when it seems like it's barely begun?

   

Saying good-bye to summer always puts me in a bit of a melancholy mood.  Summer is my favorite season.  In a perfect world, I’d be living in a cute little beach cottage and it would be summer all year long.

 

But, as the old saying goes, “All good things must come to an end.”

 

Good-bye Summer.   ::sniff sniff::

Kitchen Remodel: Phase I

My new kitchen appliances have arrived and a few days ago, I met with my kitchen remodeler to finalize plans for the kitchen renovation at the house in Hooterville. 

The existing kitchen will be completely gutted.  Besides being really  ugly and ORANGE,  it’s  very poorly constructed.  

Obviously this was a DIY project by a very inexperienced DIY-er.

I also wanted some of the appliances relocated because the kitchen just doesn’t function well with the current configuration.

The kitchen renovation planning process has been very difficult for me.   Although I feel comfortable with the cabinet guy I selected to do the renovation, he and the others I consulted about the job basically relied on me to tell them what I wanted rather than them using their experience to come up with a plan.  It was a  task I have not felt completely comfortable or qualified to take on.   In my current house, we’ve done a couple cosmetic makeovers through the years which included re-facing the existing cabinets and installing new countertops but  planning a complete cabinet rip-out with some redesigning elements thrown in  has been a bit daunting.   When it’s all said and done, I hope I got it right.  Even now, as I look at the diagrams of the proposed changes while I write this post, I’m second-guessing some of my decisions.

So here’s the plan:

That hideous home-made  light over the island and the ceiling beams are DEFINITELY coming down.  The beams make the 8 ft. ceiling look and feel  much lower.  The refrigerator will be relocated to another wall.  The main traffic flow through the kitchen is right along the sink wall and when the refrigerator or freezer door is open, there is not enough room to get around it.

 

The new upper cabinets going on the wall in the photo above will be shifted to the right and will include a built-in wall oven, as shown below.

 

The stove and microwave will no longer be on this wall.  The refrigerator will be relocated to the left of the current stove, as depicted in the diagram below.   In this new location, the refrigerator will be  right by  another doorway… the doorway to  the formal dining room.  However,  I don’t anticipate the formal dining room being used much except maybe  at the holidays, so traffic flow through that doorway will be minimal.  

The diagrams show an island but after much deliberation, I have decided to eliminate it.  Later on, I might try adding  a small free-standing island but after working around the island in the existing kitchen, I’ve come to the conclusion that an island is just not very workable or practical  in a kitchen of this size and layout.

A smooth cook top will be inserted into the counter top on the family room side of the kitchen and a short wall (not shown in the drawing) will be built on the back side of this bank of cabinets to divide it from the family room.  It will extend approximately four inches above the countertop to create a backsplash which will prevent cooking spills and splatters from migrating over into the family room.   There will be pull-out drawers underneath the cook top for pots and pans.  The corner bottom cabinet will have a lazy Susan/carousel to maximize every inch of storage space in that deep corner.

 

In the diagram below you can see there is a pantry  sketched in where the refrigerator was originally located.  However, in the final kitchen plans, I  asked that the pantry be moved to the right side of the dishwasher, which will give me more counter space to the left of the sink. 

The cabinets will be white with raised panel doors.

The countertops will be LG Hi-Macs solid surface in a mottled dark charcoal gray and black color called “Graphite Granite” (G103).

I haven’t decided 100% on a backsplash material yet.   I am leaning heavily toward using the Graham & Brown Super Fresco paintable bead board wallpaper that everyone across Blogland has been using and loving, including me.  I used it here, here and here  (see note at end of post).  However,  I’m also considering white subway tiles.

The flooring will be the same laminate I have in the foyer, sun porch and breakfast room at the house in Hooterville …

Columbia Cachet Clic in Carmelized Claro Walnut.

Tear out of the existing cabinets and installation of the new ones will begin in 3 to 5 weeks.

**Note regarding the Graham & Brown Super Fresco bead board wallpaper:  

I just realized  HomeDepot.com does not appear to be carrying this bead board wallpaper anymore!  I did find it can still be ordered through Rhoda’s Open Sky shop but it says stock is low so if you’ve been **thinking** about trying it, I wouldn’t wait any longer.  I hope it hasn’t been discontinued by the company!  Horrors!

The Samsung Washer/Dryer From hhgregg Ordeal

Ordeal:  NOUN

1. A difficult or painful experience, especially one that severely tests character or endurance.

2.  A severe or trying experience.

******************

You might remember I posted a rant in April about my new Samsung front loading washer that wasn’t even 90 days old when it  started repeatedly shutting down in mid-cycle and giving an error code. 

Here’s a condensed (but still rather long) version of the difficult, painful, and trying experience the retailer where I bought the washer (and matching dryer), hhgregg,  put me through for four months.

Essentially, hhgregg was absolutely NO help when the machine started to malfunction.   Since their ridiculous 2 week return period had passed, they would not exchange the washer so I had two service calls through the service contract with hhgregg, and Samsung sent repairmen out on two other occasions.    After 4 service calls in less than 4 weeks, I was fed up. 

FORTUNATELY, I had put the washer/dryer purchase on a credit card so I decided to open a dispute with the credit card company.  Per their instructions, I sent them a long, detailed letter explaining the problem I was having with the washer, specific dates and details of the conversations I had with hhgregg and Samsung representatives, and I included documentation of the service calls. 

About 5 weeks later, I received a phone message from a representative in the hhgregg home office in Indiana.  I immediately returned her call but got her voicemail so I left my name and phone number.  When I didn’t hear back from her after 2 days, I called her again.  She claimed she “could not find (my) file”  and appeared chagrined that she had absolutely “no recall” of why she had called me.

At the time, I did think it was a little odd that she couldn’t find my file but, nevertheless, I had a lengthy discussion with her regarding the continuous problems I  had with the washing machine.  I told her I was quite upset with the lack of concern and customer service I received from hhgregg.  I also told her she was the first and only person from hhgregg to contact me and I was completely disgusted that her contact came only AFTER I had opened a payment dispute with the credit card company.  Too little, too late!

 

She seemed empathetic, acknowledged she would be upset too, and said she planned to follow up to see why the sales manager and general manager of the local hhgregg store had never called me back as promised.

The very next day after that conversation with the hhgregg representative, I got a letter from the credit card company indicating I had LOST the dispute.  The reason:   someone from  hhgregg (likely the same woman I had just talked to the day before) had written the credit card company a letter stating they had “TRIED” to reach me and I never responded!

But get this:  The credit card company sent me a copy of the hhgregg letter claiming  I didn’t respond and it was dated ONE FULL WEEK BEFORE I ever got the call from the hhgregg representative!

Can you believe a  company would stoop to such unscrupulous behavior?!

In retrospect, I now fully believe  the hhgregg representative I spoke with knew full well that she, or someone else with hhgregg had already falsely reported to the credit card company that they could not reach me and her so-called inability to locate my file  was probably a convenient way to feign ignorance in an attempt to avoid telling me.

After all the documentation I had provided to the credit card company, I was absolutely livid that hhgregg won the dispute by simply claiming they could not reach me!  How was that right?  I thought, so much for my consumer rights and the protection paying by credit card was suppose to afford me!

I fired off another detailed letter to the credit card company, informing them of the blatant inaccuracy of hhgregg’s letter.  The credit card company  reopened my dispute, which I ultimately  won and they subsequently removed all charges associated with the washer from my credit card account. 

After I won the dispute, hhgregg sure had no problem reaching me about picking up the washer  but,  surprise, surprise…they  didn’t want to take back the dryer. 

The credit card company had already told me if hhgregg wouldn’t take the dryer back voluntarily and issue a credit, I could open another dispute since I had purchased the washer/dryer as a matching set.   So when the same hhgregg representative in Indiana who couldn’t find my file  started trying to jerk my chain about the dryer, I was prepared for another fight!

Mad as a wet hornet, I decided to go over her head and I got someone else from hhgregg corporate headquarters who agreed to have the  dryer picked up  too since I had won the washer dispute.

I learned two very valuable lessons from this ordeal and I want to pass them on to you.

#1.  Choose your retailer carefully.  Remember my experience if you are ever inclined to do business with hhgregg.  Frankly, I feel like I have been to consumer’s hell and back after dealing with hhgregg.  I will NEVER buy anything from them again. 

NEVER. EVER. AGAIN.

#2.  Even if you have the money to pay cash, always place a major purchase (like appliances) on a credit card until you are sure you didn’t buy a lemon.   No one likes credit card debt, including me, and in fact, right before  the washer started malfunctioning, I was planning to pay off the credit card when the next statement came.    Boy, am I ever glad I hadn’t done it yet!   In the end, opening and winning the credit card dispute for the washer was my ONLY recourse in getting hhgregg to take the washer/dryer back.

I just purchased  a new washer and dryer from Lowe’s.  I also bought a refrigerator, dishwasher, electric cook top and wall oven from Lowe’s for the kitchen remodel we are about to start at the house in Hooterville. 

That was a $7,000 sale that COULD have belonged to hhgregg… IF they had treated me right.

And yes, you can bet your bottom dollar these new appliances from Lowe’s are on a 12 month/0% interest Lowe’s credit card until I make sure I didn’t end up with a lemon in this bunch.

LIRA

The first foal born at our farm, Lira, is now 3 months old.  I thought you might like to see some updated photos of how absolutely adorable she is. 

She’s just the sweetest,  friendliest, most affectionate thing.  She’s really curious and smart too.  (Do I sound like a proud “grandma”?)

We are also amazed how HUGE she is for only 3 months old. My daughter is 5 feet 7 inches  tall so you can really get a good perspective of how big Lira is compared to my daughter. 

 

If  Lira keeps growing at this rate, it’s possible she could get as big as her mom, Jolie, who is part draft horse.

 

Look at that sweet face!

I might be a tiny bit prejudiced but I think she’s just so darn cute I could squeeze her to pieces!!!!!