This too shall pass....

Taking a short break from the renovation works - mostly so I can sit down until the dizziness passes.

Seems my recent bout of earaches/dizzy fits were all related to a really severe infection in my left ear canal.  So severe that yesterday (Friday here) my G.P. (Doc) declared me a hands breadth away from being admitted to hospital for a week or more.

He then signed me off as "unfit for work for the rest of the day" (his appointment was at 11.30am - just across from my work - during my "early lunch break").  I then hurried off to the local hospitals' emergency ward so that proper tests could be done (my GP being unwilling to poke about too much in case he ruptured the ear drum).  3 hours of waiting later and the E.N.T (ears, nose & throat) specialist declared my infection to be both "fascinating" and "the worst she's seen in a long time".  And then proceeded to use the world's tiniest vacuum cleaner to suck out all the nasty greebles. After which I tottered home and slept for about 12 hours.

Today I am feeling better but still a bit unsteady in balance.  And I *am* taking it easy (sort of).

As for the renovation stuff - I am slowly pottering about - applying heat (from a hairdryer) to the nasty modern tile adhesive that is left on the wall - and then peeling/chipping it off with a chisel.  It's a bit physical and very VERY boring however I am a) not required to be up on a stepladder to do it and b) not having to rush to get it done [my levels of urgency are inversely related to how much my head spins if I try to hurry].

So I will keep chipping away at the nasty stuff until it's all clear.  At which point I will be at the point of 'painting walls' - which can occur tomorrow [since Cozzles will be here to do the bits requiring ladders]

Destructo Pax

Today I have been excelling in the old "rip-em-out" methodology of renovation.  De-tiling the old kitchen splashback.

I originally thought it would be a relatively easy job - after all, 50 year old tiles - surely they'd be a bit loose by now?

Turns out not to be the case. So armed with my newest tool...

Rotary Hammer Drill with Chisel tip

I have been gamely trying to detach the tiles from the walls and window ledge.

Seems that the bonding mixture they used to attach the tiles to the wall is more powerful that superglue.  So I am having a few problems of:-

a) the tiles turning to powder as I try to remove but not detaching from the wall, and
b) the cement wall being less robust than the tile bonder. Resulting in lumps of the wall coming away with the tiles et al.

Definitely going to be doing a lot of plaster/concrete patching when it's all done!

Just a bit more to do

I have stopped for the night (it's just after 6pm here) and no doubt my neighbours are excited at the lack of drilling noise.  More to finish tomorrow (post parental visit since I can't make noise before 10am on a Sunday* and the P's will be here for lunch and a bit beyond that. Plus it's a bit too dangerous - with flying tile shards - to do with them in the place)

Once the walls are de-tiled; replastered and painted - my new kitchen cabinets can be put into place.
So far we (Cozzles and I) have put together only two of the seven cabinets - waiting on the rest till there is a spot to install them all.

Cozzles - Queen of the Flatpacks - showing me how it's done :)

And now I'm off to have a nap.  All this hefting of major tools; destruction and saving the universe - takes it out of a Lady! :)


*I could make noise before 10am on a Sunday but I won't.  Seems such a rude thing to do with people trying to either sleep in or just off to church.

Tired Pax is Tired

Well it is the last day of my recreation leave today and I don't feel that I have achieved enough.

True I have the door varnishing almost conquered [the outside has been all sanded back with fine grade sandpaper and therefore only requires another coat or two to finish. The Inside is to be sanded today].  I am cranky that I still haven't been able to do the overlapped bits - due to the installer playing "Oh! Sorry! How about tomorrow?" with me for most of the week.  He has now said "Saturday PM! Definitely!" - which is all well and good that I might finally get the doors off the sliding rails to finish painting - but gives me no idea of when I can get them rehung [hopefully I can learn the trick to getting them on & off and can just get some strong-armed help Sunday night to rehang].

Oh and yes - I have organised the new living room floor installation.  Contract signed for wooden floor boards to cover the floor area - and installation for sometime in October.

Still dithering over floor tiles for the hall, kitchen & balcony but I'm getting closer to a choice on that.  I need to purchase those in bulk and store them for now as I will be (eventually) learning how to tile from my Dad (with the balcony as the "learning zone").  The Hall is also an easy area to do. 

The Kitchen... sigh... that's a whole 'nother drama there that I will close my eyes to, cover my ears with my hands and loudly sing "La La La" till it magically goes away.  [but if any of my blogging friends know anything about re-planning kitchen space so that there is room for a table? - please contact me!]

Now if only I had another week of leave - I might actually find time to do that whole "relaxing" thing (or not... Pax's in a natural state of rest tend to devour books, donuts and annoy the cat by hogging the couch)

In other news - I think I will extend the drawing of the woolen hat to early next week.  So you have another few days to enter (or if you are on the Navy vs. Marine all-in-brawling teams - you have time to add a few more amusing exchanges)

Now excuse me as I go to once more apply varnish - wait for it to dry - sand it back - and then do a final coat. 

My Life - So Darn Exciting!

Pax posts out

It's post day today - as in snail-mail going-off-to-my-troops post

It's been a low news week for me (no adventures with chain-saws or nail guns to write about; and whilst the dentist trip was $$ it was mostly dull) so this weeks' post are cards and postcards.

Hopefully colourful enough that they will bring a smile to the faces of everyone that encounters them on their journey

Oh and for those that collect stamps - the latest International one is this very cute koala

So Australian theme all the way - hope it lets them know that they are cared about!

Pax's Renovations - Redux

So there I am - working away at the removal of the built in bookshelves when the blade of my Jigsaw gives a funny little lurch and then dislodges itself (no damage done to myself  since the blade stayed lodged in the soft pine board I was attempting to cut)

After I carefully unplugged the machine from the power board (see! Pax has absorbed *some* safety rules over the years!) I discovered that the locking nut that holds the blade guide roller in place is no longer there, and the guide roller and it's pin are now separated from the machine in a sad, forlorn little heap.  A check of the floor all about has failed to find the nut :(  [however knowing my klutzy luck I may end up standing on it the moment I pull my shoes off!]

Webmail has been sent to the manufacturing company (Ozito) - and if I fail to hear from them in a few days I will take the machine back to the Store for a "please explain how this is possible" discussion.  Cause.. you know... locking nut... aren't they supposed to ... umm... Lock??

So no doubt to my Neighbours relief, I will be unable to do any more work for at least a week.

However this is where I am currently up too - and as it's enough to give full access to the area where the new patio doors are supposed to attach I'm okay with that.

Guess where the Liquid nail glue was attached!  Good thing it had
adhered to the paint layer only. Repainting I can do.

Next step (non-power tooled) will be to expose the old Doorway's framework so that I can get accurate measurements when the Carpenter comes a-quoting. It's a 320cmW x 204cmH gap so hoping that the old framework is suitable or that if it's not, then removal & replacement is part of the work quote.

And for those asking about the DVD collection - well what remains of it (after the ex took what he considered his share) is in the part of the bookcase that I plan to keep (at least for now).  Sadly it will have to come out before I can re floor the lounge room but that may be 6 or more months down the track.

Pax'n tools

I shall have to admit that I'm not a natural with power tools - frankly they scare me :(

So when I say I am trying to persevere with the removal of some inbuilt bench tops & shelves I really mean I am trying not to run away from the task - crying like a little girl.

I have one friend who delights in telling me (whenever I mention I've gone off to the hardware store for more things) that I'll "One day make a great '(girl) husband' for some guy".  Yeah.. what I wouldn't give for the right guy to be here holding my hand and leading the way on the project

However you (and you know who I mean - don't cha Charlie?) who worry about my safety habits should not fear.  I have gloves, eye protection and breathing masks - and I may even get around to wearing all three at once sometime :D

**Edited to add... why yes - yes I *am* using a jigsaw to cut through the bench tops.  And no - I still have not quite worked out that whole "cut in a straight line" thing.  I am so much better with hand saws (so long as I remember NOT to try catching them in midair when dropped by accident)

**Re-edited to add..... Rage can be a wonderful substitute for skill!

Before...



Currently

Mmm... comfy Pax!

Day off today as I had to be home to take delivery of my uber-comfy new mattress (pillow topped one - mmmm... take THAT Mr Insomnia!)

And since I had to be home anyway I have arranged for the 1800-Got-Junk crowd to pop over later today to pick up the old mattress and a few bits and "pieces" (the pieces being two chipboard cupboards that I took massive delight in taking the BIG Hammer to - mmm... stress relief through violence - who'd have thought it! Bwhahaha!).  I'm also going to ask how much more it will cost if they take the metal 3-drawer file cabinet too [tried to give that away but no takers :( ]

Oh and since I am home - and the computer connection is actually working (grumble.. mutter... stupid local telco and their constant "maintenance on hub" work.. grumps) I have managed to organise some more "Cup of Joe" vouchers to go out to the troops downrange  [I love the idea of caffeinating them all up and setting them loose - heh heh heh]

So soon I shall be "Organised Pax" and have to find more things to amuse me (*looks up at the peanut gallery - gives angelic smile*)

Pax the Plumber (?)

Last weekend saw some urgently required home renovations occuring here in Villa-de-Pax.

How desperate I hear you ask?  well.. the water gushing from the rusted-out pipe on to the laundry floor made it a somewhat urgent "better fix me fast" project

Luckily I am armed with a Handy-Dandy DIY Dad, and once we managed to unscrew the 40+ year old solid metal pipe from under the laundry tubs we were (sort of) in business.

it's like alien microbes have had a happy munch attack!

One quick-ish trip to the Local hardware store later and we were in possession of a new plastic sink trap and a few other bits and pieces (Dad had raided his store of plastic plumber bits so we didn't need to spend too much $$ thankfully)

And as you can see from the above pics the other two downpipes are in need of some TLC too.  So following Dad's rather precise written instructions, I have applied Rust converter to the affected bits and will paint on Metal Primer to the exposed pipe bits (and that rather nasty looking grill there) on the weekend.  After that it's a few coats of gloss paint for metal, and some flat paint on the concrete drain bit and it will look all sparkly.

All achieved without any bodily injuries* GO ME!

*I'm not sure where my Dad got the idea that I was a DIY Klutz - I mean... one little incident with a dropped saw and my trying to catch it mid-air [cause I didn't want it damaged by hitting the ground] and the man seems to think I'm a walking disaster just waiting to occur - how unfair is that!.  It's not like my fingers didn't recover or anything!

Pax impressed(?)

http://marionsmeepings.blogspot.com/2010/06/pax-impressed.html

So I've heard from one of my adopted guys - seems like a nice normal enough soldiery sort right up to the point where I watched the videos of him on facebook experiencing tasering and mace as part of his training**

HOLY SHEEP!,* BATMAN!

And in both the vids he's like super cool. shrugs it all off... very smooth.   (yes yes we all know that at that point I'd be blubbering like a girlie but if I can't use my girlie points for something - what use would they be?)

So having managed to acquire Mr Extreme as an Adoptee how the heck am I going to be able to keep him amused with "Pax is a Klutz" tales in my weekly letters?  The Poor lad is going to be bored witless.

Sigh... maybe I should just start juggling chain-saws - there's got to be an amusing story or two I can dictate to someone with fingers afterwards.

**Looks at the CI & Momma sorts to ask - so do all law-enforcement types have to be on the receiving end of that to "know what it feels like"?

*yes yes you all know the word I really wanted to use there but that's Baaaaa-d language :D