Blogger vs Wordpress

I have several blogs I run and I've become accustomed to the Wordpress blog formats.

So I have copied this one over there temporarily to test it.  If I decide to keep the wordpress blog I'll make a note, put pointers up to there, and make sure the links are good on all the sites that point to this one.

Right now, we have very few visitors because, frankly no one wants to read the junk I'm posting about sailing away right now.  Later on, you'll be sorry when you want to do it and have to buy a book I've written to get the same information (/grin).

Really though, I'm still experimenting with this stuff and haven't gotten the best set up for it all yet, thus the experimentation.  JoAnne hasn't started blogging yet so, it's not a big deal for her yet, I don't think.  I'll be checking with her later though.

The format and getting a blog posted and looked at under Google's blogger isn't too bad, but I like Wordpress better.  I also have issues with Google, they are personal and I won't go into details here, but suffice it to say I don't like how they use our private and personal data among other things. 

I'll get back and post more later.

More doors....

I installed all the upstairs doors today (except the linen closet) - so five more doors.  Two bathroom, two bedroom and the front room closet.

The last bedroom door took me all of about 10 minutes.  I guess I got better at putting them in.

Now I have to paint all the trim - not today, ack, I'm sore.  Tomorrow probably and install that around the doors.  I'll stop and get my trim nails and most of the baseboard material tomorrow on the way home from work and then start painting as much as I can.

Should take me about 30-60 minutes per door frame - so about 9 doors right now.  I haven't started the other closets yet so - a few more after that.  Should take me about 3-5 more days to get all the doors accomplished.  I have to cut some dry wall and patch the linen closet (they had a regular door on it and we're replacing all the closet doors with the same type, bi-fold 6 panel doors).

Also installed all the new hardware on the doors, door knobs etc.

Installed some light fixtures today as well.

The trash company is sorely upset with us.... we have been putting out significantly more trash than normal and they called to complain. :)  I told them last week was the "last week".  I think I lied to them.  I'll give them a break and then fill up as much as I can again.  I'm going to have to load the carpet in the truck though and take it to the dump.  I don't want to mess with that crap again.

If I EVER have another house (unlikely at this point) I will NEVER put carpet in it.  Carpet is nasty, gross and collects every piece of dander, dirt, dust, cat and dog hair and who knows what kind of living critters are down in there.  Yuk!

Left to do...

Door trim.  Floor trim.  Paint touchup in some of the rooms, patching in a basement bedroom, some more light fixtures, install sink, vanity and toilet in the downstairs bathroom, install all the rest of the closet doors, repair the upstairs bathroom, repair the master bedroom window drywall, replace all the plugs, switches and covers and clean the yards up.

End of April, or first week of May I ought to be mostly completely.

Last thing is get rid of all the junk we collected into one place in the basement.  Garage sale I guess.

Doors, levels and wedges, oh my!

I have managed to hang one door in the house.  The carpenter that was working on the basement showed me how (I've hung doors before, but they were heavy wooden doors and not these lighter hollow core doors, so I figured it would be immensely easier).  Watching the carpenter I saw just how simple it was.

Then I tried it on my own a few days later.

Apparently I missed a step or something.  What took him less than three minutes took me four hours and eighteen minutes, five splinters, two smashed thumbs and I went through something like 15 shims (little wedges you use to level the door vertically and horizontally) - the carpenter used probably 8 or 9 at most.  The door is hanging straight... but the nearly 1" thick hardwood flooring that was installed made it difficult to get the door swinging correctly with the carpet.

I had to remove the bottom 1/4" of the door.

I'll have to go find a wood plane in my tools to make THAT part right again.

On the bright side I only have about four more of those doors to hang.  The next couple shouldn't be as difficult and the last one ought to be perfect.

Then there's the twelve closet doors in the house (double doors in five bed rooms, front room closet and the linen closet....) - I hope they are simpler... ack.

Winds of Change is sold

Our little 25' Macgregor Venture sold a couple weeks back. She went to a new owner who has similar plans as us, to learn to sail and eventually get on a bigger boat in the isalnds.  We wish him all the best and Fair Winds.

Phew!

Rebuilding a house from the inside out is, I suppose not unlike rebuilding a boat from the keel up.  Either way you start with what's left of the hulk and replace every plank and joint until you're left with a brand new vessel (or house) withe sameq name (or address). 

Over the past few weeks nearly everything in the house has been removed, replaced or rebuilt.  I'm about to start hanging new doors tomorrow evening after work.

JoAnne, Kristy and Carlos painted most of the rooms while I prepped, painted ceilings, sanded patches in drywall, removed electrical covers and carpets.  New hardwood flooring is installed, newer appliances in the kitchen, plumbing for the rebuilt basement bathroom, new tile in the rec room and JoAnne's now former office has become a fifth bedroom. The outside was painted in the fall and a new roof went up in September.  As of 1 March new windows have been installed as well.

We are gambling on a fast sell soon... and with a little luck will be on the market in May.

The Trade winds are calling!

As soon as we sell we'll pick our retirement date and give notice at our jobs.

Caribbean, here we come!