Florida Colors!

I am happy to be home again where everything in the house (except for Rick and me) is dead.  Those of you who have been following this blog will know exactly why I am saying that.  No rats, no cockroaches, no termites... nothing!  (Imagine me smiling.) Maybe I am just getting macabre here in Florida.  When I am really angry lately, I find myself killing off the vegetation in the back yard, but I guess that is a healthy outlet since the flora in our yard really needs attention.

Dining Room and Baker's Rack

The paint swatch and former air conditioner hole will be painted.

Note the wine classes hanging from the top!

We have worked the last two days on getting things settled.  On Friday we picked up our new, crazy dining room set and "baker's rack."  This also is called a "pie rack" because traditionally pies were cooled on wire racks like this.  However, if you look closely you will see that the chef must have a drinking problem because this rack holds six bottles of wine and we have 14 wine glasses hung from the top!

Rick working on north wall.

It IS a bit bright!

Rick working hard not to be blinded by the color!

South wall finished. 

North wall with black refrigerator.

South wall and east wall -- with stove.  I can cook again!

Rick also spent the last two days painting the kitchen ceiling and kitchen walls.  We decided on a lime-sherbet green, and as we finished, it seemed overwhelming.  I assured Rick that once we had white cupboards in it (about three years from now) and white appliances (the black refrigerator will be replaced someday), the green walls would become "background" and would be just fine.  I am enclosing lots of pictures to show you the progress and final -- although temporary -- results so far.  We still have to move the 2 x 4 temporary counter top holder and make-shift sink arrangement into the kitchen.  I cannot wait to be able to stand up and do the dishes! 

The counter top will be our project tomorrow after we finish taking down our dilapidated fence.  We started taking it down last week because we had to get it away from the house so the pest control people could tent the house.  The fence is a hazard.  Boards are missing, staples are rusty and sticking out every which way, and the posts are rotten on the bottom.  Our neighbors, who have two small children, are delighted that we are disposing of the fence.  We cut each section into four pieces and stack them on the curb. We knew it was really bad because the "magic curb" didn't even work on this junk!  Last week we got rid of the first four panels, and this week we hope to get rid of at least three more.  Then next week, we can do the final two sections.  If the neighbors will let us put some of the fence into  their garbage, we might be able to get it all out this week.  Public works are great here in Dunedin, but people have to guess at how much "extra" garbage they can put out to get taken with normal pick-up.  If homeowners put out too much, then the city will come and get it with a "claw" truck and add a charge to the homeowner's garbage collection bill.

Slowly Gladys is starting to turn into a very nice old house.  She has fought us numerous times, but she finally has settled down and seems to now cooperate as we are trying to doll her up into a wonderful home once again.  My friend Rose reminded me that we were trying to dress Gladys for the prom, but first we had to be sure that she was wearing clean underwear.  We think that the underwear (electricity, plumbing, HVAC, termite control, pest control) is now new and neat, so now we can start to add the more colorful, clean, outer layers.