A Summer List

After searching for a summer job, enjoying several summer vacations, sleeping in and taking a lot of naps; I grabbed a yellow pad of paper and began making a list of what my dreams of filling my remaining summer hours should be. The list consisted of:

• Participate in a long distance race
• Participate in some sort of a bike ride (perhaps the Ulcer)
  
• Redo our Kitchen (Paint and modify a little)
• Go to the Zoo

The list stopped here as I looked into our kitchen and thought it was actually a do-able task. It wasn't more than a week later that I had pulled all the cabinet doors off, stacked all the contents of the cupboards onto the dining table and had paint samples lying on the floor counters, and against walls. Internet websites were frequented on the best way to repaint wood stained cabinets to fresh new colors and opinions requested of visitors. Once the plan was developed, the paint purchased and sanding accomplished, Leslee (Steve's sister) came to help with the primer and painting. After a few days with all three of us painting, we were finished and putting the cabinets back on. The only big mistake that was made in the project was our first location in painting the cabinet doors. Laid out under a pollinating tree in our "back yard". It only took one night before the doors were brought indoors after a first paint with leaves and seeds imprinted all throughout. Always paint indoor things indoors.

And as for the list...I have also been to the zoo.

Independent In-Sink Erator

About a month ago our dishwasher stopped draining. We did our best to find the problem as we dug around in the stagnant water pooling at the bottom of the Dishwasher. With no solution we called a plumber and were told we would have to wait for three weeks. By this time the sink with the garbage disposal had begun to leak more than usual. As I tried to slip a bucket under the leak, the whole corroded disposal dislodged and made the sink completely useless. Steve and I in our inexperience were at a loss. So we stopped using both the sink and dishwasher and waited for the plumber while washing everything out of one sink. Finally, after several missed appointments, the plumber showed. He pointed a flashlight under the sink and said he needed to replace the entire disposal and $280 later we would be working again. This really could be counted as an expense in owning a home but seemed a little too much if Steve and I were going to enjoy any more of the summer. The plumber moved on to another job encouraging me to not take on the job myself unless I really thought my husband was "that kinda guy". I in turn moved on to Home Depot to pick up a $90 disposal and hope we had the tools to put the little guy in. Three hours later we were grinding everything we could find in the kitchen with huge grins on our faces. Steve and I, with a huge help from all the tools given at his tool shower and new tub of plumber putty, were plenty proud of ourselves for saving a little money and for becoming a little more self sufficient. The Dishwasher proved a little more difficult but when the plumber still didn't return to fix this problem, Steve shoved a hanger down the little drain tube and it suddenly started draining. May everyone else enjoy the ability to fix their problems as easily.