Time for a Breather

Whew! I'm hot a sweaty and developing a headache. But that's not really a complaint, although I know it sounds like one. I got up this morning and put 2 coats of the sealer on the ceramic floor in the small bathroom. It looks good. I'll do some pictures when I can get back in there to show before and after. It's remarkable how much better it looks. I have to wait till this evening before walking on it, then I'll do the same with the larger bathroom tomorrow.

After I got that done I realized that today was fairly cool, so I could do something outside if I needed to. The job I chose was not one preparing the house to sell but just one that I wanted to do. There has been a doggie door on our deck, leading to the yard, since it was built, some 25+ years ago. But Glenn, my late husband, decided at some point about 10 years ago that he didn't want to use it any longer and he made this contraption to work with one of the storm doors that was a pain in the neck. Since I wasn't here during the days and he was in charge of the dogs, I just shrugged my shoulders, raised my eyebrows and let it be. Oh, OK, I probably rolled my eyes, too. Alright, already! Yes, I sighed, too. Sheesh.

Anyhoo . . . while we were painting the house a few weeks ago, my brother took the contraption down. I didn't want to put it back up since I didn't like it anyway. But this meant that I had to walk out with the dogs and open doors for them. I realize this gives away my secret of being very lazy. Well, a couple weeks ago I looked the the old doggy door and found that the little steps he had built for them had simply begun to fall apart. They weren't safe. I'm guessing that Glenn knew that but didn't think he could repair or replace them, and he didn't want to admit this to me. I've been thinking how to fix them, and I finally decided that I could use some scrap lumber to build a simple little platform for the dogs to step out onto, then a board as a ramp for them to walk down rather than trying to build steps.

So I gathered all my tools and supplies, and got it done today. I put a little safety rail on the open side to help Mai Lin since she is almost blind now. I was worried about her falling off the edge. I also put down several strips of that non-skid tape like the put on stairs so that my babies wouldn't go sliding down the slick board. Oh, it doesn't look like a professional job. In fact it looks like a 10 year old built it! But it is very sturdy and I think safe. As soon as I finished it, Ali came over, trotted up the ramp and onto the deck! Yay! After invitation, China did the same. With Mai Lin it took quite a bit of encouragement, but she did it. She doesn't like the floppy door, so I may have to make some sort of adjustment if she doesn't accept in within a few days. But life will be easier for me and for them, too.

And I did all this with only one small wound. I dropped the hammer on my left hand. I know that sounds strange, and I'm not sure how I did it. It landed between the thumb and the forefinger, smacking pretty hard on the bone of the finger. It isn't bruised yet, but I'll bet it will be tomorrow. Except for that and the headache (induced by heat, humidity and exertion), I'm OK. I even used a power saw without any damage! Maybe I will survive as a single woman after all!!

I forgot to say in yesterday's post that I used a bottle of Old English Furniture Oil on the wainscoting in the dining room and the matching wood above the mantle of the fireplace in the living room. I also did all the miscellaneous woodwork such as doors, window sills, etc. I missed a couple that I will get to soon, but everything looks wonderful. And
it smells so good, too. I'm going to have to buy several bottles to finish the rest of the house. BTW, I found a really easy to do the large areas, doors, wainscoting and the mantle. I used a dry cloth on the Swifter, poured the oil onto it and went to work! Works like a dream!

Alright, time to get back to work while the energy is still present. It comes and goes far too quickly to allow myself to waste it sitting here when it is still with me! ;-)



PS - I just downloaded the pictures I took at the zoo in Wichita last weekend.

Isn't this the greatest picture?