EEEWWWWWWW........

I am icky, slimey, dirty!!! Been cleaning in the garage all day...yuk. But I got the work bench apart, bottom shelves/legs seperated in half, and one half disassembled and the other slid down out of the way of the new "vestibule", tool box moved to the other end of the work bench, swept, swept and swept some more, de-spidered everything I could reach (I hates spiders...ick), all the crap on the top of the work bench sorted and organized in these little bins I bought at the United Plastics Outlet in Lima some time ago (love that place...anything plastic..they have it), tools cleaned and put in cases, paint sorted to be disposed of, cleaned up the mess the squirrels left on the bottom shelf (they had a winter store in there...a whole corn cob & a pile of walnuts), made a huge pile to go with the garbage Monday nite, and wrangled the 8ft x 1.5" thick x 2.5ft (with vise on one end) work bench top off the legs - stood it up on its end-and leaned it agains the wall at the nose of the truck...WHEW!!!!!! I am sitting here cooling off a minute so I can go take a shower.

And YES Alex....I wore my mask all day!!! I just used the puffer too, just to get ahead of the game. But now that is off the list.

I went to Amish country yesterday ... Apple Creek to be exact. Went to see the cabinetmaker and iron out any questions either of us had. He is a very nice guy...his shop is in his horse barn with the Sunday Buggy. He has 3 boys and his wife was watching 4 of their cousins, so there were 6 boys and 1 girl tearing around the yard. He built them a coverd wagon to play in (uses it to haul stuff in icky weather) and they were having a ball. Cute kids.

My cabinets were a pile of cut sticks and such on a cart in the shop. The wood is very pretty...hard maple. We changed the configuration of a couple cabinets and picked hardware. I had gone to Ervin Yoder's open house (Twin Locust Furniture) earlier in the afternoon and found the hardware there. Dark brown "Oil Rubbed" finish. Very pretty with the maple. But anyway, we had a real nice visit and talked about everything under the sun. I got to his house a little after 6pm and left about 8:55pm....and the kids were still outside playing with headband miner's lights on their heads. I talked to the horses and the boys fed them for the night. He built his house...a log home...gorgeous!!!!! His kitchen is his handywork and is really nice...hickory, natural finish, no stain.....very pretty. The gardens out front in the island of the circle drive would make Mo drool. His wife is a very talented gardener.

All in all, it was an absolutely beautiful day. Perfect weather. The Open House was fun too. Lots of beautiful furniture and homemade pie and ice cream!!! Yummmm....I had Cherry pie. There were the cutest little donkeys I have ever seen there...miniature cream colored ones...one had big light brown cow spots on it...wish I had gotten a picture. There was a mini pony too. The younger Yoder's had been leading him all over the place all morning and the little bugger was plum tuckered out....he gave up and curled up in the grass and konked out. Had a nice visit with some of the Yoder girls...they made the pies and an aunt was hand churning the ice cream....best ice cream I've had in a long time...yes, even better than House of Flavors. I did a lot of driving and looking at the farms and such. Very pretty countryside. I just grinned from ear to ear all day.

Because it was so late when I left Apple Creek, I stopped in Bellville (?) off I71 and spent the nite. Very comfortable Comfort Inn. Slept like a log. Up at 5 and on the road about 6:15 with my free english muffin with me in the car. Home about 9:30ish. Then in the garage for the rest of the day.

Well, I gotta go clean up. One of the guys from work bought the big buffet in the front hall and he is coming to get it in an hour or so. So better go if I'm gonna....Later.............

Back to the Grind...

Last day of "freedom"...hee hee. Man, I do NOT want to go to work tomorrow. So much to do both there and here and not enough time for both. But I gotta earn to spend..so...

I got the flooring ordered yesterday, kitchen sink bought, sink flanges to match the color ordered, good dishes removed, the jelly cupboard they are in moved and the dishes put back, stereo in familyroom packed up and stored, and some cleaning done. Good day.

The kitchen sink I bought is a Pegasus brand, "Espresso" color (dark brown), and is a granite composite. I hadn't seen these before. I walked into Home Depot to look at sinks again and something made me turn around to the other side of the isle....BAM....there it was...the kitchen sink of my dreams!!! I held the countertop sample I have picked out against it and nearly lost my balance...it is ssooooooooooo pretty...and the display is mounted in maple just like my cabinets will be...so the whole picture was there. Very cool. And Julie (HD kitchen designer I have been talking to) said they are just about indestructible...don't scratch and everyone that has one is raving about them. Works for me!

Now I am in search of the perfect kitchen faucet. I think I have found it, but it is brand new and won't be for sale until October. Will have to tell Julie so she can order it for me. I really like the Oil Rubbed Bronze finish that is out now. And with the warm maple wood, the dark sink, the brown toned granite-like patterned lamitnate countertops, and the dark wood floor...that is just the ticket. The faucet is a Moen: Camerist line...single handle, pull out (sprayer on the end of the faucet arm)....modern with a touch of old world...but not the tuscany type like is everywhere now. I am not sure I like the price, but this is what I could find. The dark bronze is not cheap. I have gone thru 3 "cheap" faucets in this kitchen already and don't want another cheap one.

I need to get out in the garage today. But I think I will take the truck to get an oil change first. The oil change light came on yesterday on my way home from Home Depot. So it is time. Sears is open today. I have never gone to Sears, but they are open today and so that is where I am going. I should have gone to the dealership yesterday, but didn't think about it till it was too late. Oh well.

Onward and Upward.....