by Mandi -Watch where the chalk-white arrows go. To the place where the sidewalk ends. S.S.
Member since:
January 24, 2006

I am ALIVE!! ... Barely.

April 05, 2006 12:43 PM EDT (Updated: April 05, 2006 12:58 PM EDT)
views: 20 | comments: 22

My husband had to go in to work today, do I am taking this opportunity to touch base with all my friends on gather. HELP ME!!!!

The home improvement of our kitchen is moving along, and though we are STILL in the demolition stage all is well. HELP ME!!!

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Yesterday we removed all the old lower cabinets, counter top and sink. The plumbing was challenging, because no former owner bothered to put shut off valves under the sink. Instead the kitchen was directly tapped into the main water line. Which of course meant we had to shut off the main and become plumbers for several hours. But my husband finally figured it out and we were able to go to bed without worrying about the basement flooding. HELP HELP HELP!!!!

I thought maybe my own Do-It-Ourself story would help some other home owners out there who have the itch to remodel. So here is a picture of me before and during our remodel.

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*Before kitchen demolition

 

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* run for your lives! Don't, I repeat don't do it yourself!!! If you want to avoid, bags under your eyes and an on the edge feeling of insanity, don't do it yourself!!!

I am sorry the first one is dark, but you can plainly see that I look basically well and happy. The second picture shows me moments from the nut house. If this horrible picture can save any one of you from yourselves, then all is well in my world.

But don't fret my friends, I am ok and  my husband and I will get through this *sniffle sniffle* and somehow put our kitchen back together. We will be stronger people for doing this *whimper whimper* and our marriage will also be stronger*yeah right*

I promise to get back to gather soon to start reading all your wonderful articles once again. I have not forgotten you all! HELP HELP HELP!!!!!

Til next time.... Hee Hee Ha Ha their coming to take me away..HEE HEE HA HA!!!
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Comments: 22

Faith H. Apr 5, 2006, 12:45pm EDT
Poor Mandi, what a mess (the kitchen, not you!). Missed you here, hang on to the sanity.
Christopher C. Apr 5, 2006, 12:53pm EDT
Poor Mandi., You'll look back on all and laugh. Order pizza!
Richard Frisbie Apr 5, 2006, 12:54pm EDT
Mandi - run away to a spa for the weekend and let hubby and daughter finish.

Seriously, get some chinese take-out and pour yourself a glass of wine. Then . . . . GET BACK TO WORK!
are you smiling yet?
Shava Nerad Apr 5, 2006, 12:54pm EDT
Want to relax? Pick up a copy of Tracy Kidder's book,
House, and cuddle up with a good book after you quit for the day. *heh*
Nancy S. Apr 5, 2006, 1:04pm EDT
Good to laugh! That may be the most effective therapy!
Jose Wolfster M. Apr 5, 2006, 1:06pm EDT
hmm whats the smell like? lol! nice huh? dust, stinky lol! well quite the undertaking of remodel wow! good luck:) great job!
0000-doublel-0000 Apr 5, 2006, 1:10pm EDT
Mandi, you're going to wear yourself out! I have heard the stories and I say run. Run as far away as you can!
Miz Lynn aka/BooBoo Apr 5, 2006, 1:11pm EDT
Hey, when ya get done there come on over....hee, hee, hee :)) Think of it this way, ya don't have to do dishes...let Mickey D's become your best friend!
Mike B. Apr 5, 2006, 1:17pm EDT
HA! I can empathize with you. I did that stuff for a living for alot of years. Opening up a wall and saying, "Who's going to pay to fix THAT!?" Guess who? Me of course, the General Contractor with a firm bid. Boy, did I learn to write a contract after a couple big surprizes.....

Have fun. I've found you'll earn every single dollar you save. Dooat!!!
thanks everyone! You all made me smile ;-)

We have been eating lots of take out and anything nukeable or grillable ;-)
I wish I could run away, but I don't want the kid in there,,, the dust and smell and maybe asbestos... ugh, what have I done???
Carl Neeld Apr 5, 2006, 5:52pm EDT
I'd be a rich man if throughout my life I'd called a professional to fix any problem first. Without exception, every time I tried to play Mr. Fix-It, I've destroyed something and it's cost more for the pro to repair my damage than would ahve the original problem. I hope that your experiences are all different than mine.

In the pictures, are you smiling or having gas pains?
Chris Burnett Apr 5, 2006, 6:50pm EDT
Great sense of humor which you really, really have to have in order to do it yourself! Chris Burnett
Claudia S. Apr 5, 2006, 8:10pm EDT
Mandi - been there and done that and NEVER AGAIN doing it myself - remodeling that is - particularly NOT kitchens!
Heidi S. Apr 5, 2006, 8:17pm EDT
Ya got spunk, kid! Hang in there! The pictures speak millions. I was thinking - it could be much worse.... it could be me!!! Keep your chin up and focus on the result.
thanks everyone ;-)

Heidi, it could be you.. hehehehe
Peter Sheinhouse Apr 5, 2006, 10:32pm EDT
We put in a kitchen about a year ago. While I only did about 25% myself and contracted out the rest...whew! Where I live there is an amazing issue with construction permits that put over a month into the project. Then the plumbers and electricians didn't like to do things the way I wanted, too expensive and no difference. WRONG! But we're done and happy with the results. By the way ours took over ten weeks beginning to end and I gained 20 pounds eating in diners and such (just can't leave those french fries.) Still trying to get rid of them. Good luck.
Tanja Edwards Apr 5, 2006, 11:52pm EDT
I hate home improvement projects! That's why I hire someone else to do them!
thanks everyone... we are too broke to hire anyone ;-)
Gisela S. Apr 6, 2006, 5:41pm EDT
Ohhhhhhh Mandi......cuppa tea? Big fat Margarita? What? Shots straight from the bottle....coming right up girlfriend.........

Kids! Run this woman a bubble bath STAT! We're losing her!!!!!!!
There's booze in the blender, and soon it will render, that frozen concoction that helps me hang on!!!! Wasting away again in lake villa, IL...

ok so it doesn't sound the same.. who cares! bring on the tequila!!!

Thanks Gisela!

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