Feel Like Crying

Ever feel like crying? Like things just aren't going as planned?  Like life is way overwhelming and you just want to go to bed and pull a pillow over your head....only your room is so jam packed with crap that it isn't even relaxing in there??

That's sort of where I am right now.  Daily life sometimes is a struggle for me.  With working full time at a job plus going to school  and trying to maintain a house it is enough to throw me over the edge on a frequent basis...but I cope and deal with it.

I know, I have no reason to complain.  My children are healthy and vibrant.  I have no real health issues .  I have a job.  I chose to go to school (well, sort of - I need to go to move up in the profession and secure a future for myself).  I have a roof over my head.

So why do I feel like crying? Why do I feel like I'm not coping so well right now?
Let me see..

- Yesterday was my birthday - I had to work.  No big deal - I like my work friends so I didn't really care.  Until I was there and every mother due in September was also there.  We ran with 20-21 patients all day.  It was insane...mom's laboring in the recovery room, mom's sitting at the desk for blood draws until a room was available, one patient in a bed but no monitors available...so I got to play as if I were in disaster mode....I listened to fetal heart tones with a doppler and used my hands to palpate for contractions.  The amazing things was that all of the deliveries were safely done and most of the patients didn't even know we were having space issues.  Call that service with a smile.
- Naturally I didn't do anything yesterday to celebrate my birthday.  Well, a girl friend brought me lunch and my hubby brought me flowers.  So, I can't say I didn't do anything.
- Came home from work to find that they had fixed my rotted out cupboard............but there is still a leak.
- Had to teach a class today.
- I need to fix my power point from today's class.
- Had to go to Biola to talk to an instructor about a student that I am going to precept this semester.
- I have an exam to take...and I haven't had time to work on it yet.  Actually I worked on some of it and it is really hard! Half of the answers I can't find.  Guess I haven't been paying very good attention in class this semester.
- I can't get in to my kitchen or barely even walk downstairs for half of the concrete got sealed today for our new flooring and it is so darn sticky that my shoes pull off!  (But my new wood stairs are looking lovely).  Wonder what the dogs are going to do tonight when they get home???
- There is dust everywhere (maybe I should have gotten a hotel!)
- I want to help Erika with her wedding plans.
- I need to try to work extra shifts to pay for that wedding~
- I need to get my mask fitting done at the hospital.
- I need to take some BFHI inservice exam since we are about ready to re-cert at work.
- I need to make this years Christmas party budget and expenditure list (since I have already starting writing the checks for the party - I'm the book-keeper for that committee...)
- I signed up to go to a woman's retreat this weekend but I am thinking of staying home.

ok - that is enough complaining...

It doesn't actually look so bad now that I wrote it all done.  Maybe that was all I needed was to get it down on paper (or on a computer). That helped me to put my life in to perspective.
Think I will go get some gas and then go join Erika for dinner at Gabbi's.  My favorite restaurant.  It is in Old Towne' Orange and quite yummy.  It makes me smile just thinking about eating there. HA!
I see a little Sangria in my near future.
Debbie

You've Got to be Kidding Me

I think I'm about to loose my mind!

This is my living room again...

We had all of the flooring taken up because we are finally getting our new wood floors installed.

Therefore - all of my living room furniture is pushed in to one corner.

Not so relaxing any more.

But the best part is that when I went to get a dust cloth and spray out from under my kitchen sink,

I noticed that it was a little wet.

So, I thought to myself,

"why is this wet? That is weird..."

Upon further investigation, I found this....

Yep, My brand new, less than six month old kitchen cupboard has already rotted out from a water leak!

How could that have happened?

I'm so mad~

Yet, the good thing is the company is standing behind their work and is going to fix it.

The contractors never sealed the granite when they hung the sink. So, at least it is their issue and they need to fix it.

Today, the contractors were supposed to come and do their thing.

But NO....an underground electrical line blew in front of my place and the whole condo complex is without power!!!

No power = No ability for the contractors to use power tools = No repair yet to be done.

And I've already put the flooring guys off for a couple of weeks

And I just want to get things done so I can have my house back in some kind of order.

And I feel like someone or something is out to get me.

How am I supposed to work full time, finish up my clinical hours and handle all of these problems at home?  Ever feel like throwing in the towel?

But, I can't do that...I have to go take all of the food in my freezer and refrigerator over to my mom's. Thank goodness she lives close by because I just went grocery shopping so have a full gallon of milk, eggs and yogurt to save.  The electrical company says it may be a day or two until they can get our power restored.  Glad I already did my homework for this week!

All I can do lately is shake my head and say, "are you kidding me!?!?!?"

Debbie

Kitchen Update

As most home remodels go, ours in turning in to the never finished kitchen but we are so much closer to being done. Actually, all we have let to do is flooring and decorating and purchasing a china hutch and table (I am still using my old kitchen table in the meantime).  Aside from walking on cement flooring the place is finally functional and I have things put back in to the cupboards.  Cupboards such as this corner cabinet where the pots and pans are going.

And this upper corner cabinet which actually looks more roomy than it is.  But at least it isn't rotting and falling off of the wall like the olds one were. HA!

I do like the spice racks that are on both sides of the oven.  They hold all of our spices and oils, baking soda, etc.  These are actually pretty cool!

 And I have a working sink.  I didn't realize how much I missed having a real sink that my coffee pot could actually fit under.  It was harder doing things in the bathroom sink than I realized.  It didn't really bother me at the time, but once I got this beauty I realized how the bathroom sink was not practical for every day kitchen use.

We have a microwave that is actually strong enough to make popcorn (just ignore the person being reflected in the glass!)

 Ahhh - and my stove.  Love it!  It has five burners and a warmer tray on the bottom that actually is hot enough that you can cook a side dish in it if you needed to.  This has been the greatest thing.  We have not had an oven for over a year and a half.  We had the stove part but no oven so there was no baking going on over here.  It really has been a drag, but you just adjust and do what you need to do to survive.  Doing without an oven for so long sure has made me appreciate having a new one!

 So the first thing we made was peanut butter cookies - per Dr Hubby's request.  He was impressed with my fork marks!  They were so yummy and sure didn't last long.

We are thinking of putting wood flooring in ~ and plan on extending that in to the hallway, the living room and up the stairs.  I just need to get some time off of work so I can go shopping for what we want,  For now, I am just glad to have a functioning kitchen again and to not be eating out of that living room kitchen!
Debbie

Granite

My granite is in.

It is so much prettier in real life than in these pictures.

It is browns and tans with specks of black.

I find myself running my hands along it and just saying, "Ahhh"

 I wish you could see it in person.

I have never had such a pretty kitchen!

 Definitely a work in progress!

You should see it in the evening when we have the lights dimmed.

Oh, I can hardly wait to be able to use my kitchen.

I won't even mind cleaning it because it is so pretty!

Debbie

I Have Cabinets!!

 I have cabinets, I have cabinets, I have cabinets!

Doing a little happy dance!

Debbie

Progress

I am getting closer to having a kitchen again!!

 The can lights are in (replacing the old panel / fluorescent lights - Yeah!)

Dear Hubby hung a new chandelier - I really like it.

And the appliances sit in the living room / kitchen waiting to be put in to use 

I haven't had an oven in over a year ... I can't wait to bake something really yummy in my new stove!

You don't realize how much you need a kitchen until you don't have one! HA!

This is turning in to a test of patience...

At least we are all fairly flexible people and keep holding out for the end prize.

Debbie

The DEMO

Being the tightwad that I am, we opted to do our own demo.  We figured we could save a little bit of money and Michelle really wanted to break apart those cupboards.

So, with the help of a friend we got to it.

Honestly....I didn't do much of the demo for home repairs is just not my gift.  I don't get any thrill out of doing the physical work.

So, I was the 'trash lady' and made multiple trips to the trash bins.

And I did food and beer runs.

Here's Michelle starting the demo:

Doesn't she look excited?!?!

Bye, Bye ugly kitchen!

Bit by bit there is less and less in the room

We decided to use the old table as a work station.  

It will soon be donated away.

Erika stopped by for a visit.  She drew pictures on the wall.
Oh, and she helped to pick out the new paint colors.

Dear Hubby stripping off the pineapple wallpaper.

And there's that ugly chandelier

Everything is gone so now the painting can begin.

Well everything but that ugly, non-working stove.  The appliance store will haul it away when they bring the new ones.

Notice the soffett - we took out the old lights and plan to replace them with can lighting.

Even little people can get in on the painting action.

Though some times the paint ended up in other places. Lily sure had fun and learned about working together as a family.

Michelle can multitask.  She talks on the phone as she puts finishing touches on the soffet trim.

I'm glad that other people in my family like to do home repairs....it just isn't in me but I sure am liking the results.

This has been a huge project for us.  Yes, we probably started the demo and prep work a little too soon, but I had to work on that while I was out of school for winter break.  So the wait for cupboards begins.  I still use the table...it is where I sit and do homework.  Though a couple of the chairs met their demise during the whole demo and prep stage...guess that happens when you stand on 25+ year old chairs - HA!
Debbie

Living Room Kitchen

We are in a state of chaos here at my little abode.

We gutted the kitchen the week after Christmas (yes almost 3 months ago!!)

If you could have seen my old kitchen you would know why we finally decided to bite the bullet and go for a remodel.

And like many remodels it is taking longer than expected.

All I can say it is a good thing that we are all very relaxed and flexible around here for this hasn't been easy.

We have a kitchen in the living room

Michelle decided maybe it was cool to have a fridge right next to the TV - she can play video games and reach in for a drink.

On the other wall is our prep area.

It is such chaos and hard to see but we have food in boxes.

We have a coffee maker, toaster, microwave and electric griddle.

So we are not starving by any means.

But a kitchen doesn't really belong in the living room.

We look like hoarders!!

Trust me though, we have gotten rid of so much over the coarse of the last couple of months and plan to rid ourselves of more junk when we move back in to the actual kitchen.

Here's a look at my ugly old kitchen.......

Finish coming off of the cabinets.

An old 1960's double stove (of which neither stove works - just the cooktop)

Cupboard doors the don't close and old florescent lighting.

UGH- look at that ugly stove!

A dishwasher that leaks 

and cupboards rotting off of the countertop.

 You can't really see it but the cupboards are coming off of the wall up in the corner.

The pineapple wallpaper may be called 'retro' now but I hated it!

 You can't really see the old chandelier in these two pictures but trust me - it is old and dirty.

Functions and provides light but it is an eyesore.

 Oh my beejeebers....looking back at this old ugly kitchen grosses me out.  And to think that I have lived with it for a long time.  I can't wait to have my new, functional, updated kitchen.

Just wish it would hurry up and magically appear!

Debbie