Okay, so everything that we go to fix has three things that need to be fixed first. For example, we went to put in the microwave above the sink. Everyone assured us it would be very easy.
It took a week.
First, the junction box was hanging from the wall just below the cabinet. We needed to cut a hole in the wall through/behind the cabinet to fix the junction box inside so it would be out of the way of the microwave. Doing that proved to be a chore... we didn't have all the right tools and so had to make due with a drill and a camping saw. (Ryan's amazing, by the way. He was the one that did all of this.) After cutting the hole and taking the actual box off the wires, we had to reach through the hole with a crochet hook to pull the wires up through, then attach them back to the junction box and fit that in the hole cut in the wall. There were difficulties with just fitting it into the hole that I don't even understand. There was something about there being a wood panel encased in between two layers of drywall or something crazy. I don't know. I never got a good look at it.
Second, the outlet in the junction box was supposed to have power, but was giving very strange readings. It was attached to a couple of other outlets on the same wall, but the readings Ryan was getting on it didn't make any sense. Sometimes he'd have a lot of power, other times not so much. He didn't understand the jumps and dips, and I didn't understand much of any of it. Anyway, he had to take things apart and finally discovered that there was so much dirt and junk shoved in between the wires that the connection was bad. Hence the jumps and dips; the wires weren't really connecting to the outlet! He finally got that fixed and we were able to put in the microwave. In the end, actually installing the microwave really wasn't so terribly difficult, but the prep work was a nightmare.
And, that's the way everything has been.
One more quick example:
I tried to give Cara her first bath in this house. The tub wouldn't hold water, but more importantly, when I turned on the faucet, it came out of the shower head as well as the bath faucet. We called the plumber and he said he could fix it. When he came and started digging around, he was shocked. This bathtub had obviously been a home job. Obviously, because instead of using pipe, the way normal bathtubs are plumbed, the diy-ers had used sink hose. It was way too small, and so there was nowhere for all the pressure to go but up.
Now, if we had caught this before we put in the new cabinets, it would have been a relatively easy fix. Since we didn't, they had to take down one of my nice new pretty cabinets and make a hole in the wall behind it, which then gave them access to the plumbing in the bathroom. Somehow, between that hole and the one in the basement (where the aforementioned diy-ers have cut a truss to make room for said bathtub) the plumbers were able to thread the necessary pipe up to the bathtub and get it set up the right way. Now it works beautifully, but sheesh!
Anyway, we're looking forward to life calming down somewhat, but we don't really see that happening anytime soon.
Our homeowners' insurance sent us a lovely little letter telling us they are cancelling our insurance policy because "there are chickens and chicken coops in the yard" and "the wall on the garage is rotting and the paint is peeling." Obviously we have already gotten rid of the chickens and chicken coops, and now we are supposed to repaint the garage before next Saturday. Which we can't really do because of the crazy wacko weather we're having. Also obviously, the inspection was done before we moved in, because there haven't been chickens here as long as we've lived here. Gah. Insurance is annoying.
(Before a flood of advice comes in, let me just say that the stress of it all is getting to me a little bit and I'm venting. We all know that advice is, while absolutely wonderful, one of the least helpful things to receive when one is venting. Also, let me assure you that we do have a plan for dealing with this issue. And thank you for those of you who have advice and want nothing more than to help. It is greatly appreciated.)Anyway, we love our house. We do. It's wonderful. It gets more wonderful every day, and I'm sure it will continue to become more and more wonderful as our personality gets soaked into the shapes and colors and smells of it, and as we become shaped by these walls in which we live.
And in other news, Cara now has four teeth on top and two on the bottom, and is loving having all the space. She has found her room and frequently goes to play there by herself while I'm in the living room. Discovering that she can go to more than one room has taken some time, but she's enjoying it and growing by leaps and bounds. She's seriously considering walking, but doesn't quite have the confidence yet.
I want to get her a kitten to play with. She absolutely loves Cruise, enjoys Mommy's animal noises, and would get the biggest kick out of a little kitty.
Someday.
:)
Okay, I'm exhausted. Today we went paint shopping, started scraping paint chips off the sides of the garage, and tore down the biggest and most disgusting chicken coop on the property. Anybody need fertilizer? ;)
Anyway, I'm signing off now. Ya'll enjoy your Sunday!
Going around the house clockwise: (We're still in the process of painting the garage.)
A lovely little pasture behind the garage...
The side of the house... you can see the line that clearly delineates the front (where Ryan's mowed) from the back (where he hasn't yet); we have a lot of work yet to do. The lawn isn't really our top priority at the moment. :)
This gives you a little better view of the back of the house with the yard. It's a pretty good-sized yard, actually. We're probably going to put in a little garden and still have room to play. And if you turn around from this exact spot...
(More pictures of the horse coming soon...)
