September 2, 2013

It's Labor Day weekend! And, in retrospect, I have *definitely* labored this weekend...so much so, that I need another day off

As you know from my last post, I toiled over the damn pantry all day on Saturday - which, I have informed my husband, makes my heart happy every time I walk in there - in my vain attempt to have him keep it the way he finds it when he walks in there.

On Friday, (which I might point out, my company so kindly provides as an "extra" holiday, in addition to the Labor Day Monday) I spent the majority of the day driving up and down The Mountain to retrieve Man-Child so he could spend the weekend with us - which was fabulous.  The house is so empty when he's not here.

Yesterday was Sunday - a day of rest.  Which means I did absolutely nothing. Except for helping Hubby figure out how to remove the three layers of glass on our oven door.  Why were we removing the three layers of glass, you ask?

Because not too long ago, Hubby was bemoaning the fact that there was much "cooked on gunk" on the stove top and wondering how to remove it without scratching the surface.  I tossed off "Use peroxide and baking soda to make a paste."  Somehow this little factoid had wedged itself into my mind while cruising the Internet at some point.  No, I can't point you to WHERE I found it.  All I remember was seeing the words "This will clean ANYTHING!"  He did it and it worked (I'm a believer - this stuff removed every single bit of the gunk after sitting on the range overnight - I'm now pondering where else in this house it might work it's magic).  Which lead him to try to clean the inside oven window.  Which did not work out so well.  Mainly because, he didn't leave the paste on as long and somehow during the process the solution seeped down the cracks and left a white stain on every single pane of glass, which was clearly visible from the outside.

So we struggled with the whole removing the three panes of glass (and cleaning them) for the better part of four hours (thanks to a couple of stripped screws).  Somehow, we managed to do so without breaking either the oven or the glass.  And it looks pretty good.

Now, we just have to do the same for the bottom oven.  Because, of course, the peroxide/baking soda solution somehow managed to drip down into those three panes as well.  *sigh*  And I wondered why I was exhausted on Sunday night?

Today found me driving back up and down The Mountain to deposit Man-Child back at school.  I don't mind driving, for the most part.  Around town driving makes me crazy because of the idiots - but I find, for the most part, highway driving is pretty easy, if a bit exhausting after a four hour round trip.  So, I don't mind going up to fetch and the going up to return - except I really don't like the returning part, if the truth be told.

When I came home, I discovered that Hubby was attempting to fix the corner cabinet lazy susan.  Remember when this happened?

Yes, after over a YEAR, the lazy susan cabinet has finally been repaired.  And all it took was for one of the cabinet hinges to break, which caused a phone call to the manufacturer to order to new hinges, which caused the new hinges to be delivered - eventually - which caused Hubby to scratch his head, which caused me to call the cabinet installer to come out and fix the door.  AND while he was here, I asked him HOW to reattach the lazy susan to the fixed part of the cabinet.  Which led to a very simple, and ingenious, explanation (which I would love to expound upon, but unless I have you right in front of me, so I could demonstrate, would be impossible to do).  Which sounded great, in theory.

In truth, it was two person job.  One of us had to actually fold ourselves into the cabinet (that someone would be me) several different times and the other to wield the drill - because his arms were longer and could reach the nooks and crannies.  But in the end, the task was accomplished.  And I was pleased.

So now, not only do I have a perfect pantry (for now), I also have the lazy susan back.  I sure hope the new home owners will appreciate all our efforts.  And if it isn't in the cards for there to be new home owners, I know *I* will appreciate the efforts.

And?  After all that?  I'm thinking that extra vacation day I so astutely tacked on to this extra long weekend is well deserved.

10 comments:

  1. Working on Labor Day? Not in my house! We went out for breakfast and my fifteen year old wanted to go to the zoo, so we spent the morning looking at caged animals. Came home, took a nap, and have been tapping on my laptop keys since. As for the baking soda and peroxide...I brush my teeth with baking soda and rinse with peroxide. Yes, I get compliments on my teeth all the time. You're right, the duo cleanser cleans almost anything! lol

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  2. You've got another day? How cool is that? You definitely deserve it after all that work, Gigi. Are you talking about hydrogen peroxide? And baking soda? It seems almost too easy! :-)

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  3. I also read somewhere one the internet that once a year you should make a list of each room in your home and everything that needs to be done if you were selling, from changing a light switch to repairing drywall. Then slowly, throughout the year, try and check things off. That way, if you do sell, you're not fixing things for others to enjoy. :)

    In your case, you might want to carry it over to the next house, but in the mean time, enjoy your sparkly clean functioning kitchen!

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  4. Yikes. I'm exhausted just listening to you! I've heard the story from many people that their house was in the best shape right before they sold it. I remember one woman telling me that she'd begged her hubby for years to pull up the carpet (hardwood underneath!) and he didn't listen till the realtor told him to do it. So, for a month or so, she got her hardwood floors.
    Moving really forces you to purge...but it's much better to do it a little at a time. That push at the end makes you pitch stuff out of desperation.
    I'm off to buy peroxide.
    xo

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  5. It's a crying shame the house can't be that pristine when we are actually living in it!

    Enjoy your day off... and don't mess anything up!

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  6. It's a real shame that your house looks it' best just as you're about to leave and let someone else enjoy all your hard work! xx

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  7. Holy Moley, girl!

    Now take a couple days off!!! :-)

    Pearl

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  8. Hummmm....Sometimes I don't miss being married so much. : ) . I do miss my man child though--too far away for just a day trip. Think I'll go get a sock and carry it around.

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  9. I think you do deserve a break after that!

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  10. Amazing how those little tasks can turn into such BIG problems! I kind of admire you for sticking with it, I just know I would have quit half way through :)

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