Update September 12-13

On Sunday we got to go to Lowe's numerous times, as one Lowe's didn't have all we needed, and then after a second trip we realized we were still missing things. That third trip was all Rich, though, so I could keep working. He didn't need my beefy hands.

We ended up doing a "mini" trip and picking up a lot of things with a 10% off coupon . . . we still have the "big" stuff (storm door, suntunnel, door for laundry, some lighting, etc), but this trip got us closer.

In a nutshell, I spent almost the whole day after shopping working on making the cabinets have adjustable shelving. We got the last small cabinet in, so there's only one cabinet left that hasn't been installed and won't be until we get the gas stove in. We figure it's easier to maneuver gas lines when the cabinetry around it is movable.

As for the adjustable shelving, the cabinets basically come with two holes in two places per shelf. So they can call it adjustable, but it's really not. Back in 2005, I built a small jig with holes evenly spaced and washers glued to the front of each hole, to help guide the drill bit into position. Then you just clamp, or tape, the jig in place and start drilling. I initially started in the same place as the existing holes, figuring the manufacturers knew what they were doing. That was errant thinking on my part. When using their holes and simple little metal post shelf pins to support the shelves, the holes are so close to the center that any weight put on the front of the shelf makes the whole thing tip. Fabulous. So in addition to drilling holes, I repositioned them to the four corners of the shelf, thereby making them STABLE. I just can't say enough about the juxtaposition of the beauty of the cabinets compared to the manufacturing process of them. Idiots.

Part of the Lowe's trip involved getting this really cool extension for the drill that converts it to a right angle drill for close quarters. It looks like the insides of the extension work on the principle of gears placed next to other gears on a right angle, to make everything still spin. For drilling adjustable shelf holes in a cabinet less than 12" wide, it was brilliant!

Meanwhile, Rich played with his big boy saws and cut a lot of things down to manageable sizes for me, like countertops and awkward-sized pieces of trim. Unfortunately, neither of us thought to scribe the OSB for the countertops to take the unevenness of the walls into account, so we'll (he'll) have to cut new pieces again. But for now, I have something over the top of the cabinets so I can start unpacking to some degree. The rest of the unpacking is waiting on the extra shelving I need, now that I can customize my storage needs with adjustable shelving (thereby creating enough space to put in another shelf or two), and all the pullouts getting installed so I can unload into the pantry.

Yesterday I spent some time unpacking into my spice cabinets and unloading a lot more of our dishes. Once we have a dishwasher I'll probably have to do a light rinse on everything, since it's all dusty/dirty/covered in whatever gets into moving boxes that makes dishes dirty where they weren't dirty before packing. It's all coming along nicely, if not slowly.

I also wrestled with the lazy susan cabinet door fronts, which, contrary to their name are not lazy, easy or in any way shape, or form, simple to install. It's not a true lazy susan front (like the beauty I had growing up, or being in Stepford). It's two doors attached to each other that you have to pull away from the cabinet face frame to reveal two independently rotating unobstructed disks that house your stuff. Great on the inside, PITA on the outside.

Most of my work got interrupted yesterday, though, by some not so great excitement. While I'm folding laundry, someone rang the bell. I crept to the front window to see who it was, and there wasn't a car or anything in the driveway to clue me in. Then the person started pounding (and I mean that literally) on the door. I still couldn't see so I crept to the hallway to see if I could see them in the doorway without them seeing me. More pounding. Then I realized it was a police officer.

I opened the door, a bit freaked out, and asked why a PO was at my door. Apparently, two doors down, the neighbor had a break-in and someone stole his TV. Not good. This guy is rehabbing his house and apparently someone knew that enough to get in while he wasn't there. It's not clear whether they broke in or let themselves in, but it didn't seem to have any damage? Anyway, the rest of the neighbors, one by one, either came over, or met me in the street, or called. The whole afternoon was visitng with everyone, talking about what we'd seen, or meeting the neighbor's Guinea Pig, Cocoa Nibbles. I was so thankful Rich finally came home, because I couldn't take a shower for fear of missing the door again.

I think that has put us all on high alert in the neighborhood, but it also makes me a bit paranoid to leave the house. We've got an alarm system, but I didn't want to have to activate it. I guess maybe we do now. And my next door neighbor was just telling me she never bothers to lock the doors when she is home, which freaked me out . . . Superman would have my hide if I left doors unlocked when he wasn't here.

Last night I had book club (The Book Thief), generously hosted by another book club member, since I didn't really want last night to be an exercise in watching people perch on the edges of lawn chairs, eating sheetrock dust and drywall mud pies. A couple of them have read parts of the blog. My favorite comment was "It's great, aside from the Despair." I laughed out loud on that one. I guess it has been negative in some respects. This is, after all, my cathartic expression at the end of the day.

One other note: we now have semi-decent food, as we're close to Trader Joe's and I've been getting their heat n eats. Since they do mostly organic, all natural, no preservative, slightly healthier stuff for cheaper than eating out, we've been eating fairly well. Yay TJs!!

Today is work work, and then hopefully Pantry Pull Out Day. We'll see.