They Grow Up So Fast

Providing transportation to and from my mom's appointments was difficult, especially during her seven weeks of radiation. every. single. day. If her appointments were right away in the morning, I could take her, but some days they were late morning and some days she had to see the oncologist and her appointments went pretty late, after I needed to be at work. We didn't want her riding the bus, because she would have to walk several blocks on both ends through neighborhoods that scare people from towns of 150 people like my mom (plus she sometimes needed a cane and COULDN'T walk more than like two blocks). And taking a cab would be WAAAAAAAAY to expensive.

 

Some days I rode my bike to work and gave her my car. But then my mom got approval from the State for a service called Metro Mobility -- it provides inexpensive rides to people who are disabled permanently or temporarily, or unable to drive for whatever reason. Metro Mobility was so great! They picked my mom up and dropped her right at the hospital. And then picked her right back up and dropped her right back off again, for only $3 each way. Door-to-door service!

 

I forced her to take some "first day of school" pictures, and ain't she cute!

 

 

Tile Choice

I can't put tile in my upstairs bathroom, because the joists for the loft are "three-foot-on-center" and therefore ceramic tile is too heavy, but I can put it in my little 4' x 8' bathroom on the main floor since the main floor joists are only 18" apart.

 

You learn so much when you remodel a house!

 

Here's what I picked - basically because it's what I had at my last apartment and it's vintage-y cute and basic and white.

 

 

Does Anybody Want to Explain This to Me?

 

Seriously, how does a person pee on the FRONT of their shoe? In the work bathroom?

 



 

Upstairs Flooring

Flooring in the upstairs -- the 99 cents a square foot stuff -- it's called Industrial Oak (scraps) 

You may have noticed too that there is no longer a chimney in the upstairs -- I decided to cut it off at the ceiling below -- it was right in the way of where my bed would be, and I would have had to build it up to the ceiling with more bricks.

So, bye bye, chimney! I tried! Don't worry, your bottom part is still in my kitchen!

GONE-ZO

Flooring and The Toilet Tarp

The bathroom used to be located on the north side of the house, but was relocated to the south side. Since the beginning it (one single toilet) has been tarped off -- in the beginning it was winter and so we had to keep the heat in -- remember there was no roof for some time and so only the basement was heated...and later for privacy.

We took to affectionately calling it the Toilet Tarp. It's the only place in the history of the universe and in my life where I gave myself permission to not wash my hands after using the toilet and then immediately eat a slice of pizza. Remodeling!

Here it is in its new location:

And here's the new flooring -- the old stuff didn't quite stretch all the way across the house, but I did want to salvage it if possible -- to save money and to channel my inner Nicole Curtis.

New front and side windows in the front office:

Farm Sink Project

I knew that I wanted a farm sink in my new house because I just love porcelain and that drain board they have and I love the vintage-y look of them.

SO I went on craigslist and started digging around but they all want $500 and they're just gross and they're in Milwaukee.

And then my brother-in-law surprised me with a free one from his garage! I was so excited! And then I found out my sister really wanted it and he gave it to me instead and so there was that whole mess and I felt bad but not that bad because look!

It was really gross but oh well.

I wanted to paint the cabinet a 50's vintage color and here was some inspiration colors:

And then I found out about a hip-hop store in uptown that sells graffiti spray paint. I marched in there like a proper graffiti artist and bought six cans of this color and then told them I was about to go tag the town.

With my name, only the Y would have an arrow on it.

I thought I was so funny. 

They didn't.

It's so hard to take a picture of color, huh? But it's SO CUTE you guys! p.s. I didn't do the work. My worker did the work. I don't mean to take credit.

I color matched it and painted the wall too! LOOK HOW CUTE!!!

Have You Missed Me?

I'm a pretty darn regular blogger, or I liked to think that I was or used to be.

Here are my excuses for the last several months:

• My mom had cancer.
• I was remodeling a house.
• Work was insane.
• My mom had cancer.

Also, for the last two months I didn't have internet at home (also I didn't have a home, period), so I didn't really write anything.

Lots to catch up on!

My mom is better!

My house is done!

I'm living here!

I'm cooking here!

I hung some pictures!

My pants are too tight!

photo cred to Abby G

The Battle Never Ends...

More Siding and Paint

Getting there!!!

38

Today is the 38th anniversary of my birth. As is my tradition on this day every year, I ask my mom:

"What were you doing xx years ago today?"

And she always says something really cute, like "I had a date with an angel" or "drinking a beer" (she really did -- to induce labor). Usually this is an email exchange, but since she's been living with me for four months getting her cancer under control I just rolled over in bed this morning and asked her.

"Giving suck" she said.

EW! I don't want to think about the fact that she used to breast feed me. EW!

Anyway.

Somehow my coworkers found out the significance of today because they taped this note to my window:

Crap.

Jackhammer

We rented a jackhammer from Home Depot and about 14 seconds into this job the steel head broke in half. They said in eight years that had never happened. Tell that to the poor toe of the guy using it, sheesh!

Anyway, the concrete steps in the back are gone now -- making way for a nice deck.

Being the Boss

I'm nothing if not the most demanding, unreasonable and yet still wildly hilarious general contractor. 

That's the one sink in the background there, not hooked up to water yet.

Siding and Paint

My color inspiration for the exterior:

Behr exterior paint from Home Depot in Asphalt Gray (I had them tint it 10% darker)

Cedar shakes and soffit:

Blue Door!

House

Siding started and cedar soffit:

The garden is growing despite all of the construction dust:

House

Patio door in my new bedroom overlooking the backyard!!!

View from bedroom over the future stairs to bedroom:

Plumbing to the upstairs bathroom!

Ring That Bell, Ma

My mom has been undergoing chemotherapy treatments since November. At first it was one day every two weeks and then starting on February 1st they changed her drug and she had to go every week. 

In the beginning, I wanted to go and be with her for every single treatment (or at least have somebody from the family with her), but pretty soon she asked us all to stop coming with, because:

1. My mom likes watching TV on her tablet with earphones
2. If people come, she feels like she has to talk to them
3. I have a job and being gone every Tuesday isn't impossible, but also isn't ideal
4. Kasey has kids and appointments
5. Kelly has to work too
6. Keri and Kim and Pete live too far away

So we decided that I would just drop her off every week and pick her up. 

This made me feel awful.

Imagine bringing your mother to the hospital and just DROPPING HER OFF FOR CHEMO AND DRIVING AWAY TO GO TO YOUR STUPID JOB. But, it's what she wanted. And she was right, there's really no need to sit there with her for hours.

Anyway, at the end of your chemo, Minnesota Oncology makes you ring a bell to signify the end of a horrible chapter and the beginning of the rest of your life. My mom asked us to come to that, because she didn't want to be there alone ringing that bell, sobbing and by herself because it's emotional and what-not.

I was like, "sure Mom. All the people in the chemo room have been feeling sorry for you for MONTHS because you have NO ONE. 'Here comes the lonely old lady', they say behind your back. And then, suddenly here comes your ENTIRE family for the ringing of the bell. Sobbing, crying and carrying on but never there for you when you REALLY needed them. Just there for the glory. The glory of the ringing of the bell."

But, that's what we did. And it was really neat. And oh, how we cried.

And a few beers afterward, to celebrate: