Kitchen painting

Over the weekend, Eric n I had a big project to finally start painting the kitchen. 

However, it is not as simple as: slapping the paint on a brush and smearing it on the wall. 

This was what we did:

All the shelves, tables, racks... Everything which were removable and exposed, had to be removed. 

Because of the location, kitchen, we had to clean the walls, trims n doors AND ceiling with sugar soap. It was to clean off all grim, dust, dirt on walls and surfaces. 

The original trims around doors and walls were painted with glossy paint. Therefore we had to sand them down with sand paper. 

There were also many bumps and holes that needed filling-in on the walls. The compound for filling-in had to be sanded down to give a smooth surface, then painted over with a layer of undercoat. 

*Take a deep breath*

Then we can start thinking about painting. *exhausted*

The above process took us two days. And that's not with painting yet!

On Monday, we started painting the kitchen, starting from the ceiling. 

These were our equipment for the job.

I'm all geared up for the ceiling painting. Eric had not done painting before, so I had to take up the rolling brush, while he helped with the trims area which the rolling brush cannot reach. Took us a good 4-5 hrs to paint the ceiling. 

After that, we use the same ceiling paint to paint the ceiling cornice. 

As it was painted over by dark glossy paint, we had to go over the paint three times! 

We even had to take turns to eat our dinner as we did not want the paint to dry out. 

Finally at 10pm ish... It's done! 

Our brand new ceiling. Love the clean and white surfaces. 

We had to stop painting since then because of his parents arrival from overseas. Can't wait for them to leave tomorrow for their holiday, so we can continue with completing the job. 

Kcan

Kidney belt

Aching back is still bothering me for the last few days, despite cutting down on lifting n bending. God had always showed great surprises to aid our needs by having things on sale in ALDI. Aldi is a German supermarket that sells regular common groceries plus weekly special items, ranging from grdening tool, laundry needs, winter clothings, baby accessories, painting and hardware....
And these items will only be on sale for the limited time.

Back to my story...
God had always been graceous and through miraculous ways, to the point that things we needed would be out for sale in the coming week or so. Like the painting tools we bought for painting the house, electric tools which we got earlier in the year for the wood work, grouting tools for the tiles, drills n drills bits when we were fixing the kitchen window frame, silicon for the toilet.....
And now, the kidney belt for my aching back!

What is a kidney belt?

It's actually a padded cloth belt that is meant for motor bike riders while ridding. Suppose to give some support and warmth while ridding. But for me, I'm using it to help keep my lower back warm andsupported while I'm at home. I had found that my aching back would felt cold, especially during the last winter. I hope that with this it will help reduce the aching.

Spring is now well and truely on its way. The weather is a lot warmer with longer periods of sun. Yay! Can leave the washings out for longer period of time and it means less carring the clothes rack in n out of the house, cause the clothes will all dry in a day.

My little garden is also thriving with life with the new found warmth. The salads are now flowering to get ready for seeds, while my snow pea had just produced its first pea! *ecxiting*

Not sure why but when my lettuce decided to flower, they grew so tall!

Look forward to more growth from my snow pea plant! 

Down time

I just blew it yesterday. All the frustration and anger. All mixed in one.

Lets see what had happened prior....

It had been two weeks since I had gave this place a vacuum. And as usual, I had to do this all on my own. A good three story climb with the vacuum cleaner. Changing and discarding the clogged dust bin at least four times. And at the end of it, I'm battered and my back is wracked. And now, I'm still contemplating when I should pick up the vacuum cleaner again as my back is still hurting.

For the past many months since we had this stupid extended renovation in the kitchen, the kitchen had been and still in a mess. And for some unknown reason, these bastards had also became deaf while they were in their rooms. No matter how loud I shouted to call them down for dinner, or help set up for dinner, no one came. Super pissed, cause no one ever had the willingness to lend a hand or what. Just sit there n wait for food to drop from the sky. N I had learned from all these months that their slowness, means it will take another 20 mins before we can actually eat something, which by then food will be cold. All the while they just could not see how rushed I had to be so I can put food on the table on time. Do they want the slow cooking their mum does, whereby food will only be served at 9pm? Argh!

Then there's the washing up dishes. His sis kindly took up the role. Which is really helpful. But that was till she realised she can get away with washing up by eating her share quickly and dart upstairs n hibernate. Which means I had to clear up all the washings from dinner and cooking. Isn't this something a child will do? Why am I seeing it on a thirty something? Eric had a good talk with her, so tat had stopped for now. Then there is also the lack of willingness whereby if u don't have it in the sink, she will not wash them. So there is often the jobs where I had to clean up after she had clean up... (Like if i was watching tv or out at bible study, I will be greeted with jobs undone) Do you get what I mean? Sigh....

Then there is the toilet. Everyone uses it. But no one cleans it apart from me, or eric when i howled at him. I still remembered the line his sis told me on the first day we moved back. "Yay! Now there is someone to help me clean the bathroom!"

At that time, I replied "yeah, I can help clean it with you." But, see what I said, With You, not me only. Clearly her sentence means Me only, as she had since then, Never, I repeat,  NEVER cleans the bathroom. And it really pissed me off.

I had been living out of home since I'm 18. And I had lived in shared house since. Independence is like second nature to me. I learned to cook and clean and take care of myself. Plus I had to study full time n even work part time jobs. I even had time to do my St. John volunteering. Compare to here, this family is just Hopeless! What a lazy bum! 

Just as I had predicted, when I stop or refuse to cook, what do they eat? Takeaway pizza. Lazy to the point they do not even want to lift a finger and cook. 

Looking at the wall of wall papers yet to be removed. It is really daunting. I had not even manage to take off the papers from one room! Let alone the whole house. I had pleaded to eric for help. But none came. My back is now so sore tat I cannot stand up for too long. Even standing for cooking hurts. 

I'm glad tat mum n dad came to visit few months back. They had seen the place I am living. They understand the pain I am going through. I told them about the wall papers and things that needed to be done over at the other place. And you know what they say? 

"Do you need two extra hand to come and help? We can fly here for a week to help you." 

My help! 

Why can they so easily offer their help, while those lazy bums around me can't. Only once his sister had so call offered help with the other place. But when the time comes, she gave the excuse of " need to study", when obviously she was just plain lazy. Can you see how sick I am of this place? 

I really appreciate the help offered by my parents. But how can I ask two elderly to work for free on a place tat is not even theirs?! Some more now, my mum had finger joints problems and shoulder problem, plus dad had a poor back too. 

And I also donoe why I am putting myself into this bloody place, working till my back aches and head spin. It is not even mine! Can I claim my medical bills from his parents for hurting my back on their bloody houses? 

This is ridiculous.

Kcan

The frame is up!

This happen last weekend.

The long awaited kitchen frame is finally up!

No longer a gaping hole through the plasterboard and wooden beams. It's now closed!

Eric here pre-joining the three edge of the frame.

Pre-drilling holes on the frame n wall, applying adhesive glue (also called liquid nails), and sticking it up.

The last gap showing before the final piece of frame goes in.

Eric pre-drilling before applying liquid nail adhesive.

Using the glue gun like a pro! It is surprisingly difficult to apply. Needs lots of strength.

And tada! Yay! 

It took us the whole day to put it up. After this, we still have to fill up the gaps, sand, paint.....

That should be for another day.

I had also spent the whole of yesterday morning stripping off the grout on one of the bathroom shower wall. Will apply the grout tomorrow, God willing. 

I'm now officially the handy woman in the house. Feeling man-ly. Haha.

Kcan