810 Kitchen Remodel

Week 31

The kitchen is near completion and odds and ends are being completed as the week goes on. There are a few notable kitchen related shenanigans:

Missy vs. Shelf Brackets
In the hutch space of cabinets is room for 2 glass shelves to hang. Not wanting to use the IKEA provided shady hardware that would have to be drilled into the cover panels, we decided to go with shelf wall brackets. Finding decent brackets is much harder than it sounds, unless you are looking for curly wrought iron brackets, then it is easy. At the beginning of the week, multiple trips to big box hardware stores were made looking for hangers. The first set was too big, enough room for only one shelf to be hung. The second set seemed to be the winner.

And by winner, I mean kicking my butt in installation. The shelf brackets came with all of the hardware and simple to follow instructions. Four pilot holes of 3/8" diameter were carefully laid out and drilled. Apparently it was user error installing the first anchor. Handyman Joe then stepped in to "demonstrate proper anchoring" for the second anchor. Installation was a snap for him. So he handed over the drill for me to install the bracket above the solid fixture he just installed. Again, anchor hates me and jacked all up.

Now I have one hanger in and three holes in the wall. Good thing I am a good patcher. So I re-layout three holes around the solid anchor that Joe installed. Again drill some pilot holes. Now I am left with three patched holes, three pilot holes and short 2 wall anchors. So this project was put on hold until replacement anchors were procured.

The battle lives on, now armed with new anchors, solid patched holes, being the smarter worker, passed the installation back to Joe. With ease, the three remaining anchors went in smooth and the rest of the shelf assembly came together. The verdict is still out whether the shelves can actually hold the proclaimed 66 pounds as the package indicates. So now the shelves sit empty until we find something lite to put on it.

Shelves 1, Missy 0

Diesel v Rules
Diesel has also won the battle of a new perch. Despite our intention of keeping the cats off the counters, they manage to lounge on the island at every free moment. And when that gets boring, they jump over the ravine to the other counter and pace back and forth like wild felines that they are. So they have won dominance on the island, but are still scolded when on the preparation counters by the sink. So Diesel is content hanging out in his nest that Grandma Ginger knitted for him last Christmas. I guess the granite is just too chilly to lounge on all day long.

Diesel 1, Rules 0

Another stranger has made its way back into the mainstream, the dining room table. After a joyous celebration of the exodus of tools and wood from the dining room, the table was welcomed with open arms. That is after Joe assembled the legs backwards and had to reassmeble once he thought he was in the clear. The cats now make a fun sport of jumping over the open air from table to island to counter.

posted by Missy and Joe @ 8:19 PM