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Ok, so Jamie and I suspected it wasn’t allowed, the Co-op has house rules on this sort of thing, but we scheduled our refrigerator delivery for this past Sunday. We were desperate to get as much done before this week, the last week before the move, the week we are not able to get into the apartment because the floors are being refinished, so we broke the rule: No deliveries on weekends.

So, when you place an order with Sears for delivery, they give you a date, but the time is not announced until the day before the delivery. We knew the frige was coming on Sunday. We knew we had to take off our apartment door so it could fit through. (Yes, it’s big; lovely, stainless-steel, side-by-side, and big. We cook… a lot.) We had a notion we were breaking the house rules, although we weren’t positive. What we didn’t know was when the thing was arriving.

Saturday evening we found out. Our delivery window, as I previously mentioned, was between 7:45 & 9:45 AM. Not great, not great at all. Nothing like trying to sneak a hulking machine into the building in the quiet, early Sunday morning hours.

We got up at 5:45 so we could get to the apartment by 7 to get ready for the delivery. “5:45?” you say. “I thought you were only 15 minutes from the new place.” Well indeed we are, but the subway was running oddly due to track repairs and we thought we could stop by Dunkin’ D’s to grab a quick coffee and breakfast croissant and mentally prepare ourselves. But no. No it didn’t happen like that. Why?

At 6:45, as we were sitting on the 1 train, waiting to go “express” to our stop, the delivery guy called saying, “Just wanted you to know that we’ll be there in 10 minutes.” 10 minutes? That, for the mathematically challenged, or just to drive home a point, would put the delivery time at, oh, 6:55, or nearly a full hour before the earliest point in the delivery window. Prompt? Overly so.

Jamie explained that we were on our way and would meet them in the lobby.

We arrived shortly thereafter at our station, hurried up the street to our building. I to the apartment, Jamie to the lobby. I wildly removing screws from our front – steel – door, Jamie escorting the delivery men and refrigerator up in the elevator, all the while explaining the need (as if it needed to be explained that one should be extremely quiet, or as quiet as one can be whilst lugging a refrigerator, at 7AM on a weekend) to be quiet. The quartet of Jamie, deliverymen and frige processioning through our doorless doorway. The frige placed gingerly in its proper kitchen space. The brief whine of the screwgun (not brief enough and oh so loud) as the doors were attached. The departure of the deliverymen with the old hulking, non-functioning machine with, once again, Jamie as escort and door-opener. The replacement of the apartment door.

All very smoothly done. Except… Jamie informend me that as the delivery truck was pulling out, our Co-op board president ran up chiding him, “Bad, bad. No deliveries on the weekend.”

I was horrified. Nothing like making a good impression with your Co-op board. Well, we did what one does with that kind of embarrassment, we laughed at ourselves. Nabbed, indeed. And we decided that we would do no drilling that day.

A while later, at breakfast, I queried Jamie further about the incident. “Was she in her nightgown?,” I asked. Jamie looked at me curiously. “No, she was dressed for running, she was out jogging and just happened to be coming back to the building as the truck was pullling away.”

I explained that I had a picture of her flying out of the building, robe aflutter, hair streaming behind, fire issuing from her nostrils. Although, in the light of understanding, that did seem absurd because she is quite a lovely woman.

No, Jamie explained, it was nothing like that at all, while she did indeed say, “Bad, bad. No deliveries on the weekend” it was said in a gently chiding, non-threatening, but still blush-inducing way. Pshew.

As Jamie said, we have now played our Mulligan.

And we have now rescheduled next Saturday’s delivery of our couch and missing Ikea sink (more on that in another post) for a week day.

(Some new pix added to the Renovations Gallery.)

Nite,
k.

Tags: Jamie, Life, Moving, NYC, Renovations // 3 Comments »

One major thing Jamie and I have learned during our apartment renovation process is that the word “standard” does not live in a Pre-War building.

Lighting fixture kits that come with standard screws to hook the plate to the junction box? Throw the screws out, don’t even try to use ’em; the ceiling has been renovated so many times that the junction box is now two inches higher than it was originally due to the ceiling now being two inches lower.

The wires in that ceiling? Look out. The wiring may have been standard in 1930, but as we all know, standards change. And once you get an electrician in, so will the wiring.

The walls at angles of perfection? Uh-uh. They are canted and bowed; warped as a patient at Bellvue. Be prepared to finesse the hanging of cabinets, the painting of a straight line at the meetings of walls and ceiling.

Level is a relative term. There’s level, meaning the little bubble is in the very center of the tube and then there is “level” meaning that the floor to ceiling measurement varies by 1/4″ – 1/2″ from one side of the wall to the other but ther’s no way around that so it’ll have to do. I’m dubbing this kind of level, “Level F”, for “Level Fudged”, ie: it’s a bit off, but it works. If you’ve, however, been unsuccessful at taming the oddness and your room looks like some kind of carnival funhouse, you may change that to “Level Fucked”.

Luckily, Jamie and I have, so far and with fingers crossed, managed to remain in the land of Fudge. I was pretty sure we’d move to the Kingdom of the Fucked when we hung the cabinets against the Fudged linearity of the pressed tin. Luckily, the bizarre variations of one, offset those of the other and it wound up looking pretty darned good.

I’ve decided that rather than having multiple Crappy PhoneCam Pix Galleries, I would consolidate them all in timeline order in one Renovation Gallery that I’ll update as things happen. You can find it here. Or follow the Renovations page link at the top of the home page of this site.

Before I close and hurry to bed -’cause after all, Sears is delivering the new frige tomorrow between 7:45 & 9:45…AM… did I mention that we decided to get a new frige because the one included in the purchase price of the apartment, after being plugged in for four days never got cooler than lukewarm? And that was the freezer compartment. Oh, so many questions we now know to ask 30 or so years from now if we decide to move again… I digress.

Before I close, I do have to mention that with all the unexpected, scary things we’ve found in our architectural archaeology, we have uncovered the rare gem or two. Today, we finally undertook the task of removing the hideous blue carpet and its under-padding from the living room floor. We had previously peeked at a corner of the floor, so we knew that there was promise, but once uncovered, unleashed from the bonds of its faded powder-blueish, 70’s shroud, oh it is a thing of beauty. Three concentric (rosewood?) inlays define the living room and within them, beautiful oak laid diagonally. The arera suddenly became defined and alive. The floor is stripped and refinished all next week, so it will be even more lovely. I’ll try to get a decent pic so I can do a “before/after” refinishing comparison.

Gotta get to bed, gotta get up early and meet some delivery men.

Nite,
k.

Tags: Jamie, Life, Moving, Renovations // Add Comment »

ting. Painting. That’s what Jamie and I have been doing since Saturday. Lots and lots of painting.

Saturday we primed, hellish, described in the previous post.

Sunday, Monday and today were spent throwing our varied and wonderful pallet up on the walls. A color sampler is found below on my shorts.

One might, if one were of a cynical and undaring turn of mind, ask upon entering our apartment, “Where’s the hookers?” We, however, love the color scheme. One o’ these days I’ll actually get some good pix to prove it looks, well, really cool.

Three cheers for Benjamin Moore Aura paint. Beautiful. Low VOC’s. Works like a charm, although the “1 coat” promise is a bit off. The problem could, however, lie more with the finish we chose – eggshell – which we’ve been told is notoriously finicky, and the intense humidity we’ve been painting in, than with the paint itself. At any rate, the walls look beautiful.

Tomorrow, we’re taking a much needed break from painting and doing some organizing, light fixture hanging, and installing, hopefully without incident, the pressed tin.

Do we have more painting? Yes, trim and touch-ups, but we really, really need a day without rollers and brushes or else our minds may well snap.

The stove (a thing of beauty), range hood (lovely) and air conditioner!!! (!) arrived today. The AC is installed and ready to be cranked to the max for tomorrow’s work day.

And in other new homeowner’s news, we discovered when we moved in that the toilet leaked into the apartment below. Now, it wouldn’t have stopped us from buying the place had we been told about this problem prior to the sale, however, it might have stopped us from turning on the water to the toilet on our first day there. Regie, our lovely downstairs neighbor, informed us that this was an ongoing problem. Our Super said it was a leak in the toilet tank, so we bought a new one (which we’d have done anyway as the tank cover was broken and un-pretty).

When the toilet was being installed, it was discovered that it wasn’t the tank at all, but rather the fact that when the last owner had done a bathroom renovation, he built up the floor so that the toilet and the pipe below didn’t quite meet up. Euwww, I know.

This was discovered last Friday. Today the plummers came and excavated our bathroom floor. There was a mini-jackhammer, gas-tank and lots of debris and a very scary hole in our bathroom floor. But by the time they left, the entire pipe had been replaced and the floor, while not restored to its former less-than glory, is passable until we save up to do the bathroom reno. Some day…

So now, off to bed go I, to dream, perchance to sleep, as sleep has not been very forthcoming lately. Too much heat, too much excitement and too much back pain. Ah the wonderful joys of homo-ownership!

Nite,
k.

Tags: Jamie, Life, Moving, NYC, Renovations // Add Comment »

As in extreme physical pain.

Yesterday, well actually given when I’m writing this, two days ago, Saturday to be exact, we primed the entire apartment.

All of it: the walls ceilings, doors and trim. From about 10AM until 10PM we primed. Jamie cut-in, I rolled.

I had forgotten, silly of me, I know, that fresh plaster, like our new ceilings, suck up paint like a sponge in the desert. And suck they did. The walls, after the ceiling, they were a relief, though for the last two hours or so it all seemed a living hell. But it was worth it.

Today, or rather now, yesterday, Sunday, we painted the ceilings. Oh how nice they look. So pristing and flat and fresh. The rooms are being transformed before our eyes. The only disappointing part of the day was when we realized that the paint store has messed up our order slightly and given us two gallons of Arctic White and one of Winter White rather than the requested two gallons of Pale Sea Mist and one of Arctic White. Let that be a lesson to us all and, of course, one we should already know when buying expensive cans of paint: always check to make sure you have the right product before leaving the store.

We made do. The Arctic White went on the ceilings and trim in place of the Pale Sea Mist and while it may not be what was planned, I think it will still look lovely.

Here’s the obligatory link to the bad phonecam pics of the day.

Oh, did I mention that the people who lived in the place before us had a child who liked to draw on the walls with crayon? Have I mentioned how certain colors of crayon just don’t want to hide no matter how many layers of primer you use. Did I mention that Jamie spackled the fuck out of the crayon marks to make them go away only to be then left with odd raised patterns in the shape of childish crayon drawinging on the wall? Did I mention how Jamie today scraped off all the spackle which had finally soaked up the offending crayon? Did I mention that you should never, ever, under any circumstances allow your child or yourself, for that matter, to run rampant through your home doodling hither and yon with crayons? Did I mention any of that?

Well, now I have. Props, huzzahs and three cheers for Jamie for his persistence in the crayon doodle eradication project.

And now, to bed where I shall dream of tomorrow’s, today’s, Monday’s, color filled painting; a day of Jalapeno Green, Moroccan Red, a Dash of Curry. And no, none, not one, crayon.

Nite,
k.

Tags: Jamie, Life, Moving // 2 Comments »

Happy 4th.

There is, from time to time when history demands, a grand Thomas Paine moment. A moment in which the feelings of the people are coalesced into a passionate call for action from a single voice.

Given the recent commutation of “Scooter” Libby by our Governor in Chief on July 4th eve, July 4th, the day we commemorate this country’s bold decision to throw off the reins of a tyrannical monarch and live, (albeit still flawed in theory and practice) of the people, by the people and for the people, given the trampling of this shining ideal we live by under the callous feet of the nominal head of our government, the time for that Voice is now.

And that Voice has spoken.

If you have not read or heard Keith Olbermann’s piece “Bush, Cheney, Should Resign”, then I urge you to follow this link and give it a read or a listen. This man has beautifully summed up the feelings that have been growing stronger with each passing day, each life lost in Iraq, each lie by our leaders left unpunished… Go see for yourself, it is powerful beyond belief.

And in lighter news, the tile has been laid down in the kitchen, it just needs grouting and it will be finished.

Jamie and I spent an unreasonable amount of time in Home Depot (How do you say it? Deepo or Deppo? My Dad favors Deppo.) buying lighting fixtures, outlets and light switches. It’s the little things that warm the heart.

Tomorrow, our friend Deana is coming over to help us finalize the color choices and layout. That, then, means we shall be painting all weekend. Priming and painting. Jamie wants to have it all done before mid-next week, before the appliances arrive. Should be great fun.

Anywhoo, below is the link to the latest tiny phonecam video. They are stupid, but they amuse me, so…

Stupid Tiny Movie Link

And just in case you ignored me earlier, get your ass over to Keith Olbermann’s piece and check it out.

Nite,
k.

Tags: Jamie, Life, Moving, Politics // Add Comment »

We have one in our kitchen now. Indeed, it’s just green sheet rock at the moment, but it is a lovely wall, a thing of beauty.

Click me to see some of the recent progress.

It is pretty amazing to see this transformation. The ceiling work alone makes a world of difference, magically changed from popcorn-ish ick to beautiful smoothness. I wish now that I had taken a good “before” pic of it. Ah well, it is etched in my memory, at least.

So before I hit the hay, here’s a link to a quick cell phone movie of the before, for posterity’s sake.

Nite,
k.

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That’s what the schematic for the kitchen tin order is. Finally.

Jamie should be pleased; I know I am.

Tomorrow I will fax it off to The Tinman in TX to be cut and shipped and sometime next week (next week!!!) we should have a completed kitchen.

But for now, to bed for a lovely 6 hours of sleep. I think I might be getting too old for this… Nahhh, never.

Nite,
k.

Tags: General, Moving // 1 Comment »

Sizing up. Checking the space…

Yes, the kitchen wall now has structure to it. We’ve been convinced to not tear out the old wall, but rather, like archaeology in reverse, to build a new wall in front of it. So the studs are in place. Jamie’s pictured measuring so we can order the pressed tin that will eventually cover that wall when it is eventually in place. I’m supposed to be drawing it out, at this very moment, so we can fax it to the tin guys tomorrow. Clearly, as I’m writing, I’m not doing what I’m supposed to be be doing, but I’d rather do the drawing tomorrow when my head is fresh and my lines and my math will be much more precise.

To this, much as he did to my endless picture taking earlier today, Jamie would probably give me this face. But I’m strong, I can take it. And we already know that I am, or rather, am not, a procrastinator. I’ll think about tonight, whilst I dream. Dreams of measurements and of tin.

And in the morning, it’ll flow directly from my dreams onto the page in minutes… When I get around to it.

Nite,
k.

Tags: Jamie, Life, Moving, NYC // 3 Comments »

As in the store, not the library cataloging system.

I must admit to a certain prejudice against Sears. It’s a store that seems so old fashioned, so out-of-date; it felt that way even way back when, when I was just a lad. But they do sell great tools and appliances. And they have great sales.

This evening, Jamie and I took a long subway ride out to the Rego Park Sears. It was time to buy appliances for the new place. Or rather, one appliance and two other necessary household items. We were assisted by a wonderful woman named Glenda, who was certainly good and, in no way that I could see, a witch.

(Edit – After I published this and was heading to bed, it struck me that of course, the above reference is incorrect as it’s Glinda the Good Witch. Now, I could have just edited it out, but I think it’s a testament to my level of exhaustion that I, a lifelong homosexual, could forget the name of a character from that particular film. I say stet. – k.)

We got:

1. A new stove. Gas. With bridge burner in the center of the cooktop and, my dream, convection oven. Thank God for 20% off holiday sales!
2. A lovely range hood.
3. A 12000 BTU air conditioner.

This is all being delivered to the house on 7/10, the day before the rest of the kitchen arrives from Ikea.

Tomorrow, we’re getting exact measurements so we can order the pressed tin for the kitchen from Chelsea Decorative Metal Co. in, of all places, TX.

Hopefully the ceiling and the kitchen floor will be finished by the time all this arrives.

And yes, I do understand that this little blog of mine is becoming alarmingly johnny-one-note. At the moment, though, getting this apartment ready to move into is an obsession. A necessary obsession. A painful, muscle-aching, yet wonderfully joyous obsession.

One of these days, I promise to write about something else. Until then, well, this is my little space and I’ll write what I damned well please. And in the end, I’m too bloody exhausted right now to write anything longer than this anyway. Ah well, such are the joys of home ownership.

But damn, it’s going to look great when it’s finished.

Nite,
k.

Tags: General, Jamie, Life, Moving, NYC // 2 Comments »

A quick update of the ongoing process that is buying our new home.

Lots of things going on. The stove, counter top and pile of 12″ marble tiles are no longer in the living room. They were picked up yesterday by a lovely gentleman we found through Craig’s List. Jamie can supply the contact info if he wishes. Yes, Jamie and he (I was kept at work very late) carted it all down to the van and away it went.

The new kitchen floor tiles and new toilet have arrived. These will be installed within the week.

Our ceiling is being replastered, as is the back kitchen wall. Within the week.

Our new kitchen cabinets, etc. arrive on the 11th. We’ll be wildly painting all that week.

Our wood floors are being refinished the week of the 16th.

And the big move into the place is on Monday, July 23rd. Less than one month from now all this work will be done and we’ll say goodbye to our current rented home and move into our very own (in 10 or so years after we pay the bank for it) home.

Pshew. That’s the brief update on our next few weeks. I’ll be posting pix as we progress through the renovations so everyone can join in the fun!

And on that note, since I have to get up earlier than usual so I can leave work a bit earlier than usual to go scrape the remaining cement from the old kitchen floor prior to the new floor being installed, it’s time for bed.

Nite,
k.

Tags: Jamie, Moving, NYC // 1 Comment »