Slow progress .........

Things are still in a complete mess around here. I went for the stress test Friday, but have not gotten any results. The technician who performed the test told me to contact my doctor today for the results. I called my doctor's office awhile ago and they haven't gotten anything yet. However, I am feeling much better.

I was hoping my kitchen counters and floor would be installed today, but the countertops were not ready and they didn't pick up the tile. So, they demolished my bathroom instead. Now my whole house is in disarray.



Not much progress has been made in the kitchen. The dishwasher was installed, but I still have no water or countertops.



All my dishes and food are still in boxes in the garage along with the boxes that the contractor brought. It's a major job to try to find anything in this mess.



This is my bathroom as they left it this afternoon. We are now without a tub or shower.



All the stuff from the bathroom is in the study. I have to squeeze by boxes to get to the computer desk.



The half bath actually has a working toilet and the only running water in the house. I still can't put anything back in place since they still have work to do.



All the half bath contents are filling up my quest room.

I keep telling myself that it will be nice when it is done and that I won't ever have to go through this again (I hope). I'm basically a neatness freak, so it's hard to just sit and look at the mess. I'm hoping I will get countertops tomorrow and at least a tub.

Life is hectic ........

I'm way behind on blog reading along with everything else. Please excuse me - I will try to catch up in the next few days.

We were told that the contractors would begin on our kitchen and bath remodel last Thursday. We spent several days moving everything out of the kitchen to the garage and out of the half bath to the guestroom. It's hard to believe that all that stuff came out of my kitchen and half bath. Wednesday they called and said they were finishing a large project in Maryland and it would be Monday before they could begin. That was OK, it just meant we had to live out of boxes over the weekend. At least we had all the furniture in place and the appliances were working.

They arrived Monday morning and moved my dining room furniture to the living room so they could move the refrigerator and stove to the diningroom. They then proceeded to tear out cabinets and floor. I was not feeling well, so I sat in the corner of the living room and watched TV. I had been feeling weak for several days. As the day went on, I began feeling worse. I had pain in my shoulder, back, and stomach and felt weaker. After the workers left at 3:00 I told Hubby that I thought I should go to the doctor.

The doctor did an EKG and immediately called an ambulance to take me to the hospital. I was in the emergency room for several hours while they ran tests. The tests results were normal, but since there was some abnormality to the EKG, they wanted to keep me overnight to do a stress test today. I was not very happy, since the last time I was in the hospital I was a third grader with a broken leg. However, I was a good patient and did as I was told. I must say I was totally bored with lying in bed and watching TV.

They finally came around noon today to take me for the stress test. They took my blood pressure while prepping me for the test. It was too high and they couldn't proceed. So, I was taken back to my room and a test was scheduled for tomorrow. Several hours later the doctor came in to tell me that the insurance company said I couldn't spend the night in the hospital. Evidently I wasn't sick enough. He rescheduled the stress test for Friday and sent me home with a prescription. I am so glad I got to come home. I think I would have gone crazy if I'd had to lie there for another day.

I got home tonight to a total mess. It will be awhile before things get back to normal. Poor Maggie May was so scared last night she wouldn't come in the house. Hubby said he finally got hold of her around 1 AM and brought her inside, but she was so upset he had to let her out at 2 AM. Mollie Ann and Mazie Grace are not as upset, but they still don't like the mess.

Below is a picture showing my kitchen as it looks tonight. They got my microwave installed today and pushed the stove back in place so we could use it. The only problem is I can't find a thing in all those boxes in the garage. We had TV dinners for supper.

A new refrigerator .........

Last Tuesday evening I noticed that the Diet Coke I took out of the refrigerator was not very cold. By the next day it was obvious that the refrigerator was warmer than normal. I put a thermometer on the top shelf and it registered almost 65 degrees. There was no cool air going into the refrigerator. I checked the freezer section and it was cooling properly, but the ice maker had quit working.

When planning our kitchen remodel, we had decided to keep the refrigerator. The only thing broken on it at that time was the water dispenser and I could manage without that. Well, fate had other plans. We had to throw out almost everything in the refrigerator and go to the local appliance store. Their repairman advised us to buy a new one rather than try to repair the one we had. Seems like modern refrigerators are only expected to work for 12 to 15 years and ours was close to the 15 year mark. I can remember when they would last 30 years or more. Guess that is the advantage of modern technology.

I've been wanting one of the french door refrigerators with the bottom freezer. The store only had the model I liked in stainless steel. I know stainless steel is suppose to be the popular finish, but I like white. It is easier to clean and doesn't show fingerprints and smudges. They had to get a white one shipped from Maryland to Richmond. They picked it up Friday and installed it that afternoon.

The contractors plan to start on my kitchen and bathrooms next week - possibly Thursday. Since we planned on replacing the dishwasher and installing an over the stove microwave, we purchased all three items at the same time. I really do like my new refrigerator. It has lots of shelf space and I like the way the shelves and bins are arranged.

I'm trying to collect boxes to pack up everything in my cabinets and pantry. We'll move it all to the garage while the remodeling is taking place. I have a busy week ahead.

May flowers ........

Thought I'd share a few pictures of flowers in my yard with you tonight.





The azaleas are past their prime. I never did get outside to take pictures when they were at their prettiest.







The bleeding heart always do well. Notice the bee.



A pot of purple flowers.

I still have six planters I need to buy plants for. I planted two large pots with wave petunias today. Monday I planted vinca around the lamp post in front of the house. We're suppose to get rain after midnight. We need the rain since the ground is beginning to get dry again. My poor fingernails have taken a beaten the last few days, but I do love to get my hands in the dirt. Will post pictures of the garden soon.

I've had a cold .............

It's been awhile since I posted. I haven't replaced the part on my internet equipment, but it seems to be working better - at least right now. Perhaps the wind moved the dish just a little, so that it gets better reception.

Hubby was complaining several weeks ago about allergies. He was sniffling, sneezing, and coughing. About ten days ago I started with the same symptoms. I have never had allergies, so I knew that we both had old fashioned head colds. It had been over ten years since I'd had a cold so my immunity was nonexistent. I had forgotten how miserable a head cold could make you feel - sore throat, runny nose, stuffed up sinus, itchy eyes and throat, no sense of taste or smell, and a general feeling of weakness. Finally after ten days I'm feeling much better. Hubby still has a cough, but my cold never went to my chest, so I should be like new in a day or so.

We've been busy getting the garden planted. The cats think the garden squares are great litter boxes and have covered up three of my squash plants. I'll have to do some replanting. The lettuce and radishes I planted earlier are doing very well. I'll take pictures soon.

We've been lucky as far as storms and tornados are concerned. Most of the storms have been just to the west of us. A tornado was reported in Farmville, but we didn't even get rain here. It's just tragic the damage made by storms throughout the South. I feel for all those people who have been affected.

Our cabinets have been ordered and should be here around the 10th. I think I finally picked out all the tile, faucets, etc. I want. I changed my mind numerous times and finally got tired of looking at all that stuff, so I turned in my list to the contractor.

Will try to take some yard and garden pictures soon.