The Privy Pantry

Does everyone work better with a deadline?  I certainly do.  So we knew the kids were coming and we only had one working bathroom, this is not going to end well!  When we bought the house it had an obviously added on, not very well done room off the kitchen that has the hot water heater, a toilet, a sink and a door space that is now covered with 2 sheets of plywood and nailed shut.  We did not make it a priority last summer and winter and even this summer, I moved a rack in and started storing some food extras and large pots etc. in it and started calling it the 'privy pantry'!  Now that we were going to have overnight company it needed to be a priority!  So Hubby did his part and got the toilet to flush (had to rebuild the whole tank assembly), poor Hubby he really hates plumbing work!  So then it was my turn to get to work and make it look just a little less accidental!  I bought one gallon of cheap paint and used the half gallon I had left over from last year, and I used the blue that is the highlight color in the kitchen for the highlight color in this bathroom.  (trying for that 'tied together' look)  The color on the walls was the same color as the walls in the rest of the house and it was amazingly hard to cover (2 coats everywhere) and the trim was that horrible old barn red that was on one wall in the kitchen.  The whole job took 3 days and we are pretty pleased with it.

That thing that has two doors and looks like a cupboard - isn't!  It is a big box hanging off the back of the house and we have no idea what it was supposed to be (spider home is my guess)!  I painted it shut for now.

The shelf, like our fences, was made from an old wooden pallet that the previous owner got for free.  Just a little too rough looking for my taste.

Tada!!
We still are calling it the 'Privy Pantry' but at least it looks intentional!  Maybe someday we can replace the toilet with a white one (what is this color anyway?) and I wouldn't mind eventually replacing the vanity.  For now it is fine and it accomplished what we wanted it to do - provide an extra bathroom!  The walls are white and the trim is blue - my camera seems to have adjusted the color for me.  Hot water heater is behind the door.











So there is one more major project checked off the list!  I just need a little push on some things - especially since our least favorite things to do are plumbing and painting!  Glad it's done!

Slow Living September Review

I am late doing this for September. The kids were here and then I rode along with them to my Moms house so my September went by really fast!  Slow living Essentials is the link to follow if you are interested in participating, it's kind of fun to look back and organize your thoughts and memories!

Nourish – sent some of my canned stuff home with Son #2, he lives in a house/dorm with 10 guys and he is a foody, he said all the pickles were awesome and the sauerkraut is so good he has just been eating it out of the jar. So satisfying for me to hear!

Took the kids to the mountains - Son #2

Prepare – Hubby stayed home and cut up all the wood from the trees the boys helped him fell while they were here. Pretty sure they just wanted to play with the chainsaw! (BOYS!) Good start on next years woodpile!

I never let them do this when they lived at home!

Green – I'm thinking taking the bus instead of driving or flying counts – yes?

Grow – Came home to some serious cold and the growing season is over – for now we will go over what did well this year, what we need more of or want to do differently next year.

Create – Started another cross stitch, and am almost done with my idea for cold weather curtains, quilted, to try to help keep the house warm.

Discover – Since our youngest (Son #3) and his wife found out they are expecting my first grandchild due in May I have been pouring over baby craft ideas – this is so much fun!

This is the only time your hubby lets you touch him with a stick you peed on! :)

Enjoy – Truly enjoyed spending time with all three boys together and each separately, loved having the time to visit with my Mom, I think I had way more fun in September than hubby! I will have to make chocolate chip cookies here pretty soon!

Mom

   Behind this giant root is a giant tree in the fog!

 Mom and I took a day trip to the closest Giant Sequoias to her house, it was foggy and eerie and beautiful!

Son #1 and DIL #1  Cute couple!

 I had a wonderful September - and knowing the kids were coming motivated Hubby and I to get a couple of things done that we had been putting off (the other bathroom - pics next time!)

I'm Home Again!

Just a quick post to say hi I'm home, after my 27 and a half hour bus ride with 3 transfers and 3 hours in layovers - I'm home, showered, brushed my teeth, washed my hair and feel pretty human again!

Had a wonderful time with the kids and my Mom - so many times I go to visit her and we have an 'EVENT' going on and the event takes up a lot of time and energy (weddings and the like).  This time it was just me wanting to see her and it was lovely to just hang out and visit a lot.  I will post more I'm sure but for now I'm getting to 'must lay down' stage, so will share my favorite bus station from the trip, it is in Pocatello, Idaho and surrounded by cool buildings and it just made me go back in time in my mind.  I'm sure the folks who work there might like an upgrade (noticed the doors were a little drafty) but oh it was cool looking. The old train station and the Yellowstone Hotel (I think every good sized city and some not so large in the Rocky Mountain West has a Yellowstone Hotel!  It's like a rule or something!)

Union Pacific Railway Station

Yellowstone Hotel

Isn't this just a cool looking old station?!

So good night and when I eventually wake up again I will show a few more photos!  And tell how much money I saved by taking the "long way"