Another Wall Framed!

When we started this project we knew it was going to be a rather lengthy process.  Mr. Fix~It only has a few hours in the evening after work (if he does nothing else) and Sundays but we rather jokingly agreed if you need a flash light to read the measurements its time to stop!

  We all know when you ”just finish this last little bit”  Someone’s gonna get hurt.

Well we’ve been lucky, so far very little blood has been shed. Tuesday,  Chris stayed to help get this section up We found out the carport original beans weren't even (surprise surprise) Instead of sliding the top in place and bumping the bottom in, it involved using a sledge hammer at the top and bottom…. When that didn’t work we grabbed a floor jack and a 4x4 post and jacked that beam up just enough to tap the wall in place.   It was a good test of faith and trust in each other…. swinging the sledge hammer above each others heads. Well, after I swung it a time or two up high they quickly switched out with me. Chickens

Living in a tornado part of the country we had intended on leaving the original metal support poles in place just as added protection.  But last night after a supper of stir-fry we/Larry,  removed the middle pole (in the center of the photo) as it was becoming a Pain in the arse headache to work around for the door frame. 

The most frustrating part is if they had built this space correctly in the first place we would be done framing & working on other parts by now…..like pluming and heat ducting *sigh* Its a process right?

Isaiah, the Mr Fix~It in training ….

Made himself a Blackberry Phone!  Complete with keyboard, camera lens and upper screen….now he’s trying to figure where & how to attach the batteries.  I have no  doubts he’ll work it out!

We are running away for the weekend to go camping…with rain scheduled the entire time! 

Technorati Tags: renovations,addition,construction,Isaiah

Coffee Please…. Just give me coffee!

This morning, I tried to pour coffee and poured the fresh pot in the sink,  because I forgot it was a fresh pot… I’d just made.  So I put another fresh pot on.  Dumped the dregs of last nights cup on the kitchen floor missing the sink by a good foot.  By now, I’m getting desperate & quickly put another pot on (LOVE THE BUNN).

So, right now while I have my coffee, there is a bath towel on the counter soaking up the 2nd pot of coffee overflowing from the pot.   It’s not like its going anywhere…..just , the counters, floor…..The day can only go up from here…

anyone for a refill?

Technorati Tags: mishaps,coffee,mornings

Projaholics Are Back!

We started the addition!

And it’s been….. interesting . We found out the hard way a few years ago the original owner took all kinds of short cuts when he built the house. Minor details (not)little things like water pipes plumed straight through without emergency shut off valves..you know **ahem** minor details…. So I’m not sure why I was so surprised when we started construction that NOTHING in the space where we are working in is square. Not the floor to the walls, not the outer edge, the support poles? Bah Not even the existing walls or ceiling!! So it’s been a challenge for Mr. Fix~It framing. He had the first section done (the longest area) completed last night.

This first photo is for my children, for posterity sake…I don’t think they have EVER seen this momentous event…Your Dad is actually READING THE DIRECTIONS for the new tool!!!

He claims he was just looking at photosThe wall was done & ready to go up.  We hoisted it on the pulley we rigged, were tapping it into place….& the pulley broke and down the wall went…over Mr. Fix~It!  Thankfully he was able to quickly turn to have his feet turned the length of the wall.  As it was going down I had these visions of an emergency room visit with 2 crushed feet….. Rebuilt, we called Danielle and she came over to help support the wall as we wedged it in.  This section with the framing up will be my STUDIO!!!!!!

RAHHHH! The crowd roars!!!!

Or, is that my family happy knowing the yarn will be out of the living room soon?

Technorati Tags: Projaholics,construction

 

Storms are a Comin!

One thing about the weather in So Indiana, if you don’t like it..wait an hour or so & it will change. It stormed with a good soaking rain last night, sunny and warm this morning and now severe storm with tornado warnings.

Nice green sky. 

I spent the morning completing a bit of knitting and the rest of the afternoon weeding and planting more veggies & re-potting flowers before the storm. But,  I’m out of garden space.  Since I have tomatoes left I decided to use 1 of the 2 up-side down planters from last year.  I wasn’t very pleased with the results but realized to late in the season it was my own fault.   I wasn’t watering them enough.  Part of the draw  of these is you can’t over water as the excess runs out.  But, the dryer it gets even more runs out.  Now that I have my brain engaged I’m trying it again.

Since we don’t have water access to the back deck & have to haul jugs,  this time I’m placing another tomato plant underneath in a pot…one will water the other with out waste…I hope.

The back side of the garage has a huge flowerbed…it got weeded and a few veggies and more loufahs planted.  I just feel the urgency to plant more and more so I think a few  additional tomatoes and beans will be replacing what is back there.

In the summer mosquitoes are a constant problem for us…with the pond, we can’t get rid of them & the sprays are just poison that make Mr. Fix~It & I sick .  Headaches, our lips burn & it’s hard to think straight when we’ve had to use it.  With the addition we’re building I know they are going to be a problem so I’ve been trying to find natural alternatives.  I’ve been reading that basil is a natural repellant..so I replanted a large pot to keep in the courtyard

I’ll let you know if it works

Technorati Tags: gardening,natural repellant,natural resourses

Composting Question, Coffee Ground Score?

I stopped in at a local coffee shop yesterday and asked about the used coffee grounds for my compost.  Unfortunately they no longer save them as so many ask but no one comes back to get them. Luckily I asked as they were hauling a load out to the trash …. You guessed it! I came home with a huge bag  (about 40 lbs) of used coffee grounds.

So here is my question for my composting friends  how much is to much?  Is this a score or not?  My composting pile is about 6 ft X 6ft and only about 3 ft deep.  Could damage the good stuff going on in there if I add all of this?  If so, will it hurt to sparingly spread some of it out in the garden? 

HELP!

Technorati Tags: composting,coffee Grounds

Green Things

Well, it is Earth Day Right?  Lets talk green!

I worked in the garden for most of the morning, weeding is starting to become a morning ritual already.  I only hope the veggies grow as well as the weeds seem to be.

I do have bits of green poking throughRight now I honestly can’t say if these are the Dragon Tongue beans or regular bush beans because…I just knew I would remember exactly what was planted where….right.

That worked out well!  So, I may or may not have room for 2-3 rows more of something but since Buddy ate my row  markers I’m stuck until everything starts sprouting.  But the good news is things are sprouting, I’m seeing tiny bits of green poking through.  I know its going to happen, but every day (2-3 times) I step out to the garden excitedly checking the progress.  The tomato seedlings , Roma, Celebrity & Better Boys 20 in all went in today along with a few rows of pinto beans.  Thanks Kat for the seed source!  Loofah & white scalloped squash I planted in the earth boxes on the back deck.  This is the first time I’ve planted loofah so any growing/tending pointers you could send my way will be appreciated.  I want to soak them in home made soap and use for gifts this Christmas. 

Rain is called for tonight so it looks like I got everything in just in time. 
My compost bin/pile was not “composting”.  I realized I was way off on ratio of greens to browns and it was not moist enough.  With that adjusted I’m hoping things will now start breaking down.

Isaiah’s daily chore is to take the house scraps out to the compost bin.  This past winter it was fun to play in the snow on the way down.  Now that its nice there are dirt piles and wood piles and roads to build that distract him.  The other day I said “I need you to take the compost out”…he came in and took the can with a disgruntled sigh and said…”just call me compost boy”…..so who am I to disappoint….

”Oh, Compost Boy”

Technorati Tags: gardening,composting,earthday,green things

 

Who would have thought

A tractor ride would calm a cranky baby. 

Poor little thing has been battling a ear infection, sinus infection and nose infection.  Her moods (understandably) have been like the pollen count, extremely high or low.  But from day one she has loved the sound & vibrations of the tractor. It only took 2-3 rounds the field for her to conk out.

   And it was time to switch passengers

Technorati Tags: cranky baby

We’ve been Playing in the Dirt

The garden areas have all been tilled 2x and quite a bit has been planted.  At least for us its quite  a bit.  Last year I had 2 smallish areas, this year each plot was nearly doubled & a third added. Using this last year as a gauge of what (veggies) we go through I think we are more in line with what we actually use.  Each year we’ve added a bit here and there trying not to over do.  Last year there was quite a few echo’s of “I wish we had planted ____” so, this year we did. Or will. There are 2 large garden areas in front of the trellis and another beyond. It sounds silly in a way but, its easier for me to weed 3 areas rather than 1 large plot.  At least this way I can say “this area is done”…for a few days at least! This last week we built the support trellis for the blackberries & just in time.  They are taking off like gang busters.  I did lose one of the new blueberry bushes planted last fall.  I figure 3 out of 4 isn’t to bad!  I’ll pick up another this week to replace it. I’m already seeing green sprouts showing.  When we started seriously gardening (and I realize it is on a much smaller scale and many) I knew it was going to be a lot of work but I never realized how rewarding and satisfying it would continue to be.  Smelling the fresh tilled earth, cutting the rows & planting the seeds.  Watching and waiting for tender shoots of green to push through the soil.  Yes its work,  but I’m finding it’s peaceful, calming & joyful. 

That is, until I walked to the other side of the garage & found a flowerbed I forgot.  Full of weeds and out of control butterfly bush

Guess I know what I’ll be working on tomorrow morning.

What are your plans for the week?

Technorati Tags: Gardening

I think We took “Go Green” A Little To Far…..

My kitchen has been cream forever. 

As in cream walls, cream ceiling..blech cream/  I’ve been wanting/needing to repaint & update in here for ages.  Other things were priorities & with all the wood trim, neither of us wanted to mess with it.  Scrubbing the walls last month I realized I was taking paint so, it needed to be done. I wanted COLOR this time

We chose “Herb Cornucopia” (Valspar) I’d hook up the link but its nothing like the actual color on their site. On the color card  it was a soft herbal green…On my walls it’s

HELLO !

I’m GREEN !

All the drop cloths were still at Erika’s, so we used newspaper

It looks like a print shop blew up…a green one The color changes depending on where you are in the room.

I think I like it…once the trim is back up that will break up the green & white.  Maybe new curtain’s will help.  I think I want an herb print.  I can visualize it I just have to find the curtain’s or fabric to make them.. but then I wanted  green walls!

Technorati Tags: Kitchen updates,painting,going green

The Gardens Going In!

2 weeks ago (in between rain storms) & as soon as it was dry enough Mr Fix~It & the boys tilled the garden for me.  We wanted a 3rd area and almost killed the tiller trying to break ground.

Not to be defeated……………… he broke out the Big Boy Toys

Every job needs a foreman & supervisor right?Onions I planted last week, today the salad portion and beans went in…tomorrow I put my kitchen back together.  After years of cream ceilings and walls we repainted today.  Green…….I think I like it. It’s a much bolder color than I envisioned but, with new curtains up I think it will be fine… I hope!

And can some on PLEASE tell me what it is about Golden Retriever’s and sticks? The bigger the better!

He steals my row markers in the garden, walk the yard before mowing to collect branches & he steals them from the pile   and we never lack for kindling for the fire pit with Buddy around.  Its all fun & games until he tries to bring them in the house!

How was your weekend?

Technorati Tags: family Humor,gardening,critters

What I’ve been up to!

Finishing up custom shorties

Babydoll Dress’, Prima &  Cascade 220 Superwash

Wonderful soft cotton

Purewool for infants

Earth Day shorties & playin in the dye pots!  

It’s been a busy week!

Technorati Tags: Katidids,Etsy,handknits

SPRING!!!!!

Wow! Spring has started off with a bang!  Sunshine & 40 degrees one day, 80 degrees the next!

The trees are budding And Blooming! We had everyone here for Easter eve & Easter morning for breakfast after church.  Both days were beautiful!  We ate outside and enjoyed spring and each other.

Burgers on the grill  & kids playin in the yard…I love it!

Your right Hayden, he should be in the car not ON it!

Not quite what I had in mind but at least they are sharing right?

Big Kids & littles

Sharing the chocolate bounty

& playing with Eggs We have so much to be thankful for this year!

Technorati Tags: Easter 2010,family,kids

.: Welcome to Katidids Knits!

.: Welcome to Katidids Knits!

Anger Management Lesson from Erika

 

A husband asks his wife, 'You never argue when I get mad at you. How do you always control your anger?'

'I clean the toilet,' she replies.

'How does that help?' he asks

'I use your toothbrush.'

Chris, Hide your toothbrush!

Technorati Tags: Humor

Celebrate!

AMEN!

 

Technorati Tags: Faith,Easter

I’ve been Knitting Longies, Shorties & the tiKKi Rainbow Dress!

The Rainbow Dress by Georgie Hallam

I’ve been a license holder for a while but have just started making them.  This one was sold before I had it 1/3 completed!  The pink is not really that PINK, it’s bold but….I used Cascade Luna & LOVE it!  Super soft, holds its shape but has a nice drape. It will become a cotton go to yarn for sure!On the needles now is a YYMN (your yarn my needles)custom pair of Sheepy Shorties using Doodlebirds Creations Beautiful Blue Faced Leicester.  The colorway is Sailors Dread.  Super soft and a wonderful sheen.  These should be ready for the mail Monday!

Sheepy shorties using Purewool in the colorway Praia.  Super soft for newborns

Casting on for a Kaia Summer Baby doll dress using Cascade superwash Tropical SeaYes, for some reason I’m on a Lime kick. It’s not normally a color I’d use but it seems to be popping up in all my work these past few weeks

A pair of large shorties I just listed in the shop

A custom set of small longies & hats….TWINS!

I’m pretty sick of GREEN right now!

Using up bits & pieces here and there

Girls Medium shorties & 3 other customs waiting in line.  

I was able to get some time in the garden today, not much but the onions are planted at least.  Rain is called for tomorrow so Isaiah & Hayden supervised tilling & planting this afternoon.

Are you ready for Easter?

Don’t forget to give thanks for the greatest gift of all!

Technorati Tags: Katidids,Etsy,Knitting,custom knits,longies,Georgie Hallam