Thank you for all your comments on my first Show and Tell post...I am truly excited about this next weekend and plan to post all about it. Hopefully, with some pictures...then and now!
This weekend has been consumed with home improvement...namely, our living room carpet. It finally arrived after months of waiting, due to a wrong delivery, but now the weekend for installing it was here.
My husband and I (OK, mostly my husband, but I did lift a finger or two) spent most of the day tearing out the old, and putting in the new.
Actually my big part had been removing all the books from the shelves, and boxing knick-knacks and pictures to clear the way.
Then I lent a hand with rolling out and carrying the old carpet. Not so bad.
Then there was the pad underneath.
Let's just say that pulling out old, stinky carpet pad from the 80's, which saw it's share of abuse from our own former old dog with a bladder problem, was not exactly my dream job...especially when it stuck in big patches to the floor boards and clung to my finger tips like algae.
While he tackled one of the harder parts of the removal job soon after, I
I came home and the girls and I cleaned them up a bit...and then they commenced to play musical chairs.
You can see that they had to rest up on them afterwards after such intense labor...
Then I helped husband here and there...mostly as comedy relief. I entertained him by trying out the staple gun for the very first time.
And of course, I volunteered to make a pizza run with the kids...with a side trip to the grocery store for some chocolate cake on sale. But I'm helpful like that when it comes to home projects...
Actually, the girls were getting restless today, so I spent a good part of the day trying to direct them in things to do, as well as bring them endless drinks of milk (they weren't allowed to go through the living room, so I was pretty much their waitress) and then bathe and dry their hair in time for bed.
Meanwhile, while I multi-tasked a bit, my husband, true to his gender, stayed focused on the task at hand and continued to slave away.
And no, that ocean blue isn't the color of the carpet, it's the new carpet pad.Although my husband I thought the shade was actually much too nice considering it will never be seen again. Except by another couple, 20 some years from now, pulling the stained remnant from the floor board who I doubt by then will find it so enchanting.
We have to finish putting in the new carpet tomorrow after church. (And I use the term, we, loosely.) So, I can't show the finished product yet. But we did haul the new carpet in and lay it out....so nice!
But there is nothing like new carpet to make the old carpet on the stairs look even worse than ever. Before they blended in perfectly with the old worn out wall-to-wall carpet decor. Now they beg for a barricade and a sign reading, "Condemned".
But Rome wasn't built in a day, and certainly not on our income, either. So I am going to be satisfied, thankful and thrilled with my new downstairs carpeting. Because I truly am!
And look out, because I have a staple gun...and now, I know how to use it!
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30 comments:
You are too funny. I help in the same way. Maybe it's a girl thing. I hope the rest goes well for you.
You're hilarious. Doing home projects together are my house does not work. We do things toooo differently. So I will gladly take the job of waitress/pizza runner/cake picker upper.
Ha! We started redoing walls in a hallway, and the project has spread around the corner into the living room, then the kitchen , because next to the new, the old looked SO OLD.
This was so fun. I can sure identify with you on all the home improvement. In our 26 years of marriage we have bought and gutted and redone 2 homes. Now that you have started ... watch out.
I can install subfloor with the best of them, wire ceiling fans, put in dimmer switches. And that is before breakfast!!
You know, one thing leads to another in remodeling. The carpet will make the furniture look bad and the new couch will beg for new curtains and etc, etc. It is never ending.
So enjoy! And I can't wait to see final pictures.
I can well imagine that old carpet pad. We had that same problem when pulling out bathroom carpet in my grandparents house.
Ewww!
Anyway, I help sort of like you do. Bill is the take charge, knows how to do it just so, type! I'm sort of the step and fetch it assistant.
Works for us!!
You'll love you new fresh carpet!!
xo
ooooh, I feel your pain! Been there, done that. We pulled out green SHAG carpet from 40 years ago, and the pad. YUCK!
In my younger days, I did the same things as you.....the pizza runs, keeping the girls occupied, etc. Such fun memories!!
I didn't know you were so talanted! Did you mention to your hubby that my sub floor has very squeeky areas so think that some of it at least may have to be replaced? Of course I don't think that the original pads were the best either & know that it will require new pads as well as the carpeting. Iloved your pad & as you know blue is my favorite color. Hey Becky do you live close, so you could help with that sub floor?
I remember when we removed the old carpet from this house that was over 30 years old, the padding underneath was completely stuck to the floor and we actually had to use shovels to scrape it off!! I'm sure you were very useful to your hubby...not easy keeping two little girls busy and out of the way! lol Can't wait to see your new carpet, bet it will look fabulous!! xox
Hey, they (who ever "they" are) say that good padding is 100% essential to long life in carpet!!!
We recarpeted our whole house about 10 years ago, and I did the walls. Such a huge job, but so exciting. Now it needs to be done again! I don't have what it takes to paper and paint any more, so I don't think it'll happen any time soon. My husband didn't "help" - because I don't think it would have worked too well. Congratulations, and can't wait to see the pictures. You're so right about how it is only the beginning and everything else looks so "used up" when you get something new.
Can't wait to see the results! :o)
I admire your ability to do things and remodel on your own, this is not a habit here... and you have fun doing it!
We have never been great at "do-it-yourself." I admire people who can take on those projects and actually get them done! Look forward to the pictures of the finished floor--and then the stairs--and . . .
How funny! We're actually in the process of selecting new carpets & flooring for our home. After reading this, I'm definitely hiring someone else to do it! LOL!
Oh, Tammy, it must feel so good to have that done. You probably remember that we were doing some floor renovations in June--and I agree that ripping out foul-smelling, animal-stained carpet padding is not a dream job. Especially when one is nine months pregnant...
Congratulations to you and your hubby on a job well done! XO
Your "helping" sounds familiar. Those runs for food are very important!
You had a very productive weekend what with the new carpet and all. The chairs you got for free cost a lot new so you did real good my friend.
New carpeting is such a blessing. I'm so happy you are being blessed with some and will be eager to see the pictures.
Susan
Enjoy your new carpet! When we got ours I enjoyed just laying around on it. Awesome!
Thanks for the laugh and smile! Ha! Now, pray for me as I clean my VERY neglected house...ugh!
House projects aren't always the most fun things but you sounded like you had fun! I'd go the yard sale, pizza run route myself.
We got new carpet back in November--it's amazing what a difference that makes! I'm anxiously awaiting the pictures of your new look.
It is a shame that you have to cover up that ocean blue carpet pad. :-)
We have laid carpet ourselves in our younger days, but I was always the Go-fer girl. It sounds like that was your job too.
Enjoy your new carpeting.
Sounds like you all have been busy at work! I can't wait to see the "after" pictures!
Kelli
Now some of us really ARE helpful with the home projects, like the time I watched Mulletman wrestle and struggle and fight and grouch and fuss to get the wallpaper off the wall forone whole hour and I didn't interrupt him even once because he KNOWS how to remove wallpaper -thank you very much - and then I said "Why don't you spray it with Basic H and let a few minutes." (Basic H is my cure for everything. Stain? Try Basic-H. Dirt? Basic-H. Dry skin? Basic-H. Mosquito bite? Basic-H. Obnoxious and stubborn wallpaper? Basic-H.)
He gave me "the look", but he was deserate, so he tried it and TA-DA, the paper came right off the wall and I didn't gloat even once because I am just THAT helpful!
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As far as 4-H goes. We are in a dairy goat club and we have friends who show dogs. We LOVE it; the experience has been invaluable and the cost has been negligeable. Though that might change if I can ever talk Mm into buying goats of our own!
The only negative remarks I've heard are about the horse clubs - they can be highly competitve, very expensive, and dangerous if the wrong people are involved.
That's my kind of 'helping' you know, going for the pizza and all! Hubby isn't particularly talented in the renovation dept. but he will hand me the check book to hire someone to do it! Works for me!
SO funny... I just love it! We just ripped out our 25 year old carpet and I didn't want to even think about what was under there! You did have a hard job... it isn't easy keeping the kids out of the way when a big project like this is underway. You are one great mom!
Isn't it fun to invest time and love into your home? I bet it looks FAB when you're done!
one thing I've discovered about owning a home.
#1 you NEVER get around to doing the first thing you said you would do when you bought the home
#2 when you think you're finished you have to start all over again because it's been years since you started.
Did that make sense?
Great teamwork! I have both tile and carpet. At least when I clean the tiles I know they're clean!
Growing with Julia
What an adorable post! I love those chairs, Tammy. What a find. Free? You're kidding me, right?
New carpet can make you feel like you have a whole brand new home. I love the way it feels and you're right, the stairs can wait. My goodness, your participation in the whole carpet installation cracked me up. But I have to say, I'd make a far better waitress than carpet installer too. LOL
And I'm not coming one step closer to you until you put that staple gun down!
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