Oh my there is a lot to do back there.

Here is my very sad looking back yard. The tree is a cherry and off to the right out side of the camera view is a pear tree. The concrete blocks are the functional and rather unstylish vetetable garden to be. There is about 3 yards of dirt still to move once the sprinklers are repurposed for drip irrigation. The triangle support things were once the legs of a trebuchet but the novelty wore off and now they will be the legs for a composter. The seeds were planted indoors last week and it looks like the nights in the low 30s are about over. Some of the fence blew over in a wind last month and some of the yard doesn't even have fence. Once all of the fencing is taken care of the doggy jail back in the corner will be removed and that space will become garden as well.

Boy is there a lot planned for this summer...

Pseudo

Got the tile for the kitchen counter. Haven't really made much progress, I've been distracted. But I did get a pear tree, a cherry tree and a black berry bush. As soon as the snow melts I'll be able to plant them too.

Edit 4/09: What the hell is pseudo suppose to mean?

Kinda, but not really

It's not really green. I swear. So far I'm pretty happy with the way it is turning out. Just wish it was going a little faster. One of the wall cabinet carcasses is done as well. Still need to pick out the tile. Better get on that...

Plumbing

Re-did the plumbing for the hot and cold to the kitchen sink cabinet. I almost got away with reusing all of the parts for the new hot/cold lines but the tool for taking off the old PEX rings didn't fit into the fittings. Then after installing the cabinet up against the wall I realized that the cabinet actually needed to be a 1/4" to 1/2" an inch away from the wall on that side to due to a dip in the wall. Not sure how that is going to happen now. At least the valves are compression joints instead of soldered on. So tomorrow I get to spend half the day reworking what I spent all of yesterday doing. Well not all, I goofed off a lot yesterday. The other thing I've got to figure out is how to keep the wash tub that we have been using for a sink connected. Once the plywood for the counter is put on there isn't a whole lot of room. Maybe the sink will have to be hooked up after putting the plywood and cement board down in the same day. Wow, it's time to pick out the tile for the counter!

Kitchen ho!

The dishwasher isn't really green, that's just the protective cover. The cabinets are progressing pretty well. So far I've about $350 invested in the cabinets. I'll need about $100 more to finish them. Maybe even less since I already bought all of the hardware. A lot of time will be invested in the project though. Just staining the face frame for the cabinet that is in has taken almost an hour and the job is only half done. I really don't want to be shopping for a house in the summer. I'm hoping that the kitchen will be done 'enough' soon so that I can start shopping for a rental.

Soffit

For some reason the spell checker thinks that soffit is spelled wrong. The gf uses it casually so I thought it was pretty common knowledge since it refers to something she has no interest in. However, she has informed me that she learned the word through listening to me. Despite the spell checkers ignorance there is now a soffit in the kitchen. Two of the cabinet carcasses are ready to install as soon as the drywall is done. The dishwasher is patiently waiting in the other room for its chance to excel. The last time I live with a dishwasher other than myself was 16 years ago so it's kind of exciting.

Details

One of those finishing touches that seem to take for ever. The window sills aren't done yet. The cat has a nice place to look out the window now though. They are made of pine with a stain named pecan that has polyurethane mixed in. The stain is a little messier than regular stain but I'd use it again.

The first base cabinet for the kitchen was finished yesterday. It was a learning experience, as in mistakes were made. Thinking about doing the face frames in maple since it comes pre-dimensioned at the depot. Tried staining some scraps of maple and I didn't like how any of it turned out. Maybe some more coats of stain will make a difference. This weekend the soffit for the kitchen cabinets will be going up. Happy V-Day, hand me that hammer...