Working in Oakland

Well it has been almost a week since we arrived in California---it was a three day drive during which time I was sick with a sinus attack the whole way here.  Unfortunately I have had a major bout with congestion for over a week now which doesn't seem to want to go away.  I thought I was going to die going through the high elevations.  I did manage to hook on my daughter's pillows even though I felt horrible as it helped pass the time.  Here is what I managed to get done on the road.

Although this is not my normal thing to hook it is her style so I enjoyed doing it.  Although it looks black in the picture is is actually cordovan or dark burgundy black in the centers of the hexagon to match her Chesterfield sofa.

I have spent days scraping kitchen cabinets---the cabinets were painted improperly and the latex paint scraped off in places with your fingernail---other places required more effort.  It would have been easier if they had just left things alone.   It made me very cranky---it is getting closer to being ready to wash down and begin to prime.  We are also building some new cabinets as well as adding some new trims  and mouldings.  Today the kitchen sink decided to plug up and after many hours of my husband trying to fix it we ended up having to call a plumber---roto rootered it and fixed the pipes back together. 

Now it is Wednesday...

Last night their neighborhood had a block party in the street so that was fun for them to get to meet their neighbors---a very mixed group of people---good food too.  The sister of the woman who lived in the house they bought, "Vi" just live two doors down to the left.

I'm sorry this post seems so disjointed---we just got internet at her house last night---yeah for the internet!

Yesterday we went out for a late breakfast and I ordered red flannel hash---so yummy, beets, potatoes, bacon and onions with two poached eggs---yum!

I need to take some pictures of the house today so I can have some progress pictures---I am looking forward to the finish but it seems a long way off---hopefully I will see the kitchen come to a finish before I head home next Wednesday.

The weather here has been a nice break from the oppressive heat in Kansas---they have no air conditioning but it is cool in the mornings and evenings.  It gets warm in the middle of the day but is not bad if you stay out of the direct sun.

They have a washing machine but no dryer so it is a throwback to days of old with hanging the clothes on a clothesline.  It is a moving one so you can stand on the porch and pin up the clothes and roll them out into the back yard.

Well I guess I'll sign off now so I can get something started.

I am looking forward to seeing my sister Barbara this weekend---she lives in Santa Paula  CA and is coming up this weekend to visit me and see the house.