Author: Jo

May, 2026: Wrapped

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May has been a very satisfying month.

First steamed blue crabs of the 2026 season.

We’re really starting to feel connected to the region.  We found a permanent church, a social club, and the crabs are running.

In addition to the numbered list below I:

  • watched the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, and the DaVinci  Code (which I had already seen) focusing on the music that was featured in #1 below.
  • planted herbs in the front garden strip : parsley, thyme, and rosemary.

    The catmint I planted last year has given some early color and is attracting hummingbirds.

  • have secured tickets, hotel, and plans for last month’s goal of arranging accomodations for my high school reunion later this summer.
  • washed windows in the primary bedroom that overlook the bay.

    The windows needed a good scrape and scrub.

In May I planned to work on the below list.  I didn’t notice until the end of the month that I had 11 items instead of the usual 10 on the list. Here’s how I did.

  1.  Go to Anna Lapwood organ concert in Atlantic City, NJ.  On the first day of the month we traveled by car to New Jersey for a very special concert which we enjoyed with 6,000 other people.

    Although the organ is the largest in the World, it is dwarfed by Boardwalk Hall arena. (It’s circled to the right of the stage.)

  2.   Arrange the new kitchen. I was so happy to start putting our pots and pans, dishes, etc. back into the newly installed kitchen.

    Hoping we now have plenty of room to store all out kitchen stuff.

  3.   Add weatherstrip to garage door.

    Purchased at WalMart.

    I added about 2-feet of weather seal to the outside edges of the garage door bottom seal.

    Look closely: one 2′ piece of foam (black), then 1 piece of foam on the outer edge (left) about half of that, then the original piece hanging below. Once renailed the layers were enclosed.

    I pried off the bottom seal and stuck on the additional foam, then renailed all layers together.  I can no longer see light under the door when it is closed.  Seems like a win so far.

  4.   Wash cashmere sweaters and put away until fall.

    Just of portion of my sweaters ready to be folded away until autumn.

  5.   Work on exterior painting.  I finished staining the balcony off the primary bedroom a color to match the downstairs deck and filled in all the detail siding stain in the same area.

    The primary bedroom balcony is more inviting now that it has been stained.

  6.   Decide where to plant flowering quince and bearded iris.  I planted the quince between our yard and a neighbor to sort of “block the view” and the iris should work nicely on either side of the back deck stairs.

    This was one pot of bearded iris.

  7.   Clear the “office” portion of the primary bedroom.  Not perfect but much, much better.  The items leaning against the wall are artwork that need to be hung  somewhere. I’ll be working on that in the near future.

    I west from this . . .

    . . . to this.

  8.   Plan something fun.  We attended a Bluegrass festival, a social at the local yacht club, and a pasta dinner to raise funds for our church’s African mission.  Fun, fun, fun.

    Billy Harrison and the Haywire Band complete with dobro, banjo, mandolin, and guitars.

  9.   Hang a US flag on Memorial Day.

    We honor those who serve.

  10.   Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: TRADITION.
  11.   Write a goal list for June, 2026.

Jo

Landing Kitchen Reno — Day 12 Countertop

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The day for which we’ve been waiting — installation of countertops.

End of Day 11

Back on Day 7 the countertop tech made a digital template for the quartz countertop.

A piece of backsplash tile on a sample of Calacatta Safyra quartz.

On Day 10 I approved Option 2 of the layout.  In real time (including a long holiday weekend) from template to install has taken 11 days.

First the countertop crew protected the front of the ceramic sink with wood shims and painters’ tape.

The crew of 3 men who were installing the countertop arrived around 5 p.m.  They had been working since 6 in the morning.

The hidden corner behind the pantry cabinet will ultimately become the coffee bar.

We were the final job of the day.

Each of the panels had been accurately cut.

They worked efficiently and deliberately as a team to haul in and place the extremely heavy quartz countertops which had been well-cut to fit the openings.

This contraption along with some smelly seam filler virtually eliminated the opening.

Only one main seam was needed to connect separate pieces.

One solid piece the quartz with no seams.

The largest counter area on the dining room side is one piece cut at right angles.

The sink is ready for the faucet to be connected to water.

The final piece to be installed is at the back of the sink.  The hole for the faucet is toward the right-hand side of the sink which we had discovered as our preference in our former home.

The counters have a subtle veining of beige and blue which go with the upper and lower cabinets.

Still remaining:

  • plumbing to sink,
  • gas hookup to range,
  • range hood fan and ductwork in replacement cabinet,
  • cap on pony wall,
  • additional trim.

Bird’s eye view before countertop.

Bird’s eye view after countertop installation.

Every step of the procedure has turned out to be a great improvement.  We’re in the home stretch. Or in sailing racing parlance — “look for the blue flag”.

Jo

Landing Kitchen Reno — Day 11 More Grout, Appliances, Plumbing, Trim

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After 2 weeks which began with the removal of the old kitchen, the new layout is really taking shape.

The end of Day 10 .

We went from a space where 2 people could not comfortably work together to an area where 4 people could easily work together or independently to pull off a dinner, party, class, etc.

Before grouting the plastic spacers needed to be totally removed from the tile.

The floor adhesive dried overnight so it could be walked on.  We were careful and put up the dog gates just in case Dash got a notion to inspect something.

Thr liquid grout was mixed from a powder.

I was concerned that the grout was too dark but was assured it would lighten when it dried.

Gas range on the right; dishwasher on the left.

In the meantime two men put on their load carrying straps and brought in from the garage the stove, the dishwasher, and the refrigerator.  The dishwasher is all hooked up to water and electric.

The stove is a more modern version of the one we had at The Glade.

As I explained yesterday the stove will have to wait for the propane man.

The refrigerator is a giant.

Unfortunately the fridge would not fit through the front door with the new screen door attachment so they had to walk it around the house and haul it up the back steps.  I’m sorry.

I have been waiting for 2 years for ice and water on the refrigerator door.

But after plugging it in and hooking up the water supply, it slid right into place.

Toe kick covers installed.

The rest of the day the crew of 2 men installed the toe kick cover panels.

The future coffee bar side of the kitchen.

We’re getting closer.

Jo

Landing Kitchen Reno — Day 10 Tile, Grout

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I can’t believe how much character tile gives to a room.

Daltile Emerald Waters Sea Blue 13-in x 14-in Glossy Ceramic Patterned Scale Mosaic Wall Tile, Shimmer Cobalt frosted glass liner from the Precious Gems collection at Best Tile, and Grout

The variegated denim blue backsplash tile provided depth.  Today it was grouted with a dark cool gray color.

Although the tile is variegated it’s not too busy.

It looks good.

The threshold into the kitchen was the last area to be tiled.

The 7-inch square floor tile took much longer to install.

My original color scheme of sea, sand, and sky is coming together in the kitchen albeit in an upside down manner.

Adhering all the tile to the floor was finished today and tomorrow the floor will be grouted.

Fridge and pantry wall.

The next items on the list: put the appliances in place; plumb the sink and water bearing appliances.  I called the propane company today to schedule hooking up the gas range.  Alas they did not call me back so that will have to wait until after Memorial Day.

Does this help picture the grain of the quartz top? It didn’t help me much.

Also I chose the option that I prefer for the countertop layout.  Honestly both layouts looked very similar to me but I selected  option #2 shown above.

Jo

Landing Kitchen Reno — Day 9 More Tile

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Yesterday the kitchen backsplash was tiled with Daltile Emerald Waters Sea Blue 13-in x 14-in Glossy Ceramic Patterned Scale Mosaic Wall Tile which has apparently been discontinued.

The variegated deep denim blue tiles give dimension to the otherwise light kitchen.

I’m not sure why it’s called “Emerald Sea” since it is clearly blue, NOT green nor aqua in any way.

The tops of the blue tiles are bordered with a glass pencil liner. (Yellow dots are plastic spacers.)

Today the wall tile was capped with square pencil — Shimmer Cobalt frosted glass liner from the Precious Gems collection at Best Tile.  I wasn’t totally sure it would work but actually the nondescript color goes with the mottled blue scale-shaped tiles and finishes the top edges (that aren’t encased by cabinets) with a little pizzazz.

Floor tile is WOW Color Drops 7″ by 7″ porcelain tile (made in Spain).

The floor tiles were inspired in the Terrazzo original from Venice XV century but, to me, have a confetti vibe.

Each and every tile is carefully placed with spacers and attention to matching the height of the adjacent tiles.

All 3 members of the crew began to lay the floor tile with a sixteenth of an inch space between the WOW Color Drops off-white squares.

The alcove for the dishwasher is tiled.

Although the tiles are square there are slight variations on the edges so they needed to be very carefully laid.

The 7″ square tiles are labor intensive given the expanse of the floor.

By the end of the day the floor tile was not quite finished.

We’ve put up gates so no one walks on the tiles prematurely. DASH!

Tomorrow I have been promised grout on the wall which, according to the head tiler, will change the character of the tile in a positive manner.  I already love it.

Jo

Landing Kitchen Reno — Day 8 Tile

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Order of the day: TILE!

We increased the area meant to be tiled so this isn’t enough.

Early in the morning the supervising tiler discovered there was not enough backsplash tile to finish the job.

While this tile wasn’t expensive to begin with at $8.98 for more than a square foot, less than $4 per tile is a bargain.

I quickly tried to find a few more sheets of tile at Lowe’s which was where I purchased it in the first place.  I couldn’t find it at the nearest store but I did find enough at a reasonably close store where I purchased everything they had.  The upside is that Lowe’s is discontinuing this tile so I got a couple boxes at a bargain price.

The corner before tile.

While I was shopping I received this photo from Charlie.

When I left, the crew got started on using the tile that was available. I was delighted with the look of even the little bit I saw in the photo above.

The broken cabinet will be added as a spacer only while waiting for the new cabinet.

The tiles give depth and interest to the otherwise light kitchen.

When I returned home with the additional tile the crew was still working and had made great progress. I especially wanted the tiles to be hung “upside down” from the normal application so they would look like mermaid scales.  It was even better than I had imagined because it looked like watery waves.

Before the backsplash.

After the backsplash is applied but before the grout.

Three sides of the kitchen are getting the backsplash. (The 4th wall is fully covered with cabinetry and the refrigerator.)

This niche will ultimately get floating shelves.

I decided to stop at the corner.

The contractor and I had some discussion about where the tile should stop.  Ultimately he let me make the decision.

These tiles give a bit of whimsy to an otherwise serious kitchen.

I’m never 100% sure about color and shape choices until the details start to come together.  Thus far as each step unfolds the I am satisfied with the progress.

Jo

Landing Kitchen Reno — Day 7 Paint, Countertops, Electric

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When the crew showed up at 7 a.m. as they customarily do they were eager to finish up some details.

Countertops will cover base cabinets on 3 sides of the kitchen.

The real purpose of the day was to have the countertops templated and the floor tiled.

The tiler was eager to get started on the floor but that was not possible until the template was made since no one could walk on freshly set tile.

This gadget lifts the heavy KitchenAid mixer up to counter level.

In the interim the pull-out mixer lift system was installed.  It seems to take up much of the cabinet it’s in.

New outlets.

All the electric outlets and switches have been wired with new, matching devices.  That’s the kind of detail I never would think of but am grateful for.

The actual measuring took about 20 minutes. Apparently the real work is done on a computer.

The man who makes the template for the countertop doesn’t actually measure anything.  He has a laser tool that captures a highly precise digital blueprint of the cabinet layout, wall angles, and curves ensuring the fabricated stone fits perfectly on the first try.  In our previous kitchen we had to make plywood templates of everything and send them to the fabrication companies.

Laser measurer

He was very impressed with the precision with which the cabinets had been installed.  That makes everybody’s life easier.

The end of Day 7.

Unfortunately the tile did not get started today but all the walls have been primed and painted 2 coats.  That was a project I had planned to do myself but happily it is done.

Jo

Landing Kitchen Reno — Day 6 Trim, Paint, Sink

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When the crew showed up this morning they had some precision tasks on their list.

Hot and cold water were hidden behind a new wall then sent to the second floor bathroom through the original holes in the ceiling.

The pipes are now enclosed in a box on the ceiling.

The drywall specialist built a little box around the rerouted plumbing. Then he added more joint compound  where necessary, sanded, and wiped down the walls.

The refrigerator side of the kitchen has been trimmed with crown molding.

The next step was to prime the old and new drywall to show any flaws.  Having the room more or less the same color was a big step in revealing how it will eventually look.

It takes 2 strong men to lift this sink.

In the meantime the boss and his second-in-command worked on installing my huge ceramic farmhouse sink (Kraus Turino Farmhouse apron front 33-in x 18.25-in fireclay single bowl) since the countertop tech will be coming tomorrow to lay out the template which goes over the sink.

The sink is marked made in “Italy”.

Fireclay uses a dense blend of clay and minerals fired at over 2,200°F, which fuses the clay and glaze into a glass-like finish. Traditional ceramic uses standard clay and glaze fired at lower temperatures, making it slightly more hollow and delicate.

The sink will be below the countertop.

They actually had to uninstall the sink cabinet so they could cut down the face of it and install the sink with plenty of support.

More progress.

The space on the far end of the kitchen will house the stove.  Above it will be a cabinet and range hood.  Unfortunately that cabinet was damaged upon opening and has been reordered.  Thankfully it is the only damaged cabinet.

View of the kitchen from the planned coffee bar.

The kitchen is set in an open plan near the dining room and the living room.

The kitchen is open to the other ground floor rooms.

The living room, dining room, and entire backyard including the bay are visible from the kitchen.

The view of the kitchen from the living room.

However, since the kitchen can often be cluttered and chaotic, view into it from the other rooms is now limited.  That was the plan.

The floor is ready to be tiled.

Tomorrow hoping for the countertop to be templated and the tile floor to be started.

Jo

Landing Kitchen Reno — Day 5 Cabinets, Hardware

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Day 5 was taken up with the details that had not been fully addressed.

All of the base cabinets had been installed on Day 4.

When the crew arrived the kitchen looked as they had left it on Day 4.  Notice that they clean up every afternoon before leaving the premises.  Love that.

This cabinet is both heavy and awkward with lots of room to stash rarely used kitchen items.

All 3 members of the crew worked on installing the over-the-refrigerator cabinet.  It is placed so the doors are as far front as possible.

The pipe to the upstairs bathroom is still there but will eventually be covered with a piece of trim.

The placement of the over-the-fridge cabinet has recessed the pantry cabinet which I like. These 2 cabinets are Sandhill Crane (beige).

The floor-to-ceiling pantry cabinet is the only one to get both types of pulls.

I was called into the project to determine where I wanted the drawer pulls and cabinet knobs. I had chosen Amerdeco 5-inch Champagne Bronze cabinet pulls and matching knurled cabinet knobs.

Two more cabinets will be hung on the far wall over the stove unfortunately one of them came damaged and needs to be remade.

I decided all the upper cabinets would get knobs and all the lower cabinets would get the 5-inch drawer pulls on both the drawers and the doors.

Our starting setup with the kitchen island in place.

The plans

The sink wall yesterday

The sink wall today

As details are being worked out and hardware installed the kitchen is really coming together.  Taking out the island and enclosing the space has made it more spacious especially if 2 people are trying to work simultaneously in the kitchen.

Even with the enclosed wall a view of the Chesapeake Bay from the kitchen is available.

Kitchen on the left; dining room on the right. (That refrigerator is not staying there!!)

I was ready to install the kitchen before last Christmas but alas it takes much more lead time than that.  As a result I had all the cabinets, appliances, and hardware on site before the building crew got started.  The contractor has had to purchase some building materials but mostly everything else was in our garage.

A view from the entrance to the kitchen.

Maybe 2 more weeks or less until I get cooking.

Jo

Landing Kitchen Reno — Day 4 Cabinets

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Days 1,  2, and 3 of the kitchen renovation have been completed.

Beginning of Day 4.

Although not necessarily looking like a kitchen, the room is starting to be more finished.

The range and range hood will be centered on this wall.

First thing in the morning while the drywall was being given a second coat of mud the hole for the over-the-stove exhaust fan was finalized.

The horizontal opening at the top is for the range hood vent.

Instead of patching the opening the boss decided to remove enough old drywall to accept a new full piece of sheet rock.

The first cabinets were installed on this wall where the stove will take center stage.

Then the fun part: the crew starting hauling in and setting up base cabinets (in Sherwin Williams color Upward).  The color goes well with the mural in the adjacent dining room.

This morning

The same afternoon.

I was concerned picking an actual color in lieu of a neutral for the cabinet finish but I looooovvve the pale blue finish.  It’s bright, cool, and classically chic. I’m hoping never to tire of it.

This morning.

The entrance to the kitchen this afternoon.

The upper and floor-to-ceiling cabinets are a neutral shade of greyish-cream called Sandhill Crane.  This color will be more visible from the living room/dining room than the lower cabinets.

The refrigerator wall this morning.

The refrigerator wall has a deep floor-to-ceiling cabinet and will have another cabinet over the fridge.

The kitchen feels much bigger since the island was removed. Tomorrow I expect the rest of the cabinets will be put into place.

Jo