Shore House Kitchen Floor

December 22, 2022 / Jo / Leave a comment

I bought a fixer upper in the spring of 2019. My son, Sug, and I have been working on it ever since.

The kitchen was rough when we first looked at the house — holes in the ceiling and floor.

The kitchen needed everything done to it, however, we didn’t replace everything — just the ceiling and floor.

After the subfloor was laid Sug and I painted the room.

My son has finally decided to work on the floor and get it finished. He had already laid a subfloor.

The luan is installed and appears to be a neat, even surface.

The next item was to install the self-stick tiles I had purchased. In order to do that he had to face the subfloor with luan.

The tiles were carefully placed starting from the center of the kitchen.

Once that was complete his friend carefully (following these instructions) stuck the tiles onto the luan.

Before

During

The entire kitchen floor has been tiled.

The only thing remaining for the floor is to add a baseboard around the perimeter of the room.

Before

During

After

I can’t wait to see the finished floor in person.

This heavy cabinet will add lots of handy storage space.

Hoping to build a supporting platform under the cabinet and paint it to match. (Mock-up)

Now that the floor is in we can permanently install the large cabinet at the back of the kitchen.

Look Up

April 13, 2022 / Jo / Leave a comment

Sug went down to the shore house to help my son’s wife to take down the remaining kitchen ceiling.

Sug finished the demolition part of the kitchen ceiling.

My son and his friend were able to spend some time replacing this ceiling.

Son and friend insulated and installed drywall.

They checked to make sure all the rafters were sound and inline. They started hanging drywall over the sink area and above the cabinets.

After joint compound has been applied.

Then they finished the seams with joint compound.

The fluorescent tube fixture and hanging light have been replaced with 2 of these simple flush mounts in a pewter finish.

I had sent new lighting fixtures down to the shore house just before Christmas, 2020 to replace the old ones. My son wired the lighting fixtures.

Mount Sainte Anne on the ceiling.

We primed then painted the ceiling “Mount Saint Anne” by Benjamin Moore. (This is the same color we used on the living room ceiling.)

Lattice Lane peel-and-stick tile by Armstrong.

The final big project in here is laying a level subfloor and stick-on tiles.

Plenty of room for a table and chairs.

It will be so exciting when this room reverts back to an eat-in kitchen larger than it was when we bought the house.

Painting the Shore House Kitchen — FINALLY!!

March 13, 2022March 15, 2022 / Jo / Leave a comment

We’ve been working on the kitchen at the shore house for almost 2 years.

New drywall on ceiling, old lighting fixture.

After joint compound has been applied to ceiling.

My son installed the drywall on the ceiling in the kitchen, then we hired a man to mud the seams and repair any messy spots in corners.

The trick was to level the floor and match it to the existing floor.

Floor tiles will go in after the ceiling and walls are painted.

He and my son also finished installing the subfloor so it would be both level and sturdy.

The eat-in side of the kitchen was rotten and moldy from the water leak. We removed this back wall to give more kitchen space.

A messy corner in the kitchen.

The messy corner drywalled and mudded.

The same corner primed.

Then my son primed the walls and ceiling in advance of a visit from Sug and me.

Mount Saint Anne is a slightly denim blue color.

I chose Benjamin Moore’s Mount Sainte-Anne for the ceiling — the same color we used on the living room ceiling. My reasoning was two-fold:

Matching the living room color would tie the two rooms together visually.
The kitchen ceiling is low compared to the rest of the house and blue is a receding color which will help to visually raise the ceiling.

Simply White for the kitchen walls.

The wall color is Simply White also by Benjamin Moore which ties into both the vintage white tile on the backsplash and the creamy cabinet we found on Facebook Marketplace.

After the back wall was removed we lost a cupboard in the kitchen and a closet in the bathroom but gained some kitchen floor space.

Now the walls are Simply White and the ceiling is Mount Sainte Anne both by Benjamin Moore.

What an improvement.

Here’s the remaining task list not necessarily in this order:

Lay peel and stick floor tiles.
Tiling the floor will be a huge upgrade.

These tiles will lighten the entire kitchen which only has one outside window
Add cove molding above the cabinets.
Cove molding will fill in the gap above the cabinets
Add baseboard near the floor.
After flooring is installed baseboard molding will fill in the gaps.
Add cornice molding around the rest of the room.
Trim will help finished this vintage kitchen.
Replace the range hood.
A new range hood would help complete the makeover.
Replace and weather-strip back door.
We might want to paint this wood door before hanging it again.
Build and install cabinet on the back wall.
This heavy cabinet will add lots of handy storage space.

We’ve made a lot of progress but we’re not finished yet. Our final tasks will be to give the kitchen a good cleaning, touch up the cabinet paint, and wash the windows.

Ponding 3

September 22, 2021 / Jo / Leave a comment

After sending new photos to the state pond expert and getting a suggestion to take the pH of the pond, I purchased testing strips from Lowes.

I purchased test strips at Lowes in the pool maintenance section.

At my next trip to the shore house I tested the water when we got there in the early morning.

At 9:30 a.m. the pH results correspond to 6.8.

The pH result was 6.8. Total alkalinity was 0 (zero). And, naturally, there was no chlorine.

At 6:30 p.m. the same day the pH was the same as in the morning — 6.8.

I left test strips with my son who, like me, had been a lifeguard and knew how to test water for pH. He tested again in the late afternoon.

Actually the pond is maintaining itself very well.

A bit of advice we received before the pH test was that the water settling test showed that the color is not clay turbidity, rather, other dissolved organics and some phytoplankton. A brownish color that does not settle can also be an indication of tannins from decaying plant matter. Tannins are not harmful to aquatic life, but can reduce the pH of the water. The best approach is to reduce the amount of organic matter entering the pond.

Plants are good but maple trees (near the dock) will need to be removed.

I sent the results of the pH test to our expert at the Maryland Extension Agency who said, “A pH of 6.8 is good. The fact that they [the 2 readings] are similar suggests that the water is well buffered (good alkalinity or amount of carbonate bases) and that the phytoplankton population is light. All good news.”

In spring we’ll move bearded iris (light foreground leaves) from The Glade to the shore house pond.

Our next step is to plant some iris in the pond and consider installing a pump and filter.

Ponding 2

August 23, 2021 / Jo / Leave a comment

After sending new photos to the state pond expert we received the following reply: “The brown water color could be from organic matter breaking down – leaves, etc.; fish stirring up sediment and soil; or clay particles washing in from nearby soils. What type of fish are in the pond? Do you see any fish: Koi and some catfish species can stir sediments and cause a brown color. ”

The driveway is a possible reason for suspended particles.

“From the photos, it appears there is a driveway nearby, and this could be a source of clay particles.

After 24-ours the pond water was light greenish but clear.

To test this, you can fill a clear jar with the pond water and see what settles after 24 hours. If the color still remains in suspension, then you can add a little of either gypsum (calcium sulfate), Epson salts (magnesium sulfate), aluminum sulfate (alum), or limestone (calcium carbonate) to see if the color settles. Epsom salt or garden limestone may be easier to find, but you only need a very small amount – 1/8 teaspoon in a quart jar. If the color settles, then it confirms suspended clay particles, and you can treat the entire pond.”

After adding about a teaspoon of Epsom salts the waster remained the same.

According to our expert at the University of Maryland Extension Agency “the water settling test showed that it is not clay turbidity, rather, other dissolved organics and some phytoplankton. A brownish color that does not settle can also be an indication of tannins from decaying plant matter. Tannins are not harmful to aquatic life, but can reduce the pH of the water. (Do you have pH strips that you can measure the pH?) Take a measurement in the morning and later afternoon and let me know the results.”

The orangish plants are bulrushes.

I also sent a photo of the plants growing around the edges of the pond which are now flowering. Our expert confirmed “the plant in the photos is called rufous bulrush (Scirpus pendulus) and is a good waterfowl and the roots provide habitat for a variety of aquatic organisms. The plant is also taking up nutrients, which is desirable.”

We’ll wait until fall to remove some of the overgrowth.

I asked if we could plant iris versicolor around the pond which was confirmed as a good choice. I have one to transplant from my garden at The Glade where it is NOT thriving.

There’s a lot to know about managing a pond.

The next step is to take the pH of the pond water as suggested by my expert and send him the results.

Ponding 1

Final Details — A New Septic System

July 29, 2021 / Jo / 2 Comments

For over a year we waited for a new septic system to be installed that meets all the criteria of living near the Chesapeake Bay.

This is a large mound.

The sand mound covers a very large area — about 100 feet.

The man near the sand mound is 6 feet tall.

The mound was seeded by the contractor. Grass is generally recommended as an ideal cover for sand mound septic systems because it has a relatively shallow, fibrous root system that protects the mound from erosion without deep roots that could cause problems.

The small round circle (about 1 foot in diameter) in the foreground is the only access hole to my septic system at The Glade .

In comparison the septic access at the shore house has 5 holes each about 2 feet in diameter.

The septic system has a large holding tank, pump tank, and alarm.

Now a little clean-up is in order. (The oil tank and plumbing vents are new since our purchase of the property in 2019.)

Now that waste water is no longer seeping into the ground near the house we have a few items to neaten up.

The land around the house is generally wet and a little boggy due to its proximity to the Chesapeake Bay.

We’ve been waiting until the septic was fully installed before landscaping the land between the left side of the house and the wooded area.

Now we can get back to more fun and affordable projects at the shore house.

The septic system was a huge project in both money and time and we’re happy it has been completed.

Septic System Posts:

Installation — A New Septic System

June 16, 2021 / Jo / Leave a comment

We have had a permit in hand and a contractor to do the work to install the new septic system for nearly a year now. The health department has been holding things up due to a high water table.

The original proposition by the health department.

However, before I signed the contract and sent the 50% deposit of over $12K for the drain field only, I asked my son to get a second estimate. In the end we went with the installer recommended by our plumber (the only game in town it seems) even though his estimate was staggering.

We were so excited when the sand for the “sand mound” septic system was delivered.

The first official meeting to get the ball rolling was an on-site gathering of the contractor and a representative from the health department. They inspected the area along with supplies that had been delivered and discussed the details of installation. And once again the project was put on hold by the health department.

This machine makes manpower obsolete.

When they finally got started 2 months later we were happy to see progress on the system. We had expected it to be installed by the end of last year.

Most of the system is underground except for the sand mound which can be as tall as 8 feet.

They brought large machinery to prepare and install a new BAT (best available technology) septic tank, a pump tank, and a sand mound drain field.

The septic is being installed behind and to the left of the house.

The septic system takes a good chunk out of the almost 2-acre backyard.

When everything is finished we can clean up the areas that were mud holes before the new system was installed.

Note the trees missing in the next photo.

The view toward the back of the house is now devoid of scrub trees and bushes the removal of which made way for the septic system.

For now, just having a working sewage line is a total upgrade.

A view of the back of the house — many of the trees on the left have now been removed.

The foliage blocking a view of the sheds has been removed.

Septic System Posts:

March, 2021: Checked

March 29, 2021March 27, 2021 / Jo / Leave a comment

March has been a month of a few accomplishments that I hadn’t disclosed previously. I took a free online, 9-week course, Introduction to Classical Music, with Yale professor Craig Wright. I passed with very good grades and have a new appreciation for a style of music of which I was almost illiterate.

Our grave marker has been cast in bronze and installed.

Also the bronze grave marker, which we began working on here, has been installed.

Work on Bed Nook at the shore house.

Before

Now
Clean up tools and hardware in laundry closet. I pulled out odd tools and stored them in the tool chest and put odd bits of hardware together with like items. This task took less than 5 minutes. What was I waiting for?

The tools and hardware are gone and now my sewing machine will fit in the closet.
Get Covid vaccinated. Checking multiple venues multiple times a day, day after day, I was finally rewarded with a 1-dose vaccine appointment. So I’m happy to say I have been fully vaccinated against the corona virus as we understand it at this time. And Charlie is scheduled.
Declutter the Treetops room and evaluate the issues that need to be repaired. I have cleared off enough surfaces to see multiple cracks in both the walls and ceiling which seem to be caused by the renovation of 2013.

Before

After
See a movie. Once again there are no theatres open near me so Charlie and I watched Gay Divorcee starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers featuring “our” song, Night and Day, by George and Ira Gershwin.

Night and day, you are the one.
Read a book: Sagas of Icelanders (Edda). I ordered this book from our local library from which one may borrow books but not actually go into the library. The sagas are very old and rife with odd names that I can neither pronounce nor remember but an interesting look at the Nordic people from their own viewpoint.

We’re still hoping to actually visit Iceland some day.
Take a day trip. We traveled by car to the New Jersey side of New York harbor where we caught ~~the Liberty Landing Ferry~~ the PATH train to NYC.

The new World Trade Center in New York City.
We spent a couple of hours touring the Battery area, the 9/11 Monument, and the financial district, soaking up the ambiance of lower Manhattan.
Do an egg craft. At the end of the month I finally got busy with a seasonal project I had been holding off for a year.
The yellow eggs are the color of daffodils.
I made a variety of paper-covered eggshells.
Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: HOPE.
Write a goal list for April, 2021.

March, 2021: Plans

March 1, 2021March 2, 2021 / Jo / Leave a comment

March is a hopeful month. In Maryland daffodils are blooming. The days are longer and warmer.

Work on Bed Nook at the shore house.
Before

Progress thus far.
Clean up tools and hardware in laundry closet.
Get Covid vaccinated.
Declutter the Treetops room and evaluate the issues that need to be repaired.
The next area to clear in the back bedroom is the top of the dresser which has become a collection of disparate items.
See a movie
Read a book: Sagas of Icelanders (Edda)
Preparing for a long-awaited trip to Iceland.
Take a day trip.
Do an egg craft.
Charlie prepared eggshells.
Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: HOPE.
Write a goal list for April, 2021.

Inspiration for a Bed Nook

January 4, 2021December 23, 2020 / Jo / 2 Comments

The landing on the second floor of the shore house is my designated sleeping area when I stay there overnight.

The second floor has a large landing and 2 smaller rooms left and right.

It is at the top of the steps and separates the two upstairs bedrooms from each other.

The hardwood floor is in good shapes on the second floor.

The floor is very nice but the wall is dark paneling.

The bed fits under the window with some room to spare top and bottom.

Even though the walls are dark the room has a southern aspect and 3 windows which allow sunlight to pour in on most days.

The closet is small but sufficient for a guest.

The room has its own closet which can also be used as a tiny private dressing room.

Paint chips for the shore house.

I would like to build the bed just under the windows and change the color of the room to match the sea tones of the rest of the house — blues, greens, and sand.