I have to apologize. I thought that I'd taken a picture of the tile after the first and second spongings. It was quite shocking, black smeared everywhere. We were a bit horrified, but we kind of figured that if it wasn't possible, people wouldn't be doing it, so we continued on.
Today we went back up and once again wiped down the wall and scraped away the excess grout. I also painted. I think the wall will need another coat tomorrow.
Although we picked out the paint together, I'm not sure that Tim is all that pleased with it now that it is on the wall.
I am, because it matches my new planters, one of which can sit on a shelf in that corner.
It also matches my favorite picture. This is by Kelly Latimore and it is of Dorothy Day. I admire her ability to see the divinity in every person, regardless of circumstances, and it is something that I aspire to. The name of her painting is 'Don't Call Me A Saint'.
The stock market is very unstable right now due to the tariff chaos. It's also noted that there is an 'unprecedented' sell off of US Treasury Bonds. That's kind of over my head, but people who do understand it find it concerning, stating that the American dollar will weaken, and they believe that it signals a lack of confidence in America.
It's pleasing to see how the kitchen is coming together.
ReplyDeleteThe bond market is beyond my understanding too.
I think I would rather hear, 'I told you so'.
I do know that I'd much rather say that.
DeleteLoudly.
DeleteWith adjectives.
DeleteThe tile looks dandy! Love your accessories. That is SO cool, and "saintly spiritual" about Mia and your house. Maybe as her kids get old enough, you can hire them for mowing or jobs around your retirement house. My wonderful landlord gave me breaks and hired my son to do chores and mowing at our house and her's. Stay safe. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteHer son is six. Our retirement house is a half hour away from our town. I would hate to deprive Tim of his tractor time. :) We are not Mia's landlords. She is buying the house from us. After her previous company got rid of 1/2 of their engineering department, she had to get a new job. She has a great job, but has not been there long enough for the bank to approve a mortgage. So, we had paperwork drawn up which allows her to pay us rent for the summer, which will be deducted the amount that she will have to take out a mortgage for. She's eligible to apply for a loan in June. This contract allows her to work on the house right away instead of waiting until the loan goes through. It's for her protection as well as our own. When she's able to get that loan, the lawyer will draw up the sales agreement.
DeleteThe tile is lovely - fantastic! And I like the green. Of course it is the same color I painted my own kitchen! He was right to go with the black grout. It really makes the tiles standout! You are really getting close! Exciting!!!
ReplyDeleteI think, no matter what else, the instability of our economy, the way it slides up and down at crazy speed and no one knows what is happening, is the most scary part. No one has any faith that our government knows what it is doing.
That is neat that our kitchens are painted the same color. We just thought the green was the right color for the woods. And yes. Tim was right about that tile and grout!
DeleteThere's a lot of nitty gritty stuff that has to go in a good kitchen. It looks like you know what you're doing.
ReplyDeleteWe just dumb around until we get it right...or at least the way we want it.
DeleteThe kitchen is looking so good, I really like the tile, too. You must be getting so excited.
ReplyDeleteI am actually pretty excited about things.
DeleteI never understand bond yields, never never never. I keep reading about it, and all I can get is that "bond sell off - bad." Wall Street Journal is calling for 47 to be impeached due to the financial harm he's inflicting on the country. That was unexpected. The grout looks great, I love the green, and your art will go well with it. You guys did such a good thing for Mia.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes it harder to understand is all the conflicting thoughts on it. And then there are all the arm chair experts running their mouths, smarter than anyone in the field of finances. Gotta love his base.
DeleteIt is so exciting to see your kitchen! Green is our favorite color so we have always had green in our houses. You and Tim are smart to tile now. We had a new kitchen installed in our current house but could not decide on the backsplash so we put it off - 5 years later and we still have none! I am amazed at all that you and Tim do yourselves.
ReplyDeleteI was awfully excited to wipe the tile and to paint. Tomorrow we will do a second coat and then move the appliances back.
DeleteI can see how all the greens will go together so well and I like the white tile and black grout. Things are coming together!
ReplyDeleteGlad the sink is going back to the house and that she was delighted! :)
With all the tariff craziness it was probably a really good time to get out of flipping houses. Going to get a bit more expensive I would expect. ;)
These are difficult times and the best thing we can do is tend to the things we can and speak up every chance we get. the kitchen is turning out nicely.
DeleteTell you what, you two are approaching sainthood with what you've done for Mia. What a kind & generous thing to do. Kitchen is looking good, tile & wall color go well together. Generally, when US Government bonds are being sold off or dumped like they currently are it's a signal that confidence in the US economy is falling, which given the chaos that the orange buffoon has unleashed is no big surprise.
ReplyDeleteAh Jim. Not really. Tim and I really struggled. We both know hard times. I know when I met her, I saw myself. What I did not know until later was that Tim felt strongly that he wanted her to have the house too.
DeleteI have an off topic question. Did you lose or do away with your archives? I linked to one of your posts in my March 22, 2023 post. The link is now broken. I looked at your list, and it's showing your first post was September 2023. Hopefully they're still available.
ReplyDeleteI reverted stuff to draft. Let me know which one you wanted to link to, and I will republish it.
DeleteThe link was in this post.
Deletehttps://retiredbicycle.blogspot.com/2023/03/rain-and-hikes.html
Thanks.
DeleteI put it back Allison.
DeleteI don’t even understand the kitchen, so treasury bonds are really beyond me. :) Hey! Where did my emojis go?
ReplyDeleteOh dear. I will get a better picture of the kitchen. let me give you some emojis.☺️🤪😹🙈🙉🙊🖐✌️👉👎🧚♂️🧚♀️
DeleteWhat a cool piece of art; I hope it does wind up in your kitchen. I'm not really into home decorating but I do like the tiles and the paint color too. 🙂👍
ReplyDeleteI have the print, framed. It will be in the kitchen. Not sure where. I will know more when the kitchen is sorted.
DeleteI love the paint color! It is a perfect green. I don't understand much about the stock market or bonds but those financial guys VOTED for him--or many of them did. They messed all of us over!
ReplyDeleteThe ones in his cabinet definitely voted for him, but there are plenty of big names speaking out. It is a mess.
DeleteOh yes, I am liking your kitchen!
ReplyDeleteWell, that is quite a compliment coming from a woman with a kitchen like yours!
DeleteThat is all just right!
ReplyDeleteGood to have the sink returning to its place.
That sink did a lot of traveling, but it's back home now.
DeleteLove the saint picture Debby.
ReplyDeleteRead about Dorothy Day if you get a chance. She was pretty amazing.
DeleteAll looking wonderful, and so it should after all your hard work.
ReplyDeleteIt just feels so great to be able to focus on one thing...the new house. It is a lot less stressful and a lot more rewarding.
DeleteI think Tim is right about the paint.. if it was a lighter tone of the green your planter would stand out more instead of blending in. You are really almost done in the kitchen, very impressive. Impeachment and removal sounds good, but the people inhis ear would still be there. It could get even worse. Orange as usual is keeping the lawers busy. I heard a teenager was planing to assassinate him. Gigi
ReplyDeleteOnce the spigots and water is hooked up, that part will be done except for small stuff. The kick plates and things like that.
DeleteThat Calvin and Hobbes cartoon is spot-on. I wish I could just not pay attention.
ReplyDeleteThe kitchen is looking good and I like the color, though I'm sure it varies at different times of day.
That first coat was kind of spotty and uneven. I was not happy with it. I gave it a second coat today and am pleased.
DeleteIt's terrific that you have been saving up stuff for that kitchen for quite a while now and it is all coming together as you pictured! Exciting!
ReplyDeleteI guess Tim is not the only packrat. :)
DeleteI LOVE the green and the way you've already planned what will go where. It is going to be a joy for you to work in that kitchen. And that is what it's all about. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI've been planning this in my head for such a long time. That's why it just sort of all goes together. I had a dream.
DeleteAnd what a good dream it was!
DeleteI love the green walls in your kitchen. My house is pretty much green and yellow. The tile turned out beautiful, the flooring too, everything actually. It made me smile this morning.
ReplyDeleteIt just looks so finished. I can't stop looking at it.
DeleteI'm the same way when I finish something, I have to keep going back into the room to look at it again and again.
Delete