He Put a Sticker On It!

Want to know what makes me a happy girl? A big green sticker that says "APPROVED!"

Remember when I described my little electrical situation here? I had 10 days to fix the violations.  The electrical work that was required by my city was actually completed almost two weeks ago before the holidays by my electrician.  With this being a busy holiday season, today was the first day that was open for the city inspector to schedule a visit.  Apparently they don't care that it's the end of the month for me and the end of the year and I have my own quota to hit. 

Here is what the electrician did:

1) Install neutral insulation kit in sub panel
2) Install a larger lug on ground bar of sub panel
3) Install bonding screw on neutral bar at main disconnect
4) Separate aluminum & copper wires at main disconnect
5) Install grounding kit at main disconnect
6) Install cold water ground to within 5' of water meter
7) Bond hot, cold and gas lines
8) Bond water meter jumper
9) Furnace outlet must have GFCI protection
10) Install bonding bridge

In addition to what was written down as violations, we also fixed a few other things including running several wires through joists (rather than stapled to the bottom of the joist), added 2 additional breakers (two wires were running to one breaker), removed unnecessary wires, and bundled some wires up so that they weren't hanging down.

And here is what it cost me:

City permit for 6 circuit, 1 furnace electrical work - $150.00 (he gave me a break)
Parts from Home Depot - $210.00
Parts from Ray Electric - $60.00
17 labor hours (only one electrician hired) - $680.00
Total cost to fix all electrical violations - $1,100

This cost me about $400 more than what I would've expected.  Thankfully, I inflated the budget for the basement renovation to account for miscalculations.  As always, I worked with the electrician so that he didn't have to hire an assistant (that I would've paid extra for).  I did the dummy work...pull out old wires that were not being used, remove the dropped ceiling, clean up ceiling joists, measure and nail recessed can lights into place (I did not include the purchase or install of the can lights into the budget above...it did only take him an hour to wire all 8 lights) and clean up his mess (he didn't ask me to do this...I just can't stand a messy job site - especially when there are two curious pups sniffing around).

And because I don't yet have a beautifully renovated bathroom to show off...here are some of the new additions to my abode.

See that shiny new copper wire running from the sub panel through the wall? That is running to the main disconnect to ground the main disconnect.

 This is the gorgeous copper wire bonding of the gas, and hot and cold water line.

This copper ground jumps the meter then runs across the ceiling to the sub panel to ground the meter.  A great addition to any house... 

 And here is the beautiful GFCI for the furnace.

Maybe I'll have you all over to celebrate the new copper grounding straps. 

When you schedule an inspection you have to call the building and permits office between 9 and 9:30am and find out where you happen to be on the inspectors schedule that day (otherwise they leave you with cable guy hours "we'll be there sometime between 9am and 9pm").  I was first.  Of course.  I was also about 50 minutes from home about to walk into an appointment with a customer that would last at least 2 hours.  And now I had to explain to the inspector (who holds my fate in his hands) that I knew of my inspection today, and I also booked an appointment 40 miles from home and could he please please please push  me to the end of his day? I hate to inconvenience anyone, but the city doesn't open until 9am and it's the busiest time of year for me...I couldn't wait until 9am to find out what my work day was going to look like.  Thankfully, the inspector pushed me to the end of his schedule and said he would be there after noon.  I was crossing my fingers that his "end of the day" wasn't at 12:01pm. 

My appointment ran late.  I'm 40 miles from home.  It's noon.  And it just started to snow.  Great.  Of all people, I definitely don't want to piss off the city inspector.  Thankfully, the snow only delayed my usual 50 minute drive only about 10 minutes.  I pulled in the driveway as soon as he arrived at 1pm. 

I was already nervous for this inspection because of the money I've poured into this little unexpected snafu.  But I was especially nervous because I've already had to have the inspector switch around his schedule for me this morning and we were a little nervous about some of the violations.  See, there are several ways to skin a cat, or do electrical correctly.  The inspector requested that the furnace have a GFCI.  He didn't elaborate on this.  We installed a GFCI outlet.  If the inspector wanted a GFCI breaker rather than a GFCI outlet it would cost me an extra $80 for the city inspector to tell me this, $45 for the GFCI breaker and 1 hour labor for my electrician to install the breaker.  And that's just one of the violations we were concerned about.

I definitely had some luck on my side.  The inspector was in a fantastic mood (I would be too if my work day started at 9am and ended at 1pm) and he checked off all boxes on his approval sheet to state that all violations are corrected.  He also mentioned that he was very impressed with the quality of workmanship my electrician displayed, (I trust my electrician, but he could tell me that the wireless ground needed to be removed and greased, and I would probably believe it...so it just puts my mind at ease that a city inspector is impressed by the quality of work).  I knew my electrician was good, but I also know I pay him a fraction of what a contractor would charge me so I did always wonder about the quality of his work.  The electrical has been approved...with a big green sticker to prove it!

I have learned one huge, large, ginormous lesson here... when buying a house GO TO THE CITY OFFICE AND ASK FOR A HOUSE FILE BEFORE MAKING FINAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE SELLER (whether its a homeowner or the bank).  The house file will show all or any permits that have been opened on the house, when they were opened, and if/when they were approved and closed.  It is the liability of the permit-opener (whether it's the homeowner or contractor) or current homeowner to make sure all permits are approved and final.  I hired a good home inspector.  However, there were at least 8 items shown as violations by the city that my home inspector did not find.

Let's just say that I'm happy that I've made friends with my plumber and electrician who I have major trust for.  I have a brother who is a roofing inspector, and a future father-in-law who previously owned an HVAC business.  I will be utilizing them all (as well as a regular home inspector) to scour any future house I plan on owning.  And I will make a trip to the city office to pull a house file.  I've never been a fan of surprises....especially when it comes to home ownership surprises.

Mary

Just in case you missed previous steps and find out why I am completing a basement renovation, you can find that all here:

What Started It All: Electrical Permit Letter From City

Step 1: Electrical Inspection

Step 2: Basement Plan of Action

Step 3: Electrical Approval

 

New Years Resolution

Psst: I've been slacking lately so be prepared for a long post!  I will have an update on the basement soon and on a few other homemade projects that were given as Christmas gifts.  In the meantime, you can drool over my Christmas morning creation.  It took a lot of skill :)  Justin stuck toothpicks in a styrofoam tree form and I put a doughnut hole on each toothpick.  My contribution to Christmas morning breakfast for the family...Easy and I think it's festive (and tasty)!

It's that time when everyone starts to take a look at their life and evaluate how they want to be better in the following year.  Some make resolutions to lose weight (doughnut trees don't help this cause) and vow to quit smoking, others promise to ban McDouble's from their life (my Aunt did this 2 years ago), and some plan a "six-pack by September" (Justin's New Years Resolution). 

I need to work on my planning.  Meal planning to be exact.  I hardly ever eat lunch because I'm usually on the road for work, so come 5 o'clock I'm starving.  It's at this point that I find myself thinking "what should I make for dinner?" This is when I open up Safari on my phone while sitting in the grocery store parking lot and do a quick search for "salmon" or "chicken" on www.EatingWell.com.  I will run into the grocery store and get ingredients for that night.  After the leftovers are gone, the horrible cycle starts again within a day or two.  My last minute meal planning sometimes leads to that "I'm not in the mood to cook" mood and then we find ourselves eating an unplanned and probably unhealthy meal.

If you haven't figured it out already, I am the sous chef in this house.  Justin always offers to help, and I might hand him the spoon or knife to do some hard labor but for the most part I am left to do all the planning and preparing of meals.  Besides, I like to have dinner ready about the time he gets done with work.

Back to my New Years Resolution....I have no plans to start eating lunch anytime soon.  I might save that for next year.

My 2013 New Years Resolution is to plan our weekly meals so I can make one stop at the grocery store each week and create less waste.  Since I take the time to plan meals, I can also plan to cook several meals that use similar ingredients, therefore saving me waste.  For example, I purchase the Organic Chicken Broth in the 32 oz carton.  The broth comes in a handy resealable container and is good for 2 weeks after being open if stored in the refrigerator.  I hardly ever use the remaining amount.  I know I could freeze the remaining amount, but I know me and I know I'll never use it.  Instead I stash the remaining amount in the refrigerator and I make a little promise to myself that I'll use it before it goes bad.  Sometime after the 2 weeks I'll open the container and do a "sniff test" and assume that it's not good anymore.  The same thing goes with fresh herbs.  I'll purchase a bunch of basil and may only need a little.  By the time I need it again the basil has wilted and gets tossed.

I love to cook so I keep a well-stocked pantry. And outside of milk, eggs and snacks (fruit, cheesesticks, yogurt, etc.) I just don't stock much perishable items that are staples in most entrees (meat, fresh herbs, vegetables, etc.) so I'm left to picking these up weekly or daily at the local supermarket. Unfortunately, with my current last-minute-meal-planning I do end up with a lot of waste leftover from partially used items.

Justin and I usually have plans to eat out at least once a week together.  We may have dinner plans with friends, a "girls" or "boys" night with out eachother, or we'll have softball, flag football or maybe trivia night.  Today, if either of us has to eat alone we are usually left to our own devices or hoping there are leftovers from the night before.  With my weekly meal planning, I vow to take into consideration those nights we have off from dinner-making to avoid over-planning and wasted perishables. 

I am excited to start this resolution because I have two new cookbooks that I can't wait to work my way through!  I cook something new almost every night to keep it interesting. I only cook the same thing twice when it's an absolute favorite. This means that I often forget what I've made and what we thought of it. My aunt taught me a little trick to help keep track of those recipes tried and when they were made. I keep a fine-tip sharpie in the kitchen so I can easily add notes to the recipe and also add a rating system and a date.  This helps me remember what I thought of it and if it's worth another try...basically if it doesn't say "Not Good" it's worth another dinner night.  I've only had a few recipes rated "Not Good!"

As a sidenote, my rating system (from best to worst) is:
1) Excellent
2) Really Good
3) Good
4) Not good

 And sometimes I forget to add a date.  This rating I found perusing my old cookbooks is for a Pasta & Chickpea Soup I made for the first time in 2002.  I remember this because I made it in my first apartment right after I started receiving Eating Well magazine.

I plan on using recipes from my favorite cookbooks (The Simple Art of Eating Well,  Eating Well One Pot Meals, and Eating Well Serves Two), www.eatingwell.com, www.allrecipes.com and some random magazine finds.  As always, I will try to keep the recipes healthy and I will stick to my Meatless Monday tradition (sorry J-dog...you can't get away from that).

Overall, this plan to plan weekly meals will:
1) allow me to make one stop at the grocery store each week
2) create less waste and save money
3) reduce the chances of not being in the "mood" to cook
4) provide lunch for Justin the following day - I always cook for 4 so Justin can take leftovers for lunch the next day
5) work my way through my favorite cook books

What about the 6 o'clock exhaustion that hits and the last thing you want to do is cook? I've thought of this too!  I may have the ingredients and a plan for a meal but don't feel like spending an hour chopping, slicing, baking, simmering or sauteing...So I vow to prep the meals in the morning while I grab my morning coffee.  It's much easier to take 5 minutes in the morning to chop the onions, mince the garlic and cube the chicken.  If I prep dinner in the morning then I just have to throw everything together after work.

Won't this get boring and repetitive? I hope not!

I started my resolution on Wednesday, December 26th since Monday and Tuesday were planned holiday meals with family and I didn't have to cook.  So I sat down and flipped through my cookbooks and snapped pictures of each ingredient list and headed out to the grocery store during the snowstorm yesterday. 

 Thankfully, I have several choices of grocery stores within a 2 mile radius and I opted to visit the market about a 1/2 mile away.  Which is small, pricey and not well-stocked, but I didn't want to get on a main road with the conditions being as they were.

I stocked up for Wednesday, Thursday, and Monday knowing we would have enough leftovers for Saturday and Sunday and we expected to go out to dinner on Friday.  I had most ingredients on hand so this is all I had to get:
- Bone-in chicken thighs
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Red Pepper
- Jalepenos
- Marsala (This is nice to have on hand - the one bottle should last a long time)
- Quick-cooking brown rice (I normally cook with quinoa, so I did not have rice on hand)
- Mushrooms
- more onions (I always keep atleast one onion on hand)
- another head of garlic (I also keep one head of garlic on hand)
- Bay leaves (a staple I would normally stock)

Arroz con Pollo (I'm a day behind so this was dinner last night)

Marsala Chicken Stew (which was served with mashed potatoes and green beans tonight):

I knew that I would be home from work right around 5:30, so tonight I prepped the Marsala Chicken Stew early this morning by chopping up the onions, garlic and chicken, covering them and placing them back in the refrigerator. I loved tossing everything together in the dutch oven after work today and not having to chop onions (worst. chore. ever). It made dinner NOT a chore!   

There was enough leftovers of both the Arroz con Pollo and Marsala Chicken Stew that we can eat leftovers this weekend.

 

Monday night we will have:

 

Black Bean Soup (with out the ham hock!) 

I'm already planning our meals for next week!  Hopefully this is one resolution that becomes a habit in this house.

Have you planned a New Years Resolution yet? What are your resolutions? Are you going to participate in my "weekly meal planning" resolution (I think you should!)? Maybe you already have a meal planning program that works...please share!

Mary

RollerCOASTER of Love

I love making DIY gifts!  And I love even more to receive them! I had a surprise in the mail today from my friend Lauren - an amazing Christmas gift of homemade chapstick, body wash and shower fizzies.  Lauren is such a creative friend!  Last year she sent me homemade cake pops and a mini cake stand (which I currently use to hold dish and hand soap in my kitchen).  She is such an inspiration! I've already dug into the chapstick and can't wait to indulge in the other goodies. #Lovingmycreativefriends

Here are two projects I created recently with gift-giving in mind:

Last year I created several photo transfers using a method learned back in 2001 (my freshman year of college) in an art class.  Back in the days of living in the dorm rooms, I transferred a picture of Lenny Kravitz and hung it on the wall above my desk.  That's not weird...at all.  I'm sure you've all had a crush on Lenny Kravitz at one point or another.  Last Christmas I made Justin's Dad a Tennessee Volunteer coaster using the transfer method.  Justin's mom, and both sets of grandparents received a copy of the 2011 Christmas photo transferred onto a travertine tile or slice of wood. 

I'll share this easy project later this week.  I'm procrastinating.  As easy as this project is, the worst part is actually cutting the tile to size.  Last year I didn't have a tile saw so I used a method of tile nippers and a chisel and hammer to acheive the jagged edges.  I made it 90% of the way around the tile and then it would crack.  Right down the center.  And then send me into a state of frustration.  It took me too many hours and too many tiles using these methods.  This would explain why the tile above has a large crack (don't worry, I kept this one for myself).  This year I have a tile saw and a plan to make a few more Christmas surprises. 

Travertine is a beautiful natural tile that naturally has a cream colored background perfect for transferring photos and is my favorite kind to use for art projects.  I use the large 18x18 tiles to create larger photos (which I cut to size).  To create coasters I use the 4x4 tiles which come in a pack of 9 at Home Depot that are tied together so you can only actually see the top tile.  The quality of the natural stone is random, so while you may pick a pack that has a perfect tile on top, the rest may be too pitted to be able to nicely transfer a photo. 
It took a year, but I finally came up with a few ideas of what to do with the 8 remaining tiles from the pack I bought last year.  The pack I purchased only had 1 tile nice enough to transfer an image onto...all of the others had too much character.   I thought of decoupaging a solid piece of paper to help hide the blemishes, but still provide a useful gift.  And I just so happened to have sheet music on hand.  Here is what I used to create 2 different projects (all of which I had in my craft closet). 

- Travertine 4x4 tiles
- Flat black spray paint
- Sheet music (one sheet)
- Mod Podge (I used Matte)
- Sponge brush (x2)
- Clear protective spray paint
- Chalkboard Paint
- Felt, cork or rubber feet

My initial idea was to create a sheet music coaster.  I mod-podged a square piece of sheet music onto the tile:

I wasn't feelin' it.  The music sheet coaster definitely wasn't love at first sight for me.  It lacked some drama.  NOTE:  If you mod-podge a tile like in this project, you will need to give the final product a quick spray with a clear coat spray paint.  If you do not spray it with a final clear coat then hot liquids placed in a cup on the coaster will cause the mug to stick to the coaster.  This is embarrasing.  Especially when it is a gift to your boyfriends father.  (Dear Justin's Dad...I'm sorry for the crappy Christmas present that keeps sticking to your coffee mug)

So I spray painted the tile a flat black.

 

 and tried again...

Eh.  Still not in love.  I was ready to write this love story off as a failure...then WAIT!! Let's back this truck up....

 

It was perfect! 

I grabbed the chalkboard paint, which is also black, painted over the flat black spray paint with 3 coats of the Chalkboard Paint.  While the sheet music coasters were...eh...alright.  I found love in the naked tile.  I added four rubber feet to the bottom of each tile to protect the table.  Now this is a great gift!

I can rarely say that a failed project ends up turning out so great.  I have many other "failed" projects sitting in a corner of the basement...in detention until I figure out what to do.

This is a gift I would love to get!  So for Christmas I will gift myself new electrical, a garage door (oh, I haven't shared this story yet) and chalkboard coasters ;)

Mary

Scalloped Nursery Letters

....alternate titles for this post include "Scalloped Grown-Up Letters."  Not just for nurseries anymore!

Each year I run around trying to find the perfect Christmas gifts for my friends two little girls.  The greatest and most amazing two little kids you'll ever meet.  Parker (3 years old) just knows how to make my heart smile when she sees me and says "Aunt Mare-we, where's Joe?"  The kid loves Joe and Lucy.  While Lucy has learned that Parker and Cora usually have food (she hangs out within cheerio-catching distance), Joe, on the other hand, runs and wiggles to get away. 

I came up with the idea that I wanted to make Cora and Parker some art for their walls.  Their  bedroom is pink and green.  So I inquired with Amy (their Mom) about what colors she would like, and whether the letters should be the same color or different colors.  The girls are in the stage right now where they want what the other one has, so Amy suggested that I make them the same.  Although Cora will have a "C" and Parker will have a "P," they will be the same style.   

I sent out a sneak peek via Instagram last night.  I was so excited with how they turned out that I had to pre-share!

 I had an image in my head of exactly what I wanted to do.  I first took a trip to Michael's and sought out a 'C' and a 'P' that were a simple style and also thin so that they could fit in a frame.  I actually found these, which were the perfect size (about 7" tall) and thin enough to be put behind glass.  (I wanted the letters to be safe in a frame so they wouldn't collect dust).

 Then I picked out a few different scrapbook paper designs that fit the pink and green scheme.  I wanted to give the letters a scalloped or scaled look and I just so happen to have had a Martha Stewart round punch that I bought a few months back (this can be found in the same area as the scrapbook supplies)...it worked perfect for the project.

 If the letters weren't primed already I planned on hitting them with a quick spray of primer since I was just covering the front with the paper circles and the sides could be seen. 

I started at the bottom placing the circles touching each other, yet not overlapping.  Then began placing a second row on top.  I would try to keep the pattern the same but switched it up when the scrapbook designs started a trend of being right next to each other. 

 

I made sure the white wood didn't show through so the circles ran off the letter.  Things start to look a little ugly before they get better. 

I allowed the glue to dry for say...30 seconds.  I then turned the letters upside-down on a scrap piece of wood.  Using a sharp-bladed box cutter I carefully removed all the overhang.  Much prettier after having all the scraps removed. 

And the final product turned out exactly how I had hoped!  Here is a close-up of the pretty scallop design. 

The letters turned out so nice.  I may have to make a scalloped letter for my grown-up house!

 

I glued the letters to a piece of scrapbook paper with a metallic finish.  Then taped the paper into place in the matte.   

A homemade Christmas gift to my favorite girls! 

 

"To Joe and Lucy's best little friends, here is a project that I made for you to showcase above your beds for years to come. Joe and Lucy were by my side the whole time. xoxo"

While most normal almost-2 and 3-year-olds don't fully enjoy a pretty letter on their wall, I think Cora and Parker will love them for many more years than any toy.

 

Mary 

Basement Rundown

The basement renovation is a work-in-progress.  I'm sure it will take a while to finish since I can only dedicate nights and weekends. Minus the holiday parties, family time, Christmas, New Years, and the busiest time of year for me at work - I might find an hour or two to cross some more projects off the old to-do list.  For now, I need to focus on getting all the presents wrapped and preparing for a holiday party Thursday night, hosting Justin's work holiday party on Friday (yeah!!), and another holiday party Saturday.  The electrician will be back Sunday morning to finish up the lighting and electrical situation.

As I said before, the basement renovation was always on my long, projected to-do list.  I attempted to create a design for the basement about 8 months ago.

I measured the dimensions and laid it out on graph paper.  I didn't get very far.

It's time to get serious!

Before even planning a renovation it's always a good idea to set a budget.  Setting a budget ahead of time will allow you to design with price in mind.  The design, surprises and finishes can spiral out of control very quickly when you don't have an idea of what you want to spend overall.

Why am I renovating?  With a major, and even minor, renovation, it may be important to get a return on investment.  In other words you should ask yourself if/when you sell your home, will the renovation add equity? If so, how much?  This is important to me, which is why I do a lot of the work myself.  The return on investment for a mid range basement remodel is Michigan is 66.8% (based on this 2011-2012 cost v. value report from Remodeling Magazine).  In fact, a basement remodel has a higher ROI than a major kitchen remodel!

Although I won't be putting in an upscale basement, I want to make it a comfortable area to hang out.  So the ROI isn't the #1 reason I'm finishing the basement.  The most important factor to me right now is to have another space in my home where I can entertain and maybe actually enjoy doing laundry.  My house is small, so finishing a basement to add more entertaining space can double my current space!

My budget for the basement is $5,000.  I actually think I will spend much less than this.  I'm just keeping an open mind when it comes to those costly surprises.  My basement should actually be considered an update rather than a renovation...it's already partially finished.  I will use my electrician, plumbing, and drywall resources, and mainly my DIY abilities (because I'm cheap thrifty like that).  The timeline I am estimating is 3 months.  I am not too concerned with finishing it immediately because it is not a main living space in the house.  I've lived with out it for 18 months and I can continue to live with out it for a while, as long as I have access to my laundry area.

I plan on working with the existing paneling to help keep the budget low, and I would like to add a few walls to separate a few different areas. My current basement has one wall going directly down the center of it separating a "living space" from the storage, laundry, toilet, and mechanical area.  The drywall on the separating wall looks like it was added as an afterthought.  And it was never finished.  I will probably remove all of it (along with that weird built-in) and replace with a full wall of drywall and add a soffit to hide the HVAC.  And that gross carpet that was GLUED directly to the lovely 9x9 tile will be removed and replaced with...something.

The mechanical, laundry and work area are all on the opposite side of the living area wall in one big open space. The furnace and HWH are conveniently in the dead center of my basement. Who was the genius that ever created this trend? And the laundry area is kiddie-corner from the mechanical near the water closet, and across from the storage room. I have a sump pump in each corner of my basement on the mechanical side. The current layout is actually pretty workable - which is why I think I can do this renovation under my budget. While the furnace/HWH are in the center of the basement, I will work around it to avoid having to move anything - which would be costly and not in my budget. 

The storage area is already enclosed in a nice little walk-in room accessible through the mechanical side of the wall. Directly on the opposite side of the storage area (facing the living space) is that funny little built-in which I can't wait to remove. I am hoping that once the entertainment center is removed, it will allow me to expand the storage area and place an access door from the living space rather than the mechanical space. The toilet is also on the mechanical side of the wall and is enclosed....but has no sink. Luckily, the laundry tub is directly on the other side of the water closet wall - which should make it easy to expand the toilet room to include a sink. This will make it a true half-bath. And while not fancy, it's workable and will come in handy when completing the bathroom renovation.  Oh, and that lovely 9x9 tile is adhered with an asbestos compound. It hasn't been tested, but based on my research it is definitely asbestos. And the best thing to do in this case is to leave it right where it is and encapsulate it, or learn to love it.  I chose to get creative and paint it.

I already planned on creating a workshop and have already purchased the peg board a few weeks ago.  And I am in the process of rehabbing an old workbench handed down to me by my grandfather, and wanted to make room for my workbench and tool box in the workshop. My original plan was to place the workshop in the area that I would now like to be dedicated to an exercise area. But I have new plans.   

Here is what I would like to have in my basement:

- Play area (my parents have a beautiful Foosball table they would like to dump on me)
- Comfortable seating area with "built-in" entertainment center (I'm thinking of the custom-ikea kind)
- Bar area (I don't need a bar, but if Justin and I move in together then this is "his" space, and I want him to have a bar...this will probably be a craft area until then)
- Exercise area
- Storage room
- Half bath
- Laundry room
- Workshop

I am still working with colors and designs.  My biggest challenge is tying it in with the rest of the house.  I want it to feel like an extension of the other rooms so I plan to carry the same color scheme downstairs.  Any input is welcomed!

Mary

Just in case you missed previous steps and find out why I am completing a basement renovation, you can find that all here:

What Started It All: Electrical Permit Letter From City

Step 1: Electrical Inspection

Step 2: Basement Plan of Action

 

Happy Meatless Monday!

There is a weekly tradition in my house - I like to call it Meatless Mondays.  This is my favorite day of the week because I cook something that I haven't made before that doesn't include....you guessed it, MEAT!  While I am probably the least picky eater that I know, Justin approaches Meatless Mondays with a little more caution..  I think his complaining is more for dramatic effect than anything else.  I guess he has to prove that withholding meat for a day is definitely not manly...A weekly phone call to him at 5 o'clock reminds him that "it's Meatless Monday....Muhah
ahaha!" and I'll get the usual "Oh no!  Not Meatless Monday!"  Yet he has never turned down a dish.  Not even Asparagus Pizza.  I knew I loved this man from the first time I made him participate in Meatless Monday. 

Here is the newest find that I created tonight.  Slow-Cooker Black Bean-Mushroom Chili (the stovetop version).  Say whatever you want, this is by far, hands down, the best chili I have ever tasted.  And the real judge, Justin, agrees!  In fact, I think he described it as phenomenal.

Okay, so it's not the best looking chili I've ever seen, but I have to admit that even I was shocked that it turned out so well.  As it was cooking (for 2.5 hours) it was really watery and didn't smell so good.  But the water reduced quickly and I ended up with a thick chili, which is what I prefer.  We both mentioned that next year this is what we are making for the annual chili cook-off.  Do me a favor and make this tomorrow!  Don't wait.  Seriously, go now.

Regardless of how many meals I've made this man, he is always surprised that a meal with out meat can actually be tasty, and even something he might prefer over a meatier version.  Every meal is followed with "wow!  This is actually really good."  Um, would you expect anything else?

I don't mean to brag (okay, maybe a little), but I'm a pretty awesome recipe follower.  I know how to follow a recipe with the best of 'em.  When people hear that one of my favorite things to do is cook a nice, healthy meal for other people, they often ask "what's your favorite thing to cook" as if they might be challenging me to a cook-off.  Well, here's my answer.  I don't play favorites with recipes.  I have way too many good ones in my arsenal...and each one came from my only source of great recipes.  My secret is a little magazine (and website) called EatingWell. 

Back in 2002 I was entering my second year of college and had an apartment of my own near campus.  I was visiting my Grandparents before I left for college, and as I always did, I sat down and dug through the pile of cooking magazines to find some inspiration to take back to my very own (vegetarian) kitchen.  I came across what looked to be a good magazine, called EatingWell, and Grandma mentioned that it was her favorite magazine because it offered a ton of flavorful, healthy meal choices, and there was no advertising...just recipes!  I guess the magazine had taken a 3 year hiatus and just started publishing again earlier in '02.  I was hooked.  Because I was a poor college student, I requested a subscription to EatingWell for Christmas, and from then on it would become my main source of information and recipes.  The magazine was only published 4 times a year at the time.  I found plenty of time to work my way through each and every (vegetarian) recipe.  I have recently stopped purchasing these magazines because they are now loaded up with advertising and the FREE website categorizes each and every recipe they have published.  

Even though I no longer receive EatingWell in the mail, I do utilize the website for all my recipes.  Every few months they release "A Week of Meals for $50."  I won't usually take the time to plan all meals for a week, rather, I just stop at the grocery store if I don't have ingredients for what I want to cook each night.  This gets old.  I like the idea of taking the magazine to the store with me and following their grocery list.  This ensures that we 1) don't eat out and 2) we eat healthy.  It helps me avoid the last minute lets-just-order-pizza nights.

I remember always being interested in cooking and creating healthy & tasty dishes.  I remember perfecting an apple pie at the age of 10, baking 3 cheesecakes until they were flawless at the age of 12, deciding to become a vegetarian at the age of 15, which I enjoyed through the age of 20 (a goat cheese stuffed burger turned me and I never looked back), and spending my college years shopping at a tiny local organic food shop and where I was introduced to carob.  My impressionable years in the kitchen were spent being a vegetarian.  So many of my favorite dishes are vegetarian.  I honestly had to teach myself how to cook meat once I started eating it again.  During those V years, I found a love for "odd" foods that I probably would've never tried.  I discovered some of my favorite things...goat cheese, sprouted breads, asparagus, quinoa, eggplant, tofu and capers.  I learned that you don't need to add fat for food to taste good.  With EatingWell as my food bible I didn't need butter or fatty oils to make me satisfied. 

Here are a few of my more recent favorite main dish recipes.  This is only a small list since I usually make a new dish most of the time.  I suggest you try one or two, or all.

-Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Plums and Rosemary - I've made this only a dozen times or so in the last 6 years.  It's my go-to dish for dinner parties because it's sooo easy to make and has a stunning presentation.  Not to mention it's amazing.       

- Chicken Breasts with Roasted Lemons  - This is a healthy version of Chicken Picatta with edible lemons...need I say more

- Skillet-Roasted Skirt Steaks with Pebre Sauce & Avocados - The first dish I ever made for Justin.  I'm pretty sure this is how I hooked him.  We've made it at least 4 times since.  I also made this for my super-picky, meat and potato only parents.  They loved it!

- Grilled Fish Tacos - I love fish tacos and this is the best recipe I've found.

- Oven Poached Salmon Fillets - These are ready in 30 minutes or less and so delicious.

- Roast Chicken & Sweet Potatoes - Another great recipe that takes little time to prepare and is a great fall meal.

One of my favorite things is creating a soup as a main dish.  This is a good one:

- Pasta & Chick Pea Soup - One of the first soups I remember making.  I still make it these days.  I love how the whipped chick peas make this soup creamy.

What are your favorite recipes? Do you still use recipe books? What is your main source for finding dishes to make?

Mary

Bathroom...er, Basement Renovation: Day 1

My basement transformation began at 8am this morning.  The electrician reviewed the list of violations and began to tackle each item.  These are first priority since they will need to be complete in 10 days.  While I didn't have an opinion on when to complete the electrical issues, I did decide to just do the full renovation since I will be working downstairs anyway.  I might as well focus all of my DIY nighttime/weekend energy (and a little of my savings) on it until it is done.  This way, while I have the electrician here anyway he can work on cleaning up all electrical.

Get ready for a budget-friendly and pain-free basement renovation! 

The to-do list is growing at a rapid pace. We got a little jump start on it today...

- Fix all electrical violations
- Remove dropped ceiling
- Toss fluorescent lighting
- Clean up ceiling joists (so it is free from unnecessary wires, nails, hooks, spider webs, etc)
- Map out new floor plan
- Install new lighting (needs to be flush with bottom of floor joist to give me max ceiling height)
- Paint ceiling (floor joists)
- Put up new framing
- Hang dry wall
- Paint walls
- Install access doors to water heater/furnace and both sump pumps
- Select all finishes (flooring, trim)
- Paint asbestos tiles (yes, PAINT!) in new laundry room
- Expand existing water closet to include sink
- Create workshop with pegboard
- Expand storage area

Here is a before picture of the living area.  This picture was taken before I moved into the house...I currently use it as a work area and that carpet is used as my drop cloth :)

While I am still working through the details of the renovation, I do know that I need to remove the dropped ceiling.  This was removed in less than an hour and thrown set nicely at the curb.  The ceiling tiles were sagging from moisture, only covered about 320 sq feet, hung 5" below the floor joists making the ceiling height a mere 6'5", and they were ugly.  Besides, I could regret this, but I wanted to know what lay beneath that old ceiling.  Thankfully, other than 4,389 nails and 13 lbs. of spider webs, there wasn't too much damage.  The electrician cleaned up a few wires and prepped it for new lighting today.

Here is what she looks like after 7 hours of work today.  Including a bunch of electrical work you can't see.

While it may look like the basement took a big step backwards, I assure you it is a step in the right direction.

I will update as I work through the ideas and details of the basement renovation.  Thank you for looking! 

I am mostly thankful that I was able to remove 20 years of spider webs.  I will sleep well tonight!  #spiderfreeisthewaytobe

Mary

Just in case you missed previous steps and find out why I am completing a basement renovation, you can find that all here:

What Started It All: Electrical Permit Letter From City

Step 1: Electrical Inspection

Step 2: Basement Plan of Action

 

Doomsday Came Early This Year

Last week I mentioned that I received a letter from the City of Berkley stating that there was an electrical permit pulled on my house that needed to be closed.  The permit was pulled in 2005, and after speaking with a representative from the city over the phone, I learned that during the inspection 6 violations were found.  A follow-up inspection was never scheduled by the homeowner at the time, therefore, the permit was never closed.  The letter was requesting that the city of Berkley complete another inspection so they could close it out.

I  had big plans to begin my long-awaited bathroom renovation this month and this could easily put a big kibosh on that project.  So, as one might expect, this is where I start sweating bullets and become a nail biter.  Inspection day was scheduled for Wednesday.  First thing in the morning I called the city to see where my inspection was on their schedule and was told I was first.  Gulp.  I sure hope his wife was nice to him this morning.

The inspector was an older man who was a retired electrician and he kinda reminded me of my dad (+15 years).  You know, 5'9", white hair, white moustache, red cheeks, and a little beer belly.  I have my dad wrapped around my finger and I was hoping that the inspector also had a soft spot for a nice smile.  I may have to work this later.  Anywho, as I led him through my newly renovated kitchen I was hoping he wouldn't mention anything about it.  You don't need a permit if you're not moving walls or changing electrical.  Regardless, if he said something about it I would get really nervous and start rambling on about the renovation and why I don't need a permit and then I would say something stupid that would probably get me in trouble.  He didn't say anything.   

The inspector started inspecting, looking first at the subpanel, and mumbled something about not needing to start his day like this.  I'm guessing that were not off to a great start here.  Thankfully, he mentioned that some of the "big" violations had been taken care of...like the installation of a main disconnect (which is a commercial sized disconnect and overkill for my 1,000 sq foot bungalow...but it works.  Whew), and a large tubular thing the size of my wrist (I'm using the technical terms here) that goes into the subpanel had been installed.  These are both costly items and he stated that I was "lucky" they were complete.  However, he did find 10 violations...and here is what I heard:

1) Copper and aluminum can't be next to each other because of blahblah and it could cause blah blah blah, so we need to install a large extender thingy to move them over on the other side of the sub panel
2) The main disconnect had the same issue as above
3) I need a grounding screw in the main disconnect

For the most part, I just stood there with a very worried look on my face and took notes quietly.  Even though I really wanted to say "so, you're saying that you're writing up a violation because I need a screw.  In that little hole.  Right there.  One stupid screw." Fast forwarding to today for you - my electrician said that the main disconnect is already grounded, but if the inspector wanted a screw for no reason he will put a screw there.  This is what you do...you don't argue with the inspector.

4) The water meter needs a grounding strap that runs from the meter to a ground (whatever this means)
5) The water meter needs ANOTHER strap that jumps the meter thing
6) A ground needs to connect the hot water line, the cold water line and the gas line. 
7) These wires need to be moved from here...to here (2 inches away)
8) Staple bundle of wires up to the wall. 
9) Furnace needs a something-higher-than-what-I-have volt
10) Install bonding bridge


He stopped here.  Told me I have 10 days to complete the work and then explained that I have to go to the city office and pull a permit in my name.  I understand that I need to fix this electrical issue - it's important to me that it is done correctly and I wouldn't sell my house knowing that I had these issues.  However, I was confused why I had to pull a permit and pay the city MORE money when I wasn't the idiot that pulled a permit and did a crappy job in the first place.

This is where I stopped him...and said something like this "Look, I got this letter in the mail that stated that SOMEONE else opened a permit on my house to do electrical work, and they did a horrible job.  I understand that I'm the owner and this is now my issue.  I will take care of it, I will do it right and you are welcome to come back in 10 days and check my work. But why do I have to apply for a permit when there is already a permit on this issue open?"  I may have also said "I could've just ignored your letter and fixed the violations that were already open and you would've had no idea whether it was the previous owner or me."

Well I guess because the permit isn't in my name.  And since I am now liable for the work and making sure it gets done correctly then I have to pay the city $200 to get a piece of paper saying that I am the new homeowner.  He suggested that I could sue the responsible party/parties(he named a list of people who were currently liable for this issue - with a signature to prove it).  But suing someone really isn't in my nature...

So I took a minute to think.  I set my emotions aside and realized that in the whole scheme of things, this really isn't a big deal.  I'll do what the city wants (open up a new permit) and then we'll be past it and my house will be better for it.  When I went back to the inspector to let him know that I would apply for a permit right away, he did offer a nice little gesture when he said that there were other violations (and he pointed them out) that he didn't write me up for - he just asked that I have my electrician fix them.  This was his way of being kind and helpful.

Overall, the inspection uncovered some items that will delay my bathroom renovation.  However, I am thankful that he pointed out the violations so I can make it right.  I don't like to do anything halfway or incorrect.  And honestly, I wanted to renovate my basement anyway.  It's just going to happen sooner than I planned for.

As with anything in life, there are many things that happen that we don't expect or plan for.  We just have to make the most with what we got.  Party at my place once this thing is dunzo!

Mary

This Is Not A Letter From Santa

With owning a home comes making some big decisions, including determining what is important and what is less of a priority. For example, let's just say that you have been saving for a bathroom renovation, and then you get a letter in the mail that could potentially delay that said bathroom renovation. Do you ignore that letter? Yes, folks. This is reality.

There is always a huge gap between needs and wants. At least when it comes to owning a home. Let me just say that I have very blessed that I have been able to purchase a home on my own, and I am incredibly proud of this. I love owning a home and I really wouldn't want it any other way.  I've done a good job in the past handling the needs and wants.  I put a new roof on my garage before I budgeted for my kitchen, I fixed a water leak before I finished the hardwood floors.  So, once again, I will have to do the practical thing.

I felt as if I did my homework when first purchasing my home.  I ordered the proper home inspection, had my brother check out the integrity of the roof, checked for moisture and past water damage in the basement, and called the city to see if there was ever a fire.  There were some things that needed attention, but overall, it was a stable home.  So when I received this in the mail on Monday I was confused.  And scared.  I have never opened a permit for electrical work on my house.

 

I'm not proud of this moment, but I honestly debated about ignoring this letter.  But then I realized I shouldn't mess with the city - they know where I live.  So I called the city, and sure enough, the homeowner in 2005 applied for an electrical permit to have a generator hook-up installed - which didn't pass inspection.  There were 7 violations that were found that day with the main disconnect and the subpanel and a follow-up inspection was never scheduled so the permit remained open.  7 violations.  This got my attention.

I figured that if the violations were found that day, maybe they still exist.  I knew there were 2 electrical related concerns that came up on my home inspection report done before I purchased the house.  But, it was the other 5 violations that concerned me, the ones I didn't know about. 

There is a typo on the letter above.  This is actually a homeowners work permit, not a contractor permit.  Which was the one part that scared me the most.  I've seen the work that this homeowner did...because I've had to fix it.  Now I'm not saying I'm a professional, but I am saying that I do it right, and if I don't know how to do it I hire someone who does.  If the flooring in my kitchen, the "walls" in the basement or the carpet installation is any indication of this "weekend warrior's" ability then I am in t-r-o-u-b-l-e.  Big time.

Psh - I wanted to blog about FUN projects.  Not boring mechanical replacements.  Who wants to read about an HVAC update or a cable installation.  Please accept my apologies.  You're going with me on this adventure.   

Inspection day is going to be a stressful one.  Bathroom renovation delayed until further notice.  Think positive thoughts :)

Mary