Jimmy the Jenius

OK, I just had to do it. It's too good with the name.
Jimmy is the painting contractor. He goes out on every job, doesn't just send a crew out, and he's a craftsman supreme.

I wanted the small cabinet at the dining room end to be very dark, almost black, and look more like a piece of furniture. Jimmy mixed and mixed so it wasn't just solid black, but wasn't too brown, wasn't too muddy, etc., etc., and came up with a beautiful finish. The island, which we ordered online, will go in soon. It stays a light shade and sits in the center. I like having a mix of woods. Many kitchens seem to me to be a huge expanse of the same wood.

The fireplace mantle and surround are almost done too. I'm loving how it turned out, especially now that it is stained. Can't wait to see it this coming week when the walls are painted!


And, this is our bathroom vanity. The two bottom drawers and the small drawers in the center haven't been put in. The center section on each side stays open - for pretties. We have two old-fashioned white vessel sinks going on top of tile counter and two recessed medicine cabinets.
Keeping everything crossed it seems water issues are done. Power is set to go in soon, at a MUCH higher cost that we were originally told to expect. The power company rep originally told us a "ballpark" of $600. It's nearly $7000 - not even the same league, let alone ballpark. There are two other parcels, one on each side of us; and the power company is essentially charging us to bring power to the site for all three! VERY fortunately for us, the couple on one side of us are just terrific, honest, straightforward people. I emailed Bill, the husband, and asked if they would be willing to pay 1/3 and we'd absorb the third for the other parcel. It's up for sale and the owner has no interest in what goes on here now. Bill, bless him, said yes. So, it's still a LOT more than we'd planned on, but it's a huge help.

I could get on my political soapbox and ask where is regulation since we don't have competition in the power field, but my plate is just too full right now. We hope to add solar "some day", but when we looked into it at the beginning of the house project, the price is still way too high to be reasonable for a small residential project unless you are young enough to see the payback in 20 or 30 years. We aren't.

Actually, we'd hoped to build "green" in all aspects. Turned out the cost would be 30 to 50% higher. Added to already high California building costs, and it was just impossible. And, the much talked about tax credits are only a help if you are a tax bracket that makes it a good deal. Like most retirees, we aren't.

Alright, I said no soapbox. I'll quit. Here's another picture:

Notice anything about this dog? Like a leg missing?? This is Elvis who lives down the hill from us. He recently got a cancer, and his owners had his right rear leg taken off. He doesn't even seem to notice it. Still loves to fetch sticks, runs up and down the hills like always. Visits the workers at the house all the time. Elvis is a very cool dog, great personality. I'm glad his people cared enough to pop for the surgery.