New Faucet Installation ~ Part 2

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I've been wanting to change the faucet in the master bedroom for quite some time.  I finally took the plunge and bought a faucet.  Actually I purchased two of the same kind, one for each bathroom since both bathrooms are in need of a refresh.

The cap came off the faucet in the master bathroom many years ago.  I kept putting it back on and it would fall back off again so I gave up trying.  Unfortunately the way the faucet is constructed it makes it very difficult to clean properly.  The only way to properly clean it is to unscrew it and clean all around but that is too much work on a regular basis. Hopefully the new one will be easier to keep clean. 

It's so difficult to make this faucet look clean.

I decided to try and change the faucets myself; at least the one in the master bathroom and save myself the plumber expense. However I didn't bargain for it to be so very difficult to remove or unscrew the hoses under the sink. That should have been a relatively easy job, but the whole piece containing the hoses and nuts kept turning around and around.  I couldn't get any leverage to apply the proper pressure.  I also couldn't remove the nuts from the bottom end near the water shut off valves for the same reason. I was afraid if I applied too much pressure at the shut off valves, the plastic piping near the valves might snap and break and that would of course cost a lot to get a plumber to repair. 

I finally managed to unscrew the 'silver' nuts (as in the photo below) almost to the end of the threads. I finally asked my dear husband (DH) to try and do the last bit. With my knee and muscle issues it's very difficult to maneuver into the small space in the master bathroom or lie under the sink and do what needs to be done. I could only do it for short periods and after 5 attempts at loosening the nuts, I'd had  enough. 

These nuts were very difficult to unscrew

The rust looks terrible but thankfully the nuts came out easily

I don't know why, but several women on You Tube have said that it's easy to change out the faucets. I guess they have a different set up under the sink. One of my blogger friends tried to encourage me by saying one of her granddaughters was able to change one too.  I've heard plumbers on YT say that they've run into challenges removing faucets and have taken up to one hour to undo a corroded screw.  Others have said that it is very difficult in tight spaces to get enough leverage to loosen certain nuts. I guess my situation falls into that category.  I either had to get the job done, find a way to do it or call a plumber.

DH did what I asked but didn't have much patience. He noticed the same problem I had though I didn't tell him in advance about my experience.  When he realized what was happening he found it useless to continue. Being a handyman is not his forte, nor frankly his interest.

So I called a friend who works in construction. I thought if he could at least loosen the nuts, I could do the actual installation and I wanted to do it.  He came over and within 10 minutes or less he managed to to loosen the nuts.  He used 2 wrenches to gain leverage.  One to hold the moving pipes and one to loosen the nuts.  Frankly, I thought he was genius.  I know this strategy would take more strength than I have because one of my wrenches is rather heavy to hold especially while working upside down.  

The old faucet

The rusted parts

The new faucet

After the nuts were loosened, I told him I would finish the job but he didn't want me to get down on the floor again so he said he would do it and he did. Afterward, we tested the set up for leaks and all seemed to be working well. I had placed a yellow tub under the pipes and left it there after testing.  Then I went to Home Depot and out for dinner. I was gone for several hours. When I returned there was quite a bit of water in the tub. Oh dear. There is a leak after all.

After a bit of investigating, not much because it was quite late, I think that I must have damaged the flexible hoses when I was trying to remove the nuts.  I was thinking to buy new hoses but after discussions with my friend we agreed I should just reuse them.  

I'll do more testing over the weekend to see if this is really the cause of the leak.  

Oh yeah, when I went to Home Depot, I purchased a new tool but I realized I forgot to buy some clear silicone.

This tool by Rigid, is supposed to make the job of replacing faucets in tight spaces much easier. It also provides a mechanism for immobilizing pipes that go round and round while trying to unfasten tight nuts. Time will tell whether it works as well as I've heard. 

I have another bathroom faucet to replace but I think I'll give it a bit of time before I attempt it again.  There are lots of other things to get done.  I also want to enjoy a bit of summer since it seems all I've been doing is working or dealing with major projects (patio renovation and master bedroom leak and repairs).

New Faucet Installation ~ Part 1

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope your week is going well.

The other day when I was out doing errands I purchased new faucets for both bathrooms. 

I couldn't wait to install them. I've never installed faucets before but I've heard it's a simple job.

Have you ever changed a faucet? Was it a simple job?

When I started the installation I found it very difficult to loosen the big nuts.  I could also see that the small bolts holding the faucets underneath the sink are completely rusted so that might make them difficult to remove (as in the experience with changing the toilet lid cover in the main bathroom recently).

This simple job is going to take more time than it should.  Normally my brother would help out, but he's very tall and it's a very cramped space in which to work.  There's no way he will have room to splay out in the tiny bathroom or be able to fit underneath the sink.  My husband might fit, but he's not home until quite late. I hope I can manage it myself. Wish me luck or say a prayer.

Summary of What's Keeping me Busy & Why I Haven't Been on Line Much

I started projects way back in August 2022 and kept a record then (see the link) for my own interest and review.  I don't actually enjoy doing many of these projects and I don't go about it very methodically.  It often takes me many weeks, even months to do a small project.  It's taking me forever to do all the little jobs I have on my list. I find that it takes much longer in a smaller home to do the work because there is no where to put anything when you are trying to do a project and you constantly have to move and remove things.  It can be quite a challenge at times and also physically tiring because a lot of the items are heavy.  There were also many weeks where I was very tired, or in pain, or both, due to several long term health issues.  

But at long last I'm starting to see and feel, the positive results of the changes I've been making and I'm happy with them.  I still have a ways to go before I'm finished.  There are projects in several rooms: living room (put up curtain rods), dining room (install the light fixture), main bathroom (do something about the toilet). I've decluttered a lot and I've got lots of items in bags which need to be dropped off at a charity.  I'm collecting as much as possible so it can be dropped off at one time rather than here and there.  I also still have a lot of paper to shred though it's mostly sorted and put in different piles. These are the main outstanding jobs. I have other job ideas in my August 2022 list but they could be considered 'nice to complete' rather than strictly necessary.

I plan to look into getting the master bathroom tub replaced with a walk in shower once I've completed the above items.  The tub replacement would have to be done by the professionals.  I also plan to undertake 2 reupholstery projects myself.  It will be my first time doing this type of work and I've studied one of the jobs on Youtube before deciding to tackle it.  The other job I can figure out myself and I've starting collecting what I need for it. 

Here is a list of projects I've completed so far in 2023.

DIYs & Household Improvements 

• Painted kitchen backsplash (May 2023)
• Installed 2 shelves in kitchen (May 2023)
• Cleaned and reorganized under kitchen sink, food cabinet & standing shelf unit where dried goods are stored (April, May & June 2023)
• Cleaned tile grout in kitchen and both bathrooms (June 2023)
• Repaired and painted walls and cabinets in 2 bathrooms (April/May/June 2023)
• New shower curtain in master bathroom (May 2023)
• Installed new cabinet knobs in master bathroom (June 2023)
• Replaced toilet fill valve and flapper in master bathroom (May 2023)
• Replaced towels in master bathroom (May 2023)
• Replaced shower curtain liners in both bathrooms (April & July 2023)
• Replaced laundry baskets in master bathroom (July 2023)
• Installed towel shelf in master bathroom (July 2023)
• Replaced door knob in master bedroom (June 2023) still need to replace 2nd bedroom knob
• Installed new wall sconces in living room (March 2023) and master bedroom (April 2023)
• New floor lamp for living room (July 2023)
• Decluttered hundreds of small items (Jan - ongoing)
• Decluttered hundreds of papers (Jan - ongoing)
• Decluttered most of the cracked pots and other items from patio
• Replaced wall clocks in dining room (February 2023) and master bedroom (January 2023)
• Decluttered dozens of items from patio and garden (May - ongoing)

Other

• Lots of paperwork relating to income taxes, property taxes, city government forms completion requirements, retirement requirements, banking etc.
• Lots of medical tests, management of blood glucose, sleep & body work (physio, massage, reflexology, exercise), dental crowns and cleanings
• Participated in several webinars relating to health and exercise

When I get tired of projects I read, watch a good movie, get together with a friend or make something.

Once my 'to do's are nearing completion I hope to spend more time on creative things. 

Some of the makes & alterations this year include:

• Crocheted a blanket (February 2023)
• Crocheted a Pineapple doily (June 2023)
• Sewed a summer top out of double gauze cotton (July 2023). I'm hoping to make another one in white soon along with pull on trousers or a dress.
• Sewed a navy light knit summer top (July 2023)
• Shortened a wide leg pair of trousers  I bought in 2022 (July 2023)
• Sewed pillowcases with Star Wars theme for my niece (July 2023)
• Hemmed various trousers (July 2023).  I've got lots more to do, mostly trousers requiring hemming and other items requiring small repairs.

Read 36 books or 13,158 pages (Jan - July 2023). The goal is 50 books or 20,000 pages, whichever comes first.

Planted small community plot (DH does the weekly watering) (April 2023)

This post summarizes my projects so I can look back later and see what I've done and when I did them. It also serves to show why I haven't been on line very much. 

I'm sorry I haven't had the time or energy to keep up with blogs but now and then I try to read your posts.  I don't seem to be able to do my work and blog at the same time.  The projects weigh me down and interfere with other plans. If I go ahead with other plans, the projects don't get done. 

I think once I've cleared away the 'stuff' and finished a few of the next projects, I'll feel a sense of 'freedom' and a weight lifted off my shoulders. There are lots of things I want to do besides decluttering, reorganizing and DIYs and I'm looking forward to the day....hopefully sooner rather than later if my energy holds.  

If you have time, I'd love to hear how you cope with DIYs and projects and whether you too find they interfere with your social media activities, and blogging in particular.

Hello September

 

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

Happy September!

It seems the main part of summer is over.  For me the best part of summer is in September because the weather cools down quite noticeably.  There are only 22 days left before summer ends and fall arrives.  Fall is one of my favourite seasons because of it's beauty and crisp, fresh air but unfortunately is such a brief time before heavy rains arrive and we prepare for winter.

Summer arrived somewhat late in BC this year. It rained a lot for the first part of the season but made up for it in July and August. On the last day of the month of August it was still blazing hot. My garden has been pretty much done for the last week.  I probably didn't water it enough at some critical moments of the season.  It's always a challenge for me and I can sometimes miss a day here and there when it is critical to give the earth some sustenance through watering. I'm still pleased that the blooms lasted up until about a week ago and some of the container blossoms are still hanging in there.

Instead of gardening my main focus in the early part of summer was helping Jonah get situated to his new life and our life together in this city and country which is new for him.  There was a lot for him to do and we also tried to have a little outing here and there for relaxation. Then came August and I decided it was time for me do as much as I could to catch up with much needed DIY's around the house and continue with the major decluttering I've been working on for some time.

The DIYs have mostly been a learning experience.To be honest I don't have much patience for it.  I made a mess of a few things which had to be undone and then re-done. I'm not finished yet and will continue working until at least the official end of summer. Even simple things can be a bit confusing if you've never done them before.  I've been relying on You Tube for tutorials for almost everything. Thank goodness I can turn to You Tube.

On the last day of August, I remembered my dear late mom who would have turned 89. I miss her but know I will see her again one day. Also on this day I received a card from a friend in Colorado. I couldn't believe it when I opened the envelope to discover a Christmas card written back in December. I understood from the note that my friend and her husband have been temporarily living in another state so they can look after her mom.  I'm hoping by the time I write back she will still be at the temporary address. 

I have the sense that I'm turning the corner on the long list of DIYs I've been working on.  Today I received a shower curtain and the new doorknob for the master bathroom.  I didn't waste any time in steaming the wrinkles out of the shower curtain and putting it up. I absolutely love and I intend to keep it.  It means I'll be returning the creamy white waffle weave curtain I bought last week. The off-white colour was too 'yellow' and clashed with the natural white paint colour on the bathroom walls.  Later in the day I'll return the items to the stores and on Saturday I hope to repair the small holes I made in the door and touch up paint before I install the new door knob.  The rest of the weekend I'll give the bathroom a thorough cleaning and see what else I can declutter before moving on to other projects. If you are interested in seeing what else has been accomplished you can click here.  

Until we meet again on blogger, stay safe. 💗