Kitchen...yet again...

Despite the productivity of our Snow Day, Friday and Saturday were not as much so. At least, it doesn't look like we accomplished anything. 


Ok, well, Jaron worked hard. He replaced the temporary sump pump put in, we assume, by the bank. He had to build all the piping to flush out excess water from under the house because the previous setup had the pump pushing water through the washing machine's pvc. 

The nice thing about the new one is that it's down in the foundation and covered with a lid, so it's not so loud. The old one (still sitting there to the far left of the pic) sounded like a giant toilet flushed by the trolls under the house...slightly disconcerting. 

While Jaron was busy fighting the troll, I was right above him dinking around with the electricity in the kitchen. My goal (a pretty feasible one, I thought) was to switch out the outlets and light switches. Unhook the old tan ones and re-hook the new white ones. 


Despite the daunting-ness of the electrical current charging through the "hooks," this task is quite simple. My dad taught me how to do it when I was 12 or so. I've probably done 50 in my life since then. 


So, I can do this, as noted. But I still like to have the power off. So I went down to the breaker and switched the flip marked "kitchen" to the OFF side. Simple. Went back up the stairs and got started on my first outlet: success! (Even though it took twice as long as I thought it should.) Ok, just needed a little more practice, so I moved on to the double light switch next on the line (same wall). I flipped one of the switches to make sure the disposal didn't turn on. It didn't. Phew--no hot wires--did that one and moved to the 2nd in the box...In the process of stripping the two hot wires, they accidentally touched. And, when they did, the overhead light popped on. Great! Hot wires?! 


So, I played with ALL the switches in the breaker box for a good long time, only to find out that some of the kitchen outlets turn off with the kitchen switch, but most are connected to the lights in the basement, where Jaron was working. So...his job was much dirtier than mine...I just left the lights on for him. Daddy taught me well, I'd been shocked before--I knew what to touch and what not to, when working with hot wires. 


I changed 5 outlets with hot wires and without shocking myself. YAY! Two more to go. I finally got to change one sitting on the floor instead of leaning over the counter, and as I was clipping the second old wire and I saw the coolest firework explode right before my eyes! Ok, it really wasn't that cool, but it definitely was a firework with the matching *BANG* of an explosion. . . and my hand was cut? I didn't feel the typical tztztzz of being the connecting link in a circuit, but obviously somehow, even with rubber gloves, I was. And all I could hear at that moment was my daddy laughing.


Our kitchen now has two outlets and one light switch that still need changed. But, I think I'll wait until daylight to turn off ALL the electricity in the house...


The only other event of note was the confusing mess behind the exterior, double-light switch panel:

Still haven't figured this one out yet. The left switch turns on the porch light, and I have NO CLUE what the right one turns on...To be discovered on Monday, I guess. 

And, while we quickly agreed on a Kitchen paint color, the rest of the house has been quite the dilemma. After two trips to get samples we were sure we liked, here we are at square one, again.

I've NEVER wanted beige in my house, due to an overkill in my parent's. But, to go along with the bold greens, I've succumbed to the idea...but I had no clue it would be so hard to agree on a brown! If anyone has a suggestion, we're certainly open for them. The poor chic who helped us at Lowe's probably thought we hated her :)

Ah, the joys of debate. . .