Sunday, August 3, 2014

This Wasn't Intended

I got up this morning thinking about weeding the soybeans.  They are engulfed and desperately need some attention.  Would you be surprised if I told you that didn't happen?

While in the bathroom hubby ran in and grabbed some cleaner.  The cat threw up.  Again.  He's getting old, it happens.

10 years and counting
While cleaning up the mess Jody said, wouldn't it be great if we just tore up this carpet, it's disgusting.  And I agreed.  So we did.

This is what it looked like when we started.
I mean, who wants to work in the garden in this heat right?  Ripping up old carpet is so much more fun.  (I am being sarcastic here, hitting up the beach would have been a lot funner)

Ever since we moved into this house we've wanted to tear out the carpets.  They were installed approximately 30 years ago and they look it.  There are indents where furniture used to stand, the colour is washed out and there are stains.  Time and money has been spent on other renovations though and the carpets have been ignored.

We still don't have the money to deal with this issue so we rather hoped the floors underneath would be intact and usable.  The first look at what was underneath was pretty hideous.

Carpet underlay stuck to plywood.  Yuck.
Four hours of scraping and pulling nails ensued.


As we made our way around though we found some spots were perfectly intact.  Yah!  Something salvageable.

This section looks downright nice, except for the missing stain.
So now we have another project on our hands.  Right after I get that weeding done of course.

33 comments:

sweetbay said...

Your house is beautiful but all of those projects would make me quail! lol

Lisa at Greenbow said...

What a handsome portrait of your cat. You are going to be so happy you did all this work. Your home is beautiful.

Gardeningbren said...

Oh Marguerite, you guys are champions!! I could understand you doing this..oh yes oh yes. Awesome!!

Your comment 'all that heat'. We are getting more rain, more fog, more grey grey grey skies than I can manage here on the South shore of N.S.. ..blight on the tomatoes, mildew on the winter squash. Sun perhaps..tomorrow. ?????

Now get back to that scraping, sanding, staining and varnishing in your beautiful gorgeous home. Big grin.

Janneke said...

Your cat is still a grey beauty and your home looks beautiful. A good job to throw that old carpet out. After the work is done you will be very happy with your floor, I am sure.

Hoehoegrow said...

Why is that that one job always leads to another (bigger) job! Same happened here this morning . Husband pulled out the framework of a cupboard, which then pulled off huge chunks of wall/ plater - so now we have to call the plasterer and can't get on with the decorating !

Jane said...

Apparently that happens as cats age. My cat is now 20!! And yes, almost every single day she brings forth her breakfast/supper for another viewing :} Blechh! And so...another project begins - all because it was too hot and humid to work outside! But that's how things get done, right? I'm sure in the not to distant future your floor will look wonderful!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Marguerite girl what a beautiful portrait of your cat in that greenery .. almost like a jungle cat (sorry about the vomit thing .. been there done that for sure!) ... and the best laid plans thing ? weeding will be there waiting for you, no worries ! haha
This house of yours is so needy .. beautiful but needy ! haha
Buy a lottery ticket once a week OK ? .. you have to have some luck coming your way SOON and wouldn't that be just the "ticket"! LOL
Joy : )

Rose said...

I can commiserate with you on the cat issues--our older cat Toby seems to have a delicate stomach, too. I buy lots of carpet spot cleaner:) We lived with old carpeting in our old house for many years, too--other higher priorities always ate up the bank account. But we finally ripped it out and replaced it with hardwood floors--best decision ever! I know you're in for even more work, but it's going to look beautiful when you're done.

Janet/Plantaliscious said...

Oops. But with a poorly cat, better battered wooden floors than carpet! Hope you get some beach time too, the weeding will wait ;-)

HELENE said...

Ahhw, your cat is beautiful, and he looks a bit like my tabby :-)
Oh, and the joy of having an old house, you never get bored and wonder what to do in your spare time!

Anonymous said...

I know that feeling about old, yucky carpet. I'm about to replace the last of the cheap, tweedy wall-to-wall carpet that was installed in most of my house when it was built with hardwood floors. It will be such a treat to finally have it gone!

Carla from The River said...

LOL ~ You are so funny!
This Old House, I hear ya, we live in one too. But it is fun to see what is behind or under what we tear up or scrap off, Right. :-)
I love your cat too.

Marguerite said...

I try not to think too much about it! :))

Marguerite said...

thanks Lisa. now that the flower garden is growing in it's a good hiding place for cats. I managed to catch him that day and get a photo in the greenery.

Marguerite said...

now that I've realized how much more work there is to do I think I'd rather be in the garden ;-) hope you got a dose of sunshine. seems we got your rain tonight.

Marguerite said...

Thanks Janneke. Even without the floor finished I'm happier. Just couldn't stand looking at that old carpet any longer. (or smelling it!)

Marguerite said...

oh Jane, that is the story of this house at every turn! Every small job finds us ripping apart an entire room. sorry to hear about that wall, plaster is touchy stuff isn't it

Marguerite said...

My cat is so young compared to yours!! Hope he lives to be just as old. It seems just in the last year the regurgitation thing has come on. Not pleasant and would be much easier to clean off hardwood than carpet.

Marguerite said...

LOL, cat lovers unite. The sacrifices we make for these furry varmits. and how did you know I just joined an office lottery pool!! reading my mind there Joy.

Marguerite said...

Can't go without the carpet cleaner :) Even when we finally put hardwood in I suspect he'll just find a rug to work his magic on. thank goodness he's loved. same goes for the house I guess. If we didn't love it we'd run for the hills.

Marguerite said...

there's nothing I love better than battered wooden floors. Old floors have character! and they mask my poor housekeeping pretty good too :) Who wants to clean when there's a garden and beach at hand?

Marguerite said...

Thanks Helene. We always joke he's the supermodel of the bunch. hard to get a bad photo of him. What a positive spin on an old home - I love that! I will never ever be bored.

Marguerite said...

That must be a great feeling Jean. I look forward to the day when all the carpets are gone out of this house. How is your house coming along? Must feel pretty good to finally settle in long term.

Marguerite said...

Ironically I have a subscription to This Old House :) Sometimes I think our shenanigans should end up in there.

elaine said...

I know the feeling. The carpet in our spare room was here when we moved in - after 30 years we have finally replaced it - joy! Once you have stained the floor I'm sure it will look millions times better - all these jobs take time don't they - and sometimes jobs like weeding seem preferable to all the upheaval.

Marguerite said...

You know most days anything seems preferable to weeding but then something like this comes along and suddenly weeding doesn't seem so bad ;-))

Casa Mariposa said...

I love ripping up carpet! We did the same thing a few years ago and couldn't believe how gross the floors were underneath. We ended up putting in hard wood floors since we just had a plywood subfloor under all the carpet/padding.Actually, I love the catharsis of home reno demolition. But weeding isn't that bad, either. :) I think your floors look better without the carpet. :)

Jennifer said...

It is amazing how in an old house doing one thing leads to so much more! We have a runner going up the stairs that is on its last legs. We also have pine floors that seem to be on their last legs. The problem is the house has settled and the floors are anything but level. I sometimes think it would be better just to move. LOL

Optimistic Existentialist said...

You have such a beautiful home!! Can you work on mine? :)

Sarah Shoesmith said...

Hilarious! It does look better though and the carpet won't grow back (unlike the weeds). Unless it's like bindweed and if you leave one carpet tack in the floor the whole thing grows back again....

Marguerite said...

Tammy, even plywood subfloor is preferable to that old carpet. I loved ripping out that carpet too!! We're thinking a nice dark hardwood as a new floor.

Marguerite said...

oh Jennifer, tell me about it!! I wanted to tile the bathroom to the ceiling only to realize the ceiling runs on a diagonal line. Level is not a word much used around here :)

Marguerite said...

LOL, maybe I can lend you my husband. He's responsible for the majority of the renos around here. I'm mostly good at directing.