Master Bathroom Remodel: What lurked under the vinyl flooring.

Arrgghhh. This is the part that is fun+horrifying. After removing the cabinet and toilet, and pulling up 2 layers of vinyl flooring, this is what we see. I'm not actually too surprised, the other bathroom also had some significant mold problems in the floor. Note to myself: don't even ever THINK about using particle board in bathroom or kitchen flooring. It composts in there! Actually, once this layer of particle board was removed, under it was another layer of linoleum flooring which appears undamaged. I will need to replace the drywall and subfloor anyway - as with the first bathroom, the entire subfloor down to the joist will be replaced with outdoor grade plywood then layers of polyethylene to seal, then backerboard, dryset, and tile. All of the drywall will be replaced as well, since the room will be reconfigured and only a fraction of the original walls will remain in place and that fraction will have to be pulled out for new wiring and plumbing.

Master Bathroom Remodel. The Beginning.

View from master bedroom. The closet will be annexed to make more space in the bathroom, and the entrance will be at about the middle of the current closet door. Conveniently, this will free up solid oak flooring from the closet to used for a patch in the spare bedroom, where plywood was used for a prior patch and the whole mess covered with carpeting. A linen closet will be converted into a walk-in closet for the bedroom (later) so there will not be net loss of bedroom closet space.

The original shower doesn't look too bad, but the newer shower will be a little larger, have more glass for additional light, and will have a ceiling light.

The new toilet will be in the same location, but the sink location will be moved. In its place there will be a narrow linen closet and, at least in the current plan, a jetted tub will occupy the part of the counter space where the current sink is seen. Given the low profile of the tub and the replacement of the wall to the right of the toilet with a glass shower enclosure, the space won't be as claustrophobic.
View from the original shower. The tub will be under this window. In the current plan the new window will be wider and lower, possibly a green-house-type small bay window, and the tub will be under the window.

Today I had no ambition at all. After a few hours of "homework" from work, I didn't feel like working any longer, wasn't in the mood for a nap or reading, and didnt have the mental acuity to study. So I started demolition. Closet shelves were removed, sink, counter, and toilet are gone, shower door is gone. I didn't want to mess up the houise with drywall dust, so I stopped there. With the closet doors closed and bathroom door closed, you can't tell that anything was done.

Elephant Ear vintage photo

I think this would be Colocasia esculenta. no details on the location of the photo, or the lady in it. Probably from 1920s, I'm guessing.

ginkgos in fall

This big ginkgo tree is about 6 blocks away fro our house. She is female, leaving a few fruits to be picked up by the ginkgo enthusiast. No time for that this year. I still have a number of seedlings in need of homes.

This tree was waist high when planted here last year. It has had a slow start, groing in pots. Probably about 8 years old, planted from Quincy seed and grown in a flower pot. About 1/2 of the growth has occurred since planting in the ground last fall.

chicken headquarters

This is the inside of the egg house. The chickens like the end booths, and dont ust the middle one.

The house on the left is new. Ning and I built it 2 weeks ago. the siding and doors are from a single sheet of 4 X 8 siding. The chickens like going in and out, and they are protected from the rain.

Chores, sharing, fall update

No photos today.

Steve from Scappose is now in possession of most of my remaining 'orphan' figs - they were not doing so well in containers, there is no room in the garden, so I'm glad that they have found a home. good luck and farewell, Brown turkey, melanzana, and a Hardy Chicago. He brought a nice canna to add to the collection.

Figs are bearing about 1 per day, enough to keep me interested and grateful. thoughts for next year's figs: I wont worry about summer crup. I'll prune more severely in the Winter, for an earlier main crop. Maybe Lattarulla will bear an actual fig now that it's in the ground, on the SOuth side of the house. It will also get a more severe pruning.

Grapes are still bearing, remaining varieties are Canadice and probable Niagra. The probable Niagra is a green seeded grape that grew up into a cherry tree.

Tomatoes have a few stragglers.

Planted several rows of Inchelium garlic in back, and a few German Red garlic in front. I might like the german better.... stronger and larger cloves, but not as productive. Last year i planted them 3 or 4 weeks earlier. Didnt have time until now.

Planted heirloom Yellow multiplier onions, this time some in small bunches for scallions, and some in rows for eating onions. About 30 planted altogether, not a lot but there isnt much room. I do like the flavor. Last year i planted them 3 or 4 weeks earlier. See above.

Planted 80 tulip bulbs in bunches of 3 to 5.

There were 6 nice large cayenne peppers on one pepper plant. Nice little harvest.

Fall

The brugmansia like this weather. The most blooms ever.
My favorite fig, "Vancouver" Brunswick- giving me about one fig per day. They ar enot all ripening at onc,e which is great.
Petite negri. When they ripen, there should be lots, soon.
The main tomato that remains is principe borghese. The others have a few stragglers, too.

Bathroom Project

Bath-tub to be redone on Friday, then all that remains is paint the doorframe and replace the door. I'll check the used house parts store for a 'classic door' before going to Lowes or Home Depot. Then..... Bathroom #2?

Peaches. Bulb Planting. Puttering.

Wednesday I noted that some peaches had fallen from this miniature tree. I picked them up, and more fell off. There were about 30 peaches. This is Garden Gold miniature peach. The tree is 3 years old. Unlike Honey Babe, it didn't have much problem this year with leaf curl.

These were very tasty. They have prominant fuzz, which is something that I like about them.

I got inspired, and a Raintree Nursery catalog came at the same time. I reserved another genetic dwarf peach, this time El Dorado.

Site for peaches at Raintree Nursery is here.

I also saw the Tri Lite peach/plum hybrid. It will replace a nonproductive apple (golden delicious) in the yard. Not a genetic dwarf. Site for tri-lite is here. Dave Wilson Nursery's photo of Tri Lite is here. After enjoying the Flavor Delight Aprium and various pluots, I feel inspired to try another Zaiger tree. Dave Wilson Nursery's description of the interspecific hybridization ast Zaiger genetics is very interesting and can be found here. They also devoped a 3-way hybrid, peach, plum, apricot, that they have called a "Peacotum™", which apparently is not on the market yet. They report this one as having a 'fruit coctail' flavor. I think that when this one comes onto the market, an existing ornamental or fruit in my yard wil have to give way to it (unless it costs a fortune, which it might).

Today I also planted 64 "Fortune" Daffodils (photo examples from google search here) , One globemaster allium (google search result here), and 6 each "City of Haarlem and Gipsy Queen Hyacinths (here and here). Oh, plus I finished off a 35-bulb bag of "Tete-a-Tete" Narcissus (here).

Bulb planting is an act of faith, suggesting hope that the upcoming Winter will pass and I'll still be here. Also an investment in the future, knowing that when they do come up I'll be watching closely, hoping for releif from the darkness of winter.

Charlie III. "Are you a pussycat?"