Adding Storage With a Wall Niche



Two niches cut into the living room wall (while the kids
watched an episode of Barney)

 Saturday was a very productive day at the Compound de Orange Jeep Dad. The oldest two daughters were dropped off at church by 7am. They spent a good part of the day volunteering at the Special Olympics in Mesa. Teenage enrichment activity...check.

Back home by 7:30 and planted pumpkins in the front flower bed. If calculations are correct, we should have PLENTY of pumpkins by halloween. Saving money on future halloween decorations and pies...check.

Planted cucumbers and watermelons in the backyard. Down to one small area of EMPTY garden now. Once it is gone, I may start re-planting in the raised box gardens if I don't see more growth from the carrots. Future veggies to munch...check.

Lots of space added where there used to be none

Then the biggest chore of the day. On the recent topic of extra storage, wifey asked me to add some shelving next to the main television. In my usual research fashion, I visited youtube for a quick lesson in carpentry. Turns out what I'm about to create is called a "wall niche."

The rest of the day was spent sawing, nailing, and arguing with wood. The shelves are in. Next will be sealing seams, a final sanding, and painting the finished product. Oh, and BIG trim to cover up my mistakes.

Improving sadly lacking carpentry skills...check.

Update: Wall niche is complete. Click here for the final pictures.

Caching and Schnepf Farms

What a productively active day at Case de Orange Jeep Dad! I plowed through as much sheetrock as my 18 volt power tools would allow on one charge, took the family (plus two more girls) for a fun filled day at a local farm, and ended the night with a bonfire and peep-smores.

An on-going project has been trying to move our food storage from plain sight to out-of-sight. It involves cutting some drywall in strategic locations and placing our mylar bags inside a "knock-out" area. The knock-out was already being used as a ledge for the bags. Now I've placed the bags inside the ledge...so to speak.

The technical school we both graduated Radiography from had a reunion/25 year anniversary today at Schnepf Farms. Along with free food, we enjoyed a train ride, roller coaster, swings, planes, and other assorted carnival-type rides. This is a working farm and we enjoyed a train ride through their numerous pastures.

Lastly, to wind down the kids and their sleepover friends, I tossed a few logs in the fire pit and lit a bonfire. Easter Peeps surfaced and before long those little marshmallow chicks were getting roasted over the fire.

Everyone had a great day today and it feels good getting back to life after working six 12 hour shifts a week for all of 2010.

Life is good.