Two days at the cottage, and this is what we have to show for it! It feels like "not much" and yet it was so exhausting.
Our process:
1. Move eleventy IKEA cabinet flat-pack boxes from the garage into the SUV, but not all the boxes, because HEAVY.
2. Drive to the marina.
3. Repeat the eleventy boxes step, this time from car to boat (thank god for the Pontoon boat and gangplanks to shore).
4. Drive boat to the island. Best part of the day, hands down. The lake was lovely.
5. Repeat the eleventy boxes step, this time from boat to cottage.
6. Inventory the boxes to figure out what you've got, because some boxes are still at home, and some boxes are on backorder at the swearword store. Organize the boxes into piles according to cabinet.
7. Assemble the beast cabinet (floor to ceiling microwave/pantry cabinet). Suck at math and make a stupid cut that you'll never forgive yourself for, but that is now cleverly hidden behind a shelf.
8. Pack up and go home because the sun is setting and you have neither toilet, food or bed to stay longer.
9. Repeat steps 1 thru 6 the next day, this time with a helper in tow who assembles four more cabinets while you:
10. Rip out trim that was installed because it's in the way of the cabinets. This hurt because it was so nicely done. Just beautiful workmanship.
11. Prime and paint the backsplash area before the cabinets go in for half the kitchen because that will *Not* be a fun job after they're in. I still want to put wallpaper or tiles in that spot, but for now it's something other than bare wood. Currently "Odessa pink" by benjymoore:
12. Puzzle about how to clean paint supplies when you don't have running water. Solution: plastic tub and lake water.
13. Hang rails and upper cabinets on one side of the kitchen. Helper = invaluable.
14. Pack up again because the sun is setting and the toilet/food/bed situation is unchanged. Honestly, so frustrating. We could get so much more done!
15. Agonize over the materials list for your order, because some of it does *not* make sense, and why did they do it that way?!
Plan to repeat the following weekend.
Bonus:
We have a wood stove!! It currently exhausts into the cottage (chimney not installed yet), but it's almost ready.
We talked with Dave-the-Diggerman this weekend about a concrete base for a cantilevered dock ($$$ for that system. Whooboy), and about our septic which will happen after the dock base so he's not driving heavy machinery over the septic bed. He thinks 2-3 weeks and we should be ready for running water!! *Breathes into a paper bag at the thought of running water*
Of course that means we have to buy and install the water filtration system, finish the plumbing for the shower, vanity, toilet, and kitchen sink, oh, and buy a kitchen sink, as well as get ORCA permits resolved for the dock work at the shoreline (possibly not needed? To be investigated), and buy the cantilevered dock system. *Insert hemorrhaging money gif*
And then, I think it's just railings for the deck and loft and we'll be in a position to move in officially. *Fingers crossed* it's been so long, I can't even imagine.
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