IKEA is a four letter word

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.

June update

***This post has been on hold since E wanted to wait until after our council meeting to share that the bunkies have been demolished. He's in the meeting as I type this.***

Another brief afternoon jaunt to the cottage!

Accomplished in this trip:

We picked up the spindle bed for D's bedroom from a nice lady in Indian River.

We transported the bathroom vanity (so heavy) and got it set up.  It's still not connected to anything, because "no water" but it looks nice!

The dining table light fixture is finally installed courtesy of R the monkey man who is not scared of the rickety scaffolding, and we fixed the ceiling fan dip switches so the remotes control one fan only.

the back porch light fixture is replaced and the basement flood lights are now installed.

Not completed: the ceiling fan in the last bedroom still needs to be installed. We're dealing with screws that are the wrong length and apparently the replacements purchased are "still wrong".

This week we ordered the IKEA kitchen (so much of it is backordered) but a good chunk of it should arrive on Thursday. The rest we'll have to collect later. Mostly drawers/drawer faces, I believe. That will be a fun assembly project. Oi.

In shocking news, both bunkies have been demolished and the property is a disaster. *Blink blink*

Very ready to be past this stage. I'm thinking that's a primo spot for a new garden shed, though.

Not shown: the booblight in the lake. They must've dropped it when carting away the bunky debris.

And that's about it! More soon. I get angry every visit because I don't want to turn around and leave right away. Arg 

ice is out!

Rice Lake iceboat based at halls landing called "ice out"  on April 11. It's official!

Can't wait to get back to the island.

📸: Ricelake iceboat, facebook

LOOK!

 *breathes into a paper bag*

LOOK HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS!!!!!

In retrospect, I wish the floor was more in tone with the ceiling, but Enhhh. The board and batten is *chef's kiss*

Mid winter checkin

 E ventured across the lake this weekend on cross country skis to check on the condition of the cottage and try to ascertain why our cottage hydro bill was so high mid-winter.

Short answer: the contractor had a construction heater running inside. Why!?

Here are some pics of his visit.

The crossing

The arrival

The cottage still standing (praise be)

The dock still in the water!?!! But wait, isn't that the dock on the shore (in pieces?!) *boggle* What is going on here...

We need one of these bad boys. Both of our neighbours got cantilevered docks last year. DROOL.

Obligatory cottage selfie

Nice to see the patio doors are finally in

Same doors, from inside

I can't wait to paint this room. It's giving "1970s sauna" vibes right now.

Another room, flooring installed.

In bunky updates, our request to append the bunky to the cottage permit was rejected, unless we can prove the cottage was built before 1974. Alas, after much internet sleuthing, I was able to locate aerial photos of the lake from 1975, and there is no cottage or bunky on our lot at that time (but our neighbour, Doug, has a cottage on his lot!). So: Our next - and possible final - hope, is for a minor variance. Failing that, I think the peaky bunky might need to come down. ARG.

more updates

In another exciting instalment of "get that man a camera!" We have some updated photos from the builder.

The siding has indeed been replaced with the correct colour and it looks So Much Better.

The GOS plywood is on all of the walls, ready for the battens and frieze boards to be applied and all of it painted. I bet the place smells like a lumberyard inside.

The vinyl flooring seems to be in at least some of the rooms. (Why flooring before paint? Who knows)

The dock appears to still be in. Ice will correct that soon enough.

PICTURES: