Tool Time

 Okay, so I'm redoing a table.

And I have one of these nifty scrapers.

 The center section of the tabletop is damages veneer and has to come off.

This is going to take forever, right?

 WRONG!

Because I also have one of these! 

Well, yes, of course I know it's a saw.

 But that's where this comes in!

$15 at Lowes, this kit makes your sawzall into a multi-tasking maniac.

Sand, scrape, even clean your grill with this set.

It not only saves time, but money, since you don't have to buy an electric sander

ot additional tools.

 Lock it in to your saw just like a blade.

Now, lets get this tabletop off before the boys get home, shall we?

Grab This

 Safety bars.

Solid steel reassurance in a slippery environment.

Have you ever wanted to add one to your tub or shower,

but you didn't know how to do it yourself,

and the estimate from the local handydude was 5 times the price of the bar?

 I've got your backs, Besties.

Allow The Redhead to show you how.

 First, determine where you want your bar.

Make sure there is a stud behind each end.

 Granted, since I helped build the bathroom, I had a distinct advantage here.

 Use a level to make sure you have the bar...er...level, okay?

 Use a pencil to mark the hole placement.

 Tool Time, Besties.

These hot little gadgets are tile bits, specially designed to

go through your ceramic without shattering it.

 You're only going to drill until the bit is through the tile though.

Don't get crazy on me here.

 Do you know this fun little trick for loosening and tightening bits in a drill?

Reverse the direction and hold the chock, then start the drill.

 Out comes your bit!

 Insert the new bit, reverse direction again, and repeat to tighten it.

Pretty slick, huh?

You'll save some serious time too.

 These are wood screws.

 Position your screw and tighten it.

You knew that already, huh?

And no, pilot holes are not necessary.

These will go in all by themselves. 

 Go ahead, do the other ones.

 Voila!

Mom will now be safe in the shower.

Unless discarded pet alligators come up out of the sewer.

Yeah, like you don't have an irrational fear.

We'll show you a couple more goodies on the punch list, and then seriously...

wanna see the whole house?

Shopping Alert!

Hey, Besties, it's nearly officially Autumn!

Time to start cozying the house up and layering the seasonal touches

that let you slide from September through Halloween

and right into Thanksgiving Home Base.

I'm trying to get my Fall on in between camping at the condo,

and yesterday, I scored.

Does your family wash their hands like OCD is rampant?

Around here, we call it CDO...I like the letters in the right order.

And actually, we do have one actual official case of OCD.

I'm talking to you, THOM.

 So since we go through gallons of hand soap,

I'm always on the lookout for inexpensive supplies of foamy stuff.

 I was at Walmart yesterday stocking our larder,

and look what I stumbled across!

No, not the Feline Overlord.

Smidgeon is just our spokeskitten for this post.

 These adorable plastic soap dispensers are reusable

and filled with Pumpkin Harvest scent soap.
It's like spicy pumpkin pie in a pump!

 The smell is delicious.

 If pumpkins aren't your thing, they also have a maple leaf shape

and a spooky little white ghost.

Best of all?

They're $2!

With the soap!

These will be reappearing in my house year after year.

How NOT to Have Paint All Over the Floor

Greetings, Punch List Fans!

We're humming along here at LIR!

I'm humming along with Robin Thicke, which Minion #3 says

is politically incorrect, but hey, it's catchy,

and this is not the most politically correct blog on the planet, let's be honest.

Besides, I AM an animal, and it IS in my nature, so there.

But I digress.

Again.

 Paint!

Yes, paint, that's what this post is about.

I'm not gonna lie to you, I may or may not have been sniffing the stuff.

Sure it's low VOC; I'm just highly suggestible.

But that's not what fueled my color choices for the beach house.

 Mom's possessions did. And she doesn't even realize it.

 This was all in storage.

Yeah, I'm THAT good.

 The Crazy Redhead isn't completely out of her mind.

 Even her floral slipcovers (which have gottagottagotta go)

look perfect with the blue.

 We're just going to give her a fresher, less grandmotherly look.

 I can't do a damned thing about this though.

My skills have limits.

 And that dark blue in the master bedroom?

Just you wait.

 Now, you may have noticed during all of the drywall sanding...

 ...and painting that the floors are not protected.

Why, you ask?

We have ways of painting that don't involve drop cloths and tape.

 Method Number One!

The Minions have slopped a little paint onto the floor.

What do you do?

 Allow it to dry.

Probably because you didn't see it immediately.

 Use your fingernail or a plastic putty knife to pop it right up.

 My preferred way?

Don't get paint on the floor.

However...

 Method Number Two!

You have dribbled a few drops on the bamboo.

What do you do?

 Keep a damp paper towel handy and just mop it up.

Duh.

 Easy enough, right?

I see a little Minion has been here.

Method Number Three!

 Now, if you want to just avoid clean up altogether, my real life BFF

Michael Reilly suggests a scrap of heavy paper or a piece of cardboard.

He wedges that under or against the baseboard and just moves it along as he goes.

Slick, huh?

 That's what's going on inside.

Outside, Mark is making forms for the concrete footings that will support

Mom's handicap ramp.

 Each 16x16 box is reinforced and reusable.

This is good because an extensive deck is planned for the backyard.

 I want her to have an accessible garden.

 So these are stacking up.

And he's being mercilessly heckled.

Gotta love the neighbors.