Surprise for James

or ... perfect timing. James left Monday afternoon (Labor Day) on business to Brazil. Yes, yes, retired ha-ha. He came back this morning ... so I had all week to work on a project for him ... to honor his 70th birthday which is coming up October 6.

Couple of birthdays ago I had given him a little wine cooler which resides in James' office. It's about 32 inches high and was standing on the floor. Since my husband is tall, he had to bend down to stock it or for finding something to open for our enjoyment. He never complained but I thought it was not convenient and was looking for something to stand it on ever since. Never could find anything. A few weeks ago I decided to get serious about it. When Sarah and I were on a mission for her (she asked me to help her with her falling apart closet) I mentioned it to her and she knew just the right place to look. And she was right.

 In the first consignment store we found this!

 It must have been a small entertainment center ... when the TVs were still so very deep.

I took these two pictures and the measurements of course to contemplate. I thought it was just a little high ... even if James is tall.

But, to make a long story short, I got it in the end. Sarah and I picked it up and brought it to her garage. Wade was kind to bring it over on Tuesday ... when James was gone.

I mentioned to Wade that I was thinking of sawing off or taking off the legs. We laid it on its side and contemplated. Then I made the decision and Wade acted on it. He did a super job getting it level. No wobbles at all.

 After Wade had left I attached some gliders which I even had handy in our "supplies of stuff".

I took the doors off and unscrewed some stoppers so I could push the drawer further in so I could paint around the front edge. The home-improvement-store people told me I had to either totally sand it or use oil-base paint. Guess what? Oil-base paint it was ... with throw-away paint brushes.

There were little hick-ups here and there. Like the throw-away bristle brush lost its bristles which was ... but the sponge brush was o.k.

Then when I wanted to push the drawer back to the front I had a bad surprise. It didn't come out. I tried and tried and tried. I studied the hardware and even took a picture of it and went to the hardware store again for advice. Nothing. Put a long explanation and question on a good neighbor's answering machine ... and as soon as I had hung up I had the solution and ran into the garage. I pushed the drawer all the way out the back and then put it in again from the front ... Eurica! Some solutions are just too easy.

Wade had agreed to come back when I needed him to bring it into the house, but when it was ready for that I couldn't wait to find out whether it really would fit or how it would fit etc. The gliders made it very easy so I pushed a little and pulled a little. But, ha-ha, when I had lifted the front over the threshold from the garage into the kitchen I couldn't squeeze by to go back into the garage to lift the back end up. I had to go out of the front door and around the house into the garage to do it. 

Drawer in, doors back on and old hardware too. Probably have to do something about that old hardware.

What a fit!!! One inch wiggle room on the whole wall.

Thursday Sarah came over because she wanted to see it and she helped me lift the cooler on top. It's shaping up!

But I still had to work on the inside. Storage for the red wine. I had to find a straight edge to line the lattice before nailing them. First I tried it against the wall on the floor. What a pain. Ha, the kitchen counter! Yes, all pieces of wood sawed by hand. Pretty straight cuts too.

The whole week working on it I hope James likes it. Me and my crazy ideas. I am rather proud of it though.

HE LOVES IT!
I left the bottles for him to organize and he has already done so!

Something to check off the to-do list. Yeah!