Why I DON'T Get the Big Bucks!

 Happy Saturday! When last we "spoke", I think I mentioned that I had a number of errands to run...so that was my plan for yesterday. Unfortunately, I live right in the middle of all of the places I needed to go. I would have to go east for three of them and west for the other three. And, it was still going to be HOT out there so I decided which direction was priority and just headed one way.

My first stop was Lowes. I was looking for something I had seen in an ad that scrolled through my FB. Now anyone who knows me knows that there is no need wasting an ad on me because I am immune to them. I am not going to go out and buy something I don't want just because you send me an ad. Don't call me, I'll call you. Lol

But, I think I have been toying with the idea of under cabinet lighting for my kitchen for quite some time and when I saw this ad, I thought I should go check it out.

Here is the extent of the under cabinet lighting that I had.

I've always disliked the cord hanging there. At one point I did have it held up with a little clip made for just that purpose but it broke and I just never did anything about it...except maybe complain about the cord. Lol

And so, I went ahead and bought this.

As soon as I got home, I was anxious to get going. This set was only about $30 and it came with EVERYTHING I would need. Now, usually deals like this make me skeptical of quality but, honestly, for $30 even if they don't last forever, I'm good.

These can be hung three ways-with the Command strips (which I chose to use), with the screws provided or with magnets if you are using them on anything metal. There was another set that I actually liked better but luckily I caught that they were only "cool" light and I am not a fan of that bluish lighting. I like the warm tones to make things feel cozy. These come with a remote that lets you change all sorts of stuff but, for now, I have the setting I like and that's where it will stay.

Since I had initially hung the electric light that was there, I remembered how to "unhang" it and found this.

That is what my cabinets used to look like before I redid them. Lucky for me, I still have some cans of "Cabinet Rescue" from when I did that project...and I can't even tell you how many, many years ago that was!

I never liked the "walnut" Formica but thought I was stuck with it until we could afford all new cabinets. As it happened, I was in the Home Depot-which I hardly ever go into-I am a Lowes kind of gal-and talking to one of the paint associates about something when I mentioned how much I dislike my cabinets but was stuck with them because nothing sticks to Formica. Imagine my surprise when he tells me about a new product they just got in called Cabinet Rescue.

That stuff was a miracle worker! Nowadays they have all sorts of paints that will work on all sorts of surfaces but this was a first back then. I will say that redoing all of my cabinets was one of the most difficult DIYs I have ever done...and it took forever but I have never regretted that decision for one second!

In any case, I stirred up that old paint-the can looks like that because I used it to support something when I was spray painting-and got the under side of the cabinet good to go.

The hardest part of this project was getting the batteries into the lights-I have never had to push so hard! I honestly thought I was going to break the shell of the light...but, I finally prevailed! Believe it or not, I did it all as I was sitting in my office watching one of my favorite bloggers make a witch's hat-which I might just try if I can find one more place to put another witch's hat. Lol

And, I will say, measuring under the cabinets and getting all of the light lined up was a bit difficult but I did OK. I think there is one that I am about 1/2" off on. Right now it isn't bothering me but if it does, it's easy to pull off the Command hook and put another up.

I absolutely LOVE the way these lights cast a glow across the kitchen and they will definitely come in handy when I'm working at any area of the counters.

And, it was still dark this morning when I went into the kitchen for coffee. I hit the remote and popped on the new lights as well as the ones I ran above the cabinets some years back and I am in LOVE! And all of that for just $30!

While I was in there I also picked up some mailbox numbers and a new shower head but, since I also grabbed this at the grocery store, I decided the other things could wait until today and I sat down, put my feet up and enjoyed! Happy Fri-YAY!

I don't buy Country Sampler as often as I used to but I still grab their autumn and Christmas issues. I'm not anywhere near that "country" any more but it does read as cozy to me and I almost always get a few decorating ideas I can adapt to my home.

So I started today outside before the rains started and got this done. I'm still missing my beautiful old mailbox but, since this one was the only one that matched my post, this one it had to be. I actually forgot to put numbers on it when I first installed it and I'm surprised that I didn't get a note from the mail carrier because I think it is required. Lol

And now we're at the part where I know why I don't get the big bucks! My showerhead is one of the ones where you can take the hand held part out of the main part. That one went in back when we redid the bathroom maybe 10 years ago? It has worked perfectly until recently when I couldn't get the middle part to snap back in correctly and it kept falling out and crashing on to my beautiful tile shower floor. I was afraid that one of these times it might crack the tile and so I set off to get a new one. And this time I thought I would get the ones where the hand held slips into the holder. I found a pretty brushed nickel one and checked it all out to make sure it would work...and I bought it feeling quite confident...until this morning when I went to put it up.

Here is my old one a bit worse from wear probably because I used to soak it in vinegar to clean all of the openings...kind of looks like the vinegar might have "eaten" off some of the finish...so all the more reason for a new one.

I had installed the original so, once again, no problem getting the old one off. The new unit went on easily but then I realized two things. The new one hangs so much higher because it sits in the stand as opposed to coming straight out of the wall. And, when we had this shower done, the builder suggested putting the piping up as high as he could which made it so much nicer for my very tall husband but, the two things together make for one VERY HIGH shower head!

I also discovered that this new head came with a slightly shorter hose and since I sit on the bench built on the other side of the shower to wash my hair and shave my legs, it really wasn't going to reach as easily. That was an easy fix because I just put the old hose back-which was probably a good idea because it is also wider so I think the water and water pressure will be better. But, the height issue is still an issue. I am guessing that there is a simple solution to the height problem in some kind of pipe fitting that will bring the head down but, honestly, I have no idea where to even think about that right now. All is fine for me as, as I said, I use the hand held but, when my family visits, a lot of them borrow my shower and I think it might be a problem then...we shall see. I really thought I had thought it all out but the height of that water pipe never entered my mind...until today. Lol

We are having a beautiful rain right now and my lawn and gardens will be happy because it has been hot and dry for a bit. I'm off to make some lunch. Stay safe and stay tuned.
 

P.S.!!! I am so glad no one has read this yet because I have an update. Again, anyone who knows me-especially my brother and sister-in-law-knows that the height of that shower head was probably driving me crazy...and they would be right! I actually left my lunch and walked back into the bathroom to try to convince myself that I could live with it. Then, I went to the Lowes site to see if they carried any kind of adjustment pipe but I think I would probably have to call in a plumber for that. Then, I went back and looked at more shower heads and, when I found almost the exact one I was replacing-and I didn't go with that because I didn't like the way the one head snapped into the other-I read a little more carefully and found that they don't snap any more-they use a heavy duty magnet.

And that triggered something in my mind. I replaced the head in the guest bath maybe a year or so also. And, that pipe comes out of the wall much LOWER than my bathroom because that is the height builders generally use. And, because I went with the shower head I did, I'm guessing anyone using it would have had to duck a bit to get a good drenching.

DUH!!! This head was like brand new and so...in just a matter of minutes, I had them switched and now both bathrooms have the correct height and, if I ever have to do this again, hopefully I will remember my lesson. AHHHH-all is right with the world. Lol

This is how the first new one looked in my bathroom-and when you walked in there it stood way above the height of the glass door and looked really silly.

And here it is now.

And the guest bath...

Where the hose enters the head is where the old one fit so you can readily see the difference in height! I was so frustrated with myself that I was just about to send a text to all of my girls to see if anyone needed a new head and it was theirs! Glad I didn't quite get that far! Lol