THE CAVENDER DIARY

Cement Board Up the Walls

Posted by James on June 1, 2015

Posted in: New Home. Tagged: Master Bathroom, Master Bathroom Remodel. 3 Comments

About time we added some walls to this room.

Because we’re gluttons for punishment, we thought we’d tile the entire feature wall of the master bathroom. (I’m sure that idea will bite us on our asses eventually)

Feature wall? Accent wall? Well, umm the biggest wall in the room. Both the shower and sink are on it – and it’s the first thing you see – we thought it’d be a cool idea to cover it in color. It’s a small room and taking the tile floor to ceiling will certainly make the room feel taller.

Kinda like this….

We’ll come back to this picture a few more times.

When the Cavender house was built in 1972, cement board wasn’t the standard for “wet” areas. Now, for black-mold-prevention….it is.

There are 2 types of cement board to choose from; Durock and Hardi Board. Both in 1/4″ and 1/2″ depths.

Hardi Board is only about $1 more than the Durock. With the advice of my contractor brother – we decided to just spend the extra dollar and get the better quality board.

We used 1/2″ thickness on the floor, and we’re doing 1/4″ for the walls.

They come in 3′ X 5′ sheets, so no need to rent a truck for these…….they fit in the back of both our cars. Good thing too, we went back for “just 1 more piece” 4 times….

To cut our cement board, we need a cement cutting blade for our circular saw.

Like one of these…..

I wasn’t afraid of this project one bit…….so I jumped right in and had the shower walls installed in no time.

Perfect job…….or so I thought.

I wasn’t counter-sinking my screws nearly as well as I was supposed to.

HHHHHmmmmmppphhh

The screws need to be flush so the beautiful tile we selected will lay flat on top of it.

Makes sense. Didn’t have this problem with the floor install.

So Jamie had to go behind me and re-drill all my screw holes with a counter-sinking bit……like this one.

He unscrewed every single screw, drilled a bigger pilot hole and then re-screwed the screws.

Several hours later we had this loveliness……

All the screws are flush……

Finally, it’s starting to look like a bathroom again.

“But what’s that little fireplace-looking-bump-out-thing on the left?” you’re probably asking……

We’ll get to explaining that in a bit…

The Whole Bathroom Floor

Posted by James on May 27, 2015

Posted in: New Home. Tagged: Master Bathroom, Master BAthroom Floor, Master Bathroom Remodel, Nicole Curtis. 14 Comments

After prying everything off the old bathroom floor……3 layers of vinyl flooring, a layer of tar paper and one more layer of hardie-board…..

We are left with this loveliness….

If this were “Rehab Addict”, Nicole Curtis would simple stain this diagonal floor and call it a day…but, Ummm…we have slightly higher standards than that.

So we are laying a sub-floor and then tile.

Choke on that Nicole Curtis.

The distance from this floor to the current bedroom hardwood is just about 1 1/4 inches……

We’d like it to be somewhat the same…..

Here’s the layers we’ll add:

1/4″ Plywood
1/2″ Cement Board
1/2″ Tile

Started with the plywood.

Screwed it down with as many screws as I possibly could.

Pretty decent job.

The blue tape lines on the wall tell me where the cross beams under the house are. Wanna make sure all my boards are screwed into that.

Then a layer of cement board. 1/2″ Hardi Backer Board. Pretty standard in a house these days……Not so much in 1972.

Looking pretty good. Screwed this down too. With screws for Hardi Board.

Once we add the 1/2″ thick tile we should be up to the same floor height as the bedroom…..

So we thought.

Then my brother pointed out that the grout under the tile has a depth……

Oh well, mistake number one…at least it’s a small one.

Let’s call it a 1/4 inch mistake.

Sweet Potato Ice Cream with Charred Marshmallows and Bourbon

Posted by James on May 25, 2015

Posted in: New Home, Recipes. Tagged: Sweet potato Ice Cream, Sweet Potato Icecream. 3 Comments

I know, right?

Let’s get right to this.

Here’s what ya need…..

1 1/2 Cups Cubed Sweet Potato
2 Cups Whole Milk
4 TBS Soft Cream Cheese
1 1/4 Cups Cream
1/3 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 TSP cinnamon
1/4 TSP Sea Salt
2 TBS Molasses
1 Cup Mini Marshmallows
1/4 Cup Bourbon

Start with a sweet potato about the size of your hand. Or my hand. Either way, you’ll want about 1 1/2 cups peeled and diced.

Add the diced sweet potato and the milk to a sauce pan.

Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to simmer.

Stir constantly, until the potato is completely cooked and falling apart. About 4-6 minutes depending on how finely you diced it.

Once the potato is fully cooked, you’ll want to blend everything together.

I’ve had this Braun hand mixer since the Reagan administration. No kidding. It’s that good.

If you don’t have one, you can use a food processor.

When the potato/milk mixture is lump-free, add the softened cream cheese, cream, sugars, salt, cinnamon, and molasses.

Here’s a trick for measuring molasses. Spritz the measuring spoon with a shot of non-stick cooking spray first. The molasses will slide right out. (Just make sure the cooking spray isn’t garlic flavor)

Bring the mixture back to a boil, stirring constantly again and scraping the sides of the pan. Then remove it from the heat and blend the hell out of it once more.

Here’s the perfect consistency. Not too lumpy, and not too thin.

Set this mixture aside and let it cool completely before adding it to the ice cream maker. A few hours in the fridge is best.

Scoop the mix into the bowl of your ice cream maker and pour in about a quarter cup of good bourbon. (More, if you’re making this for adults only. OR…… if the kids are going to eat some and you want them to fall asleep a little earlier)

Takes about 25 minutes of churning away until the ice cream is the consistency of a Wendy’s Frosty. If y’all are keeping track, that’s use numero dos for our ice cream maker. It’s almost like it’s paying for itself at this point.

Now, to char the marshmallows.

You’ll need about a cup of mini marshmallows.

Maybe, slightly more than a cup. Ours tend to get eaten before they can make it into the icecream.

Spritz a cookie sheet with cooking spray……

……and arrange the marshmallows so that none of them are touching.

Use a hand-held butane kitchen torch to char the marshmallows. Let them cool, flip them over, and torch the other sides too.

Don’t worry if a few catch on fire. Because they will. If I remember correctly from my childhood summers at camp…….they’re better that way anyway.

Sprinkle your charred marshmallows on top of the churned ice cream in a Tupperware and stick it in the freezer for a few more hours.

When it’s firm enough for your liking, scoop it into waffle cones, and enjoy.

Sure, you can skip the addition of the fire-water……but I wouldn’t. (Insert evil grin here)

Sweet potato ice cream, Who knew?

You better believe that you’re welcome.

Happy Memorial Day

Driving Out the Darkness…

Posted by James on May 24, 2015

Posted in: New Home. Tagged: Master Bathroom, Master Bathroom Remodel. 1 Comment

About time that we did something about the lighting in that master bathroom.

Because currently……..there isn’t any.

My brother Ben replaced the old, ecru mini-switches ……

…..with a modern white toggle (for the fan) and a dimmer (for the overhead lights).

There used to be a chrome 1970’s vanity light over the sink…..well, more over the mirror than the off-centered sink,

Since we’re adding 4 can lights to the ceiling, we aren’t going to need that now. So Ben cut it down to just 2 switches. (He simply disconnected the fixture from the power source and shoved the now unused wire back into the wall)

I know what y’all are thinking here, “You’re NOT going to do sconces over the sink?”

Ahhhh nope. Not this time. Probably in the other bathroom.

Before we drywalled the ceiling, I labeled the power cable for the new can lights (formerly the power for the also off-centered heat lamp in the ceiling) and shoved it back up into the attic.

The rest of the house has 4 inch can lights. But the bathrooms are both so small – only 5’X8′ – that we’re going with 3 inch cans.

These specific 3 inch can lights.

3 inch White Gimbal Recessed Light Kit from the Home Depot.

If you’ve never hooked up a light fixture before, they’re pretty easy. The hardest part is centering them between beams on the ceiling.

We had a bit of an advantage.

Before we installed new drywall on the ceiling over all this ugliness…..

Ben and I made a spacing map of exactly where each new can light should go,

……because there is only so much space between all the oddly placed beams and vents and what not.

Each light kit comes with a paper template to mark the hole location on the ceiling…..

I just thumb-tacked it to the newly dry-walled ceiling just where the can light needed to be, and traced it with a pencil.

Then I used a drywall saw to cut my hole.

I could use a drill with a hole-cutting attachment…but drywall is pretty easy to saw through with a hand-saw. Or even a serrated steak knife if you have too.

I stuck my hand through the hole and pulled out the first electrical cord I could reach.

There were 2….One from the heat lamp and one from the vanity light…..Good thing I labeled my power source before we dry-walled the ceiling.

I’d love to show y’all the exact steps for connecting the can lights. But I was too busy to take photos.

So here’s the summary:

White connects to white,
Black connects to black,
The whole unit gets shoved into the hole in the ceiling.
Done.

Here’s what we see now when we lay on the bathroom floor and look up….

I know. They aren’t perfectly gridded – that one light in the shower is just a few inches away from his 3 friends – and they never will be.

Not without rebuilding the ceiling, anyway.

I’ve made my peace with that fact.

No one will even notice.

All anyone will see if a beautifully lit bathroom.

Back From the Dead……

Posted by James on May 20, 2015

Posted in: New Home. Tagged: flower beds. 12 Comments

When we moved into the Cavender house 5 (Has it really been 5 years already?) years ago….our front flower beds were filled with Indian Hawthorn.

Not a very pretty bush. Just kinda …….there.

It was only 2 years ago that we removed the not-quite-our-taste bushes from the front flower beds and added all this awesomeness.….

Cacti and succulents….

But 7 months later, after a particularly grueling winter, everything looks like this……

Here, get a closer look at the devastation….

We were a little bummed too. Even considered calling FEMA.

Thought we were picking plants that were hardy. They were perfect for our Texas summers…..not so much the winters.

But now, a little over a year later, we’ve grown into this…..

Like a breath of fresh air…….and green grass.

Might possibly look this spectacular because Jamie spends every Saturday working in the yard.

possibly…..

Artist Profile – Mimi Kirchner

Posted by James on May 17, 2015

Posted in: Did Ya Know?, New Home. Tagged: Lumberjack Doll, Mimi Kirchner, Mimi Kirchner Dolls, Strong Man Doll. 19 Comments

I’ve had this picture of a lumberjack doll with toile tattoos pinned on my Pinterest page for a few years now.

Thought I’d try to make one in my spare time…..(Like I have any).

I didn’t really know anything about him.

Hello, Google.

Google instantly led me to the crazy talented Mimi Kirchner,

….and the fanciful soft-sculptures that she creates.

After what she calls a “20 year distraction in ceramics”, Mimi finally followed her true calling and started creating people and animals from scraps of gently used old fabrics. She calls this “rescuing”. Working out of her house in a Boston suburb, Mimi’s Etsy shop has been steadily buzzing since 2006.

Although her imagination has led her to craft everything from fish, to swaddled babies, and even robots; it’s her lumberjacks, soldiers, and tattooed strong men that I like the best.

See for yourselves,

Too much masculine doll-energy for ya?

Don’t worry, There are plenty of tattooed ladies too.

Check out more of Mimi’s extensive work, inspiration, and maybe even a few vacation photos on her blog .

The Shower Sub-Floor

Posted by James on May 16, 2015

Posted in: New Home. Tagged: Master Bathroom, Master Bathroom Shower, shower floor. 4 Comments

I know that this probably isn’t too thrilling, but I documented it anyway.

The previous shower had rotted through the sub-floor……good thing we never used it. The cross beams were a little weathered as well. We solved that issue by doubling them up with new pressure treated 2X6’s attached with lag screws.

Way, Much, More better….but we’re still left with a “Reverse-Nevada” shaped hole in the floor completely exposing our crawl space.

First off, we need to get the hole up to the height of the existing sub-floor, 1/2 inch. There’s no way I’d ever get a 4X8 sheet of 1/2 inch plywood in my Jeep.

No worries, because I found Ismael at the Home Depot to cut it for me. More like; he found me and even asked if I needed any help today. He must be new….all the other guys there know to run the other way when they see me with a cart of lumber.*

*(I’m a little too precise with my measurements for most of them…..and have been know to make them re-cut wood before. You know, until they get it correct)

Didn’t faze Ismael one bit. He sliced that 4X8 sheet into 5 perfect pieces.

Most importantly, one piece 39″ X 30″, and another 51.5″ X 32.5″ (I checked his work with my own tape measure)

These pieces will fit in my Jeep just fine.

The 39″ X 30″ piece will become the “Reverse-Nevada” after I slice a corner off…….like so.

Should fit in my empty space just perfectly. But I can’t tell because there’s a drain in the way.

I must slice the “Reverse-Nevada” in half with a circular saw and make room for the drain.

After making a cut-line through the almost middle, I use a drinking glass as a template for the drain hole. Pretty clever, I know.

Once the board is cut in half, I used a jig-saw to cut out the 2 half-circles.

Then simply slipped it around the drain. (I know, looks like my precise measurements were about 1/4″ off on the left)

I screwed the “Reverse-Nevada” down with about 25 drywall screws, and started the process over with the 51.5″ X 32.5″ sheet.

This one will cover the entire shower floor. It took 3 slices to get it around the drain, but it fits beautifully.

Did the same with 1/2″ thick cement board. Could not possibly screw this thing down enough.

So there ya have it.

Looks like our plumber centered that drain just perfectly BTW.

The new dimensions of the shower floor, 51 X 32 (Pretty big for an 8′ X 5′ room)

Still have to do a layer of sloping Quickcreate, the water-proof liner, and tile.

And Way, More Better than the gaping hole that was there this morning…….

Chili Mango Margaritas

Posted by James on May 5, 2015

Posted in: New Home, Recipes. Tagged: Chili Mango Margaritas, Mango MArgaritas, Margarita Recipe. 9 Comments

I love paletas.

Mexican popsicles.

We don’t have a traditional ice cream man in our neighborhood, we have Latino guys, Paleteros, on bicycles with coolers filled with paletas and bomb pops.

My favorite? That’s easy, mango. Mango with chili.

Jamie and I will be working in the yard, and I’ll hear the bells chiming a few blocks away.

Feverishly, I’ll dig in my pockets for dollar bills, because I need 2 for a paleta.

“Amigo,” (Flawless execution of my 3 years of High School Spanish, BTW) ” Tengas mango con chili?”.

He gives me a knowing smile – because I’m a Weto – and digs one out of the bottom of the cooler. A “weto” is someone who looks white on the outside, but is Mexican inside. (Still unsure if that’s a compliment or not)

Here’s my version of that spicy/sweet paleta…in margarita form. Because everything is better with tequila.

About 1 Cup of Ripe Mango, Cubed and Frozen
1 Cup Orange Juice, Frozen Also
Juice of 2 Small Limes
3 Ounces Silver tequila
1 Ounce Triple Sec or Orange Liquor
Dash of Tabasco
1 Tbs Agave Nectar (For Added Sweetness if Needed)

Mangos should be soft, but not squishy. Peel, slice the fruit off the flat pit, and dice into chunks. Freeze them overnight. Add all the ingredients to the blender (with more – or possibly less? – tequila to suit your tastes) and pulse till smooth.

My secret to making easy frozen margaritas is to freeze the liquids first.

6 orange juice ice cubes is just about 1 cup of liquid.

Tabasco may seem like an odd thing to add to a margarita, but trust me on this one…..just a few shakes is all it takes.

To prep the glasses: Rub the rim of each glass with a lime wedge, then rub it in a mixture of equal parts sea salt and chili powder to coat.

Pour your frozen margaritas into the chili/salt rimed glasses and enjoy with a friend. This recipe makes 2 because no one should ever drink margaritas alone.

Chili Mango Margaritas From the Cavender Diary Boys

Spicy/Sweet, Mind = Blown,

I need to make these every weekend.

Or find a push-cart and sell them in our front yard.

Happy Cinco de Mayo, y’all.

May the Fourth…….

Posted by James on May 4, 2015

Posted in: Did Ya Know?, New Home. Tagged: George Lucas Quote. Leave a comment

Which White is the Right White?

Posted by James on May 3, 2015

Posted in: New Home. Tagged: Master Bathroom, Master Bathroom Remodel, Ralph Lauren Brilliant White Paint, Semigloss VS Flat Paint. 4 Comments

Say that 10 times real fast.

The last time we caught y’all up on the master bathroom the walls were ready for paint.

Because our tile is gunna be pretty colorful, (OOOPS, said too much about that already), we thought that we’d do solid white walls.

I’m not really a big fan of white walls. I know every hipster-home-tour featured on Apartment Therapy has plain ol’ white walls. I need warmth, not sterility. But it’s a small room, and even with the one little window, we’re gunna need all the light we can get in there.

So white it is…..

and like I said earlier…….

Which white is the right white? We started with Ralph Lauren paint, mostly because I enjoy a 40 dollar can of paint displayed in the garage. (Honestly, that’s the only reason.)

And, of course, Mr. Lauren does do some beautiful colors…….especially whites.

We brought home a few testers of whites and slapped them on the wall. Aren’t they all so drastically different? Well, much more so in person.

Here they are in natural light……

And here they are with the overhead light on…..

Clearly there’s a winner. (Even with the terrible pictures)

“Brilliant White”, the one in the bottom right corner.

To make our white even more white…I primed every surface with Kilz 2 Latex Primer.

$Kilz Latex Primer$

After the Kilz comes a few coats of Ralph Lauren Brilliant White….in flat.

Never, NEVER, NEVER in Semi-gloss. Sure, the “part-time high school kid working in the paint department” at the Home Depot will tell you that semi-gloss paint is better in a bathroom or kitchen. But he’s wrong. Soooo VERY wrong. Semi-gloss paint on walls looks institutional; like a hospital room or reform school….or, better yet, a McDonald’s. The next time you’re at a fast food restaurant, take a look at the walls. Semi-gloss….I guarantee you. You’re better than that. We both are. And we all deserve soft, light-filled spaces to live in.

So…..in conclusion…..flat paint.

Notice how I use that “W” painting technique they always preach about on HGTV shows…..

After 2 coats of Kilz primer, and 2 more coats of Ralph Lauren Brilliant White.

We were left with this (Iphone panoramic) awesomeness…..

And how about that ceiling?

May not look like much,

But it’s a giant step of progress to us.

Stay tuned. Because this project is really on a roll now…..

THE CAVENDER DIARY

2 GROWN MEN vs a 40 YEAR OLD HOUSE

Cement Board Up the Walls

The Whole Bathroom Floor

Sweet Potato Ice Cream with Charred Marshmallows and Bourbon

Driving Out the Darkness…

Back From the Dead……

Artist Profile – Mimi Kirchner

The Shower Sub-Floor

Chili Mango Margaritas

May the Fourth…….

Which White is the Right White?

The Cavender Boys

Buy My Book

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