Eastside Hippie

Finally finished fixing up the guest bathroom.

Painted the cabinet and updated the hardware.

Replaced the old (1977!) GFCI outlet.

This glass shelf took 8 holes to install. Whoops.

Took out the old medicine cabinet and installed a simple arch mirror.

Still testing out different spectrum bulbs, so it’s not 100% finished, but definitely better than what was originally there. Full list of what we did: painted the walls, cupboard, and trim, replaced all the hardware (lights, towel racks, toilet paper roll holder, cabinet door knobs/pulls), installed a new mirror and 2 glass shelves, replaced outlet faceplates and the GFCI outlet, and finally added a carpet and a plant.

I am so excited (and not ashamed about it) to be able to add kitchen scraps to a compost pile.

We build an enclosure-ish space by stacking the sod (upside down) that we saved from clearing the veggie bed, covered it with dirt to slow the regrowth of grass, and then added a huge pile of grass clippings. That was on Sunday. This morning, I went out with a fork, dug a hole for the compost, and watched the pile erupt in steam. I put my hand near it and it was generating a ton of heat. So awesome.

We’ve done so much this weekend. Carl installed 2 new hall lights, a new kitchen light, and a new plug (with night light) in the hallway. We planted our anniversary cherry tree, spinach, mustard greens, romaine, garlic, thyme, peas, and pansies. The “ointment” color is about 99.5% covered, and shortly we will use a ladder to get to the last bits of it. It’s been a really good weekend. I’m covered in dirt and paint.

Pansies

Spinach

Peas

Peas

Romaine

Mustard greens

Garlic!

Anniversary cherry tree

So much work!

I got so dirty today!

New kitchen light and freshly painted window trim.

New and old paint.

The kitchen is super bright now!

Lisa and Xavier

Carl has no idea what to do with Xavier.

The old window trim color.

Kitchen is coming along nicely. I can start painting the trim soon.

The two middle shelves will be replaced with glass soon.

Mom-in-law removed the ugly brown below the bar. She also covered 95% of the “ointment” color in the rest of the house, by herself!

Hallway is so much brighter now. We’re going to replace those two nasty lights.

Fireplace is now “Koi”, though it needs a second coat and edging done.

It’s pretty wild. As it dries, the orange is toning down a tad.

Then we have Ronan. He’s been painting himself.

If he keeps it up, I’ll be able to see him at night in the yard.

Over the years, Carl and I have shared many spaces: a studio apartment for 13 months, renting a house with a third person, a 2-bedroom apartment and lastly, a 700 square foot 1 bedroom apartment. We are really enjoying the amount of space we have now.

To note:  we haven’t put up any artwork (except the clock and the Lioness because we plan on having the walls retextured and painted.  The official color of the main room is “Ointment”, a nasty color.

The Lioness is the first thing you see when you walk in (though from a different angle).

Living Room

We still need to find a home for the wine.

Dining Room

Accessible from both sides.

Kitchen/Pantry

Yes, those are chemistry goggles. Ever get chili oil in your eye?

I am going to paint the cabinets, probably white or off-white, so that I can stand to be in that super-dark kitchen until we remodel.  I am also going to change out the hardware.

When we get around to remodeling the kitchen, I’m going to remove this washer/dryer set and convert this into a full pantry.

Cookbooks go here!

Wesa’s office/guest room

This room has a skylight.

I think the guest bed will go here, but I am not positive. First I need to unpack books/office stuff, then buy a bed for the room.

Carl’s office/Cat-free room

It was impossible to have a cat-free room in a 1-bedroom apartment. Now we have space for that.

A huge mess already.

Kitty’s bathroom

Technically this is the main floor guest bathroom, but we put Kitty’s water dish, food dishes, and litter box (behind the shower curtain in the tub) in here, so it’s her room by default.  I installed a spray hose attachment to the shower head so I can give Ronan baths as well.

Bedroom:

Once we figure out what color we want to paint the bedroom (I’m thinking gray or blue), we’ll pick up a new duvet cover (since we don’t have one currently).

Door, walk in closet, and full master bath.  I’ve been saying I am going to paint that stupid dresser and replace the hardware on it for close to 6 years now (I picked it up at a garage sale).  Maybe I should do that this year.

Master Bathroom.  The sink leaks (annoying!) and we need another towel rack, but we replaced the shower head already.

My shoes!

Sadly, our time with you is coming to an end.  For the last 5 years, we have enjoyed living near 15th Avenue, a short walk from my favorite co-op Madison Market.  We have a lot of close friends and innumerable acquaintances on the hill, a ton of memories, and many, many inside jokes.

Still, life moves on, and we have decided to move away from the Hill in search of quieter pastures.  You see, we’ve become the type of people that enjoy staying home at night, drinking our own wine and doing our own thing.  We’d much rather have friends over for dinner instead of going out clubbing or waiting for a table.  Since I’ve become a student, I really treasure having a quite place to study and honestly, I just can’t get that here.  The planes heading toward SeaTac are just too noisy most days, and the constant crowds walking by yelling and screaming are getting on my nerves.  It doesn’t help that we live in such close proximity to 4 other households (above, below, and on either side of us) not even counting the other tenants in the building or in the 2 buildings directly across from us.  I’m tired of the noise from the dump trucks, from the parties across the way, from the firetrucks, from the helicopters…well, you get the point.

We are currently buying a home in the Finn Hill neighborhood…a really nice 1/4 acre with a house large enough for us to raise a couple of kids in, room for our dog to run in the yard, and space for not only a vegetable garden, but a few chickens too.  We just can’t afford that here.  I’m sure you understand and will forgive us some day.

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

A friend left this comment earlier and I wanted to address it in full here.

I personally think using any kind of kitchen machine is cheating. If we are doing this hunger challenge to bring attention to low income families and their eating dilemmas, I wouldn’t expect most of them to have such machines or the will to want to make such foods.

I disagree with this assessment for a variety of reasons. First off, used pasta makers can be found for fairly cheap. I’ve also seen many kitchen machines for free on Freecycle and or for cheap on local Craigslist posts.

Second, not everyone currently on food stamps have always been poor. With the downturn in the economy, visits to area food banks and applications for food stamps have increased, showing the need from many who previously did not need these services. My household for example, has the funds right now to buy kitchen appliances with cash, but if say Carl was laid off and neither of us could find work for a year, we would still have our kitchen appliances (if we hadn’t sold them for food).

Third, just because someone is poor doesn’t mean they do not have the inclination to cook. Consider this: many in the cooking industry do not pull in large salaries, but maybe they just love to cook so much that they make it happen at home. There are also those who are going to school and working only part time (or receiving unemployment) who are eligible for food stamps.

I think there are many different types of people who can be considered poor, due to different circumstances. Those living in poverty very well likely have not always lived in poverty. All in all, these are a few of the reasons why I do not consider it cheating to use kitchen appliances during a hunger challenge.

May I please bring to your attention the fact that 90 minutes ago I consumed stir fry and rice? I present the evidence, clearly visible to my right: a bowl, spoon, and napkin with traces of said food on them. I can still taste the soy sauce on my tongue.

Wait, even confronted with the evidence, you still insist that you are hungry? Well, I am sorry dear stomach…I have nothing left to feed you. See, we are still in the midst of the Hunger Challenge, which means we eat what we tell you to eat, and nothing more. No, we can’t go over and purchase a muffin. No, no bag of chips. No, we cannot grab a motherf**king Snickers bar. Tongue doesn’t like Snickers bars, remember? It says they taste chalky and you always complain after that it wasn’t satisfying.

OK let’s make a deal. I’ll refill the bottle of water and that should tide you over until we get home at 3:30. Then we can eat a bit of bread and butter. Oooh, what’s that? Caught your interest with that statement right? Yes, we haven’t had much of that loaf of homemade bread yet. Carl hasn’t been able to chew it after getting his wisdom teeth out. Why did that stop us you ask? Well…I haven’t wanted to be unfair to him. That has nothing to do with you you say? Dearie, you and I are connected. What controls me thus controls you. Wait, it’s also the other way around? No-no please don’t growl during lecture. Please. I just have one more class to get through before we go home. Pinkie swear?

You’re such a pal.
<3,
Wesa

(P.S. I did not realize the full swear word was printed and have since made it more polite)

Here is a part of the entry I posted on Seattle Metblogs this evening:

Here is the current breakdown of food. We have just under $28 left for the week, which gives me some leeway to pick up a few more vegetables and some tofu for tomorrow’s stir fry. For lunch tomorrow, one of us will have leftover lentils from Monday and the other will have leftover red beans and rice. Thursday, I think we’ll have leftover Megadarra for lunch and I’m still thinking of ideas for Thursday’s dinner: maybe a simple winter squash soup with some of the Greek yogurt.

You can read the full entry here. I’m currently experiencing the dullness of mind that comes with taking a migraine pill (Imitrex), which was brought on I believe from carrying too much stuff in my backpack yesterday….anyway, I just don’t have it in me at the moment to really write a separate entry at the moment. I need to do my homework and head to bed, have a good night!

I just posted the breakdown of today’s cooking on Seattle Metblogs (direct link) but wanted to expand a bit more on the personal level here on my blog. On United Way’s blog, they quote Eric Rivera take on how he is conducting this challenge. It’s similar to what we are doing: eating similar to how we normally eat and how it’s not the point to go out and buy frozen pizzas, Top Ramen, and eat off the value menu at McDonald’s. The point, in which I am in agreement, is to eat a healthy and varied diet.

Today, we did fairly well, but definitely did not eat as many vegetables as we should/could have, and no fruit at all. I have spent just a smidge over half our food budget for the week (which is $60) and we can afford, at this stage, to add some fresh vegetables to our diet. Eric also points out that it really helps to know your way around the kitchen in order to create healthy meals. This morning’s example is perfect to demonstrate what I mean by this. I woke up early, panicking about how we didn’t have lunch to take to work/school. In about 30 minutes, I had cooked up a batch of simple lentil soup. If I haven’t had experience in trying out different types of lentil soups, I may not have been able to sleepily grab what was on hand (as allowed by the Hunger Challenge) and put this together. Healthy cooking is for those who have the time and enthusiasm to learn it, there is no doubt about this.

All in all, the hardest part has been not just grabbing any old thing out of the fridge to snack on when I got home from school. I have some leftover brioche (that may very well go bad before the week is up) that looked mighty tempting, but there is no way I could afford to spare enough money in the food budget to make this now. Brioche requires 2 sticks of butter, and I’d rather save our money to perhaps splurge on splitting 22oz beer on Friday instead. Tempted to make cookies? The ingredient list adds up. PB&J? Jam is fairly expensive, at least the jam that isn’t packed full of sugar and preservatives. Cream for our coffee? Forget it! While 1/2 and 1/2 is still cheaper than those liquid margarine knockoffs Coffee Mate and other non-dairy creamers, it’s still expensive. Chicken? The price of chicken on Capitol Hill runs almost $8lb at most of the nearby stores. It’s ridiculous. I can make it stretch for a long time by using it sparingly and for flavor, but still!

I better go make dinner now.