Outdoor Kitchen Updates-Countertop

Finally!  This post was supposed to be published Thurs morning, but I had to leave for work before it was done.

More kitchen updates for you. Unfortunately not much more.  Between work and parties this job has faded into the background.

This is the part of a big project that gets me bogged down.

The part where it’s functional, sort of.  But it doesn’t look the way it should. 

It’s hard to keep motivated because all the big fun stuff with the major impact is done.

And the party is over.

And who really cares if it ever gets done or not?

What’s that you say?

You care?

Awwwww, I just knew there was a reason I love blogging so much.

I’m counting on you to keep me on track here.  For that matter, so is Mike!  He knows me all too well.

Pretty please?

Ok, so here’s the lack of progress report.

This is a picture of what the back of the cook section looked like on the 4th morning of the 5th.

Ugly, yes?

Functional, but not even close to being done.

But look how pretty that garage wall looks! :)

On Monday I got to work on the countertops.

The door backing for that section was added too. (Forgot to take pictures during that phase)

I painted the doors on Tuesday night after work, but still need to add the top and bottom filler strips.

The tiles were then laid out in the pattern I thought would work I could do.

See how  this outside corner is a storage cabinet for the extra propane tank and charcoal?

I used the top window section of a door on that side and all I need to do now is add a cupboard door and hinges to the opening.

 

Another view of the dry run tile pattern.

Sorry how dark the pictures are.  I was running out of daylight again.

Ok, now on Wednesday as soon as I got home from work Mike helped me take the grill out of the counter so I could start on tiling.

Poor grill, it gets moved around a lot!

Then I shifted all the tiles to the ground in the order I wanted to use them..

   

Now it’s ready for the thin-set.

I mixed up a batch and got to work.

(Btw, if you ever have to mix this stuff, it’s easier to mix if you have the water already in the bucket and then add the dry powder to it.  Much easier.  So why don’t they tell you that on the mixing instructions?)

OK, I got this end done, but if you look closely it does not match up with the pattern I had started on the sink side or for that matter with the pattern I had laid out so painstakingly the night before.

 

Changed my mind in the middle of it. 

Oh well, that’s what happens.

Then I went to the other end and started.

  

See the lighter in this next picture?

That’s Mike’s hint that he needed to get the grill fired up and I was in his way!

 

I ran out of mortar, daylight, and steam all at the same time. 

So the last section will have to wait.

Thursday and Friday night I play golf after work, Saturday I’ll be spending the day with Deb in Paradise shopping in Bouckville, so that leaves Sunday to finish the countertops.

But that’s not the only plan in the works for Sunday.

See this window in the garage wall?

Yeah, the one that got painted but never scraped.

Thanks Mike. Awesome paint job! (not!)

Well this is what that wall currently looks like.

Bye window!  (And yes Jackie, I sure did save that window! gotcha)

I have some big plans for that opening!

That’s all I’m saying for now.

Gotta go.

Rose