The swing of things

 

I'm five weeks post-surgery today. This is a good thing as Oprah would say.

My recovery is coming along swimmingly. I seem to be text-book compliant in terms of my physical state. Pain reducing but not altogether fantastic. I keep it at bay during daylight hours using Panadol Osteo but as the afternoon progresses it all seems to catch up on me and I'm scoffing codeine before bed to ensure my sleep is undisturbed.

To distract myself I've been undertaking some "recovery-friendly" creative pursuits. My little Portulaca friend is an example of the sort of gardening I can manage.

This little beauty was inspired by something on Pinterest where they utilised Grape Vines....not living in or near a vineyard meant I resorted to stripping some vines off our Star Jasmine outside the back door....a ball I found in the garden was used as my base and whilst watching a bit of trashy "Real Housewives of Melbourne" (God save me now) I wound and tied and wound and tied until I had this rustic work of art! I've attached a string of solar powered fairy lights but I'm not loving the effect....stay tuned, I have my thinking cap on and it will be finessed!

 

Prior to the BC diagnosis I was in the process of launching a new business. It's clearly not happened but I've had loads of time to develop my business plan and I'm now in the early stages of getting it off the ground. Watch this space!

 

I'm still doing my best to spend at least a little while each day here. Some days are harder than others to put my feet up.

Oh and we had a wedding anniversary to celebrate on Saturday. Seventeen years! Can you believe it!! As you can see, age doesn't weary the silliness of Saint Mike:)

That's pretty much all I have to report. Note the distinct lack of talk re my mental state? Did I mention my physical recovery is going well? We won't discuss my fragile mental state. It's all good, time is a great healer as they say.

There's no good cancer

I called into a talk back radio show today. Couldn't help myself. Haven't ever been backward in coming forward and not going to start now.

The topic was related to the disproportionate attention (and resources) that Breast Cancer gets relative to other cancers and the community perception that it is the "biggest" cancer for women.

As I was waiting on hold to make my point I listened to the various callers and a very articulate man from the Australian Cancer Council who dispelled some "myths" (for example lung cancer is actually the biggest "killer" of women). 

A lady called in and referred to breast cancer as the "sexy" cancer. The announcer (who I love) asked her in what sense she meant sexy. Quite rightly she talked about the fact that from a marketers perspective boobs are sexy.

I was really surprised by the emotion that the use of the word sexy stirred in me. I was almost teary contemplating the dichotomy of sexiness and the realities of breast cancer. The two should never be used in the same sentence and I felt compelled to make that point strongly.

When I did get to speak (which in itself was an honour as I can imagine there were a huge number of calls on the "board") I managed to make the following points quite succinctly (for me a waffler from way back):

1. All cancers and in fact all diseases that affect families the way we have been affected suck.

2. It would be fantastic if all the other forms of cancer could be elevated to the degree of public awareness, support, charitable contribution and therefore research and services that Breast Cancer has because then everyone who gets this terrible diagnosis would benefit equally.

Then I made my final point. The one where I said that using sexy in the same sentence as Breast Cancer makes me want to cry. Sexy is the last thing I feel and the Pink October marketing of perfect boobs when that is far from what women are left with post-breast cancer treatment is very distressing to me.

The truth of it is that my boob is a mangled mess and I try not to look at it. I certainly don't touch it and the fact that Saint Mike and I jokingly refer to this as our "year without sex" isn't just due to chemo nausea. 

My hormones have packed up their wagon and decamped. I am experiencing th joys (plural) of the hot flush multiple times a day. If I'm not feeling like puking I'm a cranky cow likely to bite my husbands head off! His saintly status is not just being enhanced by his patience with the treatment but also with the repurcussions it's had for our interactions.

I've always had a fairly amiable relationship with my boobs. Now that they're on a countdown to oblivion I feel like it's only a matter of time before I give this tangible loss the air time it deserves. But I can't focus on it now. Out with the old and in the new will happen in late Feb/early March but in the meantime I've got to focus on what's immediately in front of me and unfortunately that's a bucket! 

Sorry if this is a tad depressing. Felt like putting on the record these particular emotions. One day my girls will read this blog and I want them to get a nuanced perspective:) 

Revealing the noggin

So here we have it. The noggin reveal. Despite the nausea that accompanied the weekend post-chemo I had decided that I wasn't going to delay the inevitable. My rapidly thinning hair needed to be put out of its misery.

On Saturday Saint Mike was charged with procuring a set of clippers when he took the girls out to the local shopping centre for a movie. On Sunday morning it was me who unpacked them and plugged them into their charger. Like most mere men, task completion can be the undoing of my husband.

The cape is a child-sized version acquired as a visual prop to enforce the "hair must be tied up or cut" rule which Youngest KAT was resisting some months back. It has sat unopened as have the scissors purchased at the same time...who said dire threats don't work?

We all congregated on the back lawn as I thought it a good idea to avoid sweeping up. However when Sally (the dog) started picking up chunks of hair it became a mad scramble for the girls to collect all the "bits" less we poison the dog with my chemo-laden hair. Quite the comedy act with peals of laughter no less.

Saint Mike seemed to take a perverse pleasure in his role as wielder of the clippers. A running commentary was given by the KATs regarding how daddy was giving mummy a Mohawk...then it became a tuft of hair which he insisted would be a good look.

Perhaps it was the flurry of activity (a confused dog chasing your hair around the lawn with three children in hot pursuit) but I didn't feel distressed. I was self conscious and felt immediately unattractive (note to self - black plastic cape isn't flattering) and I regretted that I had not stage managed this a bit better. Nausea will do that I suppose.

I felt strongly that we should do it as a family. I could have gone to the hairdressers and revealed my baldness to the KATs post-clip but having experienced their differing reactions to my pre-chemo chop I felt that immersing them in the process was for the best. Thankfully it worked.

Each of them reacted in their own way. Oldest KAT exhibited typical teen repulsion (yuck factor) but she is also painfully self-aware of how I appear now to the world and she was immediately worried for me.

Middle KAT was predictably reticent to say anything lest she reveal either her own anguish that I am suffering from this disease at all or that she might hurt my feelings by saying something "wrong". Wry smiles and gentle caresses were the order of the day.

Youngest KAT was tentative...it was the tactile that was front of mind for her....how will it "feel" when she touches it. Prickly is the answer!

This image captures the thoughts and feelings that were fluttering down around us. As someone said on my Facebook page - I am cherished and surrounded by love.

I'm now into my fourth day as a bald eagle and my next post will reflect on how it feels to face the world with my remarkably smooth billiard cue.

I'd rather be here

I'd rather be feeling the cool water licking my body this morning. Instead the only thing licking my body is the constant waves of nausea that are effectively making me feel sea sick! 

I have taken my third capsule of magic meds that are supposed to render the nausea inert but this morning it is truly awful. 

Saint Mike has vacated the house with the KATs and taken them off for the swim that I really want...maybe I should drive after them? I'd like to but chundering out the window may not be a good look and although the water will be a blessing, the noisy children sharing the pool will do nothing to dull the roar that is occupying my head.

Yes this is day 3 post-chemo and like the first round it truly stinks...it's also going to be the day the girls and Saint Mike shave my head.

Post with photos will follow...

(Image credit - Martine Emdur painting)

Respite from reality

 

My next chemo cycle starts this Friday. I have six cycles of FEC which sounds like some sort of mucous you would cough up during a particularly bad chest infection.

In actual fact it's an acronym for the cocktail of three drugs which my lovely oncologist has informed me will not result in the sort of severe allergic reaction I had when I had my first chemo round....oh that would be the one I haven't been able to write about here because it was so traumatic!

Imagine someone going into anaphylactic shock and that about covers it! Suffice to say that the drug that caused this reaction is not one I will be having. To add to my "special" status I also managed to have a reaction to the anti nausea medication (Maxalon) which resulted in something akin to lock jaw and a bad sense of vertigo which when combined with the buzz from all the steroids they had to pump into me made me truly want to euthanise myself pronto.

I was bedridden for five days and then improved daily the point that I was feeling dreadfully guilty (once again) for all the assistance I'm receiving with the KATs....imposter syndrome persists even when I'm legitimately unwell....I still feel like a faker...not "sick" enough...undeserving of all the terribly nice things people are doing and saying to me.

My poor KATs are naturally finding this roller coaster ride a tad tiresome and I thought they deserved a break from reality just as much as Saint Mike and I do! So a few days away have been the order of the day.

We loaded the car up with cossies, goggles, bikes and the minimum amount of clothing and drove a few hours north of Sydney to the calm and tranquility of a beachside holiday park. We have been here before years ago so I knew it was the antidote to our malady. Four days later I'm typing this as the KATs frolic in the pool....their last swim before they jump into the already loaded car for the return trip to our unwanted reality.

Oldest KAT tearfully proclaimed that it has been the best holiday she's ever had because she could forget that I'm sick and no one has asked her how her mum is. Truthfully I don't look sick (my hair is yet to fall out...cue more imposter syndrome) and I too have been lulled into feelings of "normal"....my heart breaks that we cannot remain in this state of blissful ignorance.

They have ridden their bikes with gay abandon, furtively admired cute boys around the park and frolicked like dolphins in the pool. I'm already plotting to return in early December to give them (and me) a much-needed booster shot before chemo round 5 on Dec 20....this time with our hard-working daddy along for the whole time!

The image I've used in this post is a mosaic garden tile that I made with Middle KAT....that was my week 2 project....I exhausted myself lifting three such concrete pavers and have been sternly instructed by my oncologist and Saint Mike to undertake less taxing creative distractions during chemo...passing out isn't a good look!

So we don our Indiana hat and march on relentlessly towards the other side of this horrible abyss....wish me luck for my mucous-like FEC regime:)

 

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Out the other side

I'm drugged up on endone but wanted to do a little post for those special people like my friend Carmel who are far away and not on Facebook so have spent the day praying for me and worrying!!

Pre surgery I was extremely nervous. Sentinel node injections went smoothly and were far less painful than Dr Google had suggested! Not a walk in the park but not gripping the edge of the gurney either:)

Every single staff interaction I've had today has been lovely...the Mater in Sydney is a place brimming with caring, compassionate people.

Waiting for surgery was emotional but I had Saint Mike to hold my hand.

Being roused in post-op I felt drowsy and in pain but not nauseous and knew I was in good hands. By the time I got to the ward I just really needed to see my gorgeous husband....how people go through this without a loving partner is beyond me.

I'm on hourly obs so can't really go to sleep...I'm amusing myself by watching The Great Australian Bake Off and reading the many many messages from friends and family on Facebook and text.

I've also spoken to Oldest and Middle KAT and love that I am once again humbled by what beautiful and caring girls they are:)

Signing off now....thanks and love to all my friends and family who are getting their updates here!

The "C" Word

Last Tuesday I stumbled out of bed after Saint Mike and Oldest KAT had left for work and school respectively.

As is my usual route I made a bee-line for the kettle anticipating my morning caffeine hit. As I stood there I scratched my left armpit. In the process, my fingers grazed my boob. Cue the thought bubble "hmnnn what's that?" Followed hot on its heels by "When did that lump get there?".

As I sipped my coffee I contemplated succumbing to my natural instinct to catastophise and decided not to fight it! As soon as the doctor opened I called to make an appointment and 2 hours later was being reassured the lump was "mobile" and probably just a cyst. However erring on the side of caution my doctor recommended a mammogram and ultrasound.

Obediently I called and made the appointment for the Wednesday. Although I told Mike I went to the appointment on my own.

Having trawled Dr Google it didn't take more than one image of the lump in question for even my untrained eye to establish this wasn't a cyst we were looking at!

An hour and a half later I wished I had asked Mike to accompany me! It must be a prerequisite of being a radiologist that you possess a poker face....the two ladies who did the tests were impossible to break. Finally I was told that the doctor was on the phone to my GP and wanted to do a core needle biopsy on said lump. Cue tears. Copious amounts.

Enduring discomfort is part of the female DNA and I won't lie and say the experience was pleasant but I knew it was necessary. When I finally drove home I did so knowing it would be 36hrs before I knew the results.

36 hours is a long time to be in cancer limbo. Long enough to think through the worst scenarios your mind will entertain.

By Friday lunchtime I was at the GP with my Saint on earth riding shotgun. There was a delay with the GP. We went for coffee and I stared our the window tears in my eyes. An ominous feeling deep inside me. Proved accurate when we were finally ushered in.

The "C" word. Directed at me. The GP tried to be positive. At least it's breast cancer. Eminently treatable! I tried to take it in but the tears were flowing and I felt like I was having an out of body experience. Not talking to me! Yes. She is.

The rest of the day a blur. Straight home to get clothes for the girls. Beseeching neighbour and friend to take the girls then off to the hospital to see the surgeon.

This blog won't become a journal of my cancer journey....but I have to make a mark in the sand...I type this knowing I've already taken my first steps on a road I don't want to travel down. My only solace is that I do so with my wonderful family beside me and my friends supporting me.

 

 

 

Rescued Desk Reveal

Here she is in all her Scandinavian grey and turqoise glory!

I'm really pleased with how she's looking...once again paint brush therapy has made for a more relaxed and chilled mummy!

The little voice in my head still whispers "you're not doing a good enough job" but my gorgeous KATs and Saint Mike are there to tell me how impressed they are with my handiwork. Middle KAT has decided she will make a fab desk for her!!

An added benefit of this project was doing it up in the Ladyshed:) Peace and quiet up the back of the garden!

You will notice she is san handles? I am dithering...plain or something more jewel-like for this lovely lady...

What do you think?

Balancing the Bumps with the Blessings

2012 was a mixed bag for me. On an individual level it was a year of stumbling. I want to say failing but I've done enough years of cognitive behaviour therapy/mindfulness training to know that's not helpful self-talk.

I don't mention these stumbles to dwell on them, it's merely to document:

1. My history of yo-yo dieting continues...the "yo" rebounded with a bang - all weight lost in 2011 regained. Not enough words to convey the self-loathing that's ensued.
2. Work was sporadic, a few good months to be followed by a hiatus when the stair tumble occurred and my confidence is now so low that I feel anxious just thinking about the prospect of ever working again.
3. Like many men his age, Saint Mike has been struggling with a minor mid-life crisis. Fortunately as the amazingly resilient bloke that he is the impact has been confined to our intimacy suffering a few low points but with focused attention all is well in that garden:)
4. Illness and injury were a factor in 2012 for me and also for family members. Sadly the end of the year meant the loss of my brother-in-law, leaving behind twin girls our middle KATs age which breaks my heart. Added to this my lovely mother-in-law is being wracked by the relentless progression of Parkinson's and my heart is heavy with the burden this puts on her.

Fortunately these challenges are outweighed by the blessings of my beautiful KATs and Saint Mike along with the pleasure and respite that comes from having constant contact with my amazing siblings and their partners and children and my lovely friends near and far that fill my heart with love.

 

1. Oldest KAT graduated from primary school receiving the Dux of the school award. It was a wonderful moment. She is apprehensive about high school but that is to be expected:)
2. Middle KAT is our very own sporting prodigy....she made the rep teams in both basketball and netball and is a very promising swimmer to boot. Even better she has emerged from year 4 as guileless and effervescent as she entered.
3. Youngest KAT amazes us with her maturity and intelligence...she is truly the 3rd child. We went to the pool yesterday and she was distraught to be without her flippers which we had assumed SHE would pack! We both agreed that this is typical of the high expectations we have for her at 5 compared to the other two who would no sooner have even got their towels out than pack their own goggles and flippers!! She is off to big school next year and my heart is heavy to lose our special times together.

The dawn of a New Year this time round is not about resolutions and turning over any new leaf. It is about being thankful for the blessings and moments of joy that I was fortunate to have in 2012 and being hopeful that these will continue into 2013.

 

I love my family and I am grateful to have these blessings.

 

Staging an intervention on behalf of the Ladyshed

 

After a fair bit of dithering the Ladyshed now has a functional floor.

 

I say functional because it's not the "if money was no object" resolution that we want (that would involve a lovely recycled timber floor laid over the Yellowtongue).

 

 

 

See this face?  This is the face of a man who can dither, procrastinate, obfuscate with the best of the them!  I love him to death but he was truly driving me to distraction with his inability to "resolve" the floor issue.  He simply could not make up his mind.

 

Weeks ago when the faint sound of warning bells went off in my head I suggested painting the floor as a short term solution.  He gave me the "face".  Any of you with husbands will know the "face".  It's the expression that is meant to be a poker face but fleetingly expresses the mental thought bubble "in your imagination darling!!!!"

 

A few weeks passed.  The boy contents of the Ladyshed sat under a tarp outside whilst nothing much was happening on the interior.

 

Finally I decided that it was time for a Come To Jesus moment:)

 

In a pattern that has been repeated many times in this house I chose to stage this intervention once we'd gone to bed a couple of weeks ago. 

 

Righto, I said.  What.Are.We.Doing??????

 

Ummm

 

Aaaaghh

 

Hmmmmnnnnn

 

Saint Mike rehashed the sorry saga of his decision-making process regarding the floor.  I listened feigning understanding and patience.

 

Then I gently (it was an effort trust me) suggested that he allow me to paint the floor and see how it came up.......if he hated it then I would ride roughshod over his financial reserve (not an unusual sequence of events) and organize the recycled timber floor.

 

Cue the sound effects.  Saint Mike thankfully saw the light.

 

 

A trip to Bunnings later and having cleaned the Yellowtongue with some sugar soap I got started.

 

Two coats of Cabots later and my colour choice of "Mattock" (dodgy name, nice colour...sort of a putty tone which is fitting for a shed) was on.

 

I followed this with two coats of a Cabots water-based estapolly thingy (see very technical) and we have a somewhat shiny finish that is pleasing to my eye.

 

The verdict from Saint Mike?  He loves it.  So much so that he got his butt into gear on Sunday morning, whipped off to Bunnings for the fixings to make himself a manly workbench.

 

The skirting boards are in and painted and now so too is the re-used Elfa Storage System that used to be in the laundry.

 

 

 Next on the list is to purchase a lockable cabinet for the chemicals/paint tins etc to ensure that little fingers can't get into them.  I'm also finishing painting the windows and door reveals and then it's time to start working on the curtain to screen off all the boy stuff. 

It's truly a work in progress people!!!! 

What do you think??  Does the floor pass muster as an interum solution?

Folding Shelf Unveiled

 

Hello readers!

 

Well I'm nothing if not consistent so as with most DIY projects here at KATcapers I've kept you all in suspense with unveiling the finished product.  Sarah at A Beach Cottage I am not:)

 

In the case of my innovative use of an old louvre door as extra bench space in the laundry, it was my mum who enquired as to what had come of it.  So, with a minimum of pfoofing (so not a word in the Macquarie Dictionary but should be) here you go....the great unveiling!

 

A reminder of what it started out as...your basic louvre door, reclaimed from a local second hand building supplies joint

 

 

Here she is 'in situ' - note the clean toilet:)

 

As I outlined in the original post, I decided to just sand her back and give her a coat of clear varnish.  I like how she's come up with the grey undertone.  Think it looks good...don't burst my bubble peeps!

 

 

To protect little heads (and big peoples as well) I attached a hook to keep her in a safe upright position when she's not in use.

 

After umming and aahing about what to hang above her I went with one of my favourite prints courtesy of Janette at My Sweet Prints.

 

 

My shelf sits on a batten attached to the side of the laundry cabinets (thank you Saint Mike).  This is still to be painted...

 

The door was cut in half and then hinged to enable it to fold down.

 

My little shelf has already more than delivered on her promise.  She's a great place to put the laundry basket when folding is in progress and with five people in the house and therefore plenty of laundry, she's in use more often than she's not!

 

In case any of you are wondering, so far there's been no clean laundry dropped in the loo:)

 

So there you have it.  What do you think mum??

The LadyShed Update

Each time a blog post appears in my reader that has anything remotely to do with improving your blog or managing your blog I cringe.

 

I'm pretty sure that if there was a prize for the most disorganized, sporadic and unfocused blogger I'd win it hands down!

 

What I've realized is that I no longer care about new people finding my blog.  Hence I don't link to it on Twitter where I love to lurk, or Facebook where I don't ever mention KATcapers.

 

KATcapers is currently just the place my family and some friends go to keep abreast of what's happening in my world.  Fortunately there are also some followers who visit:) 

 

So.....whilst I may be the tardiest blogger this side of the Tropic of Capricorn I don't want to leave you all hanging forever on the topic of the LadyShed!!!!!

 

As you can see, she's coming along well although I've captured her midway through applying her make-up! Foundation is applied but her eyeliner is yet to be completed in the photo below:)

 

 

Screen in front of her will be relocated...still hate the sliding door but hey, it's a small price to pay!

 

Our lovely lady now has some outdoor lights, interior downlights, ceiling fan and assorted powerpoints.  This involved Saint Mike digging a trench from the house to the shed (approximately seven metres) that needed to be 600mm deep.  Like the trooper he is, he just set to and got it done so the electrician could lay the conduit.

Photo taken before second coat of foundation applied...so ignore the coloring outside the lines!

 

The exterior lights controlled from the house as well as inside the Lady Shed to add to her user friendliness.

 

Interior prior to the window reveal being put in place...another learning curve for SM

 

We have chosen to paint her in the same colours as the house - Dulux Calfskin for the cement sheeting and Dulux Natural White for the trim.  The roofing is Colourbond Woodland Grey.

 

 

We recently delivered a thank you present to our neighbor PK who has provided such invaluable support and mentoring for Saint Mike in the construction of the LadyShed.  He's a keen cyclist so a voucher for his bike store seemed appropriate. 

 

To thank his wife for being tolerant of his repeated absences on the other side of the neighborly divide (as well as the times she made lunch for the boys when I was a bit incapacitated due to kids/arm/taxi driving duties) we also got them a voucher for a lovely cafe/restaurant down at the beach for them to enjoy a well deserved meal together:)

 

More photos will be coming as we get the floor sorted and start fitting her out...but these should satisfy your curiousity for now.

 

In case "anonymous" is reading - Jason Moran anecdote is definitely on it's way!!!!

 

 

 

The Lady Shed Gets Some Clothes

I've decided a change of vernacular is in order over here at KATcapers to describe our lovely new addition.

Calling it the Sneaky Shed was starting to make me feel like we were on the run from the law!!

Instead I'm renaming her the Lady Shed.  I feel better already.

The Lady Shed is now officially clothed.  She is still lacking her undergarments (the insulation and the internal plasterboard) and her accessories are yet to be added (timber battens on the outside plus window reveals) but she's looking pretty promising.

The weather was very kind to Saint Mike and PK on the weekend and they managed to get the new window installed on Sunday morning and then spent the remainder of the day finishing off the cement sheeting.  I did my best impression of a happy homemaker and made them a yummy lunch of baguettes which I artfully wrapped in paper and then placed in a blue Nigella tin for them to consume at their leisure.

There is only one drawback to having PK help Saint Mike and that's his ability to say "No" to me!  I politely suggested that now that the window is installed I think the cross-ventilation could be improved by adding a small highlight window on the back wall.....PK shot this down and Saint Mike then delivered the bad news to me! 

Never mind.  On the plus side Saint Mike is being quite charitable (or perhaps just his usual pragmatic self) in accepting that I have designs on this space to flex my decorating muscle and create a lovely retreat with the Lady Shed and that as soon as PK is back on his side of the neighbor divide I'll get my way on other things!!!!

For example, in return for accepting that deficiencies in cross-ventilation I have kindly offered to accommodate his "tools" and shed-type paraphernalia in an organized manner befitting my control enthusiast tendencies.  Yes, he's getting the far wall for his shelving/work-space (see below picture)

It's just a minor detail that this was ever supposed to be a shed replacement:)) I will be pedalling furiously on the Singer to sew up a nice curtain that will screen off his blokey "stuff" when the Lady Shed is being used for it's retreat-like purposes.  There is no way I'm going to staring at a wall full of boy-stuff when I'm zoning out up there with a cup of tea (or a glass of wine!)

I was planning on doing something like this one that Chez Larsson did in her basement:

As an alternative, I could do something similar to these curtains that used to hang in the Lee Matthews store in Mosman (before it relocated up the street and the curtains were banished to the back stockroom).

I love the patchworky nature of it - natural but quirky.  This is different to the Chez Larsson option though as it's a tab curtain.  Given that the Lady Shed has a raked ceiling this would mean I could (when I say "I" it probably means Mike) put up a curtain rod hung from the ceiling to string it along.  The more I think about it the more I like this option...I could have some fun with the curtain ties that attach to the rod:)

I have actually made a tab curtain once before...in our old apartment for the french doors that led out to our communal courtyard.

I'd like to think my sewing skills have improved since 2006.  Hmmmm we shall see:)

In the meantime, I'm admiring the Lady Shed in her partially clothed form and feeling very favourably inclined towards my clever husband!

Any thoughts, suggestions on the curtain options??

Operation Bench Space

With Saint Mike busily working on getting the lady shed fully clothed, I have decided to focus on my own DIY activity this weekend.

It's a DIY project that I've code-named "Operation Bench-Space".  Our newly renovated laundry is abundant in bench space compared to our previous laundry.  You see we were coming from a very low base - we had zero bench space.  If the urge ever possessed me to fold laundry it had to be done on the top of the dryer (yes I still own one!!) or removed to the lounge room or elsewhere in the house.

The laundry when we bought the house...not a selling feature!

Our laundry makeover needed to accommodate the basics (washer/dryer/sink/storage) as well as the 'Holy Grail' for a house of five people - a second loo!!

Bench space and a loo...heaven!

I am loathe to look the bench-space gift horse in the mouth, but our post-reno laundry could still do with a little bit more as our house seems to exist in a terminal state of over-flowing laundry baskets...and those suckers are taking up valuable real estate on my new bench!!

Operation Bench Space has been bouncing around in my head for a couple of months now and although I haven't gone so far as to have a mood board or anything that would indicate a level of organization and planning, I have certainly have numerous ideas percolating about it.  There's a couple of things that needed to be taken into consideration:

1. However I designed the bench it needs to be a 'fold-down' type of arrangement as it's going to be situated above the loo that's saved our sanity.
2.  The flat-pack cupboards that we went with for budget reasons are a bit on the blah side and the shelf therefore needs a bit of oomph:)

Trawling Pinterest I came across this image of a shelf made using an old shutter...

This beauty is from here

I don't normally embrace the shabby chic thing when it comes to decor, but I can take it in small doses.

I like the aged patina of the shutter and the iron brackets...it definitely got me thinking that I could incorporate a shutter into Operation Bench Space.

Our lovely neighbor PK who has been Mike's mentor and general whizz with all things 'handyman' had mentioned a recycled building materials place in our general locale, so I went on a bit of a treasure hunt to see what I could turn up that would fit my vague specifications.

This place is a treasure trove if you're into the re-use/re-cycle concept. Twenty dollars later I had scored me a louvred door that was just the right size for my project.

Now I realise this whole project may have some of you scratching your heads wondering what the hell I'm thinking...but each to our own!  My door was in desperate need of a good clean.  Who knows how many years it had sat in the shed at this place before I rescued it!! 

Out came the rubber gloves and the scrubbing brush...off came the dust, dirt and grime!

I also removed the old hinges and the old door knob and got out my trusty palm sander ready for the next stage.

In the interests of retaining some of the patina of the door I decided not to repaint it, just to sand it back and give it a coat of Porters Clearcote to freshen it up a bit.

Sanding it has taken off a nice bit of paint so it's got that 'not new' look happening.....I'm hoping it's a nice counter point to the blahness of the flat pack cabinets!!!

The next job will be to cut the door in half lengthways as I only need one half for my drop down bench...the other half will sit in line with the upper laundry cabinets above the fold-down bench as a permanent shelf (hard to explain but I will show you 'after' shots when it's done.

Saint Mike is going to help me with fixing battens to the wall and side of the existing bench and put hinges on the end of the door so it folds down.

In the meantime, the freshed up door is waiting for the next stage of Operation Bench Space.