Time to update

Well, now that we're done moving in, catching the dripping water from the ceiling, installing a new shingle roof, installing a new high efficiency boiler/water heater, serving papers on the previous owner and my home inspector, winning the case, paying mom & dad back for the boiler, installing additional insulation throughout, adding gutters, removing a dangerous tree, demolishing the faux rock wall behind the woodstove, selling the woodstove, painting the family room (twice, no less), installing 10 new operable windows, getting the previous rat-nest of a yard nice and neat looking, installing a nice planter box in front, it's time to:

Paint the kitchen
Paint the dining room
Paint the downstairs hallway and bathroom
Replace the berber carpet
Add lighting
Make new curtains and roman shades
Install a driveway
Replace the garage doors
Replace the front door
Deal with foundation issues
Replace the siding
Replace the remaining windows

So stay tuned...

Settled In for Winter

Cindy's 28th birthday is tomorrow (Sunday), but we're having a small party tonight, complete with pizza and a movie. Nothing too exciting, kinda low-key. But that's sort of the point. With all of the moving in and all of the problems we've been having with various things around the house, this is what we chose.

So, that pretty much meanS that today, pre-party, is cleaning day, which also means that it's a good time to take some pictures of how the carpet and paint finally turned out. So, here they are, before and after shots!

Free iPod Photo

Just a quick note. Help me get a free iPod Photo (and you as well)! Just go here:

http://www.freephotoiPods.com/?r=11692645

and complete an offer. Personally, I did the Blockbuster one, but the offers change throughout the day. People do actually get these things, so help me out. I want a new toy for xmas!

Morkmer, the kitten graces us with his presence

On September 24, we got the good news we had been waiting for. The kitten who had lived next door to us at the Glacier St. residence for the last year or so was going to move in with us. His owner simply never had time to devote to him, and so just before we vacated the apartment, I asked him if we could have him. We were always taking care of him as it was, as his owner was frequently out of town.

He's having a heck of a good time here. Among his favorite things are:

1. His treehouse perch

2. Food
3. Krinkle Ball (I'll try to get a picture)

This cat is so much fun. He loves everything. He loves cheddar cheese and spicy hamburger meat. He loves being pet backwards. He loves chasing paper balls and nerf toys up and down the stairs. The only thing he doesn't seem to enjoy are tomatoes. They make him run in the opposite direction.

Today is Halloween, and we'll have to lock him in an upstairs bedroom so he doesn't sneak outside when the front door is opened. I'm sure he'll love that too.

Unpacking, slowly

I've got a kitchen, now. Actually, I suppose if I were to be fair about things, I'd say that Neil's got kitchen, now, as he typically is the family cook.

We've also got a dining nook, and the better part of a living room. Neil's nearly put his office together, and I've unpacked my books.

My craft room is a disaster area, but I suppose that's to be expected.

Current projects on the near horizon:

- getting the vinyl tile & ugly paneling off the upstairs bathroom walls
- painting my dresser white
- setting up my computer

Before I can do that, though, I need to get my major work projects out of the way. Pah. Seems hardly fair.

Making Changes

The new carpet is in and installed, upstairs. It makes the old berber look pretty shabby, by comparison. Neil's dad is working on shampooing it clean(er).

The paint colors we chose look absolutely stunning with their respective carpets, although Neil and I both agree that we like the final results in the brown (guest/exercise/office) room than the yellow (master bedroom) room. However, once we get our mostly-sage-green bedding into the yellow room, I think the total effect will be quite pleasant. Just add one oatmeal-colored tabby and we'll be good to go!

The glossy white trim really, really sets off the colors, too. Perks up the room quite a bit, too. (Hoping to get photos taken & posted, soon, but life has been hectic, recently.)

I'm currently having an internal debate on what color to paint the hall between the two rooms & the wall along the stairs leading up to that hallway. I'm not sure whether I want our bright, true white-of-choice; a pale, icy blue to offset the yellow at the end of the hall; or a pale coral (which may be a poor choice immediately outside a bathroom with lavendar fixtures).

No matter. We won't be tackling that project right away, anyway.

In other (not-so-good) new, we need a new roof. We are none too thrilled with this development, as one might expect, but we'll get through this, I'm sure.

Moving day is this Saturday. Yay!

Scoundrels, Saturdays and Cleaning

Finally took actual possession on August 25, 2004. The sellers did a pretty lousy job of cleaning. The bathrooms were okay, but everything else was a mess. They left junk out at the curb (and $20 to pay for getting rid of it). They burned documents in the woodburning stove just prior to vacating. The left charred paper on the floor around the stove. The windows are filthy. The carpet that we're not replacing is filthy. It smells of smoke in there. Saturdays are for cleaning and preparing for paint!







Met the neighbor across the street. His name is Leon. Seems like a pretty nice guy. His wife's name is Connie. According to him, the sellers used to burn just about anything in the wood stove. That didn't do much good for his wife's breathing difficulties.

Notice how that awful giant tiled mirror is now gone. That's Mom using a putty knife to remove the double-sided foam tape from the wall. On Sunday, we got the two upstairs bedrooms all covered with primer. We'll be ready to finish the job when we return from our trip to Washington/Oregon! Then maybe the carpet can arrive...

Other things to worry about: Heavy rains a few days ago showed up as a ceiling leak in the family room. Gotta get someone to look at that. Also, I'm already sick of the big tree in the middle of the driveway. That's gotta go. Hello pavement.