So, we have some very familiar morning routines around here. Get up, get coffee, make the cats a snack. There’s also scooping boxes and letting our two oldest cats go on “walkabout” outside. Except… well, the deck is gone. G.O.N.E., finally-tore-it-down, GONE. Even the former posts which were cemented into the ground have been removed.Continue reading “Morning routines.”
Tag Archives: renovation
Turn signals.
This little family is making that turn towards home. You know the route, right? It’s been a long trip and you’re tired. The car smells of old food and a little sweat, and you stopped caring three stops ago about keeping things organized or clean. Instead, in a fatigue-driven sense of exasperation, you just decided,Continue reading “Turn signals.”
Power outage…
The lights, the internet and even the air conditioning just went off. Yep, it’s a good old-fashioned power outage. Outside, there is literally not a leaf moving and it’s that white/gray kind of overcast that feels almost oppressive. If I could check the weather radar, I’m sure I would see storms in the area. IContinue reading “Power outage…”
The house can breathe.
At around 4 p.m. Saturday something monumental happened. The last baseboard was nailed into place, with nail holes puttied and paint touched up. We had finally done the “floors, doors and trim” project, which included installing ¾-inch rock maple floors, new interior doors and baseboard trim. We still have to install the top crown moldingsContinue reading “The house can breathe.”
The first and the last day…
Today is the last day of my three-month sabbatical and the first day of the new year. There is a certain synergy and vibe to it. It has been a fabulous three months in which I really feel like I got our home life back together and re-centered my soul to boot. But now? Now,Continue reading “The first and the last day…”
Thirty pieces of trim and ten crowns.
We literally have just 30 pieces of trim and ten crowns to put into place. Sound like a lot? Well, we started with over 50 pieces of trim… and hardwood floors to lay, door openings to raise, seven doors to replace plus all of the door trim. And all of that was after finishing theContinue reading “Thirty pieces of trim and ten crowns.”
Getting ready for the final push…
So, the holidays don’t just signal the most wonderful time of the year. This year, they also signify what I hope will be the end of the end of interior renovations. Truth be told, there are enough dribs and drabs that need to be completed and enough projects that will run consecutively that I’m notContinue reading “Getting ready for the final push…”
It wasn’t on the list…
If you know me, you know that my life is driven by lists. I’ve got a whole excel folder full of them. I also have legal pads scattered around full of lists. I even use the notes function on my phone to make lists, particularly daily to-do tasks or grocery runs. The work we didContinue reading “It wasn’t on the list…”
Wait. What?! (Another renovation saga)
So in the past two days, we’ve had two contractors at the house. What?! I thought renovations were done for the summer? Well, yes and no. Here’s the deal: we found carpenter ants by the old decrepit back deck. It appears that Mother Nature – or more accurately – a horde of ants has decidedContinue reading “Wait. What?! (Another renovation saga)”
Tales from the renovation crypt
Now that the house and yard are nearly done from a whole-property, gut-job renovation, it feels like a good time to take a pause and think about the past – ahem – almost 10 years and what we’ve learned from nearly a decade of renovation. But to start, I will say this: while I absolutelyContinue reading “Tales from the renovation crypt”
The Yuppie Homesteader 