Star Gazing

A recent conjunction of two planets and the crescent moon at twilight from my porch.

Neighbor's fire

My neighbors were about to move back to their house when a fire broke out. Since they weren't in it no one was hurt but the house was destroyed.

The volunteer fire department support set up in my yard. Since it was cold I made coffee and ran out power to them. The Red Cross set up at my place as well. I got to see the forms we learned about in the last class get filled out.

I was looking forward to having more neighbors. Hopefully they'll rebuild and be out here soon.

New Finish

What a difference a little finish makes! The old wood floor was looking a bit sad but still way better than the old orange and gold carpet. Trick was finding something that would work with the old finish. I'm happy.

New door

The siding is all up. Here it is with new door on.

Out building

This little building I'm just using for storage now but could be another guest room if I need it. It will need a "little" work inside before being habitable.

The siding was very weathered and had curled so much of it had to be ripped off and replaced before the new siding went on. I put a new window in the back and cleaned up the one in the front. I also replaced the door and added a storm door.

It had been used as a bedroom by the previous owner. I threw out the carpeting that was in it and the wooden floor is solid and will do for now.

Garage doors

The old garage doors had been driven in to by the previous owner and were pretty bad shape. Remodeling had to happen as the opening needed another foot or two in height so the new doors could roll up and in. It might have been okay for a car but wouldn't work for the pickup.

Still not sure what color I'm going to paint the house and so went pretty neutral on the doors. After going up I realized I'd gotten almost the same color as the old ones. This was before the new siding went on.

Siding

Correction: The siding is 8" not 12" and it looks great on the house. Now it needs to be put on the garage and out-building. That had to wait till more got done in the house.

HardiPlank Siding

They started the siding. After a number of ideas of what to use it ended up a 12" horizontal rough cedar look.
First the 1"x4" trim went up and then the siding, starting slowly 'cause the first course is important to get right.
I haven't decided what color to paint it. When I was going to use wood I was just going to stain it. Actually the primer color looks pretty. Maybe I'll go with a light grey. Of course I hear the mud daubers avoid light blue so that might be a plan. I'll have to investigate whether that's just a tale.
What they've done sure looks good so far.

Mowing the lawn

I mowed the lawn for the first time. Amazing what a difference a trim can make. It wasn't that long really but it sure looks nicer now.

Central Air

The house had a large broken window air unit in the front room and a small one in the kitchen window when I got it. Aside from being ugly, they also blocked a lot of light from the room. I had central air installed. Another "2 days" estimate. It only took 4 so it wasn't too bad and these guys cleaned up after themselves.
They also offered to come back after their next j0b, already lined up, was done and if the job left unfinished by someone else (some sheetrocking) hadn't been completed they said they could and would do it. Isn't that nice! Well, whoever does it I plan to watch and learn. Maybe I'll just do the rest of the rooms myself...

Patio doors

I was looking at replacements for the sliding patio doors on the east side of the house. They were a bit sticky. When the fellow fixed the floor he found there had been some settling and compensated. Now my doors slide just fine, thank you.

Blinds again

Well, I have learned, two 46" blinds fill a 91" window. Try getting two standard blind sizes to come up to 91! And when I did, they were an inch short. Now for the last two 91" windows.

Flooring and Termite Damage

I knew there was termite damage on the east side of the house but couldn't get to it till the previous owners got their stuff out. That's another story. Now that the room was emptied recently I got someone in to tear up the floor and replace the structural damage with treated lumber and I just had them just replace the damaged flooring that had been under the carpet with plywood. I'll put a floating laminate in that room. Too much damage to the original floor I to make it worth the trouble trying to patch.
The damage was pretty much to the extent the exterminator had said and it's been enough time, he used a slow release product, that all the little critters were gone. A little more work will have to be done in the next room but it shouldn't be much.

The wood floor under the carpet is in really pretty good shape, except for the half eaten stuff of course. I've been hesitant to rip up and find out what was under the orange and gold sculptured stuff that covers all but the bathroom, till I was ready to do the drastic things that might be needed. The fellow cut the carpet into manageable pieces as he tore it out of the east room. I hadn't thought of that. Once he was finished (and it took part of one day, he said might be three, finally, something else done fast) I went to work and started cutting pieces of carpet out of the main room. Just a bit at a time and it looks great. I'm taking off the tack strips and staples from the padding and cleaning as I go. I'm liking what I find and the whole place doesn't need to be turned upside down all at once to do it. So, I'll be working on that, a manageable bit at a time.

Bathroom Tile

Seems someone doesn't understand why I'd have a problem with my only tub being tied up for almost 3 weeks. It looks nice, finish work still needs to be done. I have learned.

Blinds

I've been putting up blinds. Boring but time consuming. Especially when you haven't the right sizes.

Also getting the garage cleaned up.

Hopefully, tile starts tomorrow.

Valentine

The electrician came back to work on the garage. He'd cut all power to it since it was pretty scary with the wires hanging in the air disintegrating. The garage is it's own story. When I got it, it was at least knee deep in garbage. These folks never threw a box away it seems. Or old parts. I cleared paths to get to where light switches and outlet boxes were to go and he went to work.

One thing I found was some old barbed wire. I couldn't resist. I made myself a Valentine heart out of a piece. It's now hanging in the livingroom.

Happy Valentine's day.

Onions

The pansies I planted in a container are doing fine along with the holly and ivy. Couldn't resist the onion sets at the local grocery store. They're in the ground and look pretty cheerful. It's a start. No need to be bored, there's always something else to do.

The Roof, part 2

The roofer returned to check out the leak. He didn't even go in the attic. He looked around on top and said the water had come in from the chimney and he tarred it. Well, it was uphill from the leak the electrician found.
During the night there was a heavy rain. This morning I figured I'd better go take a look to see if there was any evidence of wetness. It wasn't easy to climb up into and around the attic space but it had to be done, right? I was thinking it wasn't fun but a good thing I looked since I found no water, when I heard the pitter-patter of tiny feet. I'd only examined a portion of the roof, where the leak had been reported, but I'd seen enough. Fast as I could I was out of there. After throwing my clothes in the wash, insulation is so itchy, and washing my hands it dawned on me that 'them that had worked in my attic' had all reported no sign of rodents. On the other hand I had seen many a squirrel on the roof and in the trees close by. Go back up and check the rest? I don't think so.
But then the air conditioning guys showed up anyway.

Mo

Tile

A neighbor dropped by with the tile splitter and got me lined up for my first row of tile. I haven't done this before. Still trying to clean up from the electritian but excited to start on the tub surround.

Mo

The Electrical

The electrician finally started. Month or so late but he did have a very good excuse. And though it held things up a bit I got a better idea of what was needed where, I think.

He said he'd have to cause a lot of damage to rewire the whole old house. He's almost done inside and I have to say it's not anywhere as bad as I had imagined. To the house that is, to the checkbook is another matter...

Comparing the little bit of plumbing by a 'handy man guy' and the work by the 'real electrician' I think I'll stick with the 'real' guys.

Mo

The roof.

The roofers said it would take 2 days. It was at least a week. They cleaned up most of the crap from the tear off but didn't quite get around to cleaning up the nails. They finally dropped off a magnet on a stick. I've found at least a hundred roofing nails, many where my company parks.

But, it is pretty.

Of course we had a heavy, short rain, recently. It leaked.