Two steps forward???

The plan was to write a post today about Spring and renewal and starting new projects.  But I am not feeling very Spring like at the moment.   It is to freaking cold out!  Actually today was not too cold, but tomorrow is the first day of Spring and they are calling for snow showers.  Just get warm already.  I am ready to get back to work on this house.   The last couple projects, one planned, one not planned were completed before the cold set in.  One of them really did a lot to lift my spirits the other smacked those newly elevated spirits right into the ground.

But let's start with the happy path. . . My front porch has developed a fairly large hole around a rotted out gutter pipe.  I had asked my ex repeatedly what it would cost to get the materials to fix it and about how long it would take him to do it.  He never did tell me.  I think he was trying to figure out how much he was going to charge me in labor.  Note: we were still married at that time.  The more I asked about it, the lower it got on his priority list.  Either that or he had fallen in love with the family of birds that had taken up residence in the now badly rotted out porch ceiling.  So it was one of the myriad project that just never got done. That was going to change!  I hired a contractor, you know one that was licensed, insured, bonded, etc., to fix it!  It probably was not the  the best choice of fixing first, but it made me feel so much better!!!  It really was an outward, visible sign that things were going to start getting done!  And to top it off. . . I now have a porch light!

Then the not so happy path. . .

I was seriously thinking about converting to gas from oil heat.  I had a family friend (who was in the HVAC business for many years) to com and look to see what I would need to convert.  While down in the basement was noticed that water was seeping through the stone foundation wall on the front of the house.   We went out side and there was water bubbling up from the ground next to the house.  The pipe that went from the main to the house has sprung a leak and needed to be fixed.  Next thing I know there is a hole in the front yard and another in my savings account.  The good thing is that now I won't have to replace that pipe for 80 years!!

Next, I am going to get the roof and chimney fixed and start on restoring and shoring up the dormers.   Other project on the Spring Agenda:

• small deck out the back door
• move the washer and dryer back downstairs
• paint and decorate Morgan's room
• Fix a few more dormers
• Get the veggie garden tilled an cold crops put in the ground.
• Continue cleaning out back yard.

So much to do. . . come on Spring!!

Aren't you embarrassed??

One night, recently, while having a lovely dinner out with my daughter and my ex-in-laws, my former mother-in-law leans over and whispers in my ear "aren't you embarrassed to have people over to your house with it looking like that?"  Taken a bit aback, I nonetheless quickly answered, "NO."

Now understand my house is a complete wreck.  And I don't exaggerate.  No need.  The house speaks for itself.  There is not one room (well, maybe the foyer) that is not in some way torn apart or in some stage of construction.  My ex, before he left, started projects in every room in the house, including the attic and basement, that he never finished.  He literally could not finish ANYTHING he started.  There was always some bigger "design" that he had in mind and he was just starting all the pieces that would just someday "majically" fit together (if I would give him $$ so he could get started).  It was not uncommon for me to come home to a wall being knocked out.  Now if the walls would have gone back up, and or if he had actually finished what he was doing, it would have been ok.  But I am not so lucky!

So now that he is gone, it's a damn good thing I like puzzles. .  My house is kind of like a giant puzzle that I am slowing putting together.  First the outside and structural issues and then the inside and more cosmetic and decorative pieces will fall into place.

AND, NO, I am not embarrassed.  No need.  For starters, I did not tear the house up.  I will put it back together, however.  And I will not use my perpetually-in-a-state of construction house as an excuse to not entertain.  Then he (the ex) will have won.  Anyone who comes to my home knows why my house looks like it does, and if they don't like it, they can leave.