Renovations can be tackled 2 ways:
1) Pay through the nose and hire a professional to get it done completely and quickly.
2) Do it on your own, when you have the time and when you have the money.
Obviously, with my frugal personality, I have generally chosen Option B. And that's why, after 2 years in this house, the baseboard trim and window casings and interior doors are still not painted. We managed to paint the exterior of our home last summer (JUST before the rain came back) but the exterior trim was left as the peeling, faded brown until we could get back around to it.
Inside, I'd finally had enough of looking at the old, dark door casings, so I have primed them at last! It looks like streaky primer, but already so much brighter! You would be amazed how much nicotine leeched through the primer (its a good thing I invested in the stain-blocking "kilz" primer).
Also, very exciting, the double french doors between the front room and the kitchen are now painted! It was fiddly and stressful painting all the little ridges and grooves around the 30 glass panels, but worth it to have the glorious feeling of FINALLY removing the glass-protecting plastic! Hooray! Bright and actually finished looking!
I guess my inside work inspired some outside work too, hubby hired our teen to scrape and wash the exterior facia and posts. Then we went out and scored a big bucket of professional quality exterior paint that was a miss-tint and close enough to the colour that we wanted that we couldn't pass up the great price! (FRUGAL HINT: Always check the miss-tint section before buying paint. Much less expensive, and often I find an upgrade in paint quality too.)
It's miserably hot weather for painting, but it's the perfect dry humidity for good adhesion, so out we go, and it's looking SO much better! We are doing one side of the house at a time... front first :)
Whomever painted the trim last time was very sloppy. Drips below and dabs up in the soffit. I never know what to do about that. I painted carefully and straight and but then there is the ugly brown still there in blobs and smudges. Maybe I have to find some white metal paint for the soffits, but I suspect that would open up a whole host more work! So I will try to live with it for a while.
All in all, the progress feels great. With every brush stroke the house looks more finished. It makes me wonder why I waited so long to do it. Oh ya, I hate sanding! (shiver) the sensation is so very 'abrasive' on my nerves. Thats why I'm doing the non-sanding areas first LOL.
On a different note, the garden is a wild jungle of yummy veggies! Seriously overgrown and challenging to harvest, with excellent yields. Everyone who comes to visit gets a complimentary zucchini and some fresh beans to snack on while they visit. :)
Showing posts with label house and home;. Show all posts
Showing posts with label house and home;. Show all posts
8.05.2014
8.04.2014
Cluck Cluck Cluckity Cluck Cluck
(translation: "Nice to meet you")
My sister in law is moving (the house they were renting sold out from under them) and the selection in their town is VERY limited. The only place that was even close to what they need allows NO PETS OF ANY KIND. A sad day for the 3 kids as they are scrambling to find homes for the cat, dog and 17 hens, a rooster and 4 new chicks.
Since a few of our hens are mostly past laying age, we said we would adopt a few of theirs. The stopped by last night with 4 large hens and a tiny bantam hen. Well that puts us WAAAAAY over our coop's limit, so I posted on-line for 3 free hens. The response was incredible! We chose a casual hobby farm just outside of town. They have 30+ chickens of all shapes and sizes, ducks, geese, turkeys, goats and even a couple piglets! She said she doesn't mind keeping old hens because she gets more than enough eggs and they have work to do clearing her field for a future veggie garden and keeping pest off the apple trees. They are not only free range, all the different species are together as they please all over the lot. I brought our 3 least productive hens (made me a bit weepy since one of them is my favourite hen-friend (the bottom one on the picture), Cami was very sad packing them up too, but he ended up happy with the farm.
So we left them there. Angel, Penny (top left) and Stripes. We hope they are happy on their new farm.
The new-to-us chickens are still getting their bearings. They are all in their prime laying age, so they might actually be able to keep up with our appetite for eggs! One is downright feisty and instantly tried to assert dominance over the whole flock (bloody beaks and combs all over the place). But 18 hours later she seems to be calming down. I guess they need to figure out their pecking order, right?
Introducing the new members of the flock:
"Puffy Cheeks" soon to be re-named "Toast"
"Arwen" Ya, she's keeping that name!
"Stripe II" soon to be renamed "Oreo" (big bird upper left) and the little birdy to the right is actually an adult chicken named "Penny" or "Little Penny"
and this black, camera-shy one is "Lucy" but the kids want to rename her "Maleficient" because of her black feathers and her comb that looks slightly like horns
There you have it. I will miss our originals, but look forward to getting to know these new hens. I can already tell that Toast and Arwen will be sweeties.
3.25.2014
photo book
New photo book!
This one is of the home renovations started waaaay back in July 2012. Finally got around to the book making part!
This one is of the home renovations started waaaay back in July 2012. Finally got around to the book making part!
12.11.2013
The annual hunt
We love going to the "wild woods" of the tree farm. Hunting for the perfect tree... the one that speaks to us all. And in weather like we had last weekend it was a WONDERFUL experience! Crisp and bright, all the trees standing tall and sparkly... it was fun.
There it is on the right.... the tallest one in this field.
It filled the whole box of the truck!
Shocking, it looks very tall on the back patio
Good thing we have vaulted ceilings!
Ta-da! It's a good one for sure!
7.12.2013
365 days
It's been one year since we got possession of this, our 3rd home.
It was stressful, it was expensive and it was a LOT of work to get to this point, but I still believe this was a good move for us. The floor plan is terrific, the yard is amazing and it's potential hasn't even been reached yet.
It was stinky, dirty, extremely dated and 1/2 torn apart inside, but that couldn't hide how wonderful it could be with some scrubbing, painting and updating. Oh ya it's nice now if I do say so myself.
When I think back to the other house, I do get wistful about the intimate spaces and BRIGHTNESS of it with the white framed, ample windows, and the southern exposure... I also feel a little guilty about leaving a house that was within a few years of being paid off... then again, I'm not romantically delusional about the old house's shortcomings. The rooms were small, things that I loved never fit properly. The driveway was STEEP and the yard was tiny. The brightness that I loved came with a price -- HOT summers. And maybe I could have lived with all that (I did for 13 years after all) but the worst part was that crazy neighbour, she wasn't just threatening me or my husband, but the kids too. A real whackadoo.
This place is better.
365 days we have owned it now. It's home. Our home, noisy road and all (no we haven't "got used to it" like so many people have told us we would).
It was stressful, it was expensive and it was a LOT of work to get to this point, but I still believe this was a good move for us. The floor plan is terrific, the yard is amazing and it's potential hasn't even been reached yet.
It was stinky, dirty, extremely dated and 1/2 torn apart inside, but that couldn't hide how wonderful it could be with some scrubbing, painting and updating. Oh ya it's nice now if I do say so myself.
When I think back to the other house, I do get wistful about the intimate spaces and BRIGHTNESS of it with the white framed, ample windows, and the southern exposure... I also feel a little guilty about leaving a house that was within a few years of being paid off... then again, I'm not romantically delusional about the old house's shortcomings. The rooms were small, things that I loved never fit properly. The driveway was STEEP and the yard was tiny. The brightness that I loved came with a price -- HOT summers. And maybe I could have lived with all that (I did for 13 years after all) but the worst part was that crazy neighbour, she wasn't just threatening me or my husband, but the kids too. A real whackadoo.
This place is better.
365 days we have owned it now. It's home. Our home, noisy road and all (no we haven't "got used to it" like so many people have told us we would).
Bad Dog
We came home to the recycling all over the yard. So T buried him in the bits of plastic and cardboard and made him "stay" for 1/2 hour.
I know Max is doing it to "punish" us for leaving him behind, he gets into in MINUTES of us leaving... Perhaps he thinks getting in trouble is worth it?
It's annoying that's for sure.
5.24.2013
Cold Cruel Facts
I did something I loathe today... I added up the expenses, I subtracted the income and I felt my blood run cold at the results.
My income and expenses are so close they squeak. I guess that is waaaaay better than finding out they AREN'T close (think red), but still I was hoping I had more wiggle room than I do.
My inner dialogue is playing good cop bad cop inside my stomach right now....
"You idiot! How could you be so careless! Now you are going to have to buckle down and work harder girl!" one side says, then, "Hey now, don't be so hard on yourself! In your expenses you have included savings for long term, short term and a little extra for the mortgage once a year" my other side sooths
Its not fun being of 2 minds about so many things. Diet, Exercise, Housekeeping, Career, Parenting, Money. I come down hard on myself for not giving it 100% and then get lazy again with the placating phrase "It could be worse".
The good news is that with very little effort my budget could look better. A few more billable hours (not always within my control) and a few less trips out for lunch with my sister (definitely within my control) would make a world of difference. The important thing is that I know where I stand RIGHT NOW and that knowledge is power.
The bad news is that the numbers I was working from are from 2012, the reason that is bad is because of the gigantic, unusual expense of selling, buying and renovating. Also, while in the midst of the sale/move/reno I didn't get a whole lot of income. I tried to ignore all of the really specific expenses/income that relate to the transaction.... as a result I am not happy with the thoroughness of the numbers.
What did I learn from all this?
- We spend a crap load on vehicles (running, insuring, repairing)
- My kids go through clothes/shoes/food at an alarming rate
- Vet bills are devastating when budgeting
- Braces are devastating when budgeting too
- I won't be updating my work computer as soon as I was hoping to.
My income and expenses are so close they squeak. I guess that is waaaaay better than finding out they AREN'T close (think red), but still I was hoping I had more wiggle room than I do.
My inner dialogue is playing good cop bad cop inside my stomach right now....
"You idiot! How could you be so careless! Now you are going to have to buckle down and work harder girl!" one side says, then, "Hey now, don't be so hard on yourself! In your expenses you have included savings for long term, short term and a little extra for the mortgage once a year" my other side sooths
Its not fun being of 2 minds about so many things. Diet, Exercise, Housekeeping, Career, Parenting, Money. I come down hard on myself for not giving it 100% and then get lazy again with the placating phrase "It could be worse".
The good news is that with very little effort my budget could look better. A few more billable hours (not always within my control) and a few less trips out for lunch with my sister (definitely within my control) would make a world of difference. The important thing is that I know where I stand RIGHT NOW and that knowledge is power.
The bad news is that the numbers I was working from are from 2012, the reason that is bad is because of the gigantic, unusual expense of selling, buying and renovating. Also, while in the midst of the sale/move/reno I didn't get a whole lot of income. I tried to ignore all of the really specific expenses/income that relate to the transaction.... as a result I am not happy with the thoroughness of the numbers.
What did I learn from all this?
- We spend a crap load on vehicles (running, insuring, repairing)
- My kids go through clothes/shoes/food at an alarming rate
- Vet bills are devastating when budgeting
- Braces are devastating when budgeting too
- I won't be updating my work computer as soon as I was hoping to.
4.14.2013
More or Less Resolution Update
Back in January, I posted a resolution of sorts... more or less
Here are my sucess stories!
MORE; more reading, more billable hours, more whole foods, more walks, yoga, more time outside, more time for friends,
and one that I hadn't listed: MORE FORAGED FOODS!
LESS; less fructose, less processed foods, less shopping, less food hoarding, less chaos
I haven't given up on the other things on the list, not at all. That's the great part about a more or less list, its flexible in deadline and degrees of success.
**** A BIG THANK YOU TO J&J FOR SPENDING ALL DAY WITH ME YESTERDAY. IT WAS FUN AND VERY PRODUCTIVE! ****
Here are my sucess stories!
MORE; more reading, more billable hours, more whole foods, more walks, yoga, more time outside, more time for friends,
and one that I hadn't listed: MORE FORAGED FOODS!
LESS; less fructose, less processed foods, less shopping, less food hoarding, less chaos
I haven't given up on the other things on the list, not at all. That's the great part about a more or less list, its flexible in deadline and degrees of success.
**** A BIG THANK YOU TO J&J FOR SPENDING ALL DAY WITH ME YESTERDAY. IT WAS FUN AND VERY PRODUCTIVE! ****
3.19.2013
Spring Optimism
The days are getting longer, the sun actually touches my house now and I am feeling enthusiastic about the garden. In fact I have to reign myself in so I don't go planting things too tender to survive the sometimes frosty mornings.
But a splash of colour with primulas is a safe investment!!!
I even spent several hours digging out sod and transplanting bulbs to make this feature spot in the back (viewable by all the back windows)
The sun is welcome here, very very welcome to warm my bones.
Speaking of bones, I had the big check-up this morning; the good news is that I am in good shape for a 41 year old. A minor iron deficiency (which is causing 90% of my complaints) and easily correctable cholesterol elevation otherwise I'm in great shape to be as healthy as can be. My weight/height and waist/hip ratios are low risk, my thyroid is awesome, my diabetes risk is practically non-existent and my blood pressure is text-book perfect! All the other tiny annoyances are simply symptoms of being over 40, but you know what, if that's normal aging I'm okay with it. I'm not sick! That feels so very very good that I forgive my body for being tired and slower than it used to be.
The only thing that could harm my exercise potential is the sore feet. Apparently my feet are changing, and not for the best. Shoes with good support (but not constrictive) are my doctor's recommendation. I guess I need to dust off the old Birkenstock (so ugly, but so good). Hopefully I didn't declutter them last year!
2.12.2013
So THAT'S what all the noise was about!
See what I found in the nesting box:
(that's my adult-sized hand)
Next to a grocery store "large" egg
TWINS!
The chickens are back on the egg making cycle! We've had an egg or 2 almost every day this last week. Way to go hens!
1.17.2013
Chores build character
My parents instilled a strong work ethic into me through CHORES - whether I liked it or not. There were daily chores (make bed, lunch and breakfast cooking, dishes, garbage, care for pets, etc.), weekly chores (laundry, ironing, change and wash bedding, scrub bathrooms, clean room, vacuum, etc.) and seasonal chores (weeding, harvesting, food prep, mow lawn, etc.) These were not for allowance, they were simply because we lived there and it needed to be done. Oh how I hated it all, I felt my parents were taking advantage of child labour.
As a grown up I have other chores: Grocery shopping, meal planning, budgeting and bill paying, and all the other money and food related stuff that I had no part in as a kid.
(Last week I tackled a chore I fear... organizing the paperwork needed to do my year-end and income tax. There are a few items yet to come in, but the bulk is now organized by category in chronological order. I also reviewed what we spent last year on food to figure out a budget for the coming year. Utilities I can't really budget for so easily thanks to this new house, but I can estimate it. No matter how careful I am there are always things missing when I do this, like odd socks coming out of the dryer, some month's bills just seem to "disappear"!)
Looking to the next generation, I feel my job as a parent isn't just to keep my children safe, but to get them grown up into responsible, moral, kind contributors to the society and the planet. It's not easy! My instinct is to make them happy and shelter them from discomfort or pain.... but I need to remind myself of the ultimate goal, and while they are young it's T and my responsibility to show them what's what and how to be responsible themselves. So the kids sometimes have to face disappointment, they have to experience things that are real.
Physically my daredevil boys have experienced lots of physical consequences on their own. Broken bones, scrapes and bruises. Sure we could have kept them safe indoors playing video games, but how would they learn about inertia, force and traction? Would they need to wait until they had a real car in their control?! Yikes!
Financially, I think their personalities are very strong. Steve is an excellent "saver", for some reason it clicked early with him about what money is worth and how hard it can be to get it. Cam, on the other hand, is very happy to part with every penny at his earliest convenience and seems to have no problems borrowing against future allowances too. Oh man, that's going to cause him pain in the future! We are trying very hard to teach him the reality of interest as a powerful friend and an even more powerful enemy, but he's not grasping it. (Maybe he is taking after some of me consumerista family members).
We have been giving them more freedom as they get older, visiting friends without us tagging along, letting them ride around the neighbourhood unsupervised, leaving them at home alone when T and I go out, walking home from school, etc... it hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be to know WHEN they are ready for these responsibilities, and (so far) we haven't regretted the trust.
Running a household takes work too. I should be preparing them for that as well.
Unfortunately I haven't done a good job of forcing chores on my boys. T and I have taken it all on ourselves, probably because it's just easier and we know it will be done to our satisfaction if we do it. And partially because I am home all day anyways. Not that the kids are completely off the hook. They have to help out when we ask, put away their own laundry and they clean their own rooms (most of the time). Dog maintenance is mostly their job. And taking care of the chickens is a family chore.
I think I will start enforcing a cooking night. Easy recipes that they can take with them when they move out. Something beyond toast and eggs. Saturdays sound good. And there is no reason why thay can't handle cleaning the main bathroom, right?
As a grown up I have other chores: Grocery shopping, meal planning, budgeting and bill paying, and all the other money and food related stuff that I had no part in as a kid.
(Last week I tackled a chore I fear... organizing the paperwork needed to do my year-end and income tax. There are a few items yet to come in, but the bulk is now organized by category in chronological order. I also reviewed what we spent last year on food to figure out a budget for the coming year. Utilities I can't really budget for so easily thanks to this new house, but I can estimate it. No matter how careful I am there are always things missing when I do this, like odd socks coming out of the dryer, some month's bills just seem to "disappear"!)
Looking to the next generation, I feel my job as a parent isn't just to keep my children safe, but to get them grown up into responsible, moral, kind contributors to the society and the planet. It's not easy! My instinct is to make them happy and shelter them from discomfort or pain.... but I need to remind myself of the ultimate goal, and while they are young it's T and my responsibility to show them what's what and how to be responsible themselves. So the kids sometimes have to face disappointment, they have to experience things that are real.
Physically my daredevil boys have experienced lots of physical consequences on their own. Broken bones, scrapes and bruises. Sure we could have kept them safe indoors playing video games, but how would they learn about inertia, force and traction? Would they need to wait until they had a real car in their control?! Yikes!
Financially, I think their personalities are very strong. Steve is an excellent "saver", for some reason it clicked early with him about what money is worth and how hard it can be to get it. Cam, on the other hand, is very happy to part with every penny at his earliest convenience and seems to have no problems borrowing against future allowances too. Oh man, that's going to cause him pain in the future! We are trying very hard to teach him the reality of interest as a powerful friend and an even more powerful enemy, but he's not grasping it. (Maybe he is taking after some of me consumerista family members).
We have been giving them more freedom as they get older, visiting friends without us tagging along, letting them ride around the neighbourhood unsupervised, leaving them at home alone when T and I go out, walking home from school, etc... it hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be to know WHEN they are ready for these responsibilities, and (so far) we haven't regretted the trust.
Running a household takes work too. I should be preparing them for that as well.
Unfortunately I haven't done a good job of forcing chores on my boys. T and I have taken it all on ourselves, probably because it's just easier and we know it will be done to our satisfaction if we do it. And partially because I am home all day anyways. Not that the kids are completely off the hook. They have to help out when we ask, put away their own laundry and they clean their own rooms (most of the time). Dog maintenance is mostly their job. And taking care of the chickens is a family chore.
I think I will start enforcing a cooking night. Easy recipes that they can take with them when they move out. Something beyond toast and eggs. Saturdays sound good. And there is no reason why thay can't handle cleaning the main bathroom, right?
1.02.2013
Pickled Eggs
My dad used to make them
I still love them
They are too expensive to buy
Pickled Eggs!
Not too hard to make, just time consuming and it's hard to wait overnight to eat one!
I still love them
They are too expensive to buy
Pickled Eggs!
Not too hard to make, just time consuming and it's hard to wait overnight to eat one!
10.08.2012
I (heart) my house
I am very pleased to report that the more time I spend in this house the more I love it!
The flow, the space, the yard. It's like it was made just for my family.
The best part is when the boys come in from playing [bikes/ball/running/climbing/roughhousing] outside and say "I love this yard - I love this house".
The kitchen is wonderful for cooking - even with more than one cook in it. And we have already had a 13 person dinner that was comfortable instead of cramped. So very cool.
Sharing my office with the extra-large familyroom has been working out just fine. It motivates me to keep my desk tidier too, and I'm burning less dinners with the kitchen on the same level as my work space!
Sleepovers are easy, the dog doesn't have to run through the kitchen to get outside, groceries are easy to pack into the house... I could go on and on.
Another truly wonderful thing is the feeling of actually staying put. In the other house (even after 13 years) I always felt it was a "stepping stone" house. That's what we bought it for. So I was hanging onto things that didn't really fit. Things that I truly loved that would be hard to replace... so I crammed them in awkward places in the other house. With this house I feel like it's the place I'll be in until the kids leave home if not well into my golden years. As a result I feel comfortable letting go of anything that doesn't fit. The great new is that all the things I truly love seem to have a natural and logical place here (another reason it feels so "right").
Things are just flying out of here that I don't feel compelled to keep. Things that made sense in our walk up basement house, that don't make sense in the rancher. Boxes and boxes and boxes of it.
Now, in this place, there is breathing room between the furniture. It's refreshing, and the proportions are spacious without feeling vacuous to me. I don't feel like I'm fighting the walls to arrange the furniture. (The exception is the sunken living room, the awkward placement of entry and egress is slightly difficult for TV placement).
Speaking of TV.... we can't set up the satellite here. But that doesn't seem to have cramped our style too much. We got Netflix (probably one of the last people I know to do so) and though the selection is limited, I have no shortage of shows & movies I've never seen. AND the other TV happily hooks up to and HDMI port in the laptop and we watch videos from our favourite channels' websites. Amazing picture quality really!
So our entertainment bills have gone down too. What a great place.
Home sweet home. It's worth the expense of moving, the headaches of renovating and the longer mortgage commitment. YAY!
The flow, the space, the yard. It's like it was made just for my family.
The best part is when the boys come in from playing [bikes/ball/running/climbing/roughhousing] outside and say "I love this yard - I love this house".
The kitchen is wonderful for cooking - even with more than one cook in it. And we have already had a 13 person dinner that was comfortable instead of cramped. So very cool.
Sharing my office with the extra-large familyroom has been working out just fine. It motivates me to keep my desk tidier too, and I'm burning less dinners with the kitchen on the same level as my work space!
Sleepovers are easy, the dog doesn't have to run through the kitchen to get outside, groceries are easy to pack into the house... I could go on and on.
Another truly wonderful thing is the feeling of actually staying put. In the other house (even after 13 years) I always felt it was a "stepping stone" house. That's what we bought it for. So I was hanging onto things that didn't really fit. Things that I truly loved that would be hard to replace... so I crammed them in awkward places in the other house. With this house I feel like it's the place I'll be in until the kids leave home if not well into my golden years. As a result I feel comfortable letting go of anything that doesn't fit. The great new is that all the things I truly love seem to have a natural and logical place here (another reason it feels so "right").
Things are just flying out of here that I don't feel compelled to keep. Things that made sense in our walk up basement house, that don't make sense in the rancher. Boxes and boxes and boxes of it.
Now, in this place, there is breathing room between the furniture. It's refreshing, and the proportions are spacious without feeling vacuous to me. I don't feel like I'm fighting the walls to arrange the furniture. (The exception is the sunken living room, the awkward placement of entry and egress is slightly difficult for TV placement).
Speaking of TV.... we can't set up the satellite here. But that doesn't seem to have cramped our style too much. We got Netflix (probably one of the last people I know to do so) and though the selection is limited, I have no shortage of shows & movies I've never seen. AND the other TV happily hooks up to and HDMI port in the laptop and we watch videos from our favourite channels' websites. Amazing picture quality really!
So our entertainment bills have gone down too. What a great place.
Home sweet home. It's worth the expense of moving, the headaches of renovating and the longer mortgage commitment. YAY!
9.04.2012
8.01.2012
Floors Glorious Floors
I am typing this to the sound of an air nailer putting down maple flooring. Yes, this brings me joy with each abrassive "CRACK!" because that sound means another board is in place.
The last minute line up change in installers turned out to be a great idea. This mature and experienced fellow is so much better.... not as much fun to talk to, but much more effective at installing hardwood and thats what is important.
It is slow going... I am glad we agreed on a price ahead of time. So far 1/2 of one room in 8 hours. He says it's always slow to get started in a new house. At least it's normal.
The last minute line up change in installers turned out to be a great idea. This mature and experienced fellow is so much better.... not as much fun to talk to, but much more effective at installing hardwood and thats what is important.
It is slow going... I am glad we agreed on a price ahead of time. So far 1/2 of one room in 8 hours. He says it's always slow to get started in a new house. At least it's normal.
7.14.2012
DEMO DAY #3
Not so much of a demo day for me... but my sister's boyfriend took out the ugly closet sort of thing from the laundry room. The amazing (and disturbing) thing was when the cedar structure was removed, the room improved in odor drastically before I'd even washed the walls in there!!!
That is bad news because there are the gorgeous cedar ceilings and "feature walls" in the big rooms that are probably completely saturated with the evil stink. So we have been told it's not really "cleanable" but will need to be sealed. But with what?
My day was filled with the tediuos task of rinsing the walls. Every stroke of the rag made a difference, and even going over it several times, the yellow would seep in again by the time it dried.
CRAZY
At the old house we managed to get 2 truckloads out and into the crawlspace.
We are moving very very soon now in the grand scheme of things... and unfortunately we must be out of this house before the other one will be even remotely ready.
At least it will be clean and have floors again, so the furniture can probably go into a few of the rooms. The kitchen won't be here, so the BBQ, slowcooker and trailer galley will get used for the interm. I'm hoping it will be as much fun as camping, with the bonus of toilet access!
That is bad news because there are the gorgeous cedar ceilings and "feature walls" in the big rooms that are probably completely saturated with the evil stink. So we have been told it's not really "cleanable" but will need to be sealed. But with what?
My day was filled with the tediuos task of rinsing the walls. Every stroke of the rag made a difference, and even going over it several times, the yellow would seep in again by the time it dried.
CRAZY
At the old house we managed to get 2 truckloads out and into the crawlspace.
We are moving very very soon now in the grand scheme of things... and unfortunately we must be out of this house before the other one will be even remotely ready.
At least it will be clean and have floors again, so the furniture can probably go into a few of the rooms. The kitchen won't be here, so the BBQ, slowcooker and trailer galley will get used for the interm. I'm hoping it will be as much fun as camping, with the bonus of toilet access!
5.09.2012
Rolling the dice
I don't play cards, I don't visit the casino, I only buy a lottery ticket when I remember to... but lately I have taken the big chance...When I gamble, I gamble BIG!
We just couldn't let the deal on the other house die. We defended our offer and solidified the financing. In short, we are now on the hook for a scary (make that terrifying) amount of debt if our home doesn't sell in time. EEEEEK!
Gasp wheeze (clutching chest).
We have a very long closing date so theoretically we can put our house at a price no sane person could refuse we have enough equity that we can play that game if we must. But I'm still panicing and the husband is spiralling fast with stress-related ailments (he doesn't deal with change well at all).
So, wish us luck, happy house-selling vibes and smooth transitions.... we are in for a big adventure, and FAST!
We just couldn't let the deal on the other house die. We defended our offer and solidified the financing. In short, we are now on the hook for a scary (make that terrifying) amount of debt if our home doesn't sell in time. EEEEEK!
Gasp wheeze (clutching chest).
We have a very long closing date so theoretically we can put our house at a price no sane person could refuse we have enough equity that we can play that game if we must. But I'm still panicing and the husband is spiralling fast with stress-related ailments (he doesn't deal with change well at all).
So, wish us luck, happy house-selling vibes and smooth transitions.... we are in for a big adventure, and FAST!
5.03.2012
House Hunting
I am a house addict I guess I just have to admit it.
House plans, decor magazines, HGTV channel, and the worst part..... the Multiple Listing Services on the web. Oh MLS how you taunt me with your sweet promises of a better life!
My house is great, it's cozy, bright and the location is friendly (at least 90% friendly). BUT the steep driveway and the lack of detached shop has been an annoyance since the beginning, and since the cranky neighbour moved in hanging out anywhere near the driveway (or north side of the house) feels awkward if not hostile! I don't want to move because of that lady though. The other niggling things are the layout of the familyroom, the beloved heirloom china cabinets don't both fit in the nook (shy 2 inches!) and there is no mudroom (or back door) for the grubby monkeys, it all gets tracked in the front. In a city with as many houses as this one, I know there has to be a perfect fit out there somewhere.
That's why I look. That's why I get lured into the dream of moving to a flat driveway and big shop and one level living.
Then again this house has served us for 12 years! We have made it our home one modification after another. And we are engrained in the neighbourhood.
I looked at a .6 acre parcel not far from our place with a large rancher with a new roof and a big detached shop.... level lot too! Drawbacks include heavily smoked in interior, original kitchen and busy road.... otherwise the floor plan is great, and the yard has the things I want, big patio off the kitchen, a small fenced veggie garden, a few fruit trees, and a level driveway with lots of room to turn around before getting onto the busy road. The location is sweet backing onto a trail that goes to our favourite sports field that is connected to our favourite walking trails and a short walk to school or my sister's!!!
T and the kids liked it too so we put in an offer (even if the tobacco smell did make my eyes water when entering the house).
The offer was accepted with our subjects including the sale of our place and an inspection. They wrote in the 48 hour escape clause giving them the right to force us to get the money together in 2 days if they get another offer that they want to accept.
I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off getting boxes, renting a storage unit (oh how I loathe the thought of needing one) and packing away anything that detracts from the feeling of "space" and relaxation in the house... of ya and the personal stuff like family photos and trophies, kid art, etc.
It's been a couple days and the house is turned right upside down despite having 2 pickup truck loads carted off. I feel so messy. The listing of our house is live this evening.
The bad news came this afternoon. The other house has another offer. The have enacted the 48 hour clause. We can't do it. Our offer is dead.
We have decided to keep our house listed for now and see what happens.
If people want to buy the house, we will panic and go house hunting in a crazy fast forward way. If people want to have viewings at stupidly inconvenient times we will gripe and moan. Meanwhile the house will be clutter free until my storage locker contract is up in 3 months. And then I can chose to take those boxes to the thrift store or back home. LOL
House plans, decor magazines, HGTV channel, and the worst part..... the Multiple Listing Services on the web. Oh MLS how you taunt me with your sweet promises of a better life!
My house is great, it's cozy, bright and the location is friendly (at least 90% friendly). BUT the steep driveway and the lack of detached shop has been an annoyance since the beginning, and since the cranky neighbour moved in hanging out anywhere near the driveway (or north side of the house) feels awkward if not hostile! I don't want to move because of that lady though. The other niggling things are the layout of the familyroom, the beloved heirloom china cabinets don't both fit in the nook (shy 2 inches!) and there is no mudroom (or back door) for the grubby monkeys, it all gets tracked in the front. In a city with as many houses as this one, I know there has to be a perfect fit out there somewhere.
That's why I look. That's why I get lured into the dream of moving to a flat driveway and big shop and one level living.
Then again this house has served us for 12 years! We have made it our home one modification after another. And we are engrained in the neighbourhood.
I looked at a .6 acre parcel not far from our place with a large rancher with a new roof and a big detached shop.... level lot too! Drawbacks include heavily smoked in interior, original kitchen and busy road.... otherwise the floor plan is great, and the yard has the things I want, big patio off the kitchen, a small fenced veggie garden, a few fruit trees, and a level driveway with lots of room to turn around before getting onto the busy road. The location is sweet backing onto a trail that goes to our favourite sports field that is connected to our favourite walking trails and a short walk to school or my sister's!!!
T and the kids liked it too so we put in an offer (even if the tobacco smell did make my eyes water when entering the house).
The offer was accepted with our subjects including the sale of our place and an inspection. They wrote in the 48 hour escape clause giving them the right to force us to get the money together in 2 days if they get another offer that they want to accept.
I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off getting boxes, renting a storage unit (oh how I loathe the thought of needing one) and packing away anything that detracts from the feeling of "space" and relaxation in the house... of ya and the personal stuff like family photos and trophies, kid art, etc.
It's been a couple days and the house is turned right upside down despite having 2 pickup truck loads carted off. I feel so messy. The listing of our house is live this evening.
The bad news came this afternoon. The other house has another offer. The have enacted the 48 hour clause. We can't do it. Our offer is dead.
We have decided to keep our house listed for now and see what happens.
If people want to buy the house, we will panic and go house hunting in a crazy fast forward way. If people want to have viewings at stupidly inconvenient times we will gripe and moan. Meanwhile the house will be clutter free until my storage locker contract is up in 3 months. And then I can chose to take those boxes to the thrift store or back home. LOL
12.13.2011
The annual tree hunt!
In search of the perfect tree.... egad that boy is getting big.
Here it is!
The big boy is good with the saw.
The tradition of heading out to the tree farm and tracking down a good tree for our small living room, is a highlight of the season that a fake tree just wouldn't fullfill. Tromping over the frozen ground trying to visualize every tree sitting in my home covered in our tresured ornament collection.... it's an odd thing, but so much fun as a family. This year Cam found the winner in record time. I prefer a Spruce because of the sturdier branches, but this Fir was exactly the right size and shape, so it's the one! I hope it had a nice life making Oxygen for the last 15 years or so... that's what I like about a real tree.... it had a chance to be environmentally wonderful before decorating my house for a month. And buying local keeps the negative impact very low too.
11.17.2011
Attitude Gratitude
Well, isn't it a lovely day?
(Sure it's raining and blowing, but that's not what's important)
Since I last wrote, I feel so much better. I am confident that it's not the end of my financial world, and I am at peace with my clutter/belongings for the moment as well. Sill more clutter than I want, but it's not urgently bugging me like it was a little while ago. I'm certainly not wanting to go out on a shopping spree any time soon, but the panic has subsided for now..... approaching peace.
The kids are bleeding me dry with their needs and wants (financially and temporally) but I am so happy that they are healthy and loving boys! Glasses, dental, winter boots, growth spurts, bottomless appetites, school issues, friend issues, Christmas build up.... oh ya baby, parenting is a full time job right now. Somehow, thanks to my confidence shift that I had last week it's not causing pain, it's causing gratitude that I can deal with these things as they come.
Sure for a moment I can feel overwhelmed, angry at the seeming futility of my efforts, but it passes quickly and I can resume my quest for growth, peace and gratitude. It's small stuff.
My home is intact.
My country is at peace.
My government is freely democratic.
My friends are attentive.
My husband is supportive.
My kids are good.
My belly is full.
I have education, freedom, safety, sight, health, hope!
Really, anything else is nothing in comparison.
Here I am happy to be here right now. Thank you for joining me.
(Sure it's raining and blowing, but that's not what's important)
Since I last wrote, I feel so much better. I am confident that it's not the end of my financial world, and I am at peace with my clutter/belongings for the moment as well. Sill more clutter than I want, but it's not urgently bugging me like it was a little while ago. I'm certainly not wanting to go out on a shopping spree any time soon, but the panic has subsided for now..... approaching peace.
The kids are bleeding me dry with their needs and wants (financially and temporally) but I am so happy that they are healthy and loving boys! Glasses, dental, winter boots, growth spurts, bottomless appetites, school issues, friend issues, Christmas build up.... oh ya baby, parenting is a full time job right now. Somehow, thanks to my confidence shift that I had last week it's not causing pain, it's causing gratitude that I can deal with these things as they come.
Sure for a moment I can feel overwhelmed, angry at the seeming futility of my efforts, but it passes quickly and I can resume my quest for growth, peace and gratitude. It's small stuff.
My home is intact.
My country is at peace.
My government is freely democratic.
My friends are attentive.
My husband is supportive.
My kids are good.
My belly is full.
I have education, freedom, safety, sight, health, hope!
Really, anything else is nothing in comparison.
Here I am happy to be here right now. Thank you for joining me.
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