Thursday, June 27, 2013

Catching Up.....Keeping Up

Oh my!  What a month this has been.  We've begun preparing for the house sale.  First, there was  gathering a ton of stuff for the yard sale that was held Memorial Day weekend.  It went very well; we were so happy to be able to unload most of what was stored in the old farm house.  The rest will be thrown in the dumpster, which will be ordered on Monday.

BH has been breaking his back keeping up with grass mowing.  No small feat, since for every day of sunshine, we get 3 or 4 days of rain!  He's also been re-organizing the junk, cleaning up his tool shed, the basement and his log cutting area in the back yard.  Then there was the skirting to be replaced on one side and the back of our home.

We opted for 1/4" plywood.  Which I then suggested we give a few coats of paint, front and back, to insure it lasts a while.  I did the first coat, BH finished the rest.  Last weekend he proceeded to install said skirting.  To both our amazement and delight, it turned out beautiful!!!  I even mixed the paint to match the siding color.  What a difference!  We were so happy. 

I've been working inside the house.  Stripping wallpaper, putting up new paper; painting, caulking, fixing, replacing.  The family room is done; new paint, curtains, blinds, wall clock.  All pictures taken down and packed away.  The spare bedroom is done....likewise.  Finished the kitchen yesterday.  Cupboards, counter tile and walls scrubbed down; all ornamentation packed away, ceiling painted.  Just have to replace one wall socket. 

Son who lives nearby put in a new kitchen window for us.  It looks fabulous!!!  He did the outside framing, but I told him I would do the inside....because I knew exactly how I wanted to look.  And you know how guys are about decorating details.  So, BH and I went and bought the new woodwork.  Ahhhh, but I need a jigsaw to cut the framing and moulding.  We don't have one because.....we sold the 3 we had.....at the yard sale.  So, BH comes up with using the miter box.  Yeah.  Ok.  But I'm really not good with a handsaw.  It worked out just fine.  He cut the miters for the window frame.  And it looks really good!

So yesterday, I go to put up the muslin shade (I made some time ago), eh......the rod isn't long enough, being that the window is wider than the old one.   And my collection of curtain rods were all sold at the yard sale!!!  Today I'll buy a new rod.

We also replaced the 2 bedroom and the bathroom doors.  Oh, they look great!!!  But what a time we had!!  First, the bathroom door was 1/4" too wide to shut.  Same size door as the original!!  How does that happen??!!  Talking to NY son, he tells me it's no problem.....just sand down the side of the door till it fits; not to worry.  Sooo.......that week we went to my favorite home improvement store......to buy a sander......because we sold our 3 at the yard sale.

Oh yeah......and we need a chisel to cut out the door lock inset.  Yes. We need to buy a chisel.  Because we sold the half dozen we had.....at the yard sale.

A few weeks ago, I finally managed to get the flower gardens cleaned up, the yard ornaments out, the solar lights set up and planted a few flower pots.  But I needed a hanging basket.  Oh no!!!  I think the ones that were left from.....the yard sale......went into a garbage bag.  Quick.  Quick.  BH, go see if that bag is still in the shed!  He brings the bag to me.  Whew!!!  There they were.....the hanging baskets.  I selected one and the rest are set for the dumpster.  I'm done.  I'm sure.

Besides the never-ending rain, the humidity set in a few days ago.  This does not make for conducive labor intensive working conditions.  But hopefully, this weekend is supposed to be very moderate and dry.  Fingers crossed.

Both sons from the Cities are coming up this weekend, along with granddaughter who just graduated high school.  Younger son will be working on his second car....getting it up and running so he can sell it.  And older son doesn't know this yet....but he's going to paint the trim on top of the mobile home and help put the new door handle in the bathroom door.  I was hoping granddaughter was going to spend a week or so with us so she could help me with the next project.  Scrubbing down the ceiling and all the wallpaper in the dining room.  But it seems she has to be back in the Cities on Monday.  There's some personal stuff she has to take care of.  She leaves for Basic Training with the National Guard at the end of July.  Nuts.

Monday was our 24th wedding anniversary.  We did not celebrate.  We worked our arses off.  Ahhhh.......but today.  Today we are going to the Casino.  We have a free overnight stay coupon!!!.   So we are going to relax, enjoy the wonderful air conditioning, have a great meal that I can walk away from without doing a single dish, and play a few games.  We need this.  BH needs this.  Badly.  You gotta keep 'em happy.  You gotta throw in a few incentives.  Otherwise, you wind up with a very grumpy, tired, worn out workmate.

Next weekend we will have another yard sale.  Only this one will be all my craft supplies and some handmade crafts.  There are bins and bins and bins of supplies.   THEN......TA-DAH......the house will be up for sale!!!!  God willing, it will sell before September and we will be in our new apartment before the snow flies.

Is the world spinning way too fast....or is it just my head???



4 comments:

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

Now that you got the house to the way you like, it might be harder to leave.

One of the reasons to not move is all the work involved in getting everything ready for sale. It is daunting, especially in today's market when things must be perfect. We can thank HGTV for that.

Linda said...

Ohhh....people have been warning me about that....not wanting to leave after everything is so the way I like it!! But, I just keep thinking about central air, a big garage, huge kitchen, 2 bathrooms and tons of storage areas. And never having to do this again! Just call maintainence. 'Nough said...I'm ready!!LOL. Have a great weekend!

Anonymous said...

I think you have done an amazing amount of work, and I think you earned the mini vacation too. It's too funny about needing things you had just sold off, but I see you managed well enough. I do hope you will be wonderfully happy in your new apartment, when you get there. Hope you also get the good weather you want too. It's on and off rain for us here for the next several days. :)

Linda said...

Thank you, Sandie. We've got a week of great weather ahead. Going to get a lot done! Have a great holiday weekend!