Work day #1

I like that title because it sounds like an episode of HGTV.

We camped out at our little new house on Saturday night. We mostly piddled around and talked about all the different things we wanted to do to the house. I of course dreamed of decorating and arranging furniture!

We have a contractor hired to do a teeny tiny add on of a master closet, enlarge the master bathroom, some trim work and new counter tops. We are trying to tackle any & all work that we can possibly do ourselves and avoid paying the contractor to do it!

Like for instance, I have been crowned the official painter. No sense paying someone to paint when God gave me 2 good arms. No doubt, the quality of my painting skills is questionable and level of soreness in my arms will be the topic of many posts to come. I digress.


Work day #1 was demolition. The first item up for the do-it-yourself wrecking ball was the spindle opening in the entry way.
See it over there? Very circa 1986. It was a great year for my hair but not so much for spindles. This is the only picture I have of the spindles and it was while the former owners were still living there. Also a great shot of the white formica....I said almond before. People with kids....or husbands.... do not need a white surface anywhere in the kitchen.

Anyway hubs ripped out the spindles, in a very manly fashion I might mention. That is going to be a solid wall.

Also, in most likely another regrettable 1986 decision, there was cedar planks on one wall of both the guest bath and one bedroom.
(Blonde rascal worked very hard to be in every picture I took that day. After viewing all of the pictures, I can assure you he succeeded!)

We ripped the planks right off the wall along with the cedar baseboards, door & window trim. Hubs thought (hoped) that the wall behind the cedar was in fact a finished textured wall, that is until we removed the first plank. Luckily it will all even out...we saved on demolition but we will pay for texturing the walls and new trim. BUT then factor in me painting the said trim and walls. Oh yeah baby we are firmly in the black.

Yesterday "the breakfast club" which consists of myself, sweet Mary and nutty Lori/Jen A. took a road trip. We have started getting together for breakfast every other Monday. Yesterday "the club" decided to drive to Snyder so they could see the house. It was a raucous good time, as all road trips should be, with lots of small town entertainment like a visit to a deathtrap, dusty, smoky junktique store. I would go into detail, but if you want to know more you'll just have to go on a road trip with me to Snyder and experience it for yourself.

I wonder if they will get suspicious if I suggest another road trip in the near future and suggest they wear some painting clothes?

It is like 18 degrees right now and all gray & icy. We hoped (and prayed at bedtime last night!) for no school or at least a delay...no such luck. I am about to leave to go do my weekly volunteering at the school library. Which I normally love, an hour of handling wonderful children's books... puhhhleezze what is not to love about that? But on a day like today I would prefer to stay snuggled up inside as long as possible. Oh well the understaffed and underpaid public school system needs me! We will be coming home right after school and get a fire going in the fireplace.

Stay warm friends!