Gutter Talk & Nosey Neighbors

Ha! I know where your mind went & shame on you! 

Today we got the gutters up on the Little House.

We knew they needed done soonish but he wasn’t to thrilled to install them today.

It started when Mr.Fix It asked when we were going to get a bit of landscaping done over there..referring to all the plants we’ve collected & have all over in pots.  He’d taken a few loads of dirt over to the front so we could get started but without gutters installed, the rain was eroding the soil & would destroy all those (mostly) free plants.  After a trip to the hardware store and a phone call on the way back of “come over for breakfast, we cooked to much” invite from the oldest daughter we were set.  It went pretty smooth and would have been completed an hour or so sooner but, I forgot to grab right and left end caps so there was a bit of down time with another run to the hardware store.

While the guys were working on the gutters, we pulled up a bunch of ‘Rose of Sharron” bushes and transplanted them on the edge of the driveway in front of the house.

A few days after Erika moved in the neighbor across the field came over to see the house. There wasn’t a “welcome, congrats, are you excited about the move etc”…she made the comment she sat and watched Erika through the windows but wanted better look!!

So, the other day I walked over to her house to check out exactly what she could see & and figured the landmarks of her “view”…which is exactly where we planted those Rose of Sharron bushes! I mean Really! Who hasn’t looked in windows as you drive by a house with the curtains open, but to say you changed your seating for a better line of sight??!?!?!??! Actually its far enough away (about 4 times the distance of these bushes to the house) you cant see a thing! She must be using binoculars!!!

I think we fixed that problem!

Katie

Technorati Tags: Katidids,property improvements,projects,nosey neighbors

Moving Day!

Things are moving along in the little house.

  Mr. Fix-It & Isaiah pulled up the bathroom floor tonight for the new linoleum.  Who puts laminate in a bathroom?  The cut ends were against the tub with nearly a 3/4 inch unsealed gap.  The floor was buckled under the toilet.  Instead of adding a spacer they added a 2nd wax ring, over tightened and cracked the ring thingy.  Lord knows how long the toilet had been leaking but, from the look of the sub floor quite a while.  The bathroom sink (and tub) faucet was so caked with lime build up it wouldn’t shut off all the way.  Geeesh, a bit of vinegar once in a while would have kept it clean.  

We’ve had lots of rain the past 24 hours. So there is a hold on furniture moving to the little house. Isaiah just cracked me up he wants to move in so bad & kept saying “just give me a pillow and my sleeping bag and I’m good!”   We’re catching the edge of the mid-west storms and the yard is greening up quickly. 

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Nothing like a week long post!

The bathroom is being water tested…we ended up buying a new toilet and sink top.   After cleaning them we found the crud was so  built up on the suface’s it had eaten though the finish.  I think they were pouring drain cleaner in and leaving it in standing water.  It’s the only way the sink finish would be eaten up like that.  The drains had been connected in a way which blocked the water flow.  Erika painted and it’s like a whole new room.

Move in day is today,  It will be quick work as she only has a few dressers, crib and a bed left to move…aside from clothing.  We’ve family coming to help & and it should be done in no time at all. We’ll need to make a run to replace mattresses and a few odds and ends and it will be ready for them to stay. 

The 2 little ones are having a bit of a hard time with the move.  Since most of their things were destroyed in the flood, everything is new (new to them).  18 mo just walks around with big eyes, fussing and wanting to be held a lot more than normal.  Evie, at 3 is really struggling & acting out. Poor thing just finally adjusted to living at Danielle’s & wants to stay there.  We’ve had her at the new house as much as possible, had  meals and included her in moving a few of her toys etc. over.  She likes being there in the day time by us but although it is in a good way this time, she again has had her world turned upside down.  I told Erika Evie will take her cues from her,  it may take a while but to stay positive about the new home & include her in as much of “creating a nest” as possible.

Any thoughts or ideas PRAYERS to help the little's adjust  would be greatly appreciated.

Off to start the move

Katie

Technorati Tags: Katidids,Moving Day,Family,property

We Got the KEYS!!!!!

And inherited a mess!  The prior owners were 2 days late moving out (we closed Thursday morning)… sent her daughter to drop the keys off and took off.. We quickly sent Erika a text with a photo of the keys…. she was there before we had the door unlocked  Since she currently lives 1.5 miles away and the little house is less than 200 feet from our back door…that was quick!

When we unlocked the door, we quickly realized why they left so fast…the place was a MESS!

We cleaned cat hair 2 inches thick out of one room & the smell was as bad as you are imagining  GROSS! Curtains we thought were gold-ish beige were actually white…at the top. the rest was covered with cat hair.  We were worried there was urine in the floors  and they would need to be replaced but, cleaned and emptied it was fine

We’d agreed to purchase some furniture which was left but so was e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. else they couldn’t take in 6 carloads.  Yes, 6 carloads of personal items is all they took. The prior owner had made arrangements to have help moving with a truck but, upon confirming her help was still good to go…. the folks all backed out.  Seems she neglected to tell them she was moving to Tennessee !!SERIOUSLY..she was upset they backed out!

Goodwill was our friend today.  We didn’t even free-cycle this time. Years of “stuff”.  It all just needed to be gone fast.

6pm Saturday we got the keys & worked till 9-10 pm and all day today with the help of some awesome family Mike and Jessie and Mr. Fix-It’s cousin Mike.  They worked their rear ends off and we really appreciated the help.

.  We need to wash the windows again but it’s clean & Erika can start moving in now.  The bathroom needs a bit of work so that will hold up them actually living here for a few days yet. With the delay in getting the keys it shot having the repairs finished over the weekend.

All things left behind

Standing in the dining room looking into the living room

I seriously doubt the windows have been opened for 10 years or more.  We’ve never seen them open...  The blinds? NEVER!  The first thing I did was open them all over the entire house.  The windows have been washed no less than 3 times and I’m not sure they are clean yet.  They looked as if they had a tinted film (UGH).

It’s a sweet little house with an open floor plan on the entire front of the house & It’s now warm, clean and inviting!

2 huge bedrooms and a bathroom take up the back of the house.  We will be adding an addition of a 3rd bedroom (this summer) on the end of the living-room area.  The door way to it, will be on the end wall (closest to the inside wall) and unfortunately,  she will loose that window. 

Tomorrow we’ll start moving her things in and finding homes for everything.  Since most of her household was ruined when the city sewer backed up it will be a pretty easy move.  Other than a truck for a few bits of furniture, most we can move in her van or my Santa Fe.  On the positive side they can start out pretty  much clutter free!

Oh, and the bushes got trimmed hehehehe, have to show you photos of those tomorrow.  It’s 1 am & I’m crawling off to bed

Hope your weekend was as good as ours!

Katie

Technorati Tags: Katidids,Little House,Property,family,cleaning out

Free Finds…The traveling boarders

Have found a home. 

One of Mr.Fix-It’s sisters had these brick boarders along her flower beds.  When she changed her garden plans, they no longer worked for her and she passed them on to her neighbor. 

As it turns out, the neighbor decided not to use them and unless she found a home for them, they were on their way to the curb free for the taking.  My SIL called & offered them to us. When the weather clears a bit we will use a few here around the tree to retain the rock but other than that…they are perfect for the new little house we bought!

Score!  She said there were 25 or so & I thought great…they will at least go across the front of the house……um, there were over 75! Thank goodness we took the truck (and gloves) to pick them up! 

The house needs some serious help in the landscaping department. Can you say blah!? Other than the huge out of control bushes, there is nothing planted nor has there been in the last 20 years.. 

The budget for landscaping is basically “0” so, we’ve been brainstorming what can be separated and thinned out from my flowerbeds to perk it up.  I’ve hosta, mums, lily, iris, stonecrop…It’s in sore need of color and personality but we will need to do it on the cheap using what we have or can find free from friends..  We’ve no  idea what the soil is like but, I’m sure it will needing to be amended, along with painted shutters, installing gutters…the list is getting longer but we’ll take it one step at a time.

R I g h t…who am I kidding, Erika & I will dive in full steam LOL! 

First things first, we need to get them moved and settled in

15 days to closing…we’re not excited at all can you tell? LOL!

Technorati Tags: Katidids,gardening on the cheap,property,frugal finds

Feelin Like A Yo-Yo

This weather is just nuts! 

One day snowing and freezing cold, the next in the mid 60’s.  It’s been this way the last 10 days.  Mother nature is teasing us and laughing like crazy I’m sure.  Today was the second in a row of low 60’s.

Taking advantage of the nice weather we were able to prep the raised beds and sewed all kinds of lettuce, spinach, 2 kinds of carrots & radishes.  Broccoli starts fill another bed & I’m hoping early planting will beat out those bugs.  Most of the main garden is still to wet to work but, I may be able to start peas and kale along the edge tomorrow…..fingers crossed.

I started this post last night while it was still 58 at midnight…this morning it’s snowing! At this rate kale and peas will have to wait till after Easter.

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On to better news….my shoulder is slowly recovering.  I feel very fortunate as I’ve been told most with frozen shoulders take years to recover.  My PT is deep tissue manipulation…not always fun but it hurts sooooo good!  What amazes me is how all other chest and back muscles need to be retaught their *proper placement and job*  so many have become “out of whack” trying to protect my shoulder.  Raising my arm straight out shoulder level is my mastery this week… above my head is still a challenge but it will come with work and time.

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Remember back in January I mentioned our neighbor accepted our purchase offer on the house next door?  Well, 2 days later she reneged. We’ve been so upset and frustrated trying to get this done.  Every time we would talk…. the price would go up.  We found another property very close and let her know enough was enough…it has been 5 months ..if we couldn’t come to an agreement we would purchase the other property.  Wouldn’t you know the  next day we had a signed purchase agreement!

We close in 26 days!!

Anyone want to join us for a cleaning/paining/moving party?

Katie

Technorati Tags: Katidids,gardening,garden,healing,property

We Got the house!

Kinda.

Our neighbor accepted our offer on the house and property!  Now she is in process of finding a residence and work in TN. She’s had a few offers but couldn’t accept till we came to an agreement.  The bank said they need 2 weeks to close so by this time next month we’re hoping to be moving Erika and the kids in.  It will need a few touches of paint and a few updates in the bathroom but then she’ll be good to move in.

The good thing is she’ll be moving in with what ever we can put together for household items so she’s not going to have a bunch of **stuff** .  Erika was able to get her old kitchen table (we have extra chairs) and a few kitchen items from the house before she left but that’s about it.  A friend gave her a couch and we’ve been watching after Christmas sales for deals on pots`n`pans, sheets, towels etc. I’ve a few more quilts in the works for them that need to get finished.  She’s my thrifting queen & has an eagle eye for jewels in the rough to make over.  Right now her attitude is if “If I don’t have it & it’s not life altering I don’t need it”….Besides, she only needs to step across the back yard for anything she needs :)

We on the other hand now have a longer “GOTTA DO” list.  need to wash the siding, paint the small deck and put up more railing on it…purchase guttering and down spouts for the new house.  When the original owner built the place he didn’t put them in.  She said he didn’t like the look.?????

I also need to finish trimming those darn bushes! 

I think this spring we’ll be doing quite a bit of landscaping.  I’ve plenty bulbs, hosta and other plants here that need thinned & we can use them with out adding a landscaping expense.

Sounds like fun to me…anyone want to come play?

Katie

Technorati Tags: Katidids,property,changes,neighbors,planning