Front Porch Tear Down

Work began on my front deck last week and I am over-the-top excited about it's progress.
In a perfect world, I would have finished my bathroom first I suppose, but the deck really needed to be started while it is nice out and still have time to enjoy it before the rainy season is in full force again. At this point, I've decided that I'm the only one allowed to walk on it once completed, but I doubt that will work :(
The old deck was built way back after we bought the place so it has served it's time. Not to mention that I fell through rotten boards, not once, which was bad enough, but twice. I ended up with some nasty bruising and thought that I had broken my foot, but thank goodness, I had not.

So long old deck!

No more falling through rotten boards!

South side

North side

this post had to be replaced because guess what???

The old one was rotten. I suppose the roof would have fallen on me next :(

So, that's enough of the tear down. Chapter 2 will be Front deck rebuild!

Still Under Construction

Wow, it's been over a month since I updated my blog. Keeping up with the property during growing season is taking a lot of time. However, it is very therapeutic as well as enabling me to get much needed exercise. I also purchased my first lawn mower, a self propelled, mulching, easy start, Honda. There are a lot of spaces I can't get to with the riding mower so this is a great help. Between mowing, raking, weed eating and edging, it is a full time job. I am also slowly but surely doing some "deep weeding" so that I can cover with topsoil and beauty bark. Hopefully that will help to keep the weeds down. Everything is a learning experience for me since Whitey always did the outside work. i think he'd be proud of me, except for the vegetable garden that is in DESPERATE need of weeding and only has onions this year. Never got to the carrots or sunflowers. I still might try to get those in.

My bathroom is still unfinished as I have been so indecisive about what to use for the shower. Tile or cultured stone/marble? The countertop will be formica, but I didn't want to pick that out until I figure out the shower situation.

So much still needs to be done, it's overwhelming, but I feel very blessed that I am able to make these improvements. That said, the vanity, lighting, linen closet and toilet are in. I had to pick out the paint color, handles, knobs, sink, faucets, sconces, overhead light, toilet, towel bars, tp holder, so many little details you don't normally think about. So when it came time to look at tile, I was exhausted! Steve custom made the vanity and linen closet in Hickory. They are gorgeous!

I think I will go back out on the hunt tomorrow!

Guest Bathroom Re-do

 Day one of my bathroom destruction, April 23, 2012.

 Ewwwwwe......

 Yikes!!!!

Gross........................ :(

3 weeks later, looking better! I see a sign of hope!!! Sheetrock on the walls and plywood ready for my floor!

This very sad bathroom, (which was way too sad for "before" pics) is slowly being transformed into a beautiful guest bathroom, which will also serve as Daemyan's bathroom. For years, this was the "boy's" bathroom and later on, "Whitey's" bathroom. After discovering how soft the floor was by the tub one day when I was brave enough to enter, I decided that it was time for a major face lift (for the bathroom, not me.....although.....oh never mind.......

So, after ripping out the ugly paneling that I had painted over years before, the warped vanity, the much hated linen closet, the grungy bathtub and the wall between the shower and the throne, we were ready to rock and roll!

One of my High School bff''s hubby is a carpenter, and our neighbor from our first home in Stanwood is a plumber and so I railroaded them into helping me with this project, (actually into doing ALL of the work), but that's besides the point!

Today, one month later, the floor will go down in my newly painted bathroom. Vanity and linen closet next week. Still picking out shower materials. (I've got to come out of my sticker shock first!) I went with just a shower, rather than another tub-shower. Guests normally take a shower rather than a bath and so does Daemyan. Besides He can always use mine if he gets a hankering for a bath.

THE BIG FLOOR REVEAL!!!

*disclaimer*

I realize that this is way more exciting for me than it is for you :(

TA DA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Woo hoo! Turned out even better than I had pictured it! Love it when that happens!

Next, the vanity and linen closet.....

RIP

ROL MAGIC (Mel)

July 1987-May 15, 2012

After a long fight with laminintis and other health issues, I made the decision, with my very caring and humane vet's approval to put Mel down today. I didn't want to see him suffer any more and though I am broken-hearted, he is now without pain. Without going into a lot of detail, I am assured that I made the right decision and as animal lover will understand, he was almost "telling" me it was his time, which was confirmed by my vet. He will be greatly missed.

April Happenings

Wow, I can't believe April got away from me!
I had to look back at picures to figure out what I was up to!

I am always fascinated by the progression of my flowers in the spring, so I usually get out there and practice my photography "skills". I got a new camera, point and shoot, nothing fancy, so I'm still learning!

Thanks for looking!

Bird Watching

(I took these pictures from inside my window, so forgive the reflections!)

This morning, while sitting at my desk, with every intention of making cards, I ended up bird watching.

After Whitey died, I didn't think I was going to keep up with his hobby of bird and squirrel watching/feeding.

I just didn't know if it was "my thing". After going for a time without feeding the birds, I discovered that I missed hearing them in the morning when I went out to feed my animals. It was just too quiet. I missed seeing them scrambling around on the ground for stray seeds and splashing around in the birdbath.

So, after a trip to the feed store and $49.93 worth of seed, I'm back in business.

Whitey would be happy.

I put a feeder outside my window next to the purple lilac, (which is bursting with buds, can't wait!!!) and it is bustling with bird activity. Mostly chickadees and finches, but I have seen a blue jay (Stellar Jay) trying to get in on the action, as well as those pesky squirrels.

 The squirrel almost looks like a statue in this picture!

Unfortunately, it doesn't show up in the picture, but the tree is full of birds!

I ended up having to move the feeder away from the tree because the sqirrels were jumping from the tree to the feeder :(

I think I need another feeder too, the finches don't like to share with the chickadees.........I think I'm hooked ;)

Stay tuned for more bird & squirrel adventures.

5th Grade "Fun" Basket

Daemyan's class had a band concert during the Lenten soup supper at his school last evening.
I wish I would have remembered my camera, it is so cute to see all those kiddos up there playing their hearts out! Daemyan plays the bell kit which looks like a xylophone, but I'm not allowed to call it a xylophone! :(
As we were getting ready to leave, I was chatting with his teacher, Mrs. Reichlin, and she presented me with a basket from the 5th grade class and parents! She called it a "fun" basket and it was filled with "fun" stuff! Gift certificates, books, bath and body supplies, a wind chime, candle and other little goodies! How sweet was that? My favorite item was a pink and purple painting with hearts that Daemyan created for the school's Silent Auction which was held earlier this month.

Daemyan's friend Josh's mom brought a cute stuffed bear out to the car as we were leaving! It had been given to her by a special friend a long time ago and she wanted Daemyan to have him.

His name is Bartholomew. I forgot to ask how he got the name! Now, to keep him away from buddy, who LOVES to eat stuffed animals.