Sunday, February 2, 2014

Oh looky! I started a blog SIX YEARS AGO...

Having recently moved (if you consider a year and a half ago "recently"), and embarked upon another set of home DIY renovations with my significant other, I considered starting a blog.  After all, I'm continually inspired by reading some of my favorite DIY and renovation blogs.  Lo and behold...I find a blog that I apparently started six years ago when it was just me, and a dog, and a money pit.  And a bunch of garden gnomes...can't forget the garden gnomes.
So let me catch you up on the whole story from the beginning:
I bought MY house in 2003 when I was 30.  Cute little Cape Cod...only 70 yrs old or so.  I fixed up much of the house myself, with a lot of starting out help from family and friends (mostly on my rotten kitchen and the forest of ivy).  Nine long years of home improvement inside and out.


JUST about when I finished my beautiful little house, I met the love of my life.  I did take a big risk, but within 2 years of meeting E (AKA "Love Of My Life"), I put my pretty little house on the market (2012),  and the dog and I moved 40 minutes away to live with E (and his daughter and cat).  I was proud when I was able to accept an offer on my house within a month of putting it on the market.  Oh did I cry on closing day when I sold.  (ALMOST as much as I cried that first year when I realized what a pit I had purchased...)

E and I are currently in the process of refurbishing HIS 70 something year old house.  He's been there about 12ish years or so, but never really had the time or cash to do any significant renovations.  The kitchen needs a can of gas and a match, and is slated to be gutted and turned fabulous sometime this spring.  (Maybe sooner if a sledge hammer just HAPPENS to fall into a certain wall between the kitchen and dining room...  I AM a VERY clumsy girl, you know.)  Right now, we are finishing up a beautification band-aid on the bathroom.  (More on that later.)

I should mention that E has recently become an excellent hobby woodworker, and so I will hopefully be able to feature some of his creations here.  As a result of the merging of two households, we've sold off many of his and my tools, and upgraded to bigger and better ones.  As a result of my longer commute and increased responsibilities, I regret that I don't have very much time to play with any of these tools.  I suspect that that will change once the kitchen reno starts.  Until then, my home improvement contributions are primarily staining, painting and polying right now.  I am also caretaker to my 12 year old rescue puppy, who despite many ailments is hanging in there and quick to remind me when I'm slacking with the walks, hugs and pets, and food prep duties.

Onward!