Monday, September 24, 2018

more home improvements

The last week was busy and work continued. The initial landscaping, for now, is finished. New sod was installed in the front and new decking was built on top of my cement patio in the back. The indoor living room window shutters turned out especially nice and now I have more privacy... and it's beautiful.

I had to purchase a retractable ladder to be able to reach an air filter placed high up on the living room ceiling. Changing that was scary and I don't think I should be doing it alone. I did want to get a ladder that would reach it since I had no other way to get up there. Sometimes doing things like that really get to me though and I'm reminded I have to figure out how to do things by myself. This one was especially hard. Sigh.

Except for some new doors and cabinet painting I am getting to a place where I'll rest for a while and just take care of things as they are. I'm content.


living room window shutters

new sod installed


outdoor patio decking



Monday, September 17, 2018

Phew!

I officially moved into my new house on July 9. That's the day the movers came and I no longer had furniture left in my old home. When I sit down to take inventory of all I have done since then it's really quite a lot!  It was only 2 1/2 months ago. There are still big things happening this week that I will post about in a few days, but I'd like to post some words and photos of what has been done so far.

There has been tree trimming and removal. New paint. New fence gate and inside blinds. There has been driveway leveling and sealing.

Granite countertops and backsplash was installed. I still plan to have the cabinets painted. Off-white... I think.




I removed the glass sliding door in the bathroom (by myself!) and replaced it with a rod and curtain.




The backyard tends to flood when we get excess rain.... which we did the last couple of weeks. It didn't seem as though grass would grow so I replaced the ugliness with river rock and extended it down the fence line where the water would gather. And I had a little garden plot installed!! Just enough to begin planting! Not sure what's going in there yet!







There are so many other things I've done like making the laundry room area more cute and functional, installing some brick stonework under the outside trash containers, working and planting in the front flower bed, and applying a peel and stick tile in the master bath. And not to mention figuring out how to use the reciprocating saw (scary!) to remove a shelf under a cabinet so my kitchen trash container will easily fit!!


Right now the landscaping in the front of the house is being worked on. The guys just kind of tore up the the soil and removed the weeds and grass that was there. New sod will be installed and old tree stumps are being ground up. The flower bed will be more defined.



As a side note, I assembled an Ikea play kitchen for my grand daughters. I can't tell you how much I hate to assemble things, but I will do it for them.





I'm still (impatiently) waiting for my front entry door to come in... and some interior bifold doors for my laundry area, but tomorrow the shutters will finally be installed on the arched living room window. 

The second phase of work by the landscaper will also begin this week. Composite decking will be installed on my back patio and extended out just a bit more. It will look nicer than the painted concrete and I think add a fresh new look to the outdoor space. I will post picture when it's done!

So this has been my life. Between navigating this move, downsizing my living space and fixing up my new home the way I like, I have been busy. There have been friends visiting and daughters and grand babies to love on. There have been lessons learned about myself, my own challenges to overcome, many prayers said for struggling friends and family I worry about. I'm always trying and often failing to take the best care of myself by eating right and getting enough exercise. 

I haven't missed the old house. Memories and love and people are always carried with you in your heart wherever you go.

But I think this... below...  is what I tend to strive to do on a daily basis and I will continue to do.
As much as possible....


MORE TO COME!!!!