Making Progress on the Remodel: Renovation Update

Keeping Up

Does this give you an idea of why I haven’t been posting? We are still in the midst of the remodel, we lived with this mess for 5 days. We discovered in the kitchen, dining and 1/2 bath, that the linoleum and luan area had been stapled and glued to the subfloor. It took several days to make the floor smooth and flat enough to lay the new floor.

New Flooring Intallation mess
The mess of new flooring installation

Since moving in late July of 2019 the main level of the house has been under a remodel. It takes more mental bandwidth and physical adjustment than I thought to live through something like this. There is still a bit more to go too. We no sooner get one thing finished and the furniture back in place, that we once again move it again. The good news is that we did discover the best arrangement for the furniture in the living room, it seems that nothing has stayed in place for more than 2 weeks. Of course, one change means several more changes one right after the other. Oh and the DUST!

And then these 2

2 pretty dogs
Goldie and Patton

As if the remodel isn’t enough there are the distractions of these two. The puppy has been a wonderful addition. He is bright, loving and growing like a weed. He is currently in teething mode, and so far doing well. Next week we make a trip to town for his 16-week vaccinations. Then we start some obedience training.

2 palying dogs
Goldie playing with Patton

Goldie has been a kind and patient sister to the young one. Not sure who enjoys playtime more!K-9 playtime is only in the house. Patton is not heavy enough to take playing in the yard at a full gallop yet. Goldie outweighs him by more than 30 pounds. Soon though he will be big enough to take on the rough and tumble play.

Birdies aren’t bothered

a dozen blue eggs
2 days of eggs

Then there are the chickens and they don’t seem to be affected by the renovations or the cold. They have all reached maturity and are producing a dozen eggs every 2 days. The love to range about the yard and scratch up the leaves, and there are a lot!!! The area has many many oak trees and acorns!!! So far we have managed to keep up with the eggs, but only by sharing the wealth every couple of weeks or so.

On the creative front, I have fit in a little, very little creative time. More on that later! I hope you enjoy this little catchup. More Later- Beth

Tenants, Paint and Construction are keeping me busy

I am so far behind… and as the title suggests there are lots of things that are keeping me busy… Goldie had her 2nd birthday in early September. All she wanted at the new place was a big backyard where she could play. It was done a few days late, her wish became reality. The fence is complete.

Tenants

Also keeping me busy, are the feline tenants, (5 males and 2 females) and the addition of 6 chicken tenants (all hens), my morning is busy. While the chickens grow up to layers we feed them. I let them free-range part of most days too. We are working with the tenants and eliminating the ability to reproduce, but it is a one at a time proposition… I trapped the first and shyest of the cats, “Patience” on a Tuesday a couple of weeks ago. That meant that I was in the car immediately after. Dropped her off for spaying and then back home… a couple of hours later collect her and take care of her in the garage for the rest of the week. While she was recouperating she allowed me to pet her, but she reverted to wary the moment I let her go.

Patience after
Patience after recuperating from being spayed

Catching Patience was so successful that it was time for another. The next shyest cat, (also a female) named “Prudence”, was easy to trap in the ‘haveaheart’ trap. I was also able to grab one of the younger tenants (a male generally called #2), and put him into a crate we used for the puppies. This was on a Friday morning, and off I went to town… to drop them off at the vet and run a few other errands. The convalescing of the cats is going well and also keeping me busy. #2 now has a new name. “Prince” he did his convalescing really from just one comfy position… and as long as I was reaching in and giving him a rub down… every couple of hours he was a happy camper. Prudence is also extra affectionate too. Prudence needs a week to recover, but Prince is free… again.

Prince

The Prince before his surgery

Painting

In case you think I don’t have anything to do, just before the cat trapping, we began priming and painting all the walls upstairs. One coat of primer on every single wall and 2 coats of paint. 2 rooms were purple tones, one was a dark tan and the 4th was a dark tan top and a deep maroon (2 coats of primer) on the bottom. Upstairs all of the painting is complete. Next up is the carpet! Anything is better than Berber!

Paint upstairs-old and new
New paint is on the right

Construction

In addition, we have started the remodel construction on the main level. The main elements are eliminating a couple of walls, moving a door, adding a closet. We will be living in a construction zone for a week or 5! Hanging on to my patience by a thread!!! But we are liking the changes, so far.

After the wall is taken down
The rough new look for the downstairs

So as you can see while things are quiet, there is much happening that is so very unexciting but keeping me busy. Nothing happening in the Creative Space… its all still in boxes, although I have lots of great ideas swirling around in my head.

What has kept you busy or entertained lately? Please share in the comments. I need to know for my sanities sake!!!

More Later! Beth