Talk about dramatic changes...

I have been trying for four months to find someone who would brush-cut my woods and remove the ivy.  The people that have been doing it charge me waaay to much, plus, they didn't like to work on the bank, so when I told one of the guys that has been remodeling my house my dilemma, he said leave it to me.

This is what they started out with...(I just had it done in May)

It was only a matter of three weeks before it looked like this again.  We had a lot of rain, and it just grows like crazy.

With the help of an 80 year old man on a tractor doing the brush hogging and two guys with lawn mowers I now have this...

These men mowed everything after the tractor work was done.  They totally man-handled the mowers into doing what they wanted them to do.  They honed the blades to a horror film sharpness and attacked the ivy like they were vine-hating animals.  I told them they were the mowing gods and that I had been told that this just couldn't be done.  They both replied at the same time that "a real man would have done it".

This brings me to something I'm only going to touch on here, as I'm moving forward with my life, and am not going to dwell in the past.  Over the past few weeks, several of the things I have told people who didn't know my husband, have brought forth reactions that I probably should have had for years. "He what???" and "you do know that's not right?"  I'm just realizing that not only was he often controlling and manipulative, but he was possibly waaaay more metro than hetero. Now that's something I didn't wanted to admit. 

Well, all has turned out for the best.  I'm happy and healthy and finding out that the things that are just too difficult to do by one person, can be made to look easy by others.  Meaning that those guys were bound and determined to make my back yard into what I wanted it to be.  Don't worry, all the critters in the woods survived the yard work and if my sudden lack of vegetation sends then into the woods of my neighbors, than I'm OK with that too.  Apparently these guys are planning on maintaining this new look with talk of moving rocks and stumps and other things.  Finally, someone that shares my vision for a back yard space.  I'll bet they will even plant things for me.

Well, that's it for today.  So far no workers today, it is Friday after all, but I'm sure I'll have driveway forms being built soon.  I'll keep you posted on everything. 

Take care, and TTFN.

Just when I thought the dramatic changes were over...

I suppose I had gotten so used to the deck looking like it did with the roof only...

That I just wasn't prepared for the dramatic difference adding the rails would make.  Here you see a portion of the railing that has been installed.  I went with white ceiling and beige/taupe rails and I love them...

You may remember this view from earlier in the summer...

 Now I have this...

I mean seriously, can you believe the difference?  Once the screen is installed, this is going to be THE place to hang out.  You know that moment when you really just want to kick back and soak in those night sounds of the woods... Imagine adding a ceiling fan and some comfy furniture into the mix and you've got it!  Girls' night out and you don't have to leave home.

Well, they are also removing my driveway today to make way for a new and improved one.  That's been interesting to say the least...

Well, just as Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose sang...it's too late to turn back now.  Let's just hope that falling in love applies to new driveways also.

That's it for this morning kiddos.  Love ya!!!

Wait, this is not beaded...

I had good intentions of doing some bead weaving and making some of my shoulder brushing earrings. I set up everything that I needed, I thought...

but, as luck would have it, (that and having my house in disarray for the last three months), I could not locate my beading needles and thread so it's off to Michael's I go.

Michael's really didn't have exactly what I wanted, but that didn't stop me from shopping which lead to getting some supplies for a fall wreath. 

Actually I think it's too full. Not enough of the grapevine showing, plus it needs some green.  I think I'll take a break before I go back to Michael's.  It's 4:30 and the temp has finally dropped back down under 90 degrees, so maybe if I wait it will cool down even more.

Please feel free to give me your take on the grapevine wreath wrapped with the leaf garlands.  I even hot glued faux gourds to the piece.  It's pretty, but not quite what I had envisioned (in the 33 seconds that I actually thought about it)  My mind was still pretty much on the finger that I had just gotten pinched in the leg of the card table as I tried to un fold it.  At least I didn't burn myself with the glue gun.

Well, that's it for now, except that my remodeling is continuing, as now the rest of the house looks sad and in need of updating, so one of the crew is going to take on the inside upgrades as a side job and will be working nights and weekends to save me some moolah.

I'll be posting pictures of that also.  Happy September, by the way and keep on keeping on!

Don't you love it?

Ahhh, that old catch phrase of Paris Hilton.  It really says what I want to today.  Here are a few new shots of the ongoing remodel...

 Here you see where we are on the screen porch.  We are awaiting spray washing of the deck, then the uprights will be wrapped in vinyl and the rails will be installed.  Electrical outlets will be worked in and then a fan will be installed.  Seriously, don't you love it?

After having completed the work of bending the metal to wrap the front door opening, they will soon caulk it and call it finished.  Several coats of paint on the door and the picture will be perfectly framed.

I had them replace the dated panels under the windows with the same cedar tongue and groove that they used on the studio and I am really pleased with the results.  The other was soooo 1970.  I really like the change up of the porch light, just another bit of continuity that is making this remodel so smooth.

Last but not least, here I am showing a picture of eight extra night lights that I found in a Lowes bag this morning.  My crazy coot of a dead husband must have had plans for these, but who knows what that was.

Well, with that being said, I hope you like my pictures today.  They are starting to seem so "same-y same same", but it is what it is.  Love you and we'll talk soon!

A little bit of this and of that...

A bit of this and a bit of that often adds up to something special.  Speaking of something special, one of my special readers reminded me last night that I really need to keep posting shots of the remodel.  I guess I was thinking that you only wanted to see the dramatic things and not the hum-drum things that are taking days to do.  Like the process of framing in the windows and bending the metal to encase them.

The bending of the sheet metal is done using a machine called a break. I totally loved watching them use it.  I'd seen one used before, but I had not added sheet metal jewelry making to my repertoire at that time.  Anyway, by this time I've gotten to know the gentlemen well enough to park myself in a folding chair and watch the process up close.  We talked about sheet metal tools and they showed me some really cool hand tools that they use that would easily translate into jewelry making tools.

In the lower right corner of this next shot you can see a portion of the break.

It is quite a large piece of equipment and it takes two people to move it about.  I wish I had taken a shot of it when it was inside, but I didn't.  They may bring it back Monday, I'm not sure.

One of the things that can bring a job to a standstill is the all knowing and ever feared Building Inspector.  My general contractor (GC, I'm told) is a perfectionist, almost to a fault, but he still always acts like the big, bad inspector has some magic melting dust that he is going to scatter if things aren't just so.  So I'm happy to report that I haven't had to resort to idle promises (think The Sweet Potato Queens) or sway seductively in order to expedite the passing grades that we keep getting...

I didn't exactly sway yesterday when Needy Ronnie and Sly Jose called me to see the progress they had made on the ceiling, but I did bounce up and down with glee when they showed me the first panel after it was installed.

Hmmm, I just realized something, while there were no tassels with the bouncing, this duo immediately busted hump and got the entire ceiling done.  Perhaps there is something to be learned here.

I know that none of the carpenters and such read my blog so I'll share some of the names that I have given to them.  There is an electrician that I refer to as the Serial Killer.  He is decidedly odd.  The floor guy has been silently dubbed Anger Management because he told me, after getting peeved with the plasterers for taking a step on the tile floor "ten years ago I would have just shot him for that".  One of the plasterers, who appears to be about 70 years old, has been aptly named Animal because I could hear him talking about being up in the club over the weekend.  Animal's helper (who reminded me of Refrigerator Perry), should be called Jerry because he kept doing an exaggerated Seinfeld voice and quoting lines from that long ago show about nothing.  I'm telling you this has been a wild summer.

Oh, this is funny...day before yesterday I finally called Jose out.  He was up in the truck bed ignoring Ronnie and acting like he didn't understand English.  I just stood there in front of the crew, who were almost rolling around laughing, and told him "I've got your number Jose, you act like you can't speak or understand English when there is something you don't want to do. You might be able to fool them with that act, but I know what's really going on."  Funny thing, the next day I had a semi normal conversation with Jose about the house and how he thought it was nice and he didn't try to Pigeon English me once.  He knew that I knew and it was funny.

Sorry, I had a shiny moment there and went off in another direction.  Getting back on subject, here is the light I chose for the front doors...

My main criteria was that I could change the light bulb easily and that it be a standard light bulb and not a flame shaped specialty bulb.  I think this now means a new lamppost for the yard, but I have already gotten business cards from these guys for handy man jobs just like that.

One thing for sure, a large remodel like this is good for the neighborhood. In addition to getting more business for my guys, people are having fun watching the proceedings...AND now that everyone knows that I'm not some poor shrinking violet widder lady, they are backing off with their suggestions and letting me do my own thing.  My own thing will also include a new driveway and then it should almost be done.  The screen room is going to be the last thing finished, but I think there will be a few more days that will be warm enough to enjoy it.

All is going well and I'm trying to stay mellow through all of this and for me cooking really helps me mellow out.  The new kitchen is wonderful and I'm already whipping up fun dishes like this combination omelet.

I used a small square plate for this presentation, not extra large bacon and a pile of eggs.  

I chopped and sauteed fresh mushrooms, onions, green peppers and grated about half of a red potato into the skillet and let it cruise on low before adding the beaten eggs for the omelet.  I love eggs, they fill you up and when I don't add bread to the mix, I don't feel stuffed or yucky from eating too much.

Well, that's it from me for today.  Have a great weekend, y'all and stay cool.

Just checking in...

I still don't have any really great photos to share regarding my remodel.  I'm finally at that stage, where little finishing things are being done and you really can't see the dramatic differences that you could see earlier.  So just for grins and giggles I'm going to post a few pic of flowers that I've been taking this summer as reference photos.

Enjoy..

Purple petunias from a purchased planter from Home Depot

Lilies from the neighbors garden...

More lilies...

I'm also playing around with the settings on my blog to see if I want to change anything...


 Well, that's it for a while.  Hope you enjoy the color.  When things start progressing again, I'm sure I'll be back with more pictures that will knock your socks off.

Just for fun, here is a shot of Gypsy, my neighbors doggie

I love how my neighbor has this turtle nestled among the geraniums.

Rest in Peace, Ishtar

My sister, Peri and her wife Peg lost their sweet baby girl cat Ishtar today.  She was over sixteen years old and was a sweetheart of a cat. 

She will be missed.

That's really all I can type right now.  Darn, this has been a long year.

Stuff is still happening...

Of course, things are still happening with my remodel, they're just not so dramatic as before.  The things that are happening are the things that will really make the whole project complete.

Like some new appliances...

and a wall of cabinets...

One of the things that is going to be everyone's favorite change is the archway.  I don't know if you remembered that I had them cut an opening from the sunroom to the dining room.  Well, they trimmed that today and I finally got a feel for it.

and last, but certainly not least, we got the last window cut out today...

You are probably noticing a few other things like ceiling fans and such.  Little touches like that are big changes for me.  I don't remember ever having a ceiling fan or a light dimmer.  Now I have both.

Well, that's enough of a sneak peek for now. 

Testing...123

I know, what a silly title.  I wanted to do a test of the panoramic setting on my camera.  They just finished painting my sunroom (yes, on a Saturday) and I thought it would be the perfect time to try it out.  Uhhhh, not the best, but OK for a first attempt.

I am so happy with the wall color that I chose.  Here are several better shots...

 

So there you go.  The electricians will be here Monday to get the kitchen ready for appliances and the cabinets in the sunroom may be installed on Monday also.  Sorry if the pics don't do justice to the soft peachy color on the walls.  I'm really digging it and hope you are too.

More Progress...

I awoke with clogged ears this morning.  Imagine that.  The dust, plastering and such is finally affecting me.  I feel good, just can't hear as well as usual.  Which is ok, because I had a full crew here today.

 After the painter did the second coat yesterday, that made way for the flooring guy to come in and put in new sub-flooring, mud the seams, let that dry and then lay the vinyl tiles.  He had an air compressor in the kitchen and believe me I was glad when he would warn me "I'm going to make some noise" so I could put in my ear plugs.  It took him all day, and he was somewhat funny turned, but he completed it. 

He will be doing the floor in the studio also, so he's already making sure that the seams and the faux grout will line up with the kitchen to really maintain the continuity of the placement of the tiles.  At first I had thought about doing the kitchen on a 45 degree angle, but I decided against that.

As you can see, the opening into the dining room has been cut, so the plasterers would be able to do their thing.  Also as you can see, they know how to do their thing quite well.  They put plastic down and when they were done, everything was nice and neat and quite clean, considering.

Yesterday, the brick team was here and they trimmed in the new windows with the brick recovered from cutting the holes in the wall.  A lot of cleaning and sawing and such went into this project and they will be back soon.

Everyone is doing a great job.  I may have a bit of a quieter day tomorrow, and to be honest, I'm OK with that.

Well that's it from the Widder Keene.  All is well here.  I'll continue to keep you posted.

Remodel Progress

My garage has already been transformed in the space of twenty days...

The ceiling and wall board really show the progress that has been made in just about three weeks.  The image on the left was taken on July 2nd, and the one of the right was taken today, July 22nd.

I'm really excited about the laundry center also...

You can imagine how convenient this will be, not having to carry laundry baskets up and down my somewhat narrow basement steps.

The back porch is coming along nicely, also.  Here are the skylights in the first stage of installation.

The under deck drainage system has been dismantled and screening will be installed between the joists. 

So as you can see progress is being made.  Hopefully I will have flooring in the kitchen this week.  What fun this has been.  Plasters will probably be here tomorrow and they usually work until they're done.  I've had workers on Saturday and Sunday and as late in the evening as nine p.m.  Everything is passing inspection and people are hustling.  I've seen and heard the usual cell phone usage, but no jam boxes have been used.  Pretty cool, huh?

All in all, it's been a breeze.  I do sometimes wonder if Tim knows what's going on.  I'd like to think that he's smiling down from his new heavenly home, giving my project the old thumbs up. He did the thumbs up all the time, but for some reason I can't find a picture of him doing it.  We'll go with this one instead...

Have a great week everyone.  Keep checking back for more progress.  All is good on Planet Keene.

More progress...

For those of you who don't remember what my garage looked like before the remodel started....

After having workers in all week, I thought I'd get the weekend off to catch up on some things.  My contractor forget his phone and my doorbell is ringing at 8:00 a.m this morning (Saturday).  Imagine his surprise and confusion at seeing me in my pj's.  He was asking where the drywall hanging crew was, and I said I didn't know they were even scheduled... He walked away with a dazed look on his face and said he'd talk to me later.

Good thing he woke me up, they arrived about fifteen minutes later and in two hours we went from insulation to insulation and ceilings...

I have to admit, I got a little teary eyed when I saw the ceiling boards.  It's finally starting to come together in such a big way.  I'd just been unable to visualize the room with the rafters showing.  Now I get it.

The same thing is happening with the back porch.  Only when the ceiling is put in will I realize that it will be an outdoor room and not the view from a tree-house (a wonderful description by one of my fellow artists and Facebook friends of the picture from my last post).

Still, it is all really exciting and we all know that a feeling of excitement is a good thing.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend and I'll keep you posted.

Oh, and just so you'll know this remodel really is taking place in my home here is a scary self taken picture...remind me to not raise my arms in public...talk about wrinkles...sheesh

TTFN

Day two and three...

My carpenter tells me if all goes well the screened in porch may be finished in eight days.  Eight days?  That's next Friday!  Of course that doesn't mean finished-finished, it means ready to do the electric and trim and such.  But still, I'm so pleased.

My kitchen cabinets are installed, but I really want to wait until I get appliances before I show another picture of that.  In the mean time here is my inside view from the porch...

I am really having fun watching and documenting the remodel.  It has really helped me get into the groove of the changes that I'm embracing.

I do hope you are enjoying it along with me.  Stay tuned for more...

Deck remodel

Day one of  the deck remodel.....

It was so hot here today, I felt for the guys out on the deck.  They got a real feel for why I'm screening it in.  The lead man said several times, "it's like a desert out here".  They are right on schedule, though. He said they would be ready for trusses by 3 pm and he was right!

Well, I see another work van...it's the drywall guys ready to work their second full shift of the day.  These guys don't stop.

Take care and look to the clouds when you're feeling down...

That way you're always looking up!!

One day later...

That's what I'm talking about...

Dry wall and plasterers in kitchen tomorrow...yes working on Saturday...Rock On !