After:
Panorama!!
During. My love of demo has been proven.
Even Angela got in the mix finally
I need to get the videos loaded from Butch
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Stella de Mare
Before:
After:
Panorama!!
During. My love of demo has been proven.
Even Angela got in the mix finally
I need to get the videos loaded from Butch
After:
Panorama!!
During. My love of demo has been proven.
Even Angela got in the mix finally
I need to get the videos loaded from Butch
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Yard work catchup
Today was another day of hard yard work. All the dead bushes in the front are now removed.
Before
Before
After...no more dead shrubs. And two very tired old people. One slightly tired little girl.
Butch trimmed all the live plants yesterday and today Angela and I cleaned up the trimmings. Then we pulled some 15 dead dwarf yopon holly plants, then cleaned the yard and mud while Butch mowed.
And with that a weekend catching up on yard work is wrapped up!
Before
Before
After...no more dead shrubs. And two very tired old people. One slightly tired little girl.
Butch trimmed all the live plants yesterday and today Angela and I cleaned up the trimmings. Then we pulled some 15 dead dwarf yopon holly plants, then cleaned the yard and mud while Butch mowed.
And with that a weekend catching up on yard work is wrapped up!
Sky
Turned the corner taking kids to band camp and saw this. Whipped out the phone...
By the time I dropped them off and was headed out (5 minutes) it was almost totally gone...glad I stopped to take that first shot!
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Text for tree/yard pics!
Not sure why the prior post didn't include this data... However here are the comments that should accompany the photos.
It's a nice shady yard. The large tree next to the fence in the shot above will be the one removed in the near future. Most if the "stuff" seen next to the shed and such will be removed over the long weekend coming up.
Sometime in the future the shed will be moved to the back if the lot next to the fence and the fence row cleaned of trees and such. We also have to remove the chain link between Sally's house and ours to facilitate a gate in the future.
Butch wants to remove the clothes line. :(
The house is starting to look loved :)
It's a nice shady yard. The large tree next to the fence in the shot above will be the one removed in the near future. Most if the "stuff" seen next to the shed and such will be removed over the long weekend coming up.
Sometime in the future the shed will be moved to the back if the lot next to the fence and the fence row cleaned of trees and such. We also have to remove the chain link between Sally's house and ours to facilitate a gate in the future.
Butch wants to remove the clothes line. :(
The house is starting to look loved :)
Firsts
Friday (the end if July! Dang phone doesn't play well at times and didn't post this then!) I had a work team building event at a local recreation center.
Liz was still home and didn't want to be "home alone" so she joined in on the fun.
I played laser tag for the first time ever:
Why have I never done this before??
I also road the go carts. Again, I think this was a first for me. I guess it didn't have much of a draw for me as a teen because we used to ride mini bikes quite a bit as kids and horses later so the thrill wasn't there for me (and they were expensive!!)
The last event I participated in was bowling. It's been a while and I scored a whopping 78. Yep, didn't even break 100. Sad, so sad!
They are building putt-putt golf there too, so eventually we shall play golf there... And in 2016 a water park should be completed. Lots of fun!
All in all a great way to spend a Friday afternoon and still be "working" :)
Liz was still home and didn't want to be "home alone" so she joined in on the fun.
I played laser tag for the first time ever:
Why have I never done this before??
I also road the go carts. Again, I think this was a first for me. I guess it didn't have much of a draw for me as a teen because we used to ride mini bikes quite a bit as kids and horses later so the thrill wasn't there for me (and they were expensive!!)
The last event I participated in was bowling. It's been a while and I scored a whopping 78. Yep, didn't even break 100. Sad, so sad!
They are building putt-putt golf there too, so eventually we shall play golf there... And in 2016 a water park should be completed. Lots of fun!
All in all a great way to spend a Friday afternoon and still be "working" :)
Because I have an awesome photographer ;)
Monday, August 18, 2014
Car Delivery Services with Adventures
It all started out innocently enough; a drive to Statesboro to drop off the car to Liz.
We were about half way there and my morning coffee caught up to me and I had to go to the bathroom. It didn't help that the car is ROUGH on the roads as it's a tiny car with low profile tires and a short wheel base... so I was getting the jarred to death on concrete roadways!
So, I phoned Butch - who was leading and told him the next stop, pull off... so he did - to a place with NO services. He decided to keep on driving off the main drag. What the???? No services get BACK on the freeway - duh! Having to pee didn't help my outlook on this matter... so he continues to zip on down the road towards a "town"... which is just a wide spot in the road and chooses to go a different way back to the freeway.
I still haven't found a place to pull over and I'm looking longingly at the bushes on the side of the road by now... sigh. So, we truck on - heading the general direction of the coast and I'm pretty sure shadowing the freeway along the way... and finally stumble across a cute little restaurant/gas station/convenience store in the middle of no-where. They were nice and the potty was clean. Mission accomplished!
Back on the road we go. Now, keep in mind the man sat in his car the whole time I was inside and was on his phone, so I assumed he was getting directions to the freeway... as he takes me down another "alternate" road towards Vidalia (still considered "on the way"). Ok, I'm thinking he REALLY has his GPS on... nope (and it was MY car, so I know there is one in there!!) So I turned mine on with the phone and get the instructions and he passes all the turns. Now, I'll grant you all the turns were dirt roads... and as we're driving we're getting farther and farther into banjo territory.... the final straw came when he came to another dirt road and turned around in a U turn and I met him on the road and ASKED him what he's doing... he admitted he had NO service on his phone and was guessing... hello??? *I* had service and I told him to TAKE the dirt road we had just passed - it was the way home... so he relented and went that way... and there was definite banjo music by one house... very hill-billy looking home with washer on the unpainted front porch and metal roof... oh, yeah, we're in for it now.... Down the dirt road for 3 miles. I saw a HUGE rat run across the road in front of me... it was BIG! I just chuckled and drove on.
We finally made it to Statesboro none the worse for wear. As Liz would quip "Adventure!"
The car is with Lizzie and she's thrilled to have it available to her as her foot still gets sore after a lot of use - she's going to play heck building it back up to full strength.
We were about half way there and my morning coffee caught up to me and I had to go to the bathroom. It didn't help that the car is ROUGH on the roads as it's a tiny car with low profile tires and a short wheel base... so I was getting the jarred to death on concrete roadways!
So, I phoned Butch - who was leading and told him the next stop, pull off... so he did - to a place with NO services. He decided to keep on driving off the main drag. What the???? No services get BACK on the freeway - duh! Having to pee didn't help my outlook on this matter... so he continues to zip on down the road towards a "town"... which is just a wide spot in the road and chooses to go a different way back to the freeway.
I still haven't found a place to pull over and I'm looking longingly at the bushes on the side of the road by now... sigh. So, we truck on - heading the general direction of the coast and I'm pretty sure shadowing the freeway along the way... and finally stumble across a cute little restaurant/gas station/convenience store in the middle of no-where. They were nice and the potty was clean. Mission accomplished!
Back on the road we go. Now, keep in mind the man sat in his car the whole time I was inside and was on his phone, so I assumed he was getting directions to the freeway... as he takes me down another "alternate" road towards Vidalia (still considered "on the way"). Ok, I'm thinking he REALLY has his GPS on... nope (and it was MY car, so I know there is one in there!!) So I turned mine on with the phone and get the instructions and he passes all the turns. Now, I'll grant you all the turns were dirt roads... and as we're driving we're getting farther and farther into banjo territory.... the final straw came when he came to another dirt road and turned around in a U turn and I met him on the road and ASKED him what he's doing... he admitted he had NO service on his phone and was guessing... hello??? *I* had service and I told him to TAKE the dirt road we had just passed - it was the way home... so he relented and went that way... and there was definite banjo music by one house... very hill-billy looking home with washer on the unpainted front porch and metal roof... oh, yeah, we're in for it now.... Down the dirt road for 3 miles. I saw a HUGE rat run across the road in front of me... it was BIG! I just chuckled and drove on.
We finally made it to Statesboro none the worse for wear. As Liz would quip "Adventure!"
The car is with Lizzie and she's thrilled to have it available to her as her foot still gets sore after a lot of use - she's going to play heck building it back up to full strength.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Driving driving driving...oh and working on the house.
At least the clouds were pretty!
And the SUPER moon!
Pretty sunset on the drive south....
And now the thing I'm most proud of! When we went down the first time we noted the broken window with Walmart bag...yeah, classy :)
I had gone on line and learned how to replace a window and felt confident it was easy enough for me to do. So, off to lowes I went with a LONG list of thing to buy (new outlets to go from yellow to white for one thing). I came home with glass, the push tacks and the glazing.
And success!! In the process of replacing this glazing, more came off. Sigh. I still need to replace more, however, I was again behind the power curve and needed to head north. I did what I could this trip. I'm happy how it turned out and that I could complete the job without breaking MORE glass :)
Before in the tiny bath sink....
After a GOOD scrub with some scum cutter! Bad news with the chunk of drywall missing. They had installed an industrial hand soap dispenser using the industrial strength glue stick strips. That bad boy almost wouldn't come off with a hammer. I thought I had it coming off slow enough to not pull the wall apart...yeah, no. It's been patched and I'll sand and patch again on the next trip.
It was a great short weekend as Robin and Donald were in town on their way to a week on the beach. It was nice to see them and catch up a bit. I also got to meet Tina and her boyfriend. I missed meeting her brother and his family as they were delayed due to a missed flight. Bummer. Another time! We had to head home so we could grocery shop and do homework (her, not me!)
This is my traveling companion. Sigh. The good news is that I don't mind the quiet driving home...and she needed the sleep :) it is the weekend after all :)
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Fun finds.
I thought I had "lost" this sign to someone else at TJ MAXX. Today I went looking for a purse and ended up wandering and found it in the clearance isle. Bonus!!
The purse I found. It's a little large however I'll work with it fir now.
Care to guess what this is?
It's a collapsible hamper and SCREEMs beach!!
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Kitchen Planning
Before:
So the plan is to take out the wall and add some cabinets to make that area more of a peninsula.
The order of cabinets is from top to bottom:
Leave original cabinet if feasible – if not replace with 30” double drawer unit
30” Slide in stove top
6” slide out spice rack unit
27” under counter microwave cabinet (not really another place to have one!)
24” double drawer unit
So that is the “plan” for now; we still have to price it out, get quotes, plans and figure out flooring underneath before moving forward with cabinets. I like the wood look tile, hubby likes stone; neither of us like the price of stone for that size room!
I’m going down this weekend with some serious cleaners and will be scrubbing for a day and a half in there. Who knows… if I’m lucky maybe after we look at it all again, we’ll consider just leaving the floors alone as they are in one piece and refinishing the few places that are pulling up on the parquet – and calling it a day until we move down there in our retirement. That may be the most cost effective way to go at this point. Time will tell.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Details to Liz's college trip
Mom and I had fun on our little trek to go take Elizabeth to her dorms. She's on the 2nd floor and I'm SO grateful it wasn't on the THIRD floor or I would have cried. There are no elevators in that apartment and you saw the amount of stuff in our car. I mean, really? WOW!
She called ONE friend to come help, however, turns out it was a very beefy boy who hauled up a LOT of stuff and I cheated by chucking clothing to her on the 2nd floor. Even her friend said it was impressive. I have encouraged her to "bag" her clothes while on the hanger, and boy does that come in handy for shot-put moves! I grabbed by the hanger, swung it a few times and heaved it to her on the floor - hit her and the railing every time. It was the LAST bag that didn't go so well. Why, do you as? Because it was a tiny bag - I almost tossed it straight up, but Lizzie did a stretch and caught it with ONE finger. Good girl!! I did have images of her clothing that was bagged from drawers (aka undies and bra's) floating down over the whole common area if she snagged THAT one with a single finger and ripped it open - hahahaha! In the end, mom and I managed to only have to take about 3 trips UP the stairs!
I have been cheating for these college years by sending her to school with fleece sheets - those things are wonderful when it comes to STRETCH! These are twin sheets that are now on a double bed and have also stretched to fit extra-long twins. They are AWESOME! I had her try them before we headed out to Wal-Mart - the ONLY place in town to shop, it would appear!! It was PACKED. We needed to pick up two garbage can for the bath and the kitchen (the LAST two room sized ones on the shelves, so we took them) a Swiffer mop for her kitchen and bath, and some cables for her gaming system. I asked if she had her cable "cable" and she wasn't sure but 80% positive - turns out she didn't have it. Whoops! Oh, well, she has movies on DVD and games to occupy what time she has between training. We also picked up some frozen veggies and fruits and veggies as they will only feed them while they train - so no weekends and one other day next week will be an "unfed" day. She's set. She has taquitos and if she can find an operational stove in another building (hers was under construction still) she also has some chicken breast filled with broccoli to eat (non-microwavable).
When we got all her stuff into her apartment, we headed to Fuzzies Taco Shop for an early dinner. We left her in a "dump and run" and left her at her dorm to settle in. Kidding, we took final pictures, hugged and then headed home.
She called ONE friend to come help, however, turns out it was a very beefy boy who hauled up a LOT of stuff and I cheated by chucking clothing to her on the 2nd floor. Even her friend said it was impressive. I have encouraged her to "bag" her clothes while on the hanger, and boy does that come in handy for shot-put moves! I grabbed by the hanger, swung it a few times and heaved it to her on the floor - hit her and the railing every time. It was the LAST bag that didn't go so well. Why, do you as? Because it was a tiny bag - I almost tossed it straight up, but Lizzie did a stretch and caught it with ONE finger. Good girl!! I did have images of her clothing that was bagged from drawers (aka undies and bra's) floating down over the whole common area if she snagged THAT one with a single finger and ripped it open - hahahaha! In the end, mom and I managed to only have to take about 3 trips UP the stairs!
I have been cheating for these college years by sending her to school with fleece sheets - those things are wonderful when it comes to STRETCH! These are twin sheets that are now on a double bed and have also stretched to fit extra-long twins. They are AWESOME! I had her try them before we headed out to Wal-Mart - the ONLY place in town to shop, it would appear!! It was PACKED. We needed to pick up two garbage can for the bath and the kitchen (the LAST two room sized ones on the shelves, so we took them) a Swiffer mop for her kitchen and bath, and some cables for her gaming system. I asked if she had her cable "cable" and she wasn't sure but 80% positive - turns out she didn't have it. Whoops! Oh, well, she has movies on DVD and games to occupy what time she has between training. We also picked up some frozen veggies and fruits and veggies as they will only feed them while they train - so no weekends and one other day next week will be an "unfed" day. She's set. She has taquitos and if she can find an operational stove in another building (hers was under construction still) she also has some chicken breast filled with broccoli to eat (non-microwavable).
When we got all her stuff into her apartment, we headed to Fuzzies Taco Shop for an early dinner. We left her in a "dump and run" and left her at her dorm to settle in. Kidding, we took final pictures, hugged and then headed home.
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Lizzie's first day of Sophomore year
Lizzie's first day of Sophomore year. Ok not really. She's going to school two weeks early to train to be a CL (community leader - what used to be resident advisors in my day)
The car is JAM packed!!
Only one seat for Liz. Good thing she's tiny!!
Her dorm main building Southern Pines.
Lizzie by her building.
Me crying over Lizzie going back to school.
Nawh. She's going to have another glorious adventurous year in college! Have fun and be good Lizzie!!
The car is JAM packed!!
Only one seat for Liz. Good thing she's tiny!!
Her dorm main building Southern Pines.
Lizzie by her building.
Me crying over Lizzie going back to school.
Nawh. She's going to have another glorious adventurous year in college! Have fun and be good Lizzie!!
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Angela's first say as a Sophomore.
Happy Angie!
Goofy child ;)
I don't think that she's that thrilled to be heading to school - haM
Have a great day at school!!
Goofy child ;)
I don't think that she's that thrilled to be heading to school - haM
Have a great day at school!!
the conjecture house was VERY close to the reality of what the reality is.
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
The Beach House, aka Tiny House, aka The Pee House
After much ado and waiting I finally got THE call from the sheriffs office at about 11am on Tuesday AFTER I had called the office there on Friday about the paperwork that wasn't there AND Monday to see if the papers had gone out (they had). Turns out that the sheriff didn't know who to call because the paperwork being weird. I haven't see the actual paperwork, just the cover letter.
So I was in a training seminar while this was going on behind the scenes and the lawyer was emailing me granted she finally sent it to home AND work but I wasn't able to get email at either place. No reception with AT&T anywhere on base in a building! Ugh. If it wasn't so inexpensive with unlimited data I swear I would drop them!
So... Phone call at 11am. I told the sheriff I live 5 hrs north...and was informed they only do these on the mornings...ugh! So we scheduled it for 10:30am Wednesday and Liz and I packed. Angela opted to stay with friends die to band camp. We tried to tell her she could skip camp for two days, but she wasn't convinced :( boo!!
AND Thursday is the first day if school here. Yeah, fun timing, eh? I knew even if I changed locks quick and dashed home we would only have time to drive home and do practice, no time for shopping so we dashed out and picked up her "first day of school" outfit. She was jazzed.
Then on the road south!
When we pulled in that evening the house was quiet and appeared empty so we checked the front door. Locked. Checked the side door on the carport. Unlocked!
These are pure before pictures. Nothing was touched.
The dining alcove right off the carport
Looking to the kitchen from the side door
The kitchen. Oh yeah, there was food in the sink (noodles) an apple on the sink...flies everywhere.
Oil in pans still....
On past the fridge and looking at the front door. They are all open due to the cat/dog urine smell. Coat closet is what you're seeing on the left...
Looking through the door to the living room. Oh yeah, that's a queen mattress and a partially filled cup of soda.
And bags of partially eaten food.... And the back door and plastic bag on the window. Pallets and tarps is the theme in the back yard.
Onward down the hall and looking into the tiny bathroom. Gaggy shower curtain AND a washcloth too!
They really did like bears - there was build a bear stuff all over.
Standing in the tub looking at the corner cabinet in the corner. They have a small drop from door on the bottom for a laundry shoot effect to the laundry hamper in the cabinet. Kinda cute :)
Ok across the hall again yo the first bedroom on the back of the house. Aka the bunk bed room.
Closet in that room
The second room on the back, tarps on the clothes line outside too!
Going around the room.
Closet. Doors got the closets are in the outside shed from what Liz said.
The master
Master has doors on it.
Looking towards the 1/2 bath.
I love the tile work in here!
This one has cabinets in the corner too
This was all the night we got there.
Dirty freezer:
Gaggy fridge:
AFTER!! Turned out to be a very nice fridge under all the grundge.
The kitchen partially cleaned.
You know I didn't even notice the pot hanging there still. I went into this cleaning job trying to salvage all the stuff that looked good enough to send to goodwill. Honestly? I gave up by now and put a lot into a bag and took it the curb.
The windows are original as are the locks.
The lights are recessed.
Old fashioned air vents for sure.
The shower cleaned up a bit.
The sink after a scrub...the white in it before was all toothpaste. Gag!
The bedrooms don't really change much.
Living room sans mattress.
The pile at the curb. The city has been called for Friday pickup. Yikes!!
And, I also pulled all the vines down too.
The sheriff came by, did his walk through and will finish his paperwork and we completed the lock change and went on his way. After that it was all done, we went back to Sally's to shower. Liz said she'd prefers baths...I told her she could go back over and bathe. She would have none of it. Ha!
So I was in a training seminar while this was going on behind the scenes and the lawyer was emailing me granted she finally sent it to home AND work but I wasn't able to get email at either place. No reception with AT&T anywhere on base in a building! Ugh. If it wasn't so inexpensive with unlimited data I swear I would drop them!
So... Phone call at 11am. I told the sheriff I live 5 hrs north...and was informed they only do these on the mornings...ugh! So we scheduled it for 10:30am Wednesday and Liz and I packed. Angela opted to stay with friends die to band camp. We tried to tell her she could skip camp for two days, but she wasn't convinced :( boo!!
AND Thursday is the first day if school here. Yeah, fun timing, eh? I knew even if I changed locks quick and dashed home we would only have time to drive home and do practice, no time for shopping so we dashed out and picked up her "first day of school" outfit. She was jazzed.
Then on the road south!
When we pulled in that evening the house was quiet and appeared empty so we checked the front door. Locked. Checked the side door on the carport. Unlocked!
These are pure before pictures. Nothing was touched.
The dining alcove right off the carport
Looking to the kitchen from the side door
The kitchen. Oh yeah, there was food in the sink (noodles) an apple on the sink...flies everywhere.
Oil in pans still....
On past the fridge and looking at the front door. They are all open due to the cat/dog urine smell. Coat closet is what you're seeing on the left...
Looking through the door to the living room. Oh yeah, that's a queen mattress and a partially filled cup of soda.
And bags of partially eaten food.... And the back door and plastic bag on the window. Pallets and tarps is the theme in the back yard.
Onward down the hall and looking into the tiny bathroom. Gaggy shower curtain AND a washcloth too!
They really did like bears - there was build a bear stuff all over.
Standing in the tub looking at the corner cabinet in the corner. They have a small drop from door on the bottom for a laundry shoot effect to the laundry hamper in the cabinet. Kinda cute :)
Ok across the hall again yo the first bedroom on the back of the house. Aka the bunk bed room.
Closet in that room
The second room on the back, tarps on the clothes line outside too!
Going around the room.
Closet. Doors got the closets are in the outside shed from what Liz said.
The master
Master has doors on it.
Looking towards the 1/2 bath.
I love the tile work in here!
This one has cabinets in the corner too
This was all the night we got there.
Dirty freezer:
Gaggy fridge:
AFTER!! Turned out to be a very nice fridge under all the grundge.
The kitchen partially cleaned.
You know I didn't even notice the pot hanging there still. I went into this cleaning job trying to salvage all the stuff that looked good enough to send to goodwill. Honestly? I gave up by now and put a lot into a bag and took it the curb.
The windows are original as are the locks.
The lights are recessed.
Old fashioned air vents for sure.
The shower cleaned up a bit.
The sink after a scrub...the white in it before was all toothpaste. Gag!
The bedrooms don't really change much.
Living room sans mattress.
The pile at the curb. The city has been called for Friday pickup. Yikes!!
And, I also pulled all the vines down too.
The sheriff came by, did his walk through and will finish his paperwork and we completed the lock change and went on his way. After that it was all done, we went back to Sally's to shower. Liz said she'd prefers baths...I told her she could go back over and bathe. She would have none of it. Ha!
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