13 years in our home today

Last week we decided it was time to refi our house. My son had been bugging me about it and I knew it was time. So we applied - got in all the documents needed and Monday the appraiser comes. We locked in a low percentage rate of 2.5%. We are saving approximately $350 a month. Now we are in a better position to make double payments. Already the interest rate for Re-fi's has jumped up to 2.78%. 

We'll be here till we die. 

My sister and I inherited the place from my mom after she passed.  It was paid off. My sister wanted to sell but I liked it so we bought my sister out. I've never regretted it. 

We've done a lot to make it ours.  We've installed wood floors -

done our share of painting. 

I painted the cabinets and redid the kitchen to be retro. All new appliances. Now we have wood countertops. 

New carpet in the living area and 1 bedroom. 

Installed a new HVAC, new roof, and new windows in the whole house. We had a garden window installed in the kitchen for the cat. 

New washer and dryer. 

Last summer, we extended the patio and made a small garden area for my sunflowers.

Planted a lot of trees and plants

Each spring my California poppies bloom in a big vibrant way. 

A beautiful red flower that comes back every year. 

Spring Iris

One can never have too many sunflowers

Last summer's morning glories. 

My dad planted this cedar tree when they first moved here. 

It's now the vocal point of our front yard. 

And to think we are not done. 

We do have the costly stuff out of the way and if we didn't do anything else, it would be okay and I would still love my cozy little home. 

From this...to this!

From this

To this

It is done. 

The husband did a very good job for an old man. 

It took him 3 1/2 days - he finished today at noon. 

Oh Happy Day - Craft room clean and reorganize

Not my Craft Room

Not my Craft room, but pretty darn close. 

Today, I am attacking my craft room - the husband has been using it to "pile" his things in there, and it's a total disaster. I admit, once he started, I did too. You can hardly walk in it. 

The husband finished installing the new sink and faucet in our bathroom. Looks good. Now he's going to replace the pipe underneath - it had a less than desirable odor. 

The weather is sunny and beautiful - 

Rainy Days and chili

 

It's been rainy. Not a big storm but it's been wet. After our 6-mos dry season, those first rains smell so sweet. Formerly yellow grasses turn green almost before your eyes. 

Good News, the husband finally is done with the patio pavers - so the patio is completed.  He still has some finishing touches to complete - it may have to wait till the Spring. Unless it is going to be wetter than the wet rainy season, we most likely will have some dry days with sunshine and spring-like weather in between storms. We have a chance to get it all done. 

My section of the garden - on the other side of the fence, I didn't get a chance to lay down the weed barrier. So I took some cardboard boxes and laid them out flat until I get to it. I want to lay some rocks down as well. The morning glories are starting to die off, which surprises me. When I lived in the bay area, I had them year-round. It did get down to 29 degrees one night so that must have nailed it. 

I was able to clean out my pantry. Slowly I am getting things done but not as fast as I would have done a year ago.  I also made some homemade chili last night for dinner. I wanted it to last 2 nights but it was so good, we only have enough for lunch today. I normally make 2 batches. 

THANKSGIVING

So what is everyone doing for Thanksgiving this year? Next week I will go out to "gather" my meal. We will have a small, low key meal. Weather permitting, I hope we can have a small bonfire. 

Keeping busy

The husband is making some good progress. 

Still have some pretty flowers blooming. I plan to pull out the morning glories for the winter. They usually grow all year, but I planted too many and they are too thick - I want just a small vine of morning glories rather than a WALL of Morning Glories on my picket fence. 

I will plant some seeds by the back fence - to cover up the different sections we have replaced. 

I pulled out the remaining sunflowers. 

I really need to lay down a weed barrier before the rains that are forecasted for later this week. 

I plan to do a deep cleaning of my kitchen before the heavy-duty holiday cooking as well as clean and organize my cupboards and pantry. I have this one drawer, I use for my silverware and it needs a wooden stabilizer underneath because it keeps getting jammed. I'm thinking of just changing everything around. Perhaps the flatware is too heavy and I should instead use it for kitchen towels instead. 

At our age, changing the placement of dishes and glasses can really mess with us. I did it a couple of years ago, with our glasses and cups. I also did it with our pots and pans. They use to be placed in a bottom cabinet - but was hard for me to find them. I had to sit on the floor to find something. I moved them over to my pantry. Works great but every now and then, when my husband cleans out the dishwasher and puts away the dishes, I will find a pot or two, in the old place. We are creatures of habit. 

Yeah, it's time to do some deep cleaning before I start in with all the Christmas clutter which I really want to minimize this year. We'll see. 

Just a little more to go -

Do you have a husband who at times, doesn't finish the home project he started? He was out with a broken toe and has been cleared but he continues to favor it. He worked on the patio for an hour last week, and then nothing. He comes in and watches TV, eats his lunch at 11am and then takes a nap. 

He's not sick - this is not him. He is usually a workaholic. He just got comfortable having a legitimate reason to lay around and he got used to it. 

Today 10/27/2020

I've already asked him several times - he's defensive. 

Needless to say, I am annoyed. He only has just a little more to go. 

In all fairness (and I am all about being fair) I have slacked off my chores as well. We've both lost the momentum we had in the Spring and Summer. It's like our bodies and mind are going into early hibernation - when it comes to working on the house - or at best, FINISHING UP.  

I haven't even decorated for Fall at my house and I am usually ON-TOP-OF-IT.  

What can I do? I'm just going to do what I need to do at my pace and leave his crap for him to finish. Maybe he is waiting for me, to lead the way? 

 I am disappointed - I had thought we might hold our Thanksgiving on our patio this year. 

At least I still have some pretty flowers to look at. 

Backlogged

I can post pretty photos of my garden but the TRUTH is -

inside, my house is a mess. At least it is to me. 

With a temporarily disabled husband - out with a broken toe, things are piling up. He keeps a clutter of things piled next to him and that drives me nuts. The backyard is incomplete - weeds are growing on the hill that is too big for me to pull out and between the heat or unhealthy air due to the smoke, I need some help here - Hopefully, he will be cleared by Sept 17. 

I hate to spend money on a gardener or a housecleaner. I can do it - I'm just backlogged. and running out of time. It may be in the 100's now but when Fall comes, it usually brings a bit of winter with it.  I just paid for a teenager to mow the backyard for $20. He did an okay job. It already needs to be mowed again...

I lean toward being a minimalist inside my house. If I could get by with it, I'd go extreme - 

In my old age, I want clean, no clutter, and hardly anything to dust. 

When I was a young mommy, I was into all the country decorating stuff and my house was clean but cluttered with knick-knacks. I loved it back then - now, not so much. I like it a little, I just don't know if it is for me anymore. I've thrown out most of that old stuff a couple of years ago. Dust bothers me and too much clutter only breeds more dust. Plus my house has to be the dustiest house ever! Next year I want my ducts cleaned out. 

I miss when we were actively cleaning up and painting and doing work on our home. 

Painting the interior of the house, 5 or more years ago. 

Installing wood flooring in the hallway. 

I love doing home projects and I fear he is getting sick of it. The man needs a break. Me? I'm a workaholic when it comes to fixing up my house. I think it's my favorite hobby! 

A few years back I painted all the kitchen cabinets.

 I added beadboard paintable wallpaper on the cabinet doors. 

It turned out nice and I must get a recent photo - with all the changes. 

Last year, we changed out the disgusting white Formica for wood countertops. 

Yeah, I miss having a project to do. 

However, we need to get the place uncluttered after 6 mos of quarantine - 

if we do want to pursue our next project. 

I feel my age and it's frustrating not being able to do all that I want to do. 

The last day of August

 

I forget what these pretty vining flowers are called - 

They are about 3 years old and this spring, I transplanted them to a part of my front yard that has morning sun and afternoon shade and they are thriving. 

The taller sunflowers are starting to bloom but their flower head is smaller than usual. 

The raised bed has some sunflowers I planted - not the Russian Mammoth but these are a mixture - and not the yellow - they should be orange and browns.

 I've never planted this type before and I am looking forward to it. 

And hopefully, by the end of Sept, the patio will finally be completed. The husband goes back to the foot doctor on Sept 17.  Maybe a week of work...

This time last year I was busy crafting away - I had turned a room in my home, for crafts and sewing. Then my adult kids were flooded out of their apartment and lived with us for 1 month. So I packed it all up. When they left, it was close to Christmas - and then one thing led to another and I never got around to it. Then the pandemic and depression and just more excuses. 

I hope things will change for me soon. 

Too early to be winding down for Autumn

By the end of the month, if not sooner, I should have many more sunflowers in bloom. 

I am frustrated to say that, the patio won't be completed until the end of Sept or the first of October. 

My husband broke his toe and is off for 5 more weeks. Oh well, we're not doing anything anyway - 

but working on the patio was keeping him productive and not bored. 

I've slacked off as well - Maybe tomorrow I will get back into the yard - 

Meanwhile, there's always laundry! 

The storm before the calm

My backyard is a mess! So many projects going on - it's a good thing we're not having people over. I'd be embarrassed. It is the "storm before the calm." It will get cleaned up soon as some projects are done. 

Husband is working on extending the existing patio to the planter on the other end. He painstakingly digs the grass up, lays down silicon sand and places the paver down. He is methodical. That area is exceptionally challenging because when my parents owned this house, they had rocks around the edges of the lawn area, that we just let the grasses grow up and between. What a chore. So, he sifts the dirt and the rocks - and keeps a pile of rocks in another area of the yard. Oy Vey! 

I've already improved this. 

Taken this morning, I hauled over a wooden pallet with plywood nailed to it and made a flat-level surface to work on. Removed the pavers (which was my husband's doing) I did not want them there. I laid down a weed barrier under the table and placed the pallet on top.  It is already looking better. 

 I dug around in my china cabinet and pulled out these aluminum chargers I got years ago at Sonoma and Williams - I never use them anymore. So I plan to edge the top of that garden area with them. It's still a work in process...

Saturday I bought a 4 x 4 raised garden bed at Home Depot. It's been so hot, I put it together last night in my living room and my husband helped me carry it out and place it in the yard. This morning, when this was taken, I placed some pavers to the side - I weed-whacked down to the bare dirt. I also decided to remove my dad's ladder. I will put that somewhere else. It's too precious to me so I believe I will place it under the house eves and place empty pots on it. 

For this summer, I plan to just fill the bed with dirt, plant various sunflowers for the Fall and start some blue morning glories by the picket fence. I already have some started in another area and our growing season is long. Should look real nice for my family bonfire and weenie roast which is usually in early October. 

My covered patio? That is junked up with tools and supplies. I want to power wash the cement - hopefully, next week. 

It's getting there. We're just not that fast - we poop out, plus it's HOT. We do what we can, but WE WILL GET IT DONE! 

I see the Vision!

I used an old quilt stand, added some wood that fit perfectly on top, 

and have placed some potted plants I am nursing back to health after our 117 degrees. 

My husband extended the picket fence - so that I could have a small yard to garden in. 

It's MY GARDEN to do with as I want. It will be eclectic, funky, whimsical. It will take the rest of the summer to get it the way I envision. Using scrap wood and materials, we already had on hand, He made an arbor for me that I hope to plant some flowering vines.  On top of the arbor, I need some more planks to cut, paint, and add to it. A gate will come next year because I am picky as to what I want. I will need to research it. 

The other side of the fence closer to the hill is where my husband will put down pavers 

to extend our patio. 

Our covered patio used to have lattice and we removed it. It sat for a few years - I wouldn't let my husband throw it out. Finally, I decided to just put it on the fence as seen in the top photo. 

This will be paved over by Oct. Just weeds. We've been trying to get rid of most of our lawn area anyway due to droughts and we want to lessen our water needs. 

Yes, that is an OLD bike that was my Mom's and I need to paint it and put it somewhere. 

Doing a little artwork on the fence. Ha, it is what it is. I wanted a dry brush look for the middle fence. TRUST ME, I know what I am doing! I am a "painter's daughter!" 

The ladder belonged to my dad. He used this one at home but he was a Commercial Painting Contractor in San Francisco and even bid on the Golden Gate Bridge to paint. 

I'm still "thinking" on what to do with it. I might paint it, or leave it as is. I don't know yet. 

Another angle of my yard. I did slop some paint on the ladder. 

The verdict is still out as to what I will end up with. 

No sunflowers yet so I got out my metal sunflowers I use in the Fall - along with the corn. 

There is a log-planter on the side of my house that my dad built - it's falling apart. We had some bushes in there that I was allergic to, so my husband cut them way back. They were tall and beautiful but had to go. Their roots pushed out the logs on the planter that we will fix next spring.  We'll just leave that for next spring. The coke bottle is to temporarily cover the metal rebar as to not impale my dog if she should run and jump/fall on it. 

This side area gets the HOT afternoon sun. (noon to 6pm)  I have some sunflowers planted but they are not doing as well as they should, so I don't know what is going on there. Maybe not enough morning sun.  It's a HOT MESS for sure. Good thing, it's not seen much. I do have BIG plans for it. 

Do you see the rusted old Smoker? I plan to do something with that, too. Any ideas? 

I see the VISION, even if you can't. For the longest time, my husband couldn't or wouldn't see it. He says, ever time I come up with something, he gets nervous.