Tuesday, June 08, 2010

renovations ...

You'll have just to bear with me here. I have not touched any crafty equipment, or fiber in a few days now, well I moved a lot around, and out of the way, but that does not count. I was and am too exhausted to even think about it! I know, I didn't think that would be possible either.

Friday brought this little bin (standing beside a big bin) in our driveway. It's still pretty huge (it's 20 something, I forgot what measurement they use, and the big one is 40 something), and at first I thought we'd never going to fill it. The big bin is from our landscape guys, and it's been replaced once already. So much crap in our back yard!

Anyway, my son and I cleared our house of old furniture, and stuff from the basement, which we thought we'd keep for later, for some day, when we would need this and that again. Things, which were too good to be thrown away.

For the last couple of month we packed things and brought them to Goodwill, and we put them out to the curb, where people took everything we offered. But this was going too slow. On Monday, yesterday, we had to have cleared most of the house, to have room for the window guys to get their work done (as quickly as possible), and also in preparation for the floor guys.

We worked from morning till late at night. All that schlepping was very exhausting. At one point I thought we'd never get everything into the bin, and we didn't. Sunday it rained only in the morning, and we had the most lovely day after that. We took little breaks whenever we carried a heavy piece to the bin, sitting in the bin on furniture, getting sleepy in the sun. It must have been a sight for those Sunday walkers, us sitting there and laughing hysterically, about nothing, just because. I thought I'd never been more comfortable then right there!

Monday morning, when they picked up the bin, I was still finding bulky things we should have gotten out of the house.
Does not matter at all. We just sneak some stuff into the big bin. Anyway, I don't think I want to do all this ever again. I don't think I'll keep stuff around for whenever in the future, and be more careful what I'll bring into my house in the first place. But also, things DO get old or broken, and should be disposed off right away. O.K. lesson learned.

garbage bin June 5 and 6-3

I was so sore on Monday! The night before I had cramps through my legs up to my butt, and my heels hurt, even after I've put them up. Well, I AM a couch potato more or less, and this was hard work!

On Friday, when the landscape guys finished their work for the week, they put up the trap for Skunk momma. First night, as I told you they got a Raccoon in the trap, let it go, and they were still hoping to catch the skunk. No such luck though. Second morning I looked at the same Raccoon again, lying in the trap on his back, scratching his belly, I kid you not!

He must have thought, "mmmm free dinner, and no more hunting for more food tonight, until the humans come and let me go again". Well, feeding a Raccoon was not the plan, so they took away the trap. You can see it in the back of the next photo, but at this point it was empty.

Well, you are looking out from my office room, into the back yard through a big hole in the wall!
Yesterday was a wonderful day, sunny, but cool, with lots of wind! I was in the house, and my hair was blowing in the wind, like I was driving in a top down car, at high speed!
The window guys came, stormed through the house, breaking out every window they could find, and one balcony door, which made the before mentioned hole in my room.

June 7 - my office has a big hole in the wall-1

They worked fast! They replaced all the windows in one day, plus this sliding door, which will lead out to the not yet existing deck. The landscape guys are working on it though.

Today, on Tuesday, the window guys came and replaced two more sliding doors, the front door, and two other doors, leading to the garage, and from there to the back yard.

This makes it two days, not bad, but they still have to come back tomorrow, to do some finishing up, but we've got NEW doors, and new keys, and I'm loving it!

The whole house is dusty though. I had to go through it with the big fat vacuum cleaner they left here, mega strength, what fun! Then I had to wash the floors. It's still not totally dust free, but since they'll bring in some more dirt tomorrow, I'll have to clean again anyway.

So, what did the pups do through all of this, you ask???

June 8 - Happy
Happy behind me, dreaming of a game of Frisbee I presume.


Well, the same thing they do right now - sleeping, but they spent most of the time in their crates.

June 8 - Denny

Denny is sleeping under the table right now. The light is fading. I don't understand how they can be sleepy again. Will they be able to do our evening walk? Well, of course, they are dogs! But I'm not so sure about me. :o)

Expect more reno updates!

***

12 comments:

Beverly said...

You have my sympathy and empathy. When we renovated our house it was almost nine months of drastically interrupted living but it was well worth it. You will love the changes.

CelticCastOn said...

haha! Mr. Racoon probably pushed the skunk out of the way, "umm excuse me but thats my dinner!"
Yay for new doors but I bet you'll be glad when its all done.

Susan said...

Oh my, I'm tired just reading about all your work. My plan is to die before I ever have to sort through everything in the house; someone else can clean it out. In fact, a fair amount of stuff in my basement is from cleaning out my mother's house house after she passed away. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), I will probably have to bite bullet and sort through all this stuff in the near future or my husband will revolt.

Alexandra said...

Wow that's a lot of work! I hope the rest goes fast so you can enjoy your house :)

Freyalyn said...

Your pupz sound like mine - eventually it all gets too much for them and they just zonk out. I wish I could join them. Grin and keep on bearing it - your house will be new and lovely and clean soon. And think of all the space you'll have with the junk gone.

pat said...

I need to do the dumpster thing too. I blame it all on Dave - he is a "saver" and I am a "throw it outer" - ongoing conflict.
I bet you feel a little be more light and free with all that stuff gone!

2paw said...

Happy is definitely dreaming of a game with his frisbee!! Denny looks as if he has grown too. It might be hard now, but it will be worth it when all the work is completed. You will all revel in it!!

Frieda said...

It's amazing the stuff we collect ! I've been trying to declutter for the last couple of years . I'm getting there but some things are just too hard to part with .

Hope it gets easier and less back breaking as you go on with the renos .

Love the photos of the pups . Ha , to have a dog's life ...

Carrie K said...

Renovation is always challenging during but it's oh so nice when it's all done!

Glad the boys are behaving. Aren't raccoons smart? We get them a lot. I'm hoping that the new fencing keeps them out of the garden.

Virginia G said...

Phew! I'm exhausted just reading your post.

you are holding up remarkably well with all the reno going on right now.

Mr Puffy's Knitting Blog: said...

I'm tired just looking at the bin - LOL

I really love seeing a bit around your house - so many beautiful trees!

Knatolee said...

WOw, big job!! You must be glad that the dumpster work is finished!!