Home stuff 🏡 Home improvements

[SW MI Planner]

I've fallen behind schedule. No energy today. I'll get the kid to scrape a couple wallpaper panels tonight but that will be it.

I can't find anything that takes this crap off easily. Granted, this wallpaper is probably 40 years old! Anybody know of a really good wallpaper remover?

OK, trying to get this thread back on topic

I heard that hot water mixed with fabric softner is a great wallpaper remover. Spray it on, let it sit for a few minutes, and it should come right off. Alas, I have never tried it, so can't comfirm that.

Oh, and by the way, there are scoring tools on the market to dig into the wallpaper. I personally have had horrible luck with those, but you might try those first.

 

[kjel]

A friend of mine used this before http://www.wallwik.com/
She said it was pretty easy to use and had good results.

 

[SkeLeton]

OK, trying to get this thread back on topic

I heard that hot water mixed with fabric softner is a great wallpaper remover. Spray it on, let it sit for a few minutes, and it should come right off. Alas, I have never tried it, so can't comfirm that.

Plain and simple water (prefferably hot), continuously soaking parts that you want to remove works well enough. I did it on concrete walls though... so that's why I could use lots of water... I wouldn't recomend it if it were a wood wall. It's good because the leftover paper starts to bubble up when you use water, and makes it a lot more easy.

 

[biscuit]

I got the new cabinets and counter tops in the day before Thanksgiving and made a good start on repainting the existing cabinets. The hope is that we'll get that done and the kitchen tile re-grouted in the coming month. All I'll have left to do after that is:

Install new fence
Tear-down and rebuild rear parking pad
Rip-out and replace upstairs bathroom
Insulate attic
Replace the crappy 100 year-old hardwood underneath the crappy one year-old carpet.
Paint the other three floors
Replace sidewalk
Re-lay rock on rear patios
Do something about the water that seeps in the basement walls during heavy rain
Go broke
Say, "screw it" and sell the place as it is for more money than it's worth. ;-)

Weird thing is I enjoy this sort of "fun"

 

[Zoning Goddess]

OK, we tried wallpaper remover fluid in a bucket mixed with really hot water. Applied with a big sponge and let sit 15 minutes, reapplied and let sit. It came down much easier. Thanks for the tips!

 

[Richmond Jake]

I've been searching for months and finally found the head and foot board I like and bought it.....
why am I posting this information??? :e: :s:

 

[Cardinal]

I've been searching for months and finally found the head and foot board I like and bought it.....
why am I posting this information??? :e: :s:

Because you are a Cyburbia addict. Why am I looking at this information and responding?

I too am a Cyburbia addict.

We are not alone.

Nice bed, by the way. I always liked metal head/footboards. They remind me of our summer home when I was a kid.

 

[Bear Up North]

Bed stuff looks pretty good. Simple lines, good colors.

Bear

 

[Richmond Jake]

My new head- and footboard arrived today! I'm such handy guy...(NOT). Anyway, it's assembled and in place.

 

[Gedunker]

I<Snip>
Do something about the water that seeps in the basement walls during heavy rain

Hydraulic cement my man. You can thank me later.

Really, though, that's what you want. You can pick up a can of it (it's dry) at your local hardware. Leave it down the basement and the next time it rains, mix up a batch and insert it in the leak. Yes, while the water is entering the basement! It cures in about 5 minutes and that water will not enter the basement from that hole ever again.

As for me, I'm a little honked off that my demolition contractor didn't come yesterday to tear down the garage. As a preservationist, I'm a little torn about doing it anyway, but I've gotten past that part of it. Still, I'd just rather it be gone and over with.|-)

 

[SW MI Planner]

Looking for a new house because stbx won't move out. The housing market sucks right now, there is nothing good on the market. I love doing home improvements and landscaping and stuff like that, so that doesn't scare me. It's that the houses in the good neighborhoods have 2 bedrooms or no garage or something. Is it that unreasonable to want a 3 bedroom, 1 bath house, with a garage? Apparently so! I go Friday to look at a few more.

I went through one last Friday - 100 years old, but in GREAT condition. It has a Michigan basement, newer roof, furnace, replacement windows, siding (yuck, but oh well). On the main floor, it has a somewhat updated kitchen (70's orange counter), full bath, a master bedroom, a parlour/study area that is open to the living room. Most walls are intact - there is a little (1'x1') peeling paint on the ceiling. A little bit of paneling in the kitchen would be removed. Upstairs has three bedrooms and a TEENY TINY half bath - seriously the sink is miniature. Upstairs the, hallway and one room has wallpaper (OLD wallpaper). The electrical hasn't been updated, but works well.

Structurally it is a good house and a lot of the big expensive things have been taken care of, but being a (soon to be, I hope) single mom with a 3 years old, it makes me feel overwhelmed. I could move in with little but painting and new floors, but would want to redo the kitchen and baths eventually. There is a two car detached garage, nice size lot, and across the street (kind of a busy street) from a nice park and elementary school.

Ok, so I guess I was rambling, so I will get to my questions. Has anyone undertaken this route with children? Should I just try to find a newer house that won't require much work? My biggest concern is lead based paint, especially as there is an area that is peeling. My daughter is three, so past the age of chewing on window sills, etc. but door and window friction, etc worries me.

 

[Maister]

Has anyone undertaken this route with children? Should I just try to find a newer house that won't require much work? My biggest concern is lead based paint, especially as there is an area that is peeling. My daughter is three, so past the age of chewing on window sills, etc. but door and window friction, etc worries me.

I would elect to go with a house that needs less work. You're going to find some nice fellow during the next 18 months and will end up marrying him. You may choose to move to his house. Even if you decide to go with your house instead, you're going to discover that a three bedroom isn't big enough after you've had four more kids.

 

[biscuit]

Hydraulic cement my man. You can thank me later.

Really, though, that's what you want. You can pick up a can of it (it's dry) at your local hardware. Leave it down the basement and the next time it rains, mix up a batch and insert it in the leak. Yes, while the water is entering the basement! It cures in about 5 minutes and that water will not enter the basement from that hole ever again.

Thanks for the info. There are a few holes in the floor where this may be the solution. The problem with the foundation is that is made of sandstone and the water table in the neighborhood is very high. Apparently many of my neighbors with older homes have the same non-emergency problem.

Speaking of water, last Thursday I walked in the front door to the sound of gushing water. I ran to the kitchen and found water pouring from a light fixture in the ceiling down to the floor below. It seems that the city was doing work in the water lines that morning that required them to turn off the water. Mrs. biscuit then accidentally left the taps on in the second floor bathroom sink and when the sink finally backed up... what a mess. Fortunately, the water ran through to the basement with little damage to the kitchen ceiling. The bathroom and kitchen floors, however, are ruined. It seems that the a$$es who "remodeled" the house before we bought laid the tile directly on to plywood so the water ate away the grout and the tile is now all popping up. Who knows if insurance will cover it.

As for me, I'm a little honked off that my demolition contractor didn't come yesterday to tear down the garage. As a preservationist, I'm a little torn about doing it anyway, but I've gotten past that part of it. Still, I'd just rather it be gone and over with.|-)

Whether it's me or a contractor that does it, there will be a kitchen rip-out that requires me to get a dumpster. I think my old parking pad will be coming out while the dumpster is here.

 

[Jaxspra]

Looking for a new house because stbx won't move out. The housing market sucks right now, there is nothing good on the market. I love doing home improvements and landscaping and stuff like that, so that doesn't scare me. It's that the houses in the good neighborhoods have 2 bedrooms or no garage or something. Is it that unreasonable to want a 3 bedroom, 1 bath house, with a garage? Apparently so! I go Friday to look at a few more.

I went through one last Friday - 100 years old, but in GREAT condition. It has a Michigan basement, newer roof, furnace, replacement windows, siding (yuck, but oh well). On the main floor, it has a somewhat updated kitchen (70's orange counter), full bath, a master bedroom, a parlour/study area that is open to the living room. Most walls are intact - there is a little (1'x1') peeling paint on the ceiling. A little bit of paneling in the kitchen would be removed. Upstairs has three bedrooms and a TEENY TINY half bath - seriously the sink is miniature. Upstairs the, hallway and one room has wallpaper (OLD wallpaper). The electrical hasn't been updated, but works well.

Structurally it is a good house and a lot of the big expensive things have been taken care of, but being a (soon to be, I hope) single mom with a 3 years old, it makes me feel overwhelmed. I could move in with little but painting and new floors, but would want to redo the kitchen and baths eventually. There is a two car detached garage, nice size lot, and across the street (kind of a busy street) from a nice park and elementary school.

Ok, so I guess I was rambling, so I will get to my questions. Has anyone undertaken this route with children? Should I just try to find a newer house that won't require much work? My biggest concern is lead based paint, especially as there is an area that is peeling. My daughter is three, so past the age of chewing on window sills, etc. but door and window friction, etc worries me.

I would buy a new condo and be done with it ;-) :-D
I say that half kidding and half seriously. I love my home and recently thought about selling it because it is too expensive and jsut a ton of work with 2 little ones. I decided not to sell and I am still there and feeling a bit better about it, especially when I watch my boys skateboard and ride there bikes knowing I don't have to be on top of them worrying about cars in an apartment parking lot or a busy street, etc...
HOWEVER, I also notice that while they are outside playing with thier friends, mommy is always inside cleaning, picking up, doing some type of house work that would not be as overwhelming if I had a much smaller place with a lot less things (crap)...the thought of even trying to do a home imrpovement project doesn't even cross my mind...I waste too much time on the building I live in instead of keeping it simple and playing with the boys.
If I could do it over I would buy a smaller, even newer house (mine isn't old but little things need to be done/updated).

 

[SW MI Planner]

I would elect to go with a house that needs less work. You're going to find some nice fellow during the next 18 months and will end up marrying him. You may choose to move to his house. Even if you decide to go with your house instead, you're going to discover that a three bedroom isn't big enough after you've had four more kids.

Geez, four more kids in my future, I better start looking for a nice fellow now!! But, have you been to CW? I think they are all tapped out here. But actually I do want at least two more, so I better get a move on!! Does this mean I need to start posting in the dating thread? yikes...

I would buy a new condo and be done with it
I say that half kidding and half seriously. I love my home and recently thought about selling it because it is too expensive and jsut a ton of work with 2 little ones. I decided not to sell and I am still there and feeling a bit better about it, especially when I watch my boys skateboard and ride there bikes knowing I don't have to be on top of them worrying about cars in an apartment parking lot or a busy street, etc...
HOWEVER, I also notice that while they are outside playing with thier friends, mommy is always inside cleaning, picking up, doing some type of house work that would not be as overwhelming if I had a much smaller place with a lot less things (crap)...the thought of even trying to do a home imrpovement project doesn't even cross my mind...I waste too much time on the building I live in instead of keeping it simple and playing with the boys.
If I could do it over I would buy a smaller, even newer house (mine isn't old but little things need to be done/updated).

Thanks for your comments. Very good points! Even with a new house now, I feel like I spend so much time cleaning, cooking, etc, that I can't have fun with her. So that is something I need to think about. The condo's are way over priced here. I was considering an apt, but don't want to move her anymore than I have to.

 

[Gedunker]

Thanks for the info. There are a few holes in the floor where this may be the solution. The problem with the foundation is that is made of sandstone and the water table in the neighborhood is very high. Apparently many of my neighbors with older homes have the same non-emergency problem.

I've used it on masonry and in mortar joints, but would hesitate to use it on something really soft like sandstone.

Speaking of water, last Thursday I walked in the front door to the sound of gushing water. I ran to the kitchen and found water pouring from a light fixture in the ceiling down to the floor below. It seems that the city was doing work in the water lines that morning that required them to turn off the water. Mrs. biscuit then accidentally left the taps on in the second floor bathroom sink and when the sink finally backed up... what a mess. Fortunately, the water ran through to the basement with little damage to the kitchen ceiling. The bathroom and kitchen floors, however, are ruined. It seems that the a$$es who "remodeled" the house before we bought laid the tile directly on to plywood so the water ate away the grout and the tile is now all popping up. Who knows if insurance will cover it.

There's just something so wrong about water gushing from a light fixture.:-o :-x :-c

 

[Brocktoon]

Ok, so I guess I was rambling, so I will get to my questions. Has anyone undertaken this route with children? Should I just try to find a newer house that won't require much work? My biggest concern is lead based paint, especially as there is an area that is peeling. My daughter is three, so past the age of chewing on window sills, etc. but door and window friction, etc worries me.

LBP would be a deal breaker for me. The affects it has on a childs brian can be devistating. I worked with the Lead Based Paint group in DC and it is a pain in the arse. The remediation can cost over$10k.

I would try an find something else. A family friend tried to remodel a townhome with small children and it was alway a problem. The kids wanted to explore and ladders, plastic tarps, boxes of tiles, old carpet are magnets for small children looking for something to get into.

 

[Richmond Jake]

The Comcast guy came today and installed the wireless system. Took him about 3 hours. Yikes! Can't wait to start posting by the pool this weekend! :h:

And I unclogged the kitchen drain today after work. No plumber's butt because I pulled my shorts up over the crack. (I guess this should go under "Home Repairs."

 

[Richmond Jake]

That slave driving ZG had me install a pot holder rack thingie this afternoon that cut severely into my pool time. Actually, I felt pretty manly using a cordless power drill boring the pilot holes for the lag screws. ;-)

Here is the action and the results:

 

[kjel]

That slave driving ZG had me install a pot holder rack thingie this afternoon that cut severely into my pool time. Actually, I felt pretty manly using a cordless power drill boring the pilot holes for the lag screws.

Looks good....looks good. I finally got all my pictures hung up today and installed the second wall shelf in the alcove in my bedroom. Power tools are cool

 

[SuperPenguin]

Here is the action and the results:

Nice legs. :-o :-D

Tomorrow, if'n it don't rain, I'll be outside fixing concrete. Couldn't get approval to tear the whole mess up and pour new concrete , so we'll see if the $5 tube of crack-fixer works.

 

[Richmond Jake]

The various interior walls of our home are painted, among other colors, in three shades of beige. Of course, the leftover color of paint I need to perform some minor touch ups is gone. Any suggestions on how to get a gallon that matches? I know the paint was bought at Home Depot.

The pool solar heating is working great. Water temp up 6 (six) degrees in two (2) days.

Nice legs. :-o :-D

Smart-ass.

 

[Zoning Goddess]

The various interior walls of our home are painted, among other colors, in three shades of beige. Of course, the leftover color of paint I need to perform some minor touch ups is gone. Any suggestions on how to get a gallon that matches? I know the paint was bought at Home Depot.

You forgot the part about both of us looking at a can of paint you did have and going "Hmmm... yep, that's it!". Which is why you painted a couple spots on the wall that are now too dark and that we now have to paint over with the correct beige...:-D

 

[michaelskis]

Thanks for your comments. Very good points! Even with a new house now, I feel like I spend so much time cleaning, cooking, etc, that I can't have fun with her. So that is something I need to think about. The condo's are way over priced here. I was considering an apt, but don't want to move her anymore than I have to.

I know of a great condo building in a wonderful residential historic district that is not only very affordable, it already has a phenomenal residential community that gets better every day. On top of that, it is walking distance from unlimited amenities including bars, restaurants, parks, churches, museums, libraries, schools, and of course, a hockey arena. Did I mention that it has a rooftop deck that overlooks an amazing sky line? Best of all, I believe that you have relatives close by!

 

[kjel]

The various interior walls of our home are painted, among other colors, in three shades of beige. Of course, the leftover color of paint I need to perform some minor touch ups is gone. Any suggestions on how to get a gallon that matches? I know the paint was bought at Home Depot.

If you can manage to get a flake of paint off the wall from an inconspicuous place you can take it in to the paint department and they will scan/analyze it for the closest color match.

 

[graciela]

I have not had much luck with "almost a match" paint color services. The only exception would be one of those small local paint stores that carries a higher end paint and has helpful staff. They seem to enjoy the challenge of trying to match a color perfectly.

I recently had the joy of picking colors for my addition. It was such a headache. The little sample bottles of paint ended up being my best friend. Hubby and I thought we had really accomplished something once we got the room painted. We forgot about what a pain in the butt trim is to paint!

We have been working on our remodel/addition for the past 4 months or so. Of course, since we are trying to do as much ourselves as possible we are terribly behind.

Here is the before and almost after pic of the exterior. EDIT - well, maybe not. Anyway, here is the before pic.

 

[the north omaha star]

Is there a sealant that can work on plaster? Please help.

 

[Planit]

Is there a sealant that can work on plaster? Please help.

We used something called "Ducksback" or something like that - the guy at the paint store recommended it and we used it in our shower stall (long story not worth repeating) and it worked great. In the nine years in that house, we reapplied it twice just for good measure.

 

[Richmond Jake]

Ever since I moved into this house, I've wanted something to hang something over teh bed. This is what we ageed on...hung today. (OK, so I left work early today. You got a problem with that?)

More home improvements on teh way.

 

[graciela]

RJ - I like your cozy cafe scene! Very nice.


items remaining my home improvement project:

-stain trim in kitchen.
-paint the dining room.
-stain and apply urethane to 4 interior doors
-install hardware for new interior doors.
-refinish hardwood floors in the old portion of the house (arguing with my DH about DIY vs hiring a pro. It has been 3 months since we have been ready for this portion of the project!:-$
-Find something nice to hang on the walls.
-tear down the old well house.
-landscape the yard.

 

[dandy_warhol]

i don't even know where to start for my home improvement projects. i haven't even had the motivation to start the list. needless to say we purchased a house in Nov. 07 that is in good condition but needs updating - just ask our mushroom wallpaper in the kitchen. but retro is in, right?

how about things we've accomplished:

1. installed gate for backyard
2. purchased and installed new light fixture for dining room.

 

[jmello]

I sledge-hammered the rear walkway on Sunday and plan to do the same with the front on Saturday. The back one did not line up with the door and the front is more of a horribly uneven "patio" that we would never use. I plan to replace it with a planting bed. I will also be grinding stumps in the backyard in preparation of leveling the whole thing and planting some centipeded and st. augustine grass seed this spring.

 

[Dan]

Well, the basement is almost done.

About two months ago, the cheap plastic water supply line feeding the kitchen sink, probably installed by the previous owners, burst in the middle of the night. When I woke up, the kitchen was soaked, and the basement flooded.

State Farm covered it all. Highly recommended; I've been a customer for life, and they've never let me down.

After the water drained away, many of the original 1950s-era tiles in the basement floor were cracked and loose. The flooring contractor took one to a lab, and the result ... asbestos. So, a few weeks ago, an asbestos removal crew came to my house, and peeled up all the old tiles. After cleanup, I repainted the cinder block walls from white to a cottage white. The old tiles, gray and black, formed a checkerboard pattern; the new vinyl tile had a more neutral wheat color. After the new floor was installed, the basement took on a new look; it didn't seem half as creepy.

I replaced all the old lighting fixtures -- bare bulbs and industrial-like fluorescent ceiling fixtures -- with something more residential. A pendant lamp over the sink, and some inexpensive but nice brushed nickel fixtures from Home Depot. Much better.

I still have a little bit of painting to do. I've also got to replace the old ungrounded outlets with GFCIs (no equipment ground; my mid-century house has a mix of grounded and ungrounded boxes), and insulate some gaps. Once that's done, it's on to the basement stairwell. I've been doing some prepping there already, filling in pockmarks in the drywall, and replacing old-school light switches with illuminated Decora switches.

Next Monday, the contractor will be removing the old kitchen cabinets; they got waterlogged, and although cosmetically they look fine, open the doors and you'll see a mess.

This is only the beginning My house ... ugh. If I had to do over again, I would have bought something else. The previous owners did a LOT of remodeling; some high-end (Corian countertops, expensive kitchen appliances, salvaged brick walls in the family room), some with a level of craftsmanship that makes special ed wood shop birdhouses look wonderful in comparison. Need I mention the indoor-outdoor carpet in some rooms, the Pergo over hardwood (!), and the quite-visible drywall tape seams?

 

[zman]

RJ what color is that room? I think I may have found a color that my wife and I can agree on...

 

[Richmond Jake]

RJ what color is that room? I think I may have found a color that my wife and I can agree on...

I would describe it as "tarnished copper." The other walls are light beige and the ceiling is bone white. It was painted these colors when I moved in. I would never have the cojones to select this color pattern. Fortunately, it seems to work and our decor appears to compliment...

EDIT: it looks lighter in the pic than in real life. It's hard to describe.

 

[Dan]

Escaping Pergo-tory

Well, my girlfriend and I started pulling off some of the laminate flooring last Sunday, and we found oak hardwood floors underneath, in quite good condition. (I'll post photos tonight) It still boggles the mind: who would put laminate over hardwood?

As with everything else in this house, though, what should be a fairly easy job has been made a few orders of magnitude more difficult thanks to the previous owner's "what the fcuk were they thinking?" approach to home improvement. They nailed the laminate floor down. Nailed fcuking laminate to a hardwood floor.

 

[noottamevas]

I was just informed my screen door blew off my house. Damned kids can't make sure its latched:-@ Of course its my fault I won't have that problem with the next one.

 

[Dan]

 

[Planit]

Well, my girlfriend and I started pulling off some of the laminate flooring last Sunday, and we found oak hardwood floors underneath, in quite good condition. (I'll post photos tonight) It still boggles the mind: who would put laminate over hardwood?

As with everything else in this house, though, what should be a fairly easy job has been made a few orders of magnitude more difficult thanks to the previous owner's "what the fcuk were they thinking?" approach to home improvement. They nailed the laminate floor down. Nailed fcuking laminate to a hardwood floor.

You are right Dan...IDIOTS!

 

[Jen]

:-$ I look back at this thread and

yup

it all still needs to be done! not, our deck IS done, should post pics...

Guess what? we found a petite iron tub on paws, and it is back from the finishers clean and white again. It''s destiny is to be tub/shower combo for the upstairs bath. Finally it is out of the van, ugh so heavy, and in the office. Downstairs bathroom is still scary behind the cloths, and if the upstairs toilet overflows it drips right through to the one below.

What are we waiting for?

oh just about a free and easy 3-5K

 

[Richmond Jake]

We've been looking at our kitchen counter-top and it really needs help. It's a synthetic material, not tile or formica, less than 10 years old, but previous owners set hot pans directly on it and did not use cutting boards. We want to avoid the expense of replacing it, so I've been doing the Google thingy for about a week trying to find a product to refinish the existing top. Maybe it doesn't exist. Here's what we had in mind: sanding down the tops and applying some type of finishing product like a hard, clear enamel or epoxy. You folks ever come across such a process or product? Am I way off-base? Wasting my time? We're going to the local home and garden show this morning. Maybe we'll get some ideas there.

What does the Throbbing Brian say?

 

[ofos]

You can probably apply a laminate over the old surface it you clean it and sand it lightly. I've seen that done but I'm not sure that it's a better solution than taking the old top off and installing a stock one from your local building supply store.

 

[Veloise]

My brother & SIL do lots of home renos, and one that came out particularly well was installing large (4") tile on their kitchen island. heat resistant, fairly easy to clean (they sealed the grout). Pretty sure they just stuck it on top of what was already there, then trimmed the new edges with narrower tiles.

That would give you whatever color you wanted, as well. I think tile grout takes about 24 hrs to set up.

HTH

 

[Richmond Jake]

The island is a wide "v" shape containing a small sink near one end. Tiling that puppy would be a pain in the ass.
We decided the top is Corian. Their web site isn't much help.

To get a better understanding of what I'm trying to describe, I'll try to post a couple of pix tomorrow when I get home from golfing.

 

[Zoning Goddess]

RJ's kitchen is white cabinets with grayish countertops (yawwwwnnn....). Last year i brought up a pack of red striped/toned dish towels I thought would add some color.

Tonight we were watching Designed to Sell on HGTV and the designer pulls out this pack of dish towels, the exact same towels, and makes them into pillows for a living room. They were maybe 5 dish towels for 10 bucks at Bed Bath and Beyond.

So we may actually have some decorating taste?

 

[dandy_warhol]

yesterday decided to rearrange furniture. i reviewed by feng shui book and decided to switch the bed in the master bedroom. i finally realized that going to bed each night hating my bed was probably not the healthiest thing.

other bed is lower and has a headboard. now need to work on new sheets, duvet cover, and romantic accent pieces. i also realized that there are only one or two photos of me & BF where we're together and having fun. most of the time it is just one of us in the photo and the other person is snapping the pix.

question for the throbbing brain:

what color should my shutters be? we have a two-story house with yellow vinyly siding. the roof is brownish. right now the shutters are dark brown. realistic suggestions?

 

[Planit]

question for the throbbing brain:

what color should my shutters be? we have a two-story house with yellow vinyly siding. the roof is brownish. right now the shutters are dark brown. realistic suggestions?

Red or maroon

 

[SGB]

Living in a small rural community, it seems that everyone knows the previous owners of our home.

Once people learn we live there, they often start telling us about all the improvements the prior owners had made, and ask us what we have done thus far.

 

[Zoning Goddess]

Living in a small rural community, it seems that everyone knows the previous owners of our home.

Once people learn we live there, they often start telling us about all the improvements the prior owners had made, and ask us what we have done thus far.

Same here, in the house I sold last summer. I'd be out and about and meet people a few blocks over, and tell them I'm at the corner of such and such, the tan place set back, and they always said "Oh yeah, you bought Tracy's place!". It was in a suburb of about 30,000 but an old neighborhood with some long-established families, grown kids moving back to the neighborhood, etc. The house was built in '59 and I was the third owner.

Got our hose bibb installed by the pool today, so no more dragging a hose in from the back yard. Now RJ can install the mister (17 mist sprayers!) which will make lounging by the pool in 95 + d weather much more tolerable. We are definitely close to having the perfect place for hanging out in the summer.:-D

 

[Hink]

Looking at tiling my shower this weekend. Anyone in the last hours of the week have some advice for this DIYer.

I sure think I know what I am doing.... we shall see.....