Happy New Year !!!

 

 

 

Just a sampling of mine and Sandy's holiday photo shoot.

 

 

We bought each other Cream colored scarves for Christmas. The day after, we admitted to each other that we liked the one we bought better than the one we recieved.

 

So, we regifted to ourselves...

 

Trying to be serious...

 

Didn't work...

 

Happy New Year to Everybody !!!

A New Desk for Kevin

 

I have been searching for a new desk for Kevin since we moved in here. He doesn't want anything fancy, just an open bottom, and an extra long top.

 

I could only find a couple of custom desks that fit the criteria, and they were over $800.

 

Terry said "Bull #*&@! I will build him one myself".

 

The wood for the frame cost $40.00

 

The top cost $40.00

 

There he is, putting the frame together.

 

Looking good...

 

Painted the frame with leftover Beige paint from when we painted Kevin's room, and he used a dark Ebony stain (left over from Sandy's nightstand redo) on the top, and then a thousand coats of polyurethane, to give it a nice smooth sheen.

 

Oops, had to stop, to put together a ping pong table for Christmas...

 

The desk is done. We had to bring in the top and bottom separately, and here is Terry attaching the top.

 

There it is... back to business as usual.

 

Another happy customer.

 

Another project completed, at Project New House.

It's That Time of Year

                                                                   Merry Holidays ! 
                                                from Robin & Terry at Project New House

Cookies Won't keep You Warm

 

We spent the afternoon frosting a zillion cookies. Sandy and I still love this yearly tradition, no one else cares to take part in it anymore, but we keep it alive.

I still remember it from my childhood. Every Christmas, my mother would bake the cookies, whip up the bowls of colored frosting, and set up the table full of sparkles and sprinkles.

 

When I had my own children, I carried the torch, and throughout the years I have had many people at my table. When the kids were little, in our first house, the neighbor kids would come over and delight in the madness of it (what a mess).

 

As time went on, my second husband had four children, who brought added fun to the process.

 

More years, new neighbor kids, and more step-children.

 

The table has always been full.

 

 Now, it's just me and Sandy, and we enjoy the quiet time together. But we sure have some fond memories of crazy cookie decorating days gone by.

 

*

 

Soo... after decorating, and dinner, we all found our comfy spots to watch TV, or stare at our computers. After a short time, I thought my feet were freezing, and it felt chilly. I got up to check the thermostat and it read 61 degrees. Uh-oh...

 

Terry spent a couple of hours trying to troubleshoot, and even had brother Bob on the phone helping out. Just to remind current readers... Bob and Terry installed this brand new furnace just six months ago.

 

As the hours ticked by, and no fix was in sight, and the temperature in the house sank to 54 degrees, we made the call.

 

That's Chris McCarver from McCarver Mechanical working his magic. Great local heating & cooling guy. Turns out, the igniter was bad. I don't even know what that means, but thank goodness for a quick fix and a house heating back up.

 

After just a half year in this old house, we have found a great, reliable plumber, and an honest, quick furnace guy. All we need now is an electrician on the payroll...

 

Carry on.

Tile Project... Done

 

First thing this morning, I mixed up a bucket of grout. 

 

This is the part of tiling that I do not like very much. Usually, Terry appears out of nowhere, and takes over this task, but he was at work, so I was on my own.

 

I really can't complain. It was a nice flat surface, at counter level. I have done projects up on a ladder, around windows, in tight corners, and even behind a toilet (once).

 

After a few rub downs, it's looking good.

 

This job is officially done. The grout will lighten up as it cures.

 

Love it.

 

Tonight, I started painting the cubby above the bedroom closet.

 

Projects like this one always make me wish I was a couple of inches taller.

 

In other news... the giant old fridge in the garage has finally gone nuts. Everything in the freezer thawed, and everything in the refrigerator froze.

 

We went out tonight looking at small refrigerators (for the basement, instead of the garage).

 

Alas, it was too much to think about. We would need a specialty size fridge to fit through our tiny back door, and down the stairs.

 

We went back home...

 

As I carried what was left of the food, from the garage fridge, into the house, I noticed a full moon. It was bright.

 

When I took a picture, the ghost bubbles came out...

 

Good nite moon.

 

Good nite ghosts.

 

 

 

 

Just Another Day

 

On our way to mom's, to shovel her snow...

 

Stopped at the bakery outlet on our way home. Then had to get gas.

 

Window cleaning.

 The roads were still a mess, after the big snow storm yesterday.

 

Starting a fire, and decided to watch a movie. 

We watched "Lincoln". He liked it, me... not so much.

 

Clearing ice out of the gutters. Looks like we need a new roof, and gutters.

 

It appears that the roof is steep, and not properly vented... the heat of the roof melts the snow too fast, it runs down to the gutter, where it instantly freezes. This causes ice dams, and water seeps under the gutters, and runs straight down the brick, to the foundation.

 

More answers to our basement flooding problem ???

 

Hmm, gonna have to save up for this big job.

 

It's no wonder he's starving.

(Look at the size of that spoon).

 

My guy just keeps going and going...

 and he hates it when I take his picture,

 but he's so darn cute.

 

My tile job is almost finished, it needs grout (tomorrow).

 

Roxy is my helper. She's exhausted.

 

Just another day...

 

Let it Snow...

 

Well, Winter is really here, and this makes me get going on my tile project.

 

So far, so good...

 

Terry took his new snow blower out it's first run today.

 

Project house has lots of sidewalk. This corner lot has sidewalks on the front and side street. Two sidewalks in front, one to the porch, and one to the backyard. The backyard has sidewalks to the garage, to the back of the property, to the driveway, and around to the front yard.

 

If ever he needed a snowblower, this house is it...

Back to tiling... making good progress.

 

The main design is done, now time for "fill".

 

Fill is the special cut tiles that go around the design. This is the most time consuming part of the project. 

 

Argh, just could not finish tonight. Too tired.

 

Can't wait for grouting, and finishing.

 

Carry on...

 

 

Happy Winter

 

This post is proof of how boring it's been around here the last couple of days. We did get the oil changed in the car, and did some cleaning and laundry, and wrapping of Christmas presents.

 

It's just so darn cold, all you want to do is cover up, eat, and sleep.

 

So, here are my Christmas tree birds. The collection is growing...

 

He's really pretty, all sequins and beads.

 

This one's glass blown with pine cone wing tips.

 

Glass with cool feathers.

 

Sassy Hot Pink.

 

He's all fabric with sequins, my newest addition.

 

I'm still looking for the perfect Robin...

 

It's gonna be a long Winter.

We Still Love Project House

 

Terry made me some scrambled eggs and toast this morning, and here are my two best friends, ready to help me eat them. All they end up with is a little piece of crust, and crumbs to lick off the plate.

So sad.  

 

Then he went over to mom's to help her with a clogged drain problem.

 

He also finished my pantry shelves, for canned goods, and other overflow items that do not fit in my tiny little kitchen. Love it. Tiered shelves, so that I can see everything I have on hand.

 

Tonight, he worked on the closet doors in our bedroom. When we carpeted, the closet doors became a huge problem. He is trying valiantly to save the hand-crafted doors that Mr. Schoenherr made, so many years ago. There hasn't been any swearing yet...

 

We took the doors off the overhead closet space and I will paint it White.

This house is definitely full of storage places. No complaints. 

 

I did some work on my mosaic tile project. This is probably the slowest I have ever worked on one of these projects. I usually hammer it out in a couple of days, but for some reason, I am laboring over every detail. I even ordered some more tile, and maybe when it comes, I will get crazy busy on it.

 

I think I feel that this is an ultra important spot, and it needs to be really special...

 

The new stockings are cute, and we've been enjoying the fireplace, every night.

 

Our days are full, and our sleep is deep.

 

We love Project House.