June & July 2016

Much of the late spring/early summer of  16 was spent wrapping up bits and pieces of projects.  We did the first sprucing up of the hall bath.  Walls were patched, primed and painted.  The sink cabinet painted.  New flooring and toilet installed.  The only thing I have to say about the finish choices is 'ya win some, ya lose some.'  To the other fart's credit, I saw these same choices made in a historical home rehab a few months later.  Perhaps it will grow on me.

We also managed to get the first goat pasture-drain field fence completed.  If you look closely, you may spot two happy goats, and the wooden corner posts that delineate the fence line on the east.   The white peak in the background is the front (south side) of the barn.

To the left is a shot of the barn, from the lane that runs on the north side of it.  This is the back of the barn.  One of our goals for 2016 was to work on taming this "block" of outbuildings.  Ironically, we decided it was too over grown to put the goats in charge of weed eating.  That task fell- and felled- us.  We'd no sooner get the weeds knocked back enough to start the fencing than they'd grow back.  I'm firmly convinced the area is one of Dante's circles!

This is a shot looking to the west, at one of the times progress had been made.

This is a shot looking to the east that also captures a time of some progress.

The front "lane" or south side of the buildings was also terribly over grown and neglected.

The area also received much of our blood sweat and tears throughout '16.  But again there was little to show for it in terms of permanent improvements.




We ended that quarter with a nice little va-ca, again to the family cabin up north, on the shore of lake superior.  That area did help us remember that our landscape was practically barren compared to some.

Would we do it again?

At purchase, this was an L shaped floor-plan, with the kitchen in the middle, a bedroom wing to the left, and living areas to the right.  Each of the three segments were 900sf, and had different flooring.  Each flooring was in ok shape, but the contrasts bugged me.  More importantly, the bedroom wing was carpeting.  Carpeting may feel nice under foot, but it doesn't mix well with a lengthy list of respiratory problems.  Or indoor animals.  And that is how the cheapskate in me came to conclude that i could live with sacrificing a hunk of the rehab funds for new floors for roughly 2/3 of the home. 

Like many people, we'd love hardwood.  Unfortunately, it is not only pricey, it is not impervious to animals' claws or accidents.  Nor did it seem worthwhile to go to the time effort or expense involved in sanding and refinishing the floors to get a matching product.  Ultimately we decided that we'd go with a laminate.  A sale package at a big box store limited our choices, and our costs, and we ended up with Pergo XP Alexandria walnut.  It was rated AC 4, commercial medium trafficking,  so I had hopes it would stand up to farm life.  I also chose it because it had the least contrast to the real wood in the house.

Shown together, the differences are apparent.  Fortunately however, the kitchen, tiled with a muted travertine tile , separates them, both visually & spatially.  I was full of doubts about these choices... afraid I'd end up with a mis matched patch work of materials similar to what we started with, concerned how they'd cover in an old house, and concerned about their wear.  Being such a cheapskate frugal person, I had opted to reuse the old baseboards too, to save a few cents.  This was another opportunity for wasted time, energy and money if I'd made the wrong call.

Eight Months In *or* Where I've been

Reaching the bottom of the pile of today's do-dues meant I found the calendar... & realized we ole farts have been farm owners for *8* months!  I guess it's fair to say we're right on track with this project, but only because we have no time table or track laid out.  A technical distinction, but if it gives us a gold
star in the progressing right on schedule column, I will make it.

Though no project is fully checked off, there has been some movement towards completions.

• Septic field is in, paid for, & wearing the county's seal of approval.  None of that was strictly necessary, I suppose, as we're the one's who instigated the inspections and upgrades, but I wanted to invest now and get ahead of any EPA power grabs.  This project remains on the incomplete list as we're still in process of draining and filling in the old lagoon.
  
• Had the H vac fella out to toy with the furnace & A.C. systems (yes plural, 2 of each).  He seems to think it best to wait to replace them, so he did the routine maintenance, we filled the propane tank, chose our favorite wood stove, & put a tentative check  beside the heating & cooling column.  He still needs to come back with his software and calculate loads and such, but I feel that with propane, wood, electric & kerosene options, I can feel good about getting through the winter.   One nice discovery is that the house stayed cool enough without the AC on.  Thanks, Trees!  
• Craft  & guest rooms had the craptastic paneling & ancient carpet removed, surfaces repaired, painted, & trim bulked up. 
  
  
  
  
  These during & during photos are of the craft room.  I fully intended to create a modern, bright room with purple lines,  modern flowers and yet some how soft colors showed up on the walls & antique roses bloomed on the fabrics.  Weird ;).
• The living room's north wall was torn out, the chimney caulked, insulation beefed up, and a new wall put up.  
• The master was originally too big.  (bet that is first. time. ever. anyone said that!) So we walled off an area 16x10 for the  office.  That's been built, insulated, wired, ceiling patched, dry walled, primed & painted.
• The bedrooms have been patched, primed, painted & borders applied.  
• Baseboards are up in all rooms we're replacing  floors in.
• Floors are  chosen, and we're awaiting installation.
• Wood stove & installers chosen & project initiated.  Should be wrapped up by spring LOL.
• Canning Jars all found a home in an existing  closet under the stairs.  Inventory taken and actually up to date!
• Painting  basement in process.
• Caught & overcame the EV-D68 once or twice per person, as well as a stray infection here and there.

Gosh, I'm glad I wrote that down, it makes it look like something has really  been finished.
I'm sure I've forgotten odds & ends, like meeting, falling for, & bringing red Betty home with us, but it'll keep.

Hope every ANY one else reading this had a truly productive season!