Greetings friends! Welcome back to the weekly update. Lots has happened in the last 7 days, so settle in and let’s get cozy.
This past week has been a productive one indeed. Let’s start outside.
Something exciting has been happening behind the scenes of all the work that I have been doing, and that is the outside is slowly transforming! This week, the next part of the concrete got done, since we have been redoing ALL the trashy concrete around us, and adding new walkways. There is sooooo much to do that it cannot be done all in one day.
If you are in the Lansing, Michigan area and need some concrete, dude! I know the best guy! Hit me up, you will love him.
So now, all the walkways and driveway is done, along with inside the barn, and we only have one thing left to do. One more thing? I know, the mind reels! But we are doing one big stamped and colored patio outside the family room. It will be stamped to look like wide plank wood and colored accordingly coming off that room.
The family room is the only space where we left the flooring that was here. Everything else in the entire house got redone. The room is a step down room, and had solid 3/4″ hickory wood which looked pretty good, so we left it. The floor we added is the same tone, so it blends well and that room was ‘its own space’ so I felt it was okay leaving it.
Of course, nothing can just be done and good. Ugh! I did have to repair it.
The house that keeps on giving projects
When we bought this, there was a giant shelving unit built into the corner. Those are never efficient, and it wasn’t the vibe I wanted. So obvi, I removed it. When I did, low and behold, there was old carpet under it, not the wood flooring we kept.
Luckily the previous owner had left a box of the flooring in the basement. There was just enough for me to fill it in and make a few other needed repairs on the steps.
Funny story, of course, I wanted that huge shelving thing gone. So I list it (back in January) on Facebook Marketplace cheap. It’s gotta go.
I am ALWAYS asking people on Marketplace for dimensions because they always forget to list them (why you gotta play me like that?). So I very boldly list that this thing is HUGE! It is over 8 feet long. I immediately get a hit, someone wants it.
The guy shows up in a small SUV. Like the kind where the body dimensions won’t even fit the unit. Dude! He’s like, “oh sorry, it won’t fit in my car.” No duh. I said it was huge. Whatever, my phone had been blowing up about it, so I was onto the next person.
This time I tell them via message, “hey this thing is huge! You really need a truck to transport and bring a friend because I am not helping you move it outside.” At this point we hadn’t moved into the house yet, so it was empty. He’s all, “no problem. My friend has a truck.” Great dude, see you soon.
I cannot express to you the ‘off the charts’ level that my ‘stupid radar’ went to. The guy shows up ALONE. Wait for it. IN A CAR! A car. Like a Toyota Celica. He was shocked when he realized it wasn’t going to fit. At this point, I can’t. I’m ready to take it out back and light a match to it.
First off, I am a post-menopausal woman, so frankly just by nature, I am always annoyed. But I decide to calm down and make the listing live one more time, then I will get some matches if this doesn’t work out.
So I add some super snarky words to the listing. Something like, “DO NOT even try to show up to my home to buy this if you are not driving a truck. It will NOT fit in your SUV, no matter how big you think it is.” Hmmm, that oughta do it.
Some young chick messages me and says she needs this REAL bad. Really? The only thing I need real bad at this point is a Diet Coke because I cannot deal with these people that have no spatial awareness. But she convinces me that she is traveling up from southern Michigan, on her way up north, and I am right in her path. She’s super excited.
Fast forward to later that night, I am STILL at this house (you know the one I do not yet live in) waiting for her to show up. She keeps telling me she is 45 minutes out, like every 45 minutes, blah blah blah. It is a virtual blizzard outside (January, once again) and she finally gets there about 9:45pm, driving…..you guessed it, a smaller SUV. Her plan was to have the hatch open and hang it out the back. Really? Because it is 20 degrees and snowing profusely. At this point, I can’t even be mean, I am literally howling with laughter.
The next day when I am about to remove the listing and torch this thing, I get a message, “my wife wants this bad and anything she wants, I get her.” Intriguing sir, you have my attention. But I am not taking any chances. I grill him with like 47 questions. What are you driving? Who is helping you (not me)? When will you be here?
I figure, fourth time is the charm and I tell him that he has 30 minutes to get here or I’m roasting marshmallows on it. Chances are, he thought I was a crazy old pyro lady, because…well, at this point, I am. But he shows up. In a truck. His wife is oohing and ahhhing over it, and away it goes.
Now I have this awesome memory of that stupid thing that almost wouldn’t go away. Okay, wait. Why was I telling you this? Oh yeah! I fixed the floor where it stood. Checked that off the list!
Plans from last week come to life
This week I also finished the picture moulding in the snug. It looks soooo good and I cannot wait to paint it.
I also made a bougie looking cold air return from some punched tin and it looks soooo much better than the regular metal vent thing that was there. I loved this so much, that I am doing a few more in the house in other places.
Since we are friends here, you are seeing all this unfiltered. Like I didn’t even bother picking up my tools at this point for the photo. But I will paint and caulk this week, so it will be looking a lot better soon. That couch isn’t staying there (shhhh, don’t tell hubby). I have another one I am going to reupholster. But that will be a project for another month.
We have had that couch since our very first house that we bought when I was pregnant with our son. He’s 41 years old now. So it’s old too, hence the slipcover. But it should fit in my studio later on when the time comes. It is still super comfy, and if it could talk, could tell you lots of stories.
Other plans that got finished…I put the paneling on the back of the bookshelves I built. Those will hopefully get painted this week too and then after a week of cure time, I can finally unpack the 8,000 boxes I have sitting around with all my design books.
I also repaired some walls and am prepping everything for a giant painting party, attended and hosted by myself this week. Let’s hope there are no surprises to derail me.
Outside pathways
“Over the meadow and through the woods to Mimi’s house we go” got an upgrade this week as well. My son came over and helped (with assistance from a Bobcat) where we moved a ton (seriously, more than a ton) of wood stumps from all the trees we had cut down, to the back of the property to line the path to their house.
The grandsons came over with their rakes and we all got in the action to fill the path with wood chips (also from the trees cut on the property) and make it look pretty. The land now has some very definite areas that are starting to take shape.
Wild nature update
As I write this, these turkeys are cruising through the back of the yard. Our property goes back several hundred feet, and daily, it is a nature thoroughfare. Mostly deer, turkeys, raccoons (where is Kevin?), frogs, rabbits, and every specie of birds in the area.
Unfortunately this place has a buttload of really big spiders that I see outside, but not yet inside. Think I will be calling the exterminator soon, just to make sure none of them decide that they like me and want to come inside. I am not afraid of spiders, and frankly, am a spider killer when they get too close to me. But nobody needs to welcome them inside. That’s a no for me, dawg.
My amazing finds this week
If you need any sort of work boot for outside, I purchased these ones this week and they are amazing! They are the only ones I can find where the size 9, fit my 9-1/2 size feet because the size 10 is always enormous. Plus, they have chickens on them. They are super fun!
We got a touch of cooler weather this morning, which made me remember my favorite ‘before fall’ sweater. I have it in black, but need like 4 more colors because it is a keeper and sooooo easy to wear!
I bought these for the tops of my bookcases. If you can add a little light to your shelving space, it just might be the touch it needed. These are plug in style so you can hide the cord behind the books.
Okay friends, I think that is it for this week. But I am ramping up for (hopefully) tons of finishing work this week, so hopefully things will be feeling more done shortly.
I hope you have a fabulous week. I will leave you with this inspiring quote. Hopefully it will help you get some things done that you have been meaning to do. Rock on girl (or guy)! You can do it.
Drop me a comment below and let me know what you are up to! Until next week, xo.
