Moving Into This Old House Update

Well, here's the update:


The church is moving us this coming Saturday, and I still haven't packed a box (although I have moved miscellany loose items up to the new place) and Mike took 2 loads of boxes (still packed from November's move) up yesterday.


I finally finished all the carpet cleaning and vacuuming cobwebs (I've never had to clean a house so much to move into! Not fair!).


The one and only bathroom is still in demolition mode.



The livingroom looked like this:



but there was a rumor that there was hardwood underneath, so now it looks like this:




I still need to paint the walls and pull up umpteen billion staples out of the floor before Saturday. So all of you that offered to help if I needed it, guess what? Your phone will definitely be ringing.

Oh and I have to work, and pack, and keep up with regular chores like laundry and dishes (and blogging), and then do a dancer's flea market I'm involved in on Saturday as well (that I committed to long before this move came along). Of course my employer needs me more than ever right now, and I'm weighing extra money vs extra time. Money is winning, but I may still try to find someone to work for me one day this week.

Other than that it's been hotter than blazes, and the air conditioner in our current home has only been working intermittently (despite the fact that I've been cursing at it quite consistently). At our new home, however, it's about 20 degrees cooler with a nice breeze blowing through the pines. I'm sure loving it now, but I know this winter it will turn into Little Siberia and I'll have snow up to my fanny!

Nat and Moo are excited to move, and they are actually looking forward to having snow up to their fannies this winter. They've actually packed a couple boxes too and did a great job helping me pull up the livingroom carpet the other day and spent a good hour pulling up staples even going so far as to claim it was fun!

So there ya have it. Maybe by next Monday I'll feel a bit more sane. Or not. Oh well, "this too shall pass".

Anniversaries are Hot, Sweaty, and Kinda Stinky

So, Mike and I spent our 12th anniversary getting all dirty and sweaty. Yeah, that's right. He tore up old linoleum and I shampooed carpets. What did you think I was talking about? Sheesh!

Our "new" abode (and I am using the term new here VERY loosely) is turning out to be a bit more work than we thought.

Yesterday we tore out the carpet in the bathroom. When we originally looked at the house I told the rental agent that the carpet would be a deal-breaker unless we could rip it out and replace it, so that's what we're doing.

GAG...

When Mike started tearing it out the smell of cat urine was overwhelming. And then I saw all the stains on the bottom of the carpet. I'm pretty tough, and it takes a lot to make me queazy, but this did it. I left and went in to another room and shouted my encouragement. Let's just say it was bad.

Under the nasty "history-of-pee carpet" (as I fondly call it), we found warped linoleum and mold which equals a lot more work than we thought.

Nice moldy, warped linoleum. I'll take it over nasty, smelly carpet though!

Today Mike began tearing it up, and then will have to put down an underlayment to even out the surface before we can lay down the adhesive floor tiles I purchased. It is assumed that the owners will reimburse us for all this, and I think it's a given now that the rental agent came by and observed the scene today. This project was LONG overdue, and the inside air quality has improved 100%. Thankfully this seems to be the only place the cat used as it's potty. 'Nuff said.

I in the mean time, was up in the attic vacuuming cobwebs and shampooing the carpet. The girls want to use this as a playroom so I was determined it be clean. The attic is very low--about 5 1/2 feet at the ceiling peak, and it was very hot and stuffy from being closed up.

The attic, before my cleaning spree--I really want to paint up here, hopefully I'll get permission

I actually broke into a sweat toiling away today. That may not sound like a big accomplishment for most people, but for cold-blooded me it was big news. I came down the ladder-stairs (you know the kind that fold up into the ceiling?) and told Mike, "Look! I'm actually sweating! I have sweat dripping from my brow!" He rushed over to look and could hardly believe his eyes.

I know that sounds dumb, but I seriously never sweat (and not for lack of trying). The combo of no air circulation, 90 some odd degrees and pushing a steam cleaner around finally did it. Woo hoo! Yay sweat glands!

Then later, we washed the dirt off ourselves, grabbed the girls, and went out to a lovely dinner followed with a nice bike ride through the neighborhood.

Well, no one can ever accuse us of not knowing how to party on our anniversary! Sweat, demolition, steamy carpets and a bike ride. Good times!

God Bless America