View from My Window Today

Lovely Spring!

The yard is untidy,

but I had to share this

beautiful blooming crab apple tree

just outside my workroom window.

This picture doesn't do it justice,

but a cherry tree is just outside 

a second window, in full bloom.

It's a bit hard to get

work done when this is the view!

My great little "knitted" bowl --

a gift from my sister a couple

of years ago.

I selected a gorgeous piece of granite 

for my new kitchen this week.

It's very much going to be a simple, cottage kitchen --

white cabinets, black counter top,

black and white checkerboard floor.

Stay tuned!

Renovations Continue!

Major accomplishment today!

This was the last of the wallpaper.

(This is a downstairs hallway from

my future workroom to the kitchen.)

As of today,

it is now all gone!

The subway tile in the downstair bathroom

began going in last week.

This is what it looks like today!

The bead board is complete in this 

bathroom as well.

This is the upstairs bathroom.

The plaster walls were in such 

bad shape,

it was decided to use 

the bead board floor to ceiling.

Note the new wall at the head of the tub,

added to incorporate a shower.

I am keeping both original tubs.

My contractor informed me this afternoon

that the kitchen cabinets and 

the kitchen/bathroom floor has arrived.

Tomorrow I will be selecting

granite or quartz for the kitchen counter tops

and some lighting fixtures.

One step at a time...

It's "Flowering Quince!"

I had asked last time if anyone

knew the name of this

pretty flowering bush

found at the back 

of my property

and heard from several that it is a

Flowering Quince.

One of the people who informed me

was Anna, one of the four siblings

from whom I bought the house.

What a treat to have been able to

meet them all during the closing!

Anna is the only one of the four

who still lives in the same town.

She is following my progress on the house.

Hi Anna!

Hope you'll stop by to see it.

Sheet rock now covers most of the kitchen walls.

Cabinets are ordered.
The open doorway you see
is to the basement.

Remember the downstairs bedroom,

my future workroom?

I started stripping wallpaper from the walls
last Saturday.

I spent a few hours on Monday

finishing the job.

The plaster walls need some repair,

but will be fine.

This is the same room with a view

through the adjoining hallway

into the kitchen.

Please note, the toilet 

is only "visiting" from the hallway bathroom.

The bead board in both bathrooms is starting to go up.

So, although the house is far from finished,

I feel good about the progress thus far.

A friend is running for city alderman
and I was asked to have one of
his signs in my "new" yard.
I already feel like part of the 
community!

I Need a Manicure!

Daisy and I spent the weekend at our new house!

 Not overnights,

just all day Saturday and Sunday.

(She's such a trooper!)

Our mission was to remove some wallpaper.

Hence the sorry state of my nails today.

 This is one of the upstairs bedrooms,

which will become mine.

Tools of the trade.

My method is to first score the wall 

with a razor knife.

Next, I saturate the wall 

with a mixture

of white vinegar and water.

 After about 15 minutes,

once the vinegar and water

 have done their magic,

I began to pull the top layer 

of the paper off the wall.

Underneath the patterned paper

is another layer of paper.

I am not really sure if this layer

is backing for the original paper,

sizing paper,

or a layer of glue.  (???)

At any rate, 

I then saturate it 

with the vinegar/water mixture,

wait until it soaks in and

voila!

That layer can be pulled away too.

One finished wall!

Truthfully, I have made this 

appear much easier 

than it really was.

Not all the paper comes away 

in nice long pieces.

Sometimes it's seemingly, 

by the square inch!!!

After about six hours 

of very tedious work...

...the entire room was done!

Sunday, it was onward 

to the second upstairs bedroom.

I do not have a finished pictured 

to show you of this room.

By the time I finished it,

I was too tired to think about pictures!

Other things accomplished this week -

the subway tile is here!

It will be used as a back splash 

in the kitchen,

and as wall surrounds for the tubs.

The "old pantry" has now been 

framed in for the new laundry space.

The kitchen has a new sub floor installed.

The wall around the upstairs tub 

has been replaced.

The wall at the foot of the tub,

next to the window,

was bare brick 

when I arrived Saturday morning.

It has now been covered with sheet rock.

So, things are moving along.

Daisy and I discovered this blooming bush

at the back of the property 

during one of our breaks.

Anyone have any idea what it is?

It is lovely...

as are all the forward steps made 

in the past week!