We actually have a usable back patio!!!

This has been an odd couple of weeks.  We were really able to focus when we were working on the windows - we knew each day that we had to get up early, pull out the windows, prep, sand, coat, let dry two or three times depending on the window and then finish up by reinstalling them before we called it a night!  Since then we've been working on all kinds of little stuff, but nothing that was so rewarding.  All in all that makes it harder to focus for me.

The painters came and cleaned the outside - the place looks so good, maybe we don't have to paint!  NOT! But it does look much better and now that it turned sunny again they are coming back to do the prep work and paint.  Medium dark green/grey with dark red trim. Finding that perfect red was a royal pain.  I just want it to be done.  (I am thinking our neighbors probably want that even more!)

We are ooking for a excavator who can do some grading for us now that the construction is done.  Not having a lot of luck - they are all busy! Any grading work in the watershed (where we used to live) has to be done by Oct 1, so we may be out of luck for a while.

We did get the back patio cleaned off yesterday and that, despite being a full afternoon's project, was very rewarding.  We haven't seen it clean since we started removing the cedar paneling and kitchen cupboards back in November/December.  Well, the cedar paneling is still there, but at least the porch is usable!  And the patio off the bedroom doesn't have tiling buckets on it anymore!   Yahoo!

And last, but not least, we found a extra long and wide shower curtain for the master shower!  Yahoo - no more dark green and creme two-level combo.  It's so much brighter and easier to use!  And it looks better, too!

Tomorrow, in our typical Labor Day tradition of working (Bill's argument is he doesn't like crowds), we are going to install, well at least start to, the"man" door in the garage for easier access.  Having a true "mud" entrance when we walk the dogs twice a day is a great plus.  We had one in our old house and it made a huge difference, so......  Also hate opening and closing the garage door each time we just want to walk in and out.

That's all for now - hope you are having a great holiday!

The new, improved extra wide, extra long shower curtain!  Much better, but
it needs some weights in the bottom!  'Nother project! :-(
That's Bill inside!

A view of the cleaned deck from the kitchen.  Thinking of replacing the "steps
to nowhere" with a water feature.  Have had mixed reviews on that - everyone likes
the idea, but some warn us that it is a LOT of work....  Mmmmm, might have
to think about that some more.

The patio cleaned off with some chairs for today's 4 O'clocker.  (A 4 O'clocker
is a tradition started by a friend who wasn't up for fixing "all out"  dinners anymore
and wanted to go more informal.  It started with cheese and wine, but as you can
guess, we're back to full meals - just informal ones.  We haven't hosted one since
before our move in October, so it's about time!) Notice the old cedar paneling from
the living room in the upper right - oh well - still one thing to deal with!

The patio off the bedroom.  It used to be part of the bedroom with the
carpet glued directly to the concrete and a thin plastic (Lexan) roof.
We'll fix it up next year!