I’ve Caught Up with Scott

Since I have no ability to build or repair stuff in our home, I can only wait until things are finished to paint. Scott is trying desperately to stay ahead of me, but I’m a very fast painter. So I’ve just caught up with him. Since Scott is working from home, his time for house stuff is limited until the work day is wrapped up. This means I’m at a stand still with the interior stuff. So I thought I’d start on the exterior. Those jobs which cost nothing but need to be taken care of.

So far today I:

• Weeded the front (near the road) bed and around two of the largest trees
• transplanted 5 climbing roses
• pulled out dead plant stumps
• Moved the 5 stacking flower pot topiary
• Removed stepping stones
• Cut in edges
• Interior: painted trim, which Scott has removed from somewhere.
• gave the trim and window in the kitchen a second coat of white.
• Sanded trim in the living room.
• Wiped down walls and trim in the living room.

While that might not sound like much, I’m whipped! The wheelbarrow is so full of pulled weeds and yard debris, I can’t move it. I’m glad I didn’t chop, move and stack the wood out back today. Which crossed my mind this morning. I might not have been able to get out of a chair later…So I just took a shower and am thinking about starting dinner. So far, that plan is only in the consideration phase. I haven’t motivated myself enough to leave my front porch yet.

We Took the Day Off

From working on the house. The mud room and closet are painted, as is the kitchen and the cupboards. The doors and drawers are being sanded for paint. Scott removed a door and some trim, which I’ve painted. Hopefully tomorrow we can finish sanding in the living room and I can prime and paint the first coat in there. After that we’re on to the dining room and open stairway.

While this feels like slow going, I’ve been assured we’re doing great things in short time. By my parents, Laurie and my kids. So far we’ve nearly finished the master bath, main bath, kitchen, laundry, hallway, mud room, and have a good start on the living room. Leaving the dining, stairwell, coffee bar nook, the master and two upstairs bedrooms yet to start. Then it’s onto the basement. That includes Scott’s office, the family room, the removal and packing up of my work room, Evan’s bedroom and the back storage room/work shop.

When seven people were living here it felt small and cramped. Now that we’re doing all this work, with only the two of us, it feels gigantic…

I need to remember each project is one closer to complete. I have to keep reminding myself of that. The longest journey begins with the first step and we’ve taken that one and then some.

I pray you and your loved ones are safe and healthy during this pandemic. May God bless and keep you all.

Progress Report: Home Improvements

First, the main bathroom is nearly finished. We need to fix the ceiling where we put in the smaller fan, and mud the linen closet. Otherwise it’s all finished. Everything’s been painted and is ready to be put back together.

The mud room has been primed, the ceiling painted. The closet is being repaired and when that’s dry and sanded, I’ll prime and paint it. The boot box was changed and the interior painted with Chelsea Gray, just to see how I like the color. It’s a beautiful, rich gray from Benjamin Moore. Scott calls it “machinery gray”, Benjamin Moore calls it “a well-dressed gentleman”. Which I prefer. This room will also get ship lap on the walls, in white.

The kitchen is in utter disarray. Honestly the whole house is. The cupboards and pantry are emptied and I’m painting the interiors. Scott’s repairing and sanding the cupboard doors. Once those are finished, I’ll paint them. The top cupboards will be white, the bottom cupboards will be Chelsea Gray. I felt there would be to much white otherwise. In addition to all that, Scott removed two upper cabinets. This has opened up the kitchen tremendously. I’m still leaning toward Calcutta or Carrara marble laminate countertops. I need to see them in a larger sample before I make my decision. The walls and bulkheads will be shiplap, in white. The backsplash will be bead board in Chelsea Gray. The kitchen sink will be a one basin, stainless steel drop in.

Scott’s working on the living room now. The ceiling is painted. Once the wall damage is repaired, I can paint walls and trim. Revere Pewter with white woodwork. Then we just need the floor and curtains. Oh, and the furniture as what we have will be going downstairs into the family room. While the house looks utterly disastrous currently, there has been progress.

Yesterday Scott and Evan picked up the wood for the ship lap, the bifold doors for the laundry room and a 5 gallon bucket of trim paint. The one I ordered and picked up earlier wasn’t the right finish. Which, of course, I didn’t notice until I’d started using it…Menards did take it back, fortunately. As there is absolutely nothing I could use that paint for here. I fully expected I’d have to donate it to school. But now I have enough of the correct color and finish to paint all the woodwork left in the house.

I’m thrilled with what we’ve completed so far. We’ve decided if the bottom falls out of the housing market we’ll just hold off selling until it rebounds. Since all our remodeling and renovations are being done with cash, we don’t have a home improvement loan to worry about paying off. Our goal is to have it ready by July first. We should know by then whether the country is reopened and how houses are selling. (At least I hope so. Who knows what the future holds for the world during this pandemic?)

Once the interior is finished, or at least nearly so, we begin outside. While that looks like a ton of work, in reality it’s mostly demolition of the barn, playhouse and kids playground stuff. Oh, and the porch and finishing the deck. And the two white picket fences. And the landscaping…Okay, that’ll take some time and effort too.

Good grief, this is never ending…

Gardening: for Beginners

Since so many people are planning Covod-19 “victory gardens”, I thought I’d share some tips for beginners. First, you need somewhere to grow your garden. This is the most important part of the gardening process. Without good soil and growing conditions your plants will not produce much or will just plain die.

The food your plants need comes from the soil they’re growing in. Good soil, good garden. If you have yard space in a full sun location (at least 6 hours) you can disk up your soil and amend it if it needs it. By that I mean adding compost, manure and nutrients. If you plan to go this route, take a soil sample to your local garden center or, preferably, your county extension office. There you will be able to get a vast amount of information on your zone, soil conditions, native plants, etc. And the expertise of Master Gardeners. Truly, they will provide you with more information than you even realize you need to know. They can test your soil to find out exactly what you need to make it nutrient rich. If you have either sand or clay, you’ll need substantial soil improvements to to help with drainage in clay and to enrich sand.

Perhaps an easier option is raised beds. You use wood to build a frame, fill with soil and add plants. This works well for folks with poor soil, disabilities or limited space. You can make the beds as simple or fancy as you wish. I’ve seen some at seat height, with a wide board surround to use as a seating area. Others were placed in a step down way on a very steep slope, allowing the gardener to use the steps to care for the vegetation within the beds. There are many options for raised beds. However, no matter which you choose, make sure it’s wide enough to reach the center from either side easily. The beds should be in full sun with water access. Beds will dry out quicker when they’re raised. Fill the bottom 1/3 with a thick layer of manure, then add black dirt/potting soil on top of that. Between 18 and 24 inches is the minimum I’d go. My own raised beds would hold at least three feet of manure and soil. When adding plants, make sure they have enough room to grow and require similar amounts of water and sun.

Another option is containers. This can be a nice choice for those with very limited space, or if you only want a couple tomato or pepper plants. You can have several containers on a patio, filled with both flowers and vegetables. Again, smaller containers will dry out more quickly. There is an additive I mix with my soil, Water crystals. These hold water in and keep the soil from drying out as quickly. I find this essential for my containers.

Not all plants grow well in all climates, which is why it’s important to know what hardiness zone you’re in. This means the lowest temperature in which plants can survive. For example, we live in zone 5. This means our normal temperature range is for plant survival is -20 below zero. We obviously get colder than that, but our perennials need to be able to over-winter at that temp and come back in the Spring. We may cover some of our stuff in the late fall/early winter with a layer of dirt and mulch or burlap and plastic if they are iffy at risk from cold. So you need to be aware of your zone for planting both perennials and for Spring planting times.

Starting plants from seed isn’t easy. I’ve done this several times. When the seeds do germinate, I find the plants to be weak and spindly. Hardening them off has never helped mine. They are fragile and don’t survive. The only seeds which work for me are those sown directly into the garden soil. My suggestion is to purchase healthy plants from a trusted nursery. I prefer the smaller mom and pop type nurseries. They are often run by people with vast experience and wisdom. They are more than willing to share their knowledge with you. Tell them what you want and they’ll pick the best looking plants for you.

Plant after the time for frost has passed. I usually plant my stuff Memorial Day weekend. You can plant earlier if your careful to cover your plants if there’s a frost/freeze warning. I like to plant my rows wide enough to run the tiller through the space between them. This helps with weeding. I also add Preen ‘n Green, which is a weed prevention and fertilizer combo. Because I’m a skeptic, I put Preen ‘n Green on half my garden and left the other half without. Let’s just say I’ll always add preen ‘n green to my garden and flower beds.

Before I add my plants to the garden, I soak the roots with Miracle Grow. You can add the correct amount of Miracle Grow to your watering can every time you water your containers. Or, much easier, buy the sticks. Push into the container soil and water as normal. The sticks slow release the fertilizer, allowing the plant roots to be fed continually. Heads up: more plants die from overwatering rather than under watering. So water judiciously. I water my containers every other day when it’s dry. I hope these tips help you grow a lovely victory garden of your own.

Use it Up Projects

Made from stuff around the house. My project today is this:

Metal blossom wall art

This is something I’m trying to recreate with fun foam. I’ve made faux leather for journals and all sorts of stuff with fun foam. My favorite, I think, was the mask Laurie and I made for Devin. She built it from fun foam and I painted it. Another fantastic collaborative project. (As I’ve mentioned often, we work well together. Through the years we’ve created some truly spectacular stuff.) Anyway, this looked like a good project to try with what I have here at home. And the more I use, the less I have to move…Here’s how I’m making mine, if you want to play along:

1. Begin by priming your fun foam. Let dry.
2. Paint the dark blue (in my case dark green).
3. Make a petal pattern and trace onto the dried fun foam. (Mine are made from two inch circles. I shaped the petal top and cut the sides straight. Taking off only the smallest sliver from each.)
4. Cut out petals.
5. Add paint to edges.
6. Dry brush turquoise from center to top of petals, both sides.
7. Add metallic (gold, silver, bronze-whatever you prefer) paint the edges and the tips of the petals. Dry.
8. Fold petals over and glue at the base to keep their shape. You can add a “pinch” at the bottom of each petal and glue into place for more shape, if desired.
9. Create a metal frame with jewelry wire, or use a wire wreath base. Or a wire hanger or two.
10. Add daub of hot glue to back of petal at the bottom and attach to wire, beginning at the outside ring working inward to the center.
11. Off set each petal layer.
12. Use four petals, not cut apart, as the center. Pinch and glue to shape. Add to the middle of the flower.
13. Add stamen to center, if desired. You can use twine for this if you don’t have faux flower stamen.

While this is a bit fidley, it’s easy. If your petals don’t want to stay put, when you add the hot glue to the back place a small piece of scrap card stock behind the petal. This will sandwich the wire between the petal and paper. That should keep it from moving around. You can make your faux metal flower any size you wish. Or make several smaller ones in different colors and create a grouping. You can add them to a piece of cardboard and make a longer wall hanging for over a couch or headboard. Home decor for practically nothing.

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My version of faux metal blossom wall art

He is Risen!

He is RISEN indeed!

May you and yours have a blessed Easter.

My Husband=ROCK Star!!!

While our home is currently trashed beyond belief, today’s project inspired me to clean the kitchen. My brilliant husband removed two upper cupboards from our kitchen, and the bulkhead they were attached to. This created that “open concept” everyone loves. Including me! What a tremendous difference removing two cupboards has made in the feel of the kitchen. I’m doing my happy dance!

I cleaned out the front and West side flower beds today. This leaves the East side, and around the trees. The area behind the house will be where we plant a few tomatoes and peppers. Our current garden area will be seeded for grass. We’ll disk the front beds, lay down several layers of newspaper, then cover with mulch. I’ll add hostas, lavender and day lilies in neat groupings with pots of flowers set where needed for color. Those, along with some garden “extras” to fill in the massive space, should nearly do it for landscaping the front yard. The back yard will get a fire pit/patio area with chairs and flower pots. The deck will have my usual array of pots filled with herbs. The trees need trimming, which Scott needs to do as my arms can’t.

Because we’re using gray in the house, I thought a darker gray for the shutters and front door would tie everything together. Benjamin Moore’s Kendall Charcoal seems a good, dark color for the exterior stuff. I’m thinking BM’s Chelsea Gray for the base kitchen cabinets with white on the top. I’ve found a single basin stainless drop-in sink to replace our current double basin white one for the kitchen. And I’m leaning toward textured Calcutta or Carrara laminated countertops in the kitchen. We cannot afford the real stuff, which is not only costly but high maintenance. Not practical for a busy family, which I think would be most likely to purchase our home.

My realtor has been selling homes steadily through this current lock down situation. She feels there will be a resurgence of home buying once the country opens back up. She’s finding many people stuck in their homes have decided they need something else…We’ll see how things shake out once this economy opens back up. But in the mean time, I’m really enjoying the changes we’re making in the house.

Beware, My Friends. Beware.

Just as horrific crimes spawn horrific laws, this pandemic has spurred Orwellian overreach by our government officials. Here’s what’s going on in the formerly free state of Michigan. Our governor, Gretchen Whitmer, has extended the stay at home order to May 1, 2020. But wait, there’s more. Here is some of the new restrictions imposed upon we the people. Full executive order.

Let’s sum up some of the most glaring issues with Whitmer’s order. She’s, first, not asking or suggesting these measures be followed by the people of our state. She’s taken the choices from us, forcing compliance. Whitmer’s limiting what we can purchase and how and when we can do that. She’s imposing extreme restrictions upon businesses, which are privately owned and operated. She’s declared advertising for these same businesses and their products be stopped. She’s decided what products can be sold by stores, limiting items to those she has deemed “life sustaining”.

Obviously, the government does impose rules and regulations upon us. They have passed laws we the people are required to obey. But these things are done in the public forum. It’s not something forced upon us without giving us the chance to voice our opinions. We have the opportunity to contact our elected officials to let them know how we feel about the proposed restrictions. Because they work for us and if we are dissatisfied with their job performance, we fire them. What has happened here is completely different.

Why must we pay attention to these over-reaching “emergency” orders? Because these orders are preventing the American people from exercising their rights guaranteed under the United States Constitution. To impose these restrictions is against what so many fought and died for: our basic rights as American citizens. This is not democracy (which we aren’t-we’re a representative republic) this is draconian. This abuse of our constitutional rights is all under the guise of “safety”. But the real risk isn’t this stupid virus, it’s the loss of our personal freedoms. Which, my dear friends, is a far more serious, and long term, issue than this pandemic.

Yoshi

Our dog Yoshi died today. He was a dog with special needs who surpassed all life expectancy estimates. He didn’t care what the doctors said, he just lived his life joyfully. He was blissfully unaware of his physical deformities or the pain they caused. He never knew life without them. It was perfectly normal for him. And they never held him back.

Yoshi’s purpose in life was to bring happiness to everyone he met. And he did that very well. Everyone loved Yoshi. And he loved them. With his whole heart. My husband just said he could brighten the darkest day, and that’s true. His presence made everything a bit better, even on the worst days imaginable. I know he helped me through those darkest days following both Jeff and Owen’s deaths. Somehow his cuddling helped healed the holes in my soul.

Although you may not have known my precious boy, he was a magnificent companion. Yoshi gave everything he had to make his humans happy. And now my boy runs through the grass in heaven, free from struggle and pain. Enjoy yourself, dear Yoshi. You deserve it.

Palm Sunday thru Easter: A Devastating Week

As followers of Christ, this is the holiest of times in our faith’s calendar. Here’s the historic setting: the Jews were slaves to the Romans. They had been brutalized for years and years. Christ arrives on the scene, and the Jewish people misunderstood His purpose. They thought Christ would be a political savior. In other words, He would liberate them from physical slavery to the Roman Empire. This is why the people were elated when He entered the city.

Think of it this way, when the Cubs won the World Series, there was celebration in the streets. Everyone was thrilled for the Cubby’s because they had endured years and years of struggle and hardship. They finally experienced something good and the country rejoiced with them. Now think of the Jews living in slavery. They were property, not people. Forced to do whatever their masters said. Brutally abused in every way. They thought Christ was their physical liberator from their hideous situation. So they took to the streets in mass celebration. Their years of captivity was nearly over! Imagine that type of excitement and joyful partying in the streets! To quote the late, great Dr. Martin Luther King: Free at last, free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

This is why Christ wept for the people of Israel. He knew His purpose was for eternal salvation from the slavery of sin. His freedom was not in the physical sense but is the spiritual sense. He would pay our price for sin so each one of us wouldn’t have to. His sacrifice gives us each freedom from eternal separation from God. Because without His sacrifice, none could enter the gates of heaven because we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. This is a concept few understood at the time because they were desperate for release from their physical captivity. Which is why the massive celebration of Palm Sunday turned to virulent hatred a few days later. The people experienced disappointment so acute, so shattering, they turned their feelings onto the One they had pinned all their hopes on. They wanted Him dead because they felt He failed them utterly.

When the people watched Christ suffer and die brutally, they felt justice was served for “misleading” them into thinking freedom from physical slavery was at hand. These were people crushed by the burden of captivity to brutal tyrants, utterly bereft of hope. Which is why Christ asked His Heavenly Father to forgive them, for they know not what they do…Even in the midst of His excruciating execution, Christ’s love for all people never wavered. His sacrifice for each one of us was utterly selfless. What’s more, if He had needed to go through it all for only you or only me, He would have done so. Because His love for each of us is that great.

Following Christ’s brutal, unfathomable suffering on the cross, the worst was yet to come. He descended into hell. Here he was the plaything of the evil one. We cannot comprehend the nightmare He endured as satan’s toy. But consider all the horrors of this world: every bit of suffering we see here on earth is the result of sin in the world. Now imagine all that and more directed at Christ…it’s beyond human understanding. And, again, He went through it all for me and for you.

Christ endured it all, and then overcame it when He rose from the dead. The profound reality of His resurrection over both physical death and the horrors of sin are, again, impossible for humans to fully grasp. (We are finite, while God and His Son, Christ Jesus, are infinite. Our lives are as a blink of an eye. Think about that a second. How many times do we blink in one minute? And a human life is equal to one blink…This is perspective so we can better understand the concept of eternity, even though we never truly will.)

Christ endured and overcame it all, freeing each of us from the payment we owe for our sin. His resurrection is everything for us. Easter is the most sacred and holiest of days for Christ’s followers because it’s the day He rose from the dead, He paid our price and overcame the realities of sin in our broken world. His sacrifice saved each of us from eternally living the suffering and anguish He did on the cross and in hell. Because that’s the price for sin.

The world is currently enduring struggle and horror with the Coronavirus and economic damage. Each of us is facing the reality that the world changed dramatically overnight. But, we will overcome these challenges facing us. Our country will recover from both the virus and the temporary economic downturn. We are resilient and strong, because of our faith. Despair isn’t our go-to in times of struggle. Pulling together as one is who we are and what we do.

The petty political squabbling is stupid and counterproductive. Don’t participate in it. Now isn’t the time. Keep your eye on the ball and do not waver in your resolve. Because together we will overcome it all. As a country, indeed the world, united as one. Under God. May He be with you all as we face this very difficult time together.