Moving in to this house has been a battering of projects. They are not "oh, we will do this eventually" projects. They are "we have to do this NOW" projects.
We are trying to finish up the laundry room project so we can have hot and clean water. Also, so we can do our laundry. You can't wash your hands here, you can't get water from the sink to cook with, you can't do dishes and we can't do laundry. No baths for my filthy kids. No shower for James to take before going to work. We are camping.
Our friend James tiled our floor for us. He wasn't supposed to do it by himself but that's what wound up happening. My James was busy packing and unpacking. Word to the wise, moving with a 7 month old is gonna s l o w you down. James did a great job tiling, it looks real nice. Now my James has to get it sealed, grouted, water heater installed, and install the washer and dryer.
Okay, so what about the other projects? Well, a few posts ago I told you I spotted mold on the ceiling of the garage. Yeah. It's gotten worse. James made a rule that no one uses that bathroom. Well, someone, I won't name names, broke his rule. So instead of pulling out the trees growing into our foundation, instead of fixing our stairs, instead of creating a deer proof fence, instead of anything else, we must now open a can of worms and fix it. A nasty, potentially barfy, can of worms. Oh. Joy. Just in time for summer!
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Goodnight Raccoons
The other day our dog Allie took of chasing two gigantic raccoons. We called her off of them immediately because we saw them before she did and so we knew what she was up to.
I noticed our neighbors had a heavy duty, sorta intense garbage system. It looked like it would repel bears but I knew it was to keep the coons away.
Our friends were over last night helping us settle in for our first official night of residing in our new home. I was telling them that I hoped to not hear any weird noises in the night. I must have set the stage for a unique night with that remark.
As James and the kids settled in for the night and everyone drifted off to sleep I started hearing noises. Crashing noises. Not loud and sorta subtle. I thought it was deer eating my plants but I knew all the plants were safe. I couldn't sleep because I could hear something. James finally heard it too and decided something was on the deck. For now our beds are in the living room. We are waiting for the bedrooms to be painted and carpeted. So we peaked out the blinds but saw nothing. I didn't think coons ate plants so I drifted off to sleep.
I was awoken later by James. He was by the door to the deck shining a light out on the deck. I asked what was going on. He told me that he was awoken by a coon scratching at the door trying to get in. WTF. These assholes climbed our stairs, climbed up the railings and entered the deck domain. Its not an inviting deck for critters. Theres no staircase to it. you gotta want to get up there. The door on the deck into the house happens to have bad scratch marks on it from what I thought was a cat. Maybe a dog. Perhaps a coon. It's on the inside too, but only the stain is worn down. No scratches.
So here's James, half naked, flashlight in one hand, plunger in the other, door open, kids sleeping, middle of the night, trying to scare off some coons that have no fear. He's trying so hard to be quiet and get them off our deck. He shuts the door dragging with him a box, takes a step and lands on a squeaky rubber chicken. Luckily, no one stirs.
In the morning I see the box. It's been torn open and ransacked for birdseed. Dammit. How do people have bird feeders? The only things that get my seed are fat squirrels and now fat coons. I got on Pinterest and found out what coons hate. As soon as I can get to Costco I am buying cinnamon, black pepper and Epsom salt. It's on coons, it's on.
I noticed our neighbors had a heavy duty, sorta intense garbage system. It looked like it would repel bears but I knew it was to keep the coons away.
Our friends were over last night helping us settle in for our first official night of residing in our new home. I was telling them that I hoped to not hear any weird noises in the night. I must have set the stage for a unique night with that remark.
As James and the kids settled in for the night and everyone drifted off to sleep I started hearing noises. Crashing noises. Not loud and sorta subtle. I thought it was deer eating my plants but I knew all the plants were safe. I couldn't sleep because I could hear something. James finally heard it too and decided something was on the deck. For now our beds are in the living room. We are waiting for the bedrooms to be painted and carpeted. So we peaked out the blinds but saw nothing. I didn't think coons ate plants so I drifted off to sleep.
I was awoken later by James. He was by the door to the deck shining a light out on the deck. I asked what was going on. He told me that he was awoken by a coon scratching at the door trying to get in. WTF. These assholes climbed our stairs, climbed up the railings and entered the deck domain. Its not an inviting deck for critters. Theres no staircase to it. you gotta want to get up there. The door on the deck into the house happens to have bad scratch marks on it from what I thought was a cat. Maybe a dog. Perhaps a coon. It's on the inside too, but only the stain is worn down. No scratches.
So here's James, half naked, flashlight in one hand, plunger in the other, door open, kids sleeping, middle of the night, trying to scare off some coons that have no fear. He's trying so hard to be quiet and get them off our deck. He shuts the door dragging with him a box, takes a step and lands on a squeaky rubber chicken. Luckily, no one stirs.
In the morning I see the box. It's been torn open and ransacked for birdseed. Dammit. How do people have bird feeders? The only things that get my seed are fat squirrels and now fat coons. I got on Pinterest and found out what coons hate. As soon as I can get to Costco I am buying cinnamon, black pepper and Epsom salt. It's on coons, it's on.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Goodbye House
I am going to miss this house. Sometimes I see Will in parts of the house and I think I could burst into tears.
We became a family under this roof. Both kids were brought home to this house. Will learned how to be a boy here. So many, many memories are about to be taken away.
As I pack the house I simply can't imagine anyone else living here before or after us. I walk through the rooms and I wonder what great experiences were held here. I wonder if other kids will live here. I really wonder if anyone will have it as good here as we did.
It's kinda sad leaving the house your boy grew up in. The only house your daughter has ever known. The living room they play in everyday. The room your boy slept in on his own. The window that watched so many things come and go. The yard you played and gardened in so many times. The kitchen your boy demolished. The bathtub you bathed your children in. It's so sad to see it go.
Our neighbors are even sad to see us go. I hoped it wouldn't be so hard. Keely will never remember this place and Will in time may forget. He came into his own here. So many fun, awesome and joyous times were held here. I feel like I am leaving a part of my soul here. A huge chapter is closing. I am getting older. I am excited about our new place. Really, I am. It's going to be such fun. This place though will always be so special to me and I thank it so much for being so good to us.
We became a family under this roof. Both kids were brought home to this house. Will learned how to be a boy here. So many, many memories are about to be taken away.
As I pack the house I simply can't imagine anyone else living here before or after us. I walk through the rooms and I wonder what great experiences were held here. I wonder if other kids will live here. I really wonder if anyone will have it as good here as we did.
It's kinda sad leaving the house your boy grew up in. The only house your daughter has ever known. The living room they play in everyday. The room your boy slept in on his own. The window that watched so many things come and go. The yard you played and gardened in so many times. The kitchen your boy demolished. The bathtub you bathed your children in. It's so sad to see it go.
Our neighbors are even sad to see us go. I hoped it wouldn't be so hard. Keely will never remember this place and Will in time may forget. He came into his own here. So many fun, awesome and joyous times were held here. I feel like I am leaving a part of my soul here. A huge chapter is closing. I am getting older. I am excited about our new place. Really, I am. It's going to be such fun. This place though will always be so special to me and I thank it so much for being so good to us.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Where Is Frank?
I knew yesterday I would have to get to the house early. I did not realize I would have to go tearing out of here like a mad woman.
I was awake and laying with the kids. Will woke up wondering where his daddy was. I told him he was working and he cried for a minute. He then told me to get up, put my boobies away (I am nursing Keely), put my eyes in (my contact lenses) and brush my teeth. With that said I was up and at em. I got a call from James but he hung up. Next thing I knew I had a voicemail from a number I didn't know. I listened. It was Frank from Home Depot saying he would be catching a ferry and get to us between 9 and 11. I called back immediately. You see we went with the Oak Harbor Home Depot specifically because they were not going to charge us for them taking the ferry. Here they are now taking the ferry! He assured me there would be no charge to us. The island guy was too busy to do it so he got the job. He said he would be on the 8:30 ferry. That's when panic really set in. It was 7:15. I had to leave in 45 minutes. I told Will we needed to bust a move to meet Frank at the new house. He told me he loved Frank.
The kids needed diaper changes, dressing, breakfast, Allie needed food, a potty, I needed to get dressed, pack the car still and have coffee. My mom was going to ride with us and she was still in Ballard. 45 minutes was not going to be enough. I flew through everything. No coffee. Allie didn't eat but she peed. Will ate breakfast in the car and I managed to pack a few things in a cooler. My mom said she would catch a later ferry.
We made the ferry. We got to the house with Frank. We were greeted by two small yapping dogs in our driveway. They belong to the 5 pack beer guy. They remained on our property for a good portion of the day. I took Frank in and showed him where to measure. I asked him if he thought it was the carpet that stunk. He had this funny look on his face that he was clearly uncomfortable. He told me I needed to paint the floorboards with something called Kilz. He said it would lock out the odor and other animals wouldn't pick up the scent. That's kinda where he really got me. Allie won't pee in a house but other animals we may own might AND people who visit may have an animal that will. Done. Decided.
Frank was telling me about his buddies truck that had been stolen. He was going to finish up here and go get the truck. Quite unprofessional but if that Kilz stuff works great. We wanted to know how much it would be for Home Depot to rip and remove the carpet but we had to change our tune. Frank said they wouldn't put that stuff on for you. They would rip out the old, put in the new and the funk would always be there. Well, for that cost I am making sure that funk is gone. My mom ripped out the carpet in all three rooms. That stuff is so heavy. It was so gross. I rolled the carpet and saw it was stained with orange/brown circles everywhere. It was so filthy. We were thinking we would just carpet clean the place. Then we decided to just buck up and re carpet. Wow. Yes. That carpet needed to go ASAP. After Frank left to go rescue his buddies truck Will must have asked me 100 times where Frank was.
I was awake and laying with the kids. Will woke up wondering where his daddy was. I told him he was working and he cried for a minute. He then told me to get up, put my boobies away (I am nursing Keely), put my eyes in (my contact lenses) and brush my teeth. With that said I was up and at em. I got a call from James but he hung up. Next thing I knew I had a voicemail from a number I didn't know. I listened. It was Frank from Home Depot saying he would be catching a ferry and get to us between 9 and 11. I called back immediately. You see we went with the Oak Harbor Home Depot specifically because they were not going to charge us for them taking the ferry. Here they are now taking the ferry! He assured me there would be no charge to us. The island guy was too busy to do it so he got the job. He said he would be on the 8:30 ferry. That's when panic really set in. It was 7:15. I had to leave in 45 minutes. I told Will we needed to bust a move to meet Frank at the new house. He told me he loved Frank.
The kids needed diaper changes, dressing, breakfast, Allie needed food, a potty, I needed to get dressed, pack the car still and have coffee. My mom was going to ride with us and she was still in Ballard. 45 minutes was not going to be enough. I flew through everything. No coffee. Allie didn't eat but she peed. Will ate breakfast in the car and I managed to pack a few things in a cooler. My mom said she would catch a later ferry.
We made the ferry. We got to the house with Frank. We were greeted by two small yapping dogs in our driveway. They belong to the 5 pack beer guy. They remained on our property for a good portion of the day. I took Frank in and showed him where to measure. I asked him if he thought it was the carpet that stunk. He had this funny look on his face that he was clearly uncomfortable. He told me I needed to paint the floorboards with something called Kilz. He said it would lock out the odor and other animals wouldn't pick up the scent. That's kinda where he really got me. Allie won't pee in a house but other animals we may own might AND people who visit may have an animal that will. Done. Decided.
Frank was telling me about his buddies truck that had been stolen. He was going to finish up here and go get the truck. Quite unprofessional but if that Kilz stuff works great. We wanted to know how much it would be for Home Depot to rip and remove the carpet but we had to change our tune. Frank said they wouldn't put that stuff on for you. They would rip out the old, put in the new and the funk would always be there. Well, for that cost I am making sure that funk is gone. My mom ripped out the carpet in all three rooms. That stuff is so heavy. It was so gross. I rolled the carpet and saw it was stained with orange/brown circles everywhere. It was so filthy. We were thinking we would just carpet clean the place. Then we decided to just buck up and re carpet. Wow. Yes. That carpet needed to go ASAP. After Frank left to go rescue his buddies truck Will must have asked me 100 times where Frank was.
Mom Of The Year
The honor does not go to me though I did try to take it. It goes to my mom. She removed the correctly guessed bat. She nearly barfed.
We took all the food out of the kitchen. I told her she could take the kids for a car ride but she had me take them. I tried to offer her anything she might need. I told her there was a pile of boxes in the corner, pointed out the paper towels and the disinfectant wipes. She insisted she was fine. So, the kids and I headed out for paint. Specifically, Kilz paint, we are dealing with the wrath of animal odor in this place.
10 minutes into driving I get a call from my mom. I am a little worried she is calling for back up or calling to ask where something is. I answer and she tells me the deed is done. She said she put a box under the light fixture and it plopped right in. She said the smell was horrific and she thinks it could be why the house smelled in the first place. I asked where it currently was and she informed me it was on the deck. I also asked if she took a picture for our viewers. She told me I could do that when I got home. A few minutes later my phone buzzed and it was a picture of the bat with flies around it. A stylist couldn't have done a better job. That picture can't help giving the willy's.
We took all the food out of the kitchen. I told her she could take the kids for a car ride but she had me take them. I tried to offer her anything she might need. I told her there was a pile of boxes in the corner, pointed out the paper towels and the disinfectant wipes. She insisted she was fine. So, the kids and I headed out for paint. Specifically, Kilz paint, we are dealing with the wrath of animal odor in this place.
10 minutes into driving I get a call from my mom. I am a little worried she is calling for back up or calling to ask where something is. I answer and she tells me the deed is done. She said she put a box under the light fixture and it plopped right in. She said the smell was horrific and she thinks it could be why the house smelled in the first place. I asked where it currently was and she informed me it was on the deck. I also asked if she took a picture for our viewers. She told me I could do that when I got home. A few minutes later my phone buzzed and it was a picture of the bat with flies around it. A stylist couldn't have done a better job. That picture can't help giving the willy's.
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