I wish I knew what I was doing.

If I ever write a book (don't hold your breath, Mom), that'll be the title.

But really, I do. I mean, in everything. I spend most of my time in every day life muddling through (doesn't everyone? I hope?). And then I come back to this renovation project. With all this stuff that needs doing. I've been getting some comments from friends recently that they're very impressed with my "know how", and with all the work. How do I know what I'm doing?

Here's the answer guys - I don't. No idea. Don't get me wrong, I've been very lucky to grow up in a very DIY family, and therefore have faith in my ability to figure it out, and enough grounding in certain things to understand what I'm researching. And people to call (hi Dad. So glad you answer your phone at random moments.) for advice. I'm willing to put in the effort because it's damn satisfying to see something I've made better. But I don't know what I'm doing, as a whole. Even the stuff I would have said I do know how to do - like paint - constantly has new things come up that I didn't know how to deal with before. For instance, did you know that the line between the red and yellow paint on the hallway wall would be visible after a coat of primer and two coats of paint? Yeah, me neither. Should have sanded that down. Oops. Every project I've done thus far in this house has elements of "if I'd known X it would have looked much better when I was done".

Which leads directly into this kitchen reno. Plans aren't quite ready - but yes, I'm doing it. And no, I don't know what I'm doing. I've done some research. I've consulted some knowledgeable people. I know some basics. But at the end of the day - I'm gonna call for some friend reinforcement, pull out the sledgehammers, tape up the plastic, and start swinging. And hope that I can figure it out along the way. If I can't - well then, I guess I'll find a contractor real quick. If I do - it probably won't be perfect. But at least the next time I renovate a kitchen, I might know what I'm doing. So - anyone up for some on the job learning?

All these things - just no pictures.

I just keep forgetting to take them. But there has been lots going on in the house lately!

Firstly, finally, the hallway walls are painted! Still have to figure out the moldings and the staircase, but the walls are now a lovely grey-blue. SO much better than the weird two-tone thing going on. And SO MUCH brighter! Many thanks to the friends that came together for the day long painting extravaganza to finish it.

Lots of work going on in the back garden. There was a plant sale at the Botanical Garden, amongst other things, which have all led to a back yard that really looks like a pretty yard, and not an urban wasteland! Or at least - the yard part looks like a yard. The patio part is a little urban wasteland. But it's coming along! The "cat-repellent" plants seem to be helping a bit too, which is quite nice for being able to sit down at the table and not smell cat poo.

Those are great things! Last week's broken sewer pipe in the basement was not such a great thing... There was some early-century living required for a bit. But that has been repaired. If nothing else, at least THAT particular piece of pipe can be relied on not to break for a while...

I am very beautiful.

Nope, I'm not bragging. Just sharing the text message I received yesterday - from the contractor I hired to skimcoat the ceilings. While he was IN MY HOUSE. With KEYS. Can we say awkward??? It was just a generic compliment - he's married, and that was his last day of work so I wouldn't be running into him again - but really. This is the kind of message you send your clients? Oy.

(A friend reminded me that his livelihood depends on his rep, so he's probably not going to copy my keys and murder me in my sleep - ok, I watch too many crime dramas - but I still asked R2 to check the house to make sure he wasn't hiding in it last night :P).

Anyway, the hallway ceilings are ready for painting! He didn't quite do as much as I was hoping - he didn't patch some spots on the molding, and he's not quite the perfectionist that I am - but it looks damn good. Already much better than I could have made it! So here's to painting this weekend. And with any luck, a hallway that looks somewhat normal!

Look, pretty!

I planted a tree in the backyard! Thanks to Max, who found a tree giveaway at work and reserved me a tree, Cornelia has been added to the backyard. I think she's making a difference already! Now, if only I can manage to keep her alive... (crossing fingers away from my non-green thumb...).

Colors. Have some. Need more.

So, does anyone else have any interest in paint colors? Thought not. This is for you, Mom.

I need a color for the molding. The horrid peach pink shade in the hallway just isn't cutting it... Here's the current color palette of the house. And - I swear it isn't actually this ugly in real life.

I have all these nice paint chips... Help. Suggestions welcome!

Adventures in lame-handed painting

As it turns out, it's not the actual painting/priming that is difficult one-handed, it's the prep work. Perhaps this should not be shocking, but I was a little surprised... But after sanding the last coat of compound, then cleaning up the dust, then washing the walls - that was one tired right arm!

At the end of the day, the long hallway wall is about 3/4 primed. I had some small technical difficulties along the way. Like - R2 kindly set up the long ladder for me to reach over the stairs before she left for the day, but I needed to move it in order to reach one spot on the wall. Um - can't move the long ladder using only one arm. So - that spot not sanded, therefore not primed. And the wall over the stairs would require lots of ladder shifting to paint, so that one isn't done either. I'm also messier when painting using only the right arm - but I have to say, no longer looking at the red/yellow wall is a vast improvement. Even if I'm now looking at splotchy primer ;) Look for more lame-handed painting to come!

Did I mention

That I fixed the fence? 'Cause I did. Before and after below. Dang those winds - and all the things I know now about fence creation with lattice that I didn't know when actually creating the fence...

From Re-fencing

Did I also mention I was trying to fix my elbow again? Yeah. Fun fun. But enough already with the tendinitis. I mean, not only does it make picking up a beer painful, but the hammer swinging was really not joyous. So all real work is on dr-ordered hiatus. However, I am looking forward to trying right-handed painting this weekend. The last hallway wall needs one more light sand, and it should be ready for the priming! If the right-handed priming goes well, then I'll actually paint too... Don't get too excited to see results yet, though. One friend has already told me she has "a feeling it's going to end with a quarter of the wall painted and you with a beer in your right hand - icing your elbow". Only time will tell... Wish me luck!

Almost...ready...

Another day of wall-work. Joy. But the upstairs hallway wall is about ready to go. And the stairway just needs one more sanding, which would have been done this weekend if I hadn't already tired myself out sanding and decided dealing with the unruly and heavy ladder was beyond me.

I got a little excited at the end of the day, thinking that I could actually prime the moldings as well (for those who don't know, they are a hideous peachy color). I have realized, however, that there might not be much point in doing that... If I'm going to tear up the equally hideous linoleum, I'll end up probably needing to redo the moldings after the floors are redone. Or maybe not. Maybe touchups and shoe moldings will cover it... I shall contemplate. Because they're really damn ugly.

In other news, thank you to the nor'easter for exposing my mediocre construction skills. Part of the fence blew down. Just two cross braces and one piece of lattice, but still. Well, now I get to showcase my mediocre repair skills!

Oh - and from an article in the Real Estate section of today's NYTimes:
"Much work remains. “Once you own something, it is never going to be done,” Mr. Krause said, “but I didn’t expect that so many things would present themselves so quickly.”" Man is he ever right!

Yup yup, still going.

Still workin' on the walls. I know, super exciting. I did take a tiny pause and actually hung some of the art that's been waiting in the living room and the library. And I primed one part of the hallway during the "snow day with no heat and therefore no power." But basically, still working on the hallway walls. Which reminds me - anyone have a brilliant idea for vacuuming behind a radiator? The tool doesn't fit, and there's plenty of joint compound dust back there now.

Mom suggested that I hire someone to skim coat the hallway ceilings. And she's probably right. But, um, the washing machine broke. So I fixed that - and therefore must really do the ceilings myself. Anyway, it's supposed to be a rainy weekend. So if anyone is around and feels like some wallwork, I've plenty to share, and some beers for after...

The thing is, it's just boring.

I've gotten a couple comments from friends lately asking what exactly I've been doing, since I keep saying that I'm working on the house, but I'm not updating the blog. I have been working. Thing is...it's boring work.

I'm really trying to get the hallway walls done soon, which involves patching the walls (there were some good sized holes caused by loose plaster, as well as cracks), chipping all the loose paint off the ceiling and then spackling the edges of the remaining paint so you can't see where it came off, removing the paint from the medallion before repainting it (so you can see the detail), and then finally painting the damn thing. And that doesn't even include the work on the stairs, and painting the molding. I've spent the past couple weekends, with some help from friends, thank you!, just getting the walls ready. Another day, and I think the hallway walls themselves will be ready to prime and paint. The ceiling will need more time though. Lots of loose paint there!

I did have to buy one of those 22-in-1 ladders to get at the walls and ceiling over the stairs. That sucker is heavy!!! And just barely fits on the stairs.

In other news, the house is really complaining about the work. In the space of two weeks, the boiler refused to turn on one morning (apparently it just needed to be cleaned and greased), the washer has gone on the fritz (new control board coming up), and the deadbolt actually broke (fixed). Quit it with the little stuff house, I have a hallway to finish!