Many little things

The outside of the house is very nearly finished.
 Copper flashing has been added under the dormer. I love the reflection on the overhang and the window. We will eventually replace the old screens with ones that have fine mesh and are nearly invisible so that the windows don't look dirty. (right now they actually are dirty but that will change.) Even after all this work there are many many little things that this old house needs. 
The chimney has been capped. Since it was rebuilt there has been a sheet of plywood on top, held down by bricks. To my eye this is a real improvement!!
Of course the copper will turn brown and eventually green. I think it will look good at each stage and at the ones in between. 

The shingles have all been applied. The painting is still to be done but the color difference is not really very noticeable. Especially during this season when the tree near it is still in leaf.  It will be painted  in the next few weeks. Then the windows can be cleaned and that area will be good. 

The silt fence is gone as is the scaffolding. I don't really miss them. Tomorrow we will move the old air conditioner to somewhere other than the side yard. See it sitting there right in the middle of the passage? It still works, and Dean wants to use it to air-condition the studio instead of the super-attractive window unit we now have. The window unit upstairs will be coming down also. 

The back yard/garden has a long way to go. I am developing a new plan for it, but first have to do a lot of measuring and drawing to see what will fit where and to estimate cost, etc. I am thinking fig bush in that corner of steps and porch.. I would love to have some fresh figs to eat and some to preserve. We will install a skirt under the porch (lattice) and a rail around the top. The old rail at the top of the stairs to the basement is made of pipe, so we think we will use pipe on the porch. Of course there are government regulations to meet so the design is not complete. 

I won't make you look at more pictures of the woodwork, but Ricardo has almost finished the enamel coat and it is shiny white and beautiful. Dean went today to order the countertop stone and found a lovely slab but the two we needed have cracks down the middle so the stone company is check to see if they can get others from that same lot but without the cracks. 

I regretfully parted with the lovely flowers that Sara and Greg sent for Dean's birthday. Peruvian lilies last a long time and I really enjoyed them. Vicki gave him a chrysanthemum and it is still going strong. We should be able to plant it and enjoy it for a long time. 

All is well. It really and truly is. 
XOXOXO
Caroline





Comments

Vicki Styons said…
Whew! That house had been through a lot of operations. Soon there will be recovery when you put things where they belong and then there is therapy--actually enjoying the house!
October 10, 2013 at 3:26 PM
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