The Big Move

Sorry it has been so long since the last post.  Needless to say it has been quite hectic lately.  Getting the Maryland house ready for settlement.  Moving all the furniture to Bedford.  And still the renovations go on....and on...and on.

Mike mowing the Maryland yard one last time.

The Bradford's in full bloom.  We always loved this view. 

 I think the new owners will too.

Close up of those beautiful Bradford flowers.

Moving Day.  What a great moving company. 

 Nothing was scratched, dented or missing.

Fernando and his wonderful crew.  I think they were wondering

how all that furniture was going to fit into that small house.

This is the latest on the bathroom redo.  The old toilet is still basically in the closet. ( So at least we don't have to keep running upstairs).  A lot has been done it just doesn't look like it.  There is all new electrical for the downstairs and upstairs bathrooms.  All new plumbing for both bathrooms.  Tile and fixtures have been purchased but still waiting to be installed. Don't know how HGTV can get a bathroom done in a week.  Would like to know their secrets!!

Thank you to all our wonderful friends in Maryland who had us to dinner, gave parties and called to say "see you soon."  It means so much to Mike and I.

See you soon.  Valerie



SOLD THE MARYLAND HOUSE!!!!!!

Great News.  After nearly four and a half long months we finally sold the house in Maryland.  Friday the appraiser came and today the home inspection was done.  Settlement day is March 23rd.  We will finally make the move to Pennsylvania a week before closing.  A lot of packing needs to be done!!

For the last two weeks Mike as been working on the tear out of the downstairs bathroom. See pictures for February 1. Here's a picture before the tear out.

and here are pictures of after......

Mike's truck taking away all the rubble.

What you can't see is that there is a fairly large hole in the bathroom floor and the basement can be seen below.  If any critter crawls up through that hole I just don't know what I will do!!  But it won't be pleasant for poor Mike!!

        Have a great week and please check back in.  Write me a comment!!  Valerie 

Still working away.....

Last week we painted the living room ceiling a really pretty shade of blue.  It came out great.  Hope you can see it in the picture.  You should be able to see the crown moulding Mike put up too.
The walls are a camel color.

This is how the bathroom looked last week.  Lots of 1925 green tile and a bunch of other colors.

  And very old bathroom fixtures.  Take a look at that sink!!

This is the small tile around the walls.

This is Mike fixing the large leak in the bathtub right after we bought the house.

But this week a lot of it is gone.  Mike started the demolition work.  Now a couple of the walls are gone.  Will post those pictures next week. 

Have a great week.    Valerie

Keeping busy

Mike and I were really busy this week.  We met with the contractor about starting the remodel on the downstairs bath.  Looked at tile for the bath.....too many choices!!  Then spent the rest of the week painting the ceiling in the living room.    

This is what the ceiling used to look like.....some kind of 1950's tiles, old and dirty.

We had a drywall person come in and rip out the old ceiling and apply new dry wall.  Very messy!!

 Even this looked better than the old ceiling.

It's hard to see, but Mike added more crown moulding to the ceiling (the raw wood board) then we painted all the moulding white.  Next week we paint the rest of the ceiling.  Check back and see what color we paint it.  HINT: it won't be white.



With a heavy heart.....

On Thursday, January 12th we lost our beloved dog Colleen.  While playing in the yard with Mike, her favorite thing to do, she suffered heart failure and passed away in a fleeting moment.  She lived a short life, only four years old, but she brought a lot of love to so many people. We miss her terribly and can't imagine life without her. This is my favorite picture of her, with her legs crossed, keeping an eye on  the squirrels in her backyard.   

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah and a great New Year.  I am a little under the weather with a cold, can't believe Mike hasn't gotten it yet.  Since I am a little slow getting around thought I would post some more pictures.

For my decorating friends this is our Christmas tree in our Maryland house this year.  With the house still up for sale the realtor wouldn't let me do too much.  Usually for Christmas I decorate everything I can :) 

Mike has done more work to our home in Bedford, Pa.  These are pictures of the coal room in the basement.  In 1925 they used coal to heat the house.  A truck would pull up and send coal down a small opening on the side of the house into a slanted or V shaped room in the basement.

This is what the room looked like.  Very creepy.  I just know something large

 is living and lurking around in it.

This is the door to the room.  Doesn't it look like something or someone was trying to get out?!!!

Mike cleaned out the room really good.  Built this shelf into the v-shaped part of the room, dry walled two walls,  built tall shelving on those two walls, painted the floor and finally fixed and painted the door.

Didn't that chewed up door come out nice?!!  Now Mike has lots of storage for his wood working supplies. .....and I don't mind opening that door so much (but I still don't want to be down there by myself.)
We have a name for the room but that is a secret for now.  Won't be able to divulge that info until the summer.

New addition to garage

The new addition to the garage came out beautifully.  The contractor did a wonderful job.  Mike is so pleased to be able to get his new workshop and a place to keep two cars.  I am pleased with the side porch and can't wait to decorate it in the spring.  (I have already bought a big metal basket for plants.)

This is the old garage from 1925.  Cute isn't it.  But it gets a whole lot nicer.

Now they have laid the concrete and started framing.

Putting up the walls and shingles for the roof.

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New carriage garage doors

Finished garage.  You can see side porch on the right. 

Side porch and small carriage door to Mike's workshop.

Carriage lamp.  I will blog better picture of whole garage.  But is was soooo cold that day this was all I could take before jumping back in the house.