More inside

We have spent the holidays doing little things such as lights, doorbell, straightening, taking down the tree, etc. Today was freezing, clear and windy, and the morning was spent tearing out concrete for a driveway on the rental side. Pics of that when we get a bit further. In the meantime, I feel like we're really in a house - without some closet doors, with gaps for wind to get in, and with a few other problems, but a real house. In particular, I have loved being in my kitchen. Christmas Eve, I decided that we would have cinnamon rolls for breakfast the next morning. About 9 AM Mike got on the phone and went out knocking on a couple of doors and we had 7 neighbors in for a quick bite before we all headed out for our Christmas plans.

View from the front door

From the kitchen - look, no tree!!

View toward the kitchen

Finally found the spot for the shadow box; makes me happy just to see it!

There's the Turkish light!

Looking up the stairs.

Christmas morning. Kimo, Autumn & Bill look toward Mike.

Bill, Autumn, Kimo, Madelon and Mike

Our Jewish med student neighbor stirs gravy. Ben says any holiday with cinnamon rolls is good for him!

Courtney and Joe in intense conversation.

What a surprise!

Well, for about 10 days now, we have done almost nothing on our house - on purpose!! It was about then that we got renters for our unfinished apartment. A very smart friend put two and two together when he met a finish carpenter who wanted to be in our neighborhood. As soon as they signed papers Kimo and Autumn moved in and will begin working on the place in lieu of part of their rent. What a wonderful relief! How much fun it's been to be able to hang a few pictures, empty boxes and otherwise get our side of the house in some sort of shape instead of always needing to go to the other side and get things finished. This means our side will wait on paint and finish details, but it's great. I said to Mike they seem to be an answer to a prayer I would have never thought to pray. So, I have taken the advice of our girls and hung some of our pictures - pretty much as they showed me - and I've been able to clear away bags and bags of old paperwork and share some what-was-I-thinking clothes. So while Mike has a bit of a break from school, he can get Kimo working and we can get truly settled. So, see what's up - yes, girls, drawing the eye up to the great old ceilings.

From the stairs - it's not chiming yet but it's there!

I stole one of the embroidery pics for my office.

Masri is up - that makes us home, right?

Maybe not quite as you had 'em, but close

STEPS!

This is belated - and not nearly as beautiful a shot as it can be - but here is where we have spent some minutes and will spend many hours. Gorgeous, huh?! Thanks, Courtney!!

Mike at the end of the day.

Great place to sit. Can you see "NOEL" in the window?

Furniture!

The steps are finished and are great - but unfortunately I haven't taken any picture of them because other things began happening. First, we brought in our furniture, and then almost immediately the girls and their guys began to arrive. So we spent Thanksgiving visiting with my parents, opening some boxes, getting advice from the girls about wall art placement, and sitting around our own table. So much of what we have has been packed for many years, and it was as much fun for the girls as for ourselves to sit on the rattan stool, around the old table, using the Cairo glasses. The day after Thanksgiving we decorated our tree, so in the middle of the chaos we have some beauty! No, we're not done with everything. But it is so good to be at this stage.

Lagniappe

These don't have anything to do with anything but I love these two sights. Here the camellias are blooming beautifully.

The view from the parking area back to the rental garden.

Coming and going

Well work has slowed down a bit, but we're getting steps - the back door of the rental side and our front door.

Rental steps to parking area

Courtney talkes with Elijah

End of Thursday - our front steps

Nice left side, huh?

wellll

Goodness, there's been a bit of progress since my last post. The house appraised for what we hoped plus, and we signed papers. Aaand, Bill has continued to work as have Mike and I. There are pictures for Bill's work, but I never show mine and Mike's missed the photo ops too, this time. I spent time putting down shelf paper and polishing our cabinets and I love our kitchen. I've done more painting, never leaving the big bedroom of the rental side, and Mike has the plumbing nearly all connected over there. Since we plan to have you family there for Thanksgiving, we'd BETTER get plumbing finished! Bill has worked on our back steps and the sidewalk for the rental side, preparing for steps there and then the driveway. Today we stopped at my folks after a trip and came back with a couch and part of a table and a lot of my dishes. It makes me SO very happy to see these things here - new couch and old familiar things.

Our back steps - or as Alice says, our deck.

The first piece of the rental sidewalk.

Bill working on another piece - with all 3 sections finished now.

Like Christmas!! Mike unwraps dishes.

Out with the old (paper and plastic) in with the - well - older.

Boy does that make me smile!!!

Couch is new but the table - needing its top - is a great old friend!

We don't know yet

Well, yes, the appraiser came - the day after my last post. No, he didn't exclaim over how beautiful it was - no taste, I think. He was, after all, the helper. He only took pictures, notes and measurements and took it all to the real appraiser. This gentleman called Mike to verify and clarify some things, but as of now, we STILL DON'T KNOW how high he appraised it. HOWEVER, the bank must feel OK about it because we are set up to sign papers on Wednesday. In the meantime, I'm still painting. I was discouraged at the speed - or lack of it - on the window painting UNTIL I realized that each window has 24 panes to paint around! I'll be at this a while. While I went off to a birthday party Saturday Mike connected our kitchen sink and dishwasher. I have few pots and dishes, so I'm hand washing, but I COOKED TONIGHT!

It's just chili and cornbread - well like a cornbread pancake - but it sorta feels good!

Look closely - you can see some water! It's soooo nice.

So THIS is what he'll see

So you now have the newest view of what the appraiser will see - since he was delayed. While the weather kept the brick guys away, Bill put in a mighty good day!

All dressed up and . . .

We worked until midnight, got up at 5:30 and worked more - this time with the rain pouring down - and feel like we finished for the appraisal. Today, with lots of rain coming all day, the appraiser said he couldn't come; it's not good for pictures. So, here's what he would have seen today.

Rental kitchen - toward living room

Rental kitchen - toward the parking area.

View from the entrance of rental side

Our kitchen

Our kitchen door - NO raw wood, Vik!

Rental bath - left side

Rental bath -right side as seen in the mirror -take 47 or so

Closet of rental small bedroom