Homeowner Anniversary

So one year ago today I put some ink on a few lines and became a homeowner once again!

It came at the end of a long, drawn-out process – almost six months! – that was weirdly complicated, but I’ll spare the details on that. It finally happened, and that’s all that matters. The house needed some upgrades and repairs, and some of the things I’d really like to do will take years. But the excellent news is that none of the needed repairs/upgrades was necessary before I could move in.

First order was to remove all the old wall-to-wall carpeting. 

Discovered pretty hardwood underneath! 

A couple of days of crawling around on hands and knees to remove carpet staples, some buffing and a coat of wax, and here’s the result:

Check out that front door while you're looking! Pure '50s! 

A closer look, but don't look too close! I have a dog, after all.

After removal of the carpeting, and its years of accumulated dust and inevitable decay (no judgment; that’s the nature of carpeting) and it was time to clean and move in a few essential pieces of furniture, like a bed, a couple of chairs, and this really cool dining table with benches that I’d spied in an antique store.

The chairs had been forgotten by the previous owner, and coordinate oddly but well with the “new to me” table.

Over the months, and with help from various friends, I’ve converted what was intended to be the master bedroom

Into a music room

Closet doors removed and I can have a small library and a place to store instrument cases. Really excited about that!

Complete with orange wall.

I’m pretty thrilled to have a fireplace, even though it doesn’t “work” – that unsightly and rusted out, inoperable Buck stove had to go, and the chimney needs MAJOR attention before it’s safe.

But no matter. I never had a fireplace before, and it comforts me just to look at it.

I’ll keep painting and upgrading/repairing as the months and years go by, but for now I’m happy and content. Almost as happy and content as Henry-Dog.

My patient pet has supervised every moment of removing, moving, cleaning, painting and making messes and cleaning again.

Brigid's Cross. Properly hung above the entry door.