This is for all of you who have been asking about the on-going bathroom project.
There is a working sink and toilet. Part of the wall is painted. The shower stall is almost permanently installed and things are moving along.
Here are a few photos to show you.
So now I really do think this will be finished by summer. Yes, that's right – I think!
It looks as if the weather has finally taken a turn from this:
And we can now do this:
And to prove they always get better, perhaps you remember this.
I was looking outside to see if there were any newcomers on the bird feeders. Sometimes during spring migration, you might be lucky enough to spot birds that you don't usually see, because they're just passing through to their summer homes.
Spotting a blue bird on the feeder, I just couldn't figure out why a bird that eats bugs was eating sunflowers. I got the binoculars, and I couldn't believe it. An Indigo Bunting was sitting on the feeder munching away. I have only ever seen one, and that was on a hike far away from houses and people.
Here is the photo I took.
Here is a photo I found, just so (in case you've never seen one) you can get the full effect of the blue.
I'm starting to think that this bird might be the only blue I'm going to see for a while. Just like so many of you on the east coast, the skies have been nothing but gray for far too long. Hmmm, maybe this Indigo Bunting is a sign of better things to come. We can only hope!!
Often the things that give you the most joy in your life are just a few steps out your back door. I found this to be true over the past 2 days.
A rainbow appeared after a torrential downpour with amazing lightning and thunder.
Just like old friends, these grosbeaks are visiting again after their winter vacation in Central/South America.
Last night's sunset that took my breath away, and left me with a feeling of incredible calm.
The Dalia Lama said, "The very purpose of our life is to seek happiness." I couldn't agree with him more.
Yesterday...
Today...
Progress! The wall in the soon-to-be bathroom was removed yesterday in preparation for the sink and medicine cabinet to be installed. Because the bathroom is so small, we decided to insert them into part of the wall between the guest room/office, where the washer and dryer used to be.
I know I've mentioned this before, but there sure have been some surprising wall colors that show up when construction happens. Notice the dark green wall on the inside of the closet. Aren't closets dark enough with out dark green paint?
Not enough time today to put up sheet rock, so that will have to move to another day. There is still much to do, but it certainly is hopeful seeing so much happening.
You might remember me posting a picture at the start of our laundry room project earlier this year.
I'm happy to report that the washing machine, as I post, is happily washing a load of laundry. The resident DIYer aka "Handyman Nick" has almost finished the laundry room. Only a few minor things are left to do.
The dryer isn't downstairs yet, so it means taking laundry upstairs to be dried. But we are soooooo close to having it completed. Next stop, finishing the bathroom on the main floor.
Yes, that's what they're calling this early March blizzard we're having...EPIC. No going to work today, even for Nick. He was called early this morning and told the store would be closed. I have plenty of work that I brought home to keep me busy.
I thought you might like to see what it looks like out front of the house at noon. The snow plow has not been by yet, and we have been in blizzard conditions for 24 hours. I've circled the mailbox, so that you can gauge where the road is (or should be) right in front of it.
Last weekend, the Jersey City group came for another visit. Phoebe and I stayed home while Chloe, Jim and Beth went to Sugarbush to ski. Before leaving, Chloe tried on her ski ensemble for us.
While they were here, we had another dump of 8 inches of snow. So on Sunday, before everyone went home, we went out to play.
Chloe put on her x-country skis and took off with Beth.
Jim pulled Phoebe around on the toboggan – with Sadies help.
Chloe decided she should make a "snow nest" for Phoebe.
Phoebe (with her Big Foot snow shoes on) decided she'd rather just eat the snow.
But then decided maybe she should watch the birds with Pop Pop.
We're pretty lucky to have little visitors that drive us outside to have fun in the winter. Today, however, no matter if we had small visitors or not, we're staying put until this storm lifts.
So, in a nutshell...we are afraid there is a septic problem. Of course this would be on a day that is barely over 0 degrees outside. We have not heard back from the septic company as of yet. We had a major water surge in the basement that seems like it's the septic system. I'm no expert, so if you hear me septic people, get over here.
And speaking of water surges, while away this past weekend there was a fast and furious rainfall, which ran over the icy snow and through the garage. The temperatures plummeted afterwards, and our garage has 2 inches of ice covering the floor – which means anything on the floor is frozen to the floor. Nick finally got one of the doors open.
I walked in the door mid-morning to work at home, and thought I had walked into a toxic dump. While downstairs, Nick encountered a spray can filled with noxious chemicals that you use to re-porcelain a tub that had exploded on the floor. It took 4 hours to get most of the smell out of here, although if you go outside then come back in, yup, you can still smell it.
We were hoping to have a visit with our Jersey City clan for the weekend, but since we have no idea how many showers (or flushes) will overcome the septic system, we have to wait to hear from the experts...wherever they are.
We had granddaughter, Phoebe, visiting this weekend while her parents and sister went on a little ski excursion. She is a sweet and very easy little girl.
She entertained us by shopping and making us sandwiches.
And this weekend work was going on to prepare for a laundry room downstairs, and a new bathroom on the main floor. Unfortunately, the dryer is not on the same floor as the washer...yet.
And look what showed up last night.
Along with this Valentine rose were a beautiful pair of opal earrings (which I happen to be wearing).
And today I'm home sick. There seems to be great concern that I feel better soon.
But that's because I'm the one who fills the bowl with food!
Weather here in Vermont is always a high priority topic. You can't go anywhere without someone saying, "It's so hot. It's so cold. It's so wet. It's so snowy. It's so dry" You get the picture. So, last night's news was all about how we are going to drop into the deep freeze. I thought it might be a good time to take a peek at what the weather was like on Mt Washington.
As you can see it was only -9, however if you look, you'll see the wind was blowing a good 86 mph and looking further, you'll see the wind chill was -51. So what's all the fuss about down here?
I got up this morning and looked at the thermometer around 6:30. It was 2 degrees. Warm by Mt Washington winter standards. Then I looked to the west and noticed the sky was crystal clear and the waning Wolf Moon was bright as can be.
So maybe it is a bit cold out, but no amount of cold is going to blot out something as beautiful as this!
