"We shoulda bought that house."

It was about this time, a year ago, that Sonia uttered these words. We were returning from spending Spring Break with her folks in South Carolina. She was referring to a house we had let slip away a few months prior. Or so we thought.

Fast forward a year to today. We are now residing in (and working on) that house. Here's an update on the various projects.

My mom and dad visited for a couple weeks around Christmas, and then again in early March. Both times, we dove into numerous projects, under the skillful guidance of my dad. He's hard to keep up with! We worked on some of our quirky ductwork, built shelves in the garage, laid slate tile in the foyer (to match what we laid in front of the fireplace), laid linoleum floor in the bathroom, adding more insulation in the attic, etc. Mom kept the family in clean/ironed clothes, and wonderful cooking. We also relied on her “eye” in quite a few design decisions that we had to make. While we were stirring up dust and making messes, she kept the place smelling good and feeling homey.

The side entry had a long hallway running along side a large room (which used to be a two-car garage) which the previous owners had used as a bedroom. We wanted to open it up as a family room, and turn the closet into a mudroom. It's still in progress, but we're pleased with the changes so far.

Before

Current

Before

Current

As we got into this project, we found ourselves saying, “Well, while we've got this torn up, we might as well fix/add/change this while we're at it.” So, the “Let's tear out this wall” project grew to include replacing some rotted exterior wood under a new exterior door, relocating outdoor lighting, rewiring some of the lighting, wiring for a door bell, a window seat (photos coming soon), etc.

The dining room was not a major project, but is coming along as well. Basically we started with new paint and a light. Then we decided to have hard-wood floors laid. A friend, Don Hone, of Floor Connections mills the wood here in Newark. He and his crew did a beautiful job.

Before

Current

As always, you can browse more photos here.

Meanwhile, we're back to work!

Thanksgiving at St. Joseph

Well, technically we didn't have Thanksgiving this year at the new house. It would've been too difficult to do all the cooking at our current home and then transport the food to the new one. Not to mention plates, silverware, glassware, extra chairs, etc. But we did spend a good bit of time over there during the week. Mom and dad came up on Mon, and we put them to work. We had a list of things that dad was anxious to dive into. Mom helped Sonia with some pressing decisions regarding paint & carpet colors, window treatments, decorating idea$, and planning and cooking the all important Thursday meal! In preparation for the carpet, dad and I worked on the fireplace and put new slate down on the hearth area.
Sonia tackled the dining room with a daring choice of green. Early Thanksgiving day, dad & I were at it again, while some of the best cooks that I know took care of preparing the meal. We broke for a spectacular dinner. On Friday, Sonia's brother, Phil, and his wife & son came over from Springfield. Phil does custom cabinetry and countertops. He gave us some idea$ for upgrading the kitchen. At the end of the week, with mom & dad's help, we can mark the following off our list:
- Slate in front of fireplace.
- Heating ductwork patched.
- Water heater elements replaced.
- Ceiling fan in living room fixed.
- Light hung over stairwell.
- Dining room painted.
- Window shades purchased.
- Painting started in Jesse's room.
- Carpet order for living room and two bedrooms.
- Some equipment moved from old garage to new.

Updated pictures posted here.