How Time Flies…

2015 seems to have been a blur! I realize that I haven’t posted here in over a year. It’s not for lack of progress but I just had a really full plate last year. The first third of the year found me, my significant other, brother, and sister-in-law helping mom and dad downsize and get settled into their retirement home. That took my time and resources away from the farm for that duration but the rest of the year was pretty productive.

The garden was expanded by one large bed which included prolific eggplant plants, beans, snap peas and sunflowers.

The kitchen soffit was expanded so that it follows the cabinetry. Trim was added to make it more aesthetically pleasing.

I finally finished painting out the kitchen cabinets. And, the parlor, dining room and kitchen all got a fresh coat of neutral paint. All of the rooms got new light fixtures. I also installed a floor in the kitchen, dining room and half bath. I ultimately want wood, but for now, a wood-look vinyl plank floor will do.

I also removed the concealed spline ceiling and replaced it with drywall in the half bath. The door swing was changed so that the door now swings into the bathroom instead of out into the parlor. The mustard yellow toilet was removed. A piece of inside corner trim was added to the existing 1 x 4 crown to give it a little more character. The light fixture and all the hardware was updated from the dated polished brass to oil rubbed bronze.

Then, in the fall this year, I decided to host a Halloween Garden Party and Haunted House (with the help of my brother and sister-in-law who have done one for years). We used the garage as the haunted house by adding black painted plywood partitions to create scenes of horror. These partitions were easily erected and taken down after the party. The porch also got a Halloween ambiance.

Unfortunately, also in the fall, the furnace finally gave up its ghost and I had to replace it. At least the late fall was warmer than usual but I know that the icy winds of winter will be approaching soon. Now I’m set!

Anyway, to give you the full perspective of my progress, here are the before and after (for now) photos:

New Flooring at Entry (so wet shoes aren’t directly on carpet)

Parlor Before

Parlor After

Half Bath Before

Half Bath After

Dining Room Before

Dining Room After

Kitchen Before

Kitchen After