A lovely yard

So even in the midst of construction, our yard is lovely.

While it needs a little care, such as the pruning of apple trees that have run amok.



I have found new maple trees to adore.

I have a gigantic lilac bush.

And a pair of new neighbors.

Sunday we did a little porch sitting.

While we sat, we had a total of 4 visitors in two hours.

We wondered if it was a sign of things to come.

Visitors that is ~ we are both pretty social critters.

While you can't tell from the picture.  I can see portions of South Manistique Lake from my porch.

This will probably be my favorite spot.



Exterior facelift has begun

We have begun installation of the siding and windows.

David started this portion for me so I have have a visual of what it will look like.

The befores and after will be a huge change.

Especially this portion of the back porch.

On Saturday we installed 9 windows.

Today, the boys finished up the rest of them.

Our bedroom windows had to be raised due to the porch roof causing problems with the bottom of the current window framing.

It won't be long for our face lift to be complete.

It will soon be time to have our paint brushes ready.

Or perhaps invest in a paint sprayer.

a glimpse into the future

Our windows were delivered.

I found the tags on them interesting.

Counting down the days....someday it will be official.

Stripping 101

So I stripped my first door over the weekend.

I've pretty much become a huge fan of Franmar Soy-based Paint Stripper.

While my first side worked just like the youtube video showed, the opposite side......not so much.

It still beats the crap out of stinky throat burning strippers I've heard about.

The soy laden goop that is scrapped off is a tad on the gross side.

But, it could be worse.

The doors are a go.

Of course my green light involves, time I don't have, and $80 a gallon paint stripper per door.

It's worth it, cause I'll have some pretty gosh darn looking doors after a million weekends.

Something I won't have, glass cabinet doors that I stripped myself.

Below is my stripping FAIL.

Multiple coats.  I tried every stripper on the market, and the shtuff won't budge.

So I chucked this idea.

I'm learning to pick my battles.

Also, the first pieces of siding has been installed.

It's better than I couldn't have hoped for.

Today when I got to the old house after work.

I decided, yep, I think I can live there.

It speaks for itself.

ool.  shiney.

phoenix metal.  slate gray.

the pride of rm petrie builders and sons.

Beers on the porch.

In my little world, there's nothing better than sitting on the porch while having a few beers.

I now have a porch. To have beers on.

 I sat there for an hour or so yesterday when David was finished with the grass.

It was nice.  We waved to passersby and talked about our plans for the landscaping in the future.

We also found and agreed on a porch design.  While it will be a little different from the original, it will fit the house nicely.

With Spring arriving in the Upper Peninsula, it brought with it, not only paying jobs taking my boys away from the old house most days, but also normal everyday chores like mowing and such.

Some days it seems progress on the old house is pretty slow.

But the other day I arrived home from work to find a newly stoned chimney.

I couldn't keep my eyes off of it for quite awhile.

It made me smile, indeed.

While popular opinion was to leave the chimney as is, when we discussed it with a friend of ours who is a mason who repaired the chimney in the past, it was his opinion that it needed something. 

A soft chimney would be better repaired before installation of a steel roof.

He told the boys they regret it if they didn't do it now rather than later.

So they agreed.  And I got the chimney I wanted.

They got the back deck started as well.  I was hoping to make it bigger. But for now, this is it.

In the future, we agreed to wrap it around the back of the house to create a "patio" for summer time outdoor entertainment.  I can't have the world right up front, I suppose.

The main roof is ready for steel.  Our rolls of steel coil have arrived, and they have already began making trim.  The siding will be put on above the porch roof before the steel will be installed there.

I can already see it.  I'm excited for next week.

For good measure

What better way to spend a Saturday.

The Davids measured the porch.

 History repeats itself as the son helps the father.

Petrie tradition.

When I showed him this picture.

He laughed and said he looks like he is in over his head.

PS:  The steel for the roof is ORDERED!