It feels like it's been a very long time since I have sat down to write something and I guess that's because it has been a really long time. Over 2 months now that I actually look at it.
Since mid-December, we've been busy getting ready to move, doing some renovations, moving and then doing more renovations. It's been exciting and exhausting. So exhausting in fact that we both got good and sick last week. Our extra-long family day weekend was spent trying to keep warm / keep our noses from running / keep our stomachs from doing weird things, etc.
Not fun.
Until late January, I'd managed to get through the fall and winter without getting sick. Odd for me but I liked it.
Two days before we were scheduled to move (moving day was Monday, January 21), I came down with the flu. I was shocked that this happened because I'd actually had a flu shot this year (I don't normally). Fortunately, because I had the shot I suspect, the flu didn't stick around too long. It did knock me out of commission for moving day though, which also happened to be US Inauguration Day so, while Mark was supervising the movers and freezing his butt off (of course our moving day was one of the coldest days of the winter at that point), I was at my mum & dad's house, watching the festivities in a nice warm house while the dogs were groomed and had a day at doggie daycare.
Poor Mark. He was just exhausted. I had done a lot of the packing but he did most of the heavy lifting and was in charge of things like installing new floors (in this kitchen and the kitchen at what I now call "the rental house"), figuring out plumbing problems (new house), and making sure that the rental house was ready for our tenants.
How we didn't get sick then I'll never know. Last week though, we both kind of hit the wall and our immune systems gave in and we both felt crappy all weekend.
I wish I had a bunch of fabulous before and after photos to post of the new house but unfortunately, the things we have had to do to the place aren't fun or sexy. On the morning after we took possession, I spent $1000 on locksmiths, replacing the locks and repairing the doors on the house. They were beyond messed up and I have no idea how the previous owner was able to use them. We've also spent $1500 on plumbing repairs. Again, not sure how a person can live without a properly draining, leaking, kitchen sink/faucet but I guess you can. We've replaced the fixture, the traps, had the dishwasher properly installed and done some other repairs that Mark coordinated.
Now that the plumbing is done (you have no idea how much I love not doing dishes in a bucket!), we're going to get some quotes on electrical work. We want to replace the panel and have new light switches installed in the main part of the house. It's got some funky 12 volt relay system which is annoying and part of it doesn't work at all. Until that is all done though, we can't do any painting (because there will be drywall to repair). We'll also need to look into a couple of replacement windows but they may have to wait a while.
Slowly though, we're unpacking and getting settled in. I can tell that the dogs are totally grooved into the new place and they love their gigantic backyard.
The first few days we were here, I was pretty angry about the condition of the house. The kitchen was filthy, just gross. Thank goodness my mother very kindly helped me (I say helped but she did most of it, I was coming down with the flu) clean the cabinets out. They were absolutely disgusting. I was in shock by the amount of dirt we found in the cabinets. That's right dirt, soil, dry mud. Gross. One should never have to clean dirt out of cupboards or hoover sand out of utensil drawers. Personally, even if I lived like that, I would never want anyone to know and would NEVER leave a house in a state like that. Be a pig in a privat but why leave that mess behind for someone else to see.
Yuck.
Fortunately, with each day that passes, my anger fades and this feels more like our home. We're really happy here. Once I can paint and get new window coverings up, I'll feel even better. In the meantime, we're just taking it one day at a time.
