Spring is Calling my Name!

Having grown up in a mostly sunny climate, I am often asked by old friends and family if I ever get sick of the rain in Washington. I am very optimistic so although I do get weary of the weather at times during the extended days of rain, I try to remember its blessing. Rain is the reason our beautiful area is so green and lush. It's the reason that the sound of a birds song is extra sweet when the sun shines through the tree  branches. One of the biggest reasons I like the rain though, is that it gives me permission to do work other than yard work. Giving a home built in 1925 lots of TLC requires a lot of time and patience. I'm still looking into the history of our home. I'd love to try to restore it to its constructed glory, but restoration costs lots of money.  I already know my house has not just one add-on structure, but two and I suppose that doing a complete restoration project would involve tearing down the add ons. Ugh. No thanks, I'll keep my indoor plumbing thank you.
So back to the rain topic.
Rainy days give me a chance to do indoor projects and actual (income generating) work. I do freelance work for merchants including building websites, credit card processing, marketing, printing, etc. I enjoy the freedom that freelance work gives me, but have to admit during the warm sunny weather it's hard to get me to stay inside chained to my desk to work on a graphic arts project.
To me, being a good Washingtonian requires a good balance of indoor & outdoor activities. It requires appreciating every extra hot day in the summer and the coldest of days in the winter and appreciating the natural beauty and surroundings of each season in our beautiful State. I guess the bottom line is this: Learn to embrace the rain and you'll find a new appreciation for the sun.

The pile is gone!!

Happy to report the huge pile of compost has been removed. I worked side by side with the crew to get it removed....took ALL day yesterday. Today I am sore & happy!

Oh my leaking (soon to be fixed roof)!

No matter how nostalgic a person may be about old homes and their history, an old home is just that, OLD. And obviously with an old home comes the inevitable, constant repair list. The list of To Do's are a mile long around here and quite frankly none seems as important than the fact that part of the roof (still) leaks. Water has been a particular issue actually, in the back part of the house. Both under and over. The bathroom which got a much needed face lift last year had a major water issue from the roof and from the leak in the pipe that was leaking into the basement. Finally, after replacing the roof, the ceiling, the floor, the subfloor and finding Sharkbite (incredible product for working with old copper pipe) we got all the leaks fixed in the bathroom. Then there's the spare room (guest room, my closet- not sure what to call this space yet) that still has a leaking roof (add on to the add on of the original house). Recently we found out that the pitch on the roof wasn't enough for the shingles we have. Great! We've already spent a bunch of time and money re-doing the shingles on that roof over and over, but alas, tomorrow I am happy to report the roof will be fixed with a different roofing method that will work on that part of the roof. Thank Goodness!!!! Then there will be the exciting task of ripping into the ceiling to repair the water damage. And doing the floor...Oh well, first step first....

Now on another exciting home note- the compost pile in the back yard is going away tomorrow also!! I am so excited! I will post pix of the roof and beautiful empty, compost pile -less backyard after the projects are finished....Can't wait!!

Port Orchard History WOW

Maybe this sounds silly, but I'm becoming a crazy History freak!!! My new state of mind first came into play after I received my beautiful reprint copy of the 1926 Sears Homes Catalog. You see I was told by my husband that the home he has owned for the last 20 years was a Sears Craftsman House. Built in 1925 I had no doubt it must be a Craftsman!! ........Sigh.....sniff, sniff, wipe a tear....alas...after the purchase of an additional book I have learned that our home is most, most definitely NOT a Sears Craftsman.
The news was a bummer, but I am eternally optimistic, so I have another book on order. A reprint catalog actually, it's of Pacific Homes, an old Kit Home Company ( no longer in business). So, I've been pumped to get this book to discover what model # our home is. Pacific Homes sold houses in California, Oregon & Washington so I am hoping I can make a connection.
House Smouse. Yeah, yeah, I am not claiming to have become interested in history from the house, but oh wait, I have. Because of my research I'm becoming obsessed with learning the history of the area we live in. I read a book this morning and loved it on the history of Port Orchard. My brain is connecting dots...It's really exciting!
I don't remember many, if any, history lessons from school, so the thought of actually being able to connect some American History with Port Orchard History excites me ( I really love it here!)
Okay enough about how much I like the stuff....I just feels really good, terrific, in fact to be able to spend time researching and doing something I am enjoying, purely for the fact of doing it. My life has always seemed like survival, until now, and I'm really joyous and grateful for just being me right now, so the history, the research- it feels like I'm doing something worthy, something that may benefit other people.
I would have never guessed that the past could make the present so worth while.

Digging in the Yard

Today our friend, Scott, came over to dig in our yard. Actually, he brought over his metal detector and detected for treasure! Notable items of the day were an old metal toy jeep, sized larger than a matchbox car with U.S.A. stamped on the underside, a 1934 silver dime and a wheat penny from I forget what year. A plethora of other items gave a good reading on the detector and I suppose Scott dug at least 40 holes with me looking on hoping for something wonderful to be revealed from beneath the earths surface. Alas, nothing too exciting, but it was fun as you can see from the pictures of the days finds!!

"I'll do it"

I've been thinking a lot lately about the phrase "I'll do it". I've been thinking about what I mean when I use those words and also what others mean when they use them. When I say I will do something, it's either to myself or someone else (Douh! obviously, right?!). Generally if I am talking to myself and say I will do something it's more as a mental note on my 'To Do' list. If I tell someone else I will do something, it's generally because I need to be accountable. Sometimes this accountability will happen after telling them once, sometimes it's after mentioning it three times. I'm pretty good about not 'crying wolf' about things I will do.
I've noticed my husband has a different way of handling the "I'll do it" thing. When he says he will do something it is often while he has actually started doing something. I like this one. Then there's the "I'll do it" that is meant to satisfy my nagging with little or no intention of actually doing the task. This one bugs me.
I guess what I find so interesting about these three little words is that, although so simple, the meanings can be so different. Words of action or words to satisfy. Words of promise or words of tale.
Now wouldn't life be a little simpler if people just did what they said?

For the record, this blog is not sarcastic toward my husband. I am not angry with him in anyway, nor has be not satisfied any chores on the list as of late. I was just simply thinking about the subject....You know, just saying what I really mean to say.

An aluminum crutch, a metal golf club and a graveyard of broken dishes

AND a Buzz Lightyear squirt gun...

are all items I found while working in the back yard yesterday. Last year when I started caring for my now husband and my home, I started the big task of de-bachelorizing his pad. It's been quite an adventure. Yard treasures have been a plenty. Tools such as clippers, rakes and shovels were all found around the property under years of neglected leaves. I had the great idea, oh, sometime around last March to use the (what was then small) brush pile in the back part of the yard to compost the leaves and yard debris. As my weed and leaf abatement work multiplied, so did the height of the pile of old rotting yard compost.
Now it's a year later and I've got the fun (not really) task of dismantling and disposing of all this moldy yuk. I've got two big yard waste containers so I've been very consistent about filling them up with as much as I can every two weeks. Yesterday when I started working on clearing the back part of the pile by the fence I found the aluminum crutch, metal golf club, squirt gun and what I would call a TON of broken plates and bowls. Some of the old porcelain is cool and I saved it use later in a stepping stone or something creative. Maybe into some backsplash when the kitchen gets remodeled someday. (okay, maybe that pushes my hippy art to a new level- it could be cool though, done in the right way...I think!?!)
Next week is garbage and recycle which means I'll have empty containers again and can continue my treasure hunt. In working to clear a walkway around the entire pile I'm sure to find more stuff. Finding treasures in the yard is as much fun as finding cash in the washer or dryer.  And it's a good thing I feel like that or it'd be hard to brainwash myself to get pumped to do such dirty physical work.

This is a picture of what is growing on a piece of cut branch on the back of the pile. It looks like it would be hard vs soft like a mushroom, but I didn't touch it. Perhaps when it comes time for its demise I will...

This picture doesn't do the pile justice unless you compare the height of  it with the large waste can and super sized rake nearby. Probably about 20 more can fill-ups to go.....