This Old House

Anyone who has stopped by the house over the last year probably noticed its state of disrepair. A poor paintjob 4 years ago had given way to a mess of peeled paint. A poorly routed downspout was dumping all the water from the roof 10 feet uphill from a basement window. And the lack of a gutter on the carport had caused a section of plywood to rot, giving our house a certain look of angst.

Kev the-shallow-pocket-tool-less-man Jordan decided to (with the help of his family, friends, and a contractor) take all the projects on with a cut-throat timeline of "before it snows." Lucky for me the weatherman poorly predicted flurries last night, so we're still on track. Here's an update:

• One day at Lowe's, Jill and I saw a swatch for a beautiful house with gray siding and white trim. We've hired a contractor to help us make it happen on our own home. The house is nearly prepared now, and warmer weather next week should bring with it at least the first coat of primer.
• A voracious day of handyman help by a friend from church gave way to a repaired carport wall, new cedar lap siding, new guttering, and an underground route for rainwater away from the basement. (I was sore for a week!)
• Somewhere in there Jill and I (and some other friends) were able to squeeze in the extra project of crown molding in one upstairs bedroom. Mercy me - I have a new found respect for carpenters. (Not The Carpenters)

So we're hoping that the snow holds off for a few more weeks and we can get the house painted. And, I'm happy to say that this is the busiest Fall I've ever had. Thanks to Jill and Hale (and the dogs) for putting up with all the racket, dirt, and hustle and bustle. I'm looking forward to warm nights in a painted house, staring at a sparkling Christmas tree surrounded by packages... I love this time of year!