Spring sprang sprung

And then 6 weeks went by without a post.

We've been kind of busy. First, Mike and my dad hung half of our bedroom ceiling.


Then there were some small structural fixes to make:


Then, we went on our "last hike":


Last hike? I wanted to get out in the woods before I ended up with this bad boy on my foot:


Work on the house stalled, as Mike's been spending most of his time taking care of me and the regular house stuff (laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning). We're both still working full-time (thankfully in this economy), so that takes up some time too. Just a couple of weeks ago, we came home from work to see this beside the house:


This conversation followed.

Mike: Do we have water?
Guy in hole: Yeah you have water.
M: Oh good. What's wrong?
GiH: Is this your house?
M: Yeah, we live here.
GiH: Do you ever smell sewage inside?
M: Not really.
GiH: You were tied in wrong. You were tied in to a broken pipe, so your liquids were getting through but your solids were backed up.
M: ...

Exciting! More that I ever wanted to know about our sewage!

Our bedroom and 2nd floor hallway now have full ceilings hung. As I write this, Mike and my dad are upstairs pounding on things and banging things around. That sound translates to prep work on the front room's joists.

I'm not much help lately, but now that I traded in Big Foot for Das Boot, I can help with normal household chores, like hanging out with Chester the guinea pig while Mike cleans his cage.


I'm still not really up for carrying drywall, though. We're still accepting volunteers!

Our insanity grows - introducing the dream stove

In the last two years, we have moved to Pittsburgh from two different locations, started new jobs (two for me, one for Mike), bought the Money Pit, gutted the second floor, replaced the porch, replaced all windows, replaced the front door, remodeled the second floor bathroom, adopted a third dog and a guinea pig, planned a wedding, got married, and done some other things.

But it's never enough. So now we're going to refinish an antique stove for our kitchen. Meet...the dream stove!



We scored this A-series Chambers range from Craigslist. It likely dates between the late 1930s and mid 1940s. The people we bought it from helped us load it on Bessie, the truck. When we got home, my dad and I promptly dropped it out of the truck on Mike's leg. He's OK now, I think.

It's mostly cast iron (just like the dream tub!) and easily weighs 300-350 pounds. Chambers are absolutely killer stoves, and there is a small but passionate online community devoted to their restoration and use.

We're also lucky that one of the people who is recommended for restoration work and parts is located in Pittsburgh, right across the Ohio river from us.

Up close, it doesn't exactly look dreamy. But with some cleanup and TLC, we're convinced that it'll look fab in our future kitchen.



I think she needs a name. Suggestions, anyone?

Well, now that THAT is over with...

We were kind of busy doing this:


But now that we're hitched, work on the house has started again. The upstairs bathroom is now fully insulated. We need to make one repair to the drain pipe and then it's time for walls (yay).

Our roses are blooming, and our horrid privet hedges are trying to take over the neighborhood. Spring/summer has brought a lot of yard work with it. You all have seen how neglected the inside of the house was. Now just imagine the outside.

Today I planted flowers while Mike battled the privet beast.



Tomorrow I'm planning to scrape paint off of the garage door and hopefully start painting it. We just need to squeeze that in between some family time and trips downtown to see bands playing at the Three Rivers Arts Festival (Black Keys last night; Medeski, Martin, and Wood tonight). Back to work!

Oh, the kids

As my #1 fans have noted, I forgot to mention the kids.

Sassafras: 7 years old, German Shepherd, neurotic to the max, fond of eating various types of vegetation and dirt. A.K.A. the house's alarm system.

Agnus: 6 years old, German Shorthaired Pointer, afraid of measuring tapes and things that make a "psssssht" noise, fond of all small creatures that move. A.K.A. the wiggly one.
They're both looking forward to having a fenced-in backyard for excavation purposes.

Good luck...

So we're buying our first house, and it's a fixer upper. Before we get there, though, let's start with the basics.

Me: 28 years old, female, work in the field of PR/media. I like to think I'm fairly handy and can wield a hammer without smashing a finger at least 80% of the time. I can follow directions when assembling Ikea furniture and change a tire and the oil in my car. I'm the motivated sort who wakes up early to go grocery shopping before everybody else even has their first cup of coffee.

Partner in crime, Mike: 28 years old, male, works from home in IT. Mike is very handy and can stop a dripping faucet, problem-solve like a champ, and he's not afraid of electricity or power tools. He can be a bit of a procrastinator at times, but he's thorough and detail-oriented. He's excited to knock out walls.

The house: 118 years old, frame house (Victorian?) in Pittsburgh, PA. It was once a single family home, but it was split into two apartments at least ten years ago. We're looking to open it back up. It's across a 1-way street from a local park, and it has tons of potential. It also needs lots of work. Here it is on the day of our home inspection.

My dad is a very handy guy. We asked him to take a look at it with us. When I told him that we decided to buy it, he just said, "Oh yeah? Good luck..."

Closing is on September 15. Loads of "before" pictures to come.