Cleaning out the front garden

The beginning of the end for the front garden. All the self-seeders and weeds are coming out. Everything except the azaleas and lilies which get another chance. Here's David shaking off a matted pile of weeds. Love the storm weather gear - perfect for gardening! Once we've dug everything out then we'll cover all the bare bits with mulch and start planning.........

That's our neighbours dogwood tree in the background.

Patio Furniture

We looked for some patio furniture that would sort of fit the Caribbean theme. Looking at pictures online and from our memory, we saw most sets were either wood, or painted those great Caribbean colors  - good old Leewind Paints. We may paint them later a cool Caribbean Blue, or Coral.

Rose found this set at a good deal, assembly required. Seems nice, we can now have coffee in the morning and a 'Sundowner' in the evening overlooking our garden and trees.

I guess I need to clean up the patio now - I'll get right on that...

Hanging Gutter Garden

Rose is in spring Garden Frenzy mode!

As many of you remember, Rose and I built and beautiful 800 sq ft vegetable garden in Virginia. You can see some of it under the "Virginia" Tab above.

We'll we don't have a lot of garden space in our new house, so as Cougar said to his rear in the movie Top Gun, "Their going vertical and so are we".

Rose showed me some pictures of Gutter Gardens and I thought they were a great idea. We'll have three. One to form a bit of a wall at the end of the porch and to block out the view of the neighbors, #2 (using the left over 4' of gutters) between the windows, and #3 (not show in pictures yet) will be 10ft. at the far end of the house. They are spaced out enough from the house to provide good air ventilation for the house, a walkway behind them, and room to swing in the wind a bit so as to not hit the house.

So, I got to looking online at what other peeps have done, drew up the plans, got the material list, and got the stuff - all complete for $102. Cheap enough for me. Gutters come in 10ft lengths which worked out perfectly by cutting them into 6' lengths and using the extra the 2nd spot.

Once again, I had the pick up truck guys at the hardware store looking funny at me with 10ft gutters hanging out of a SmarCar, safety flags flapping, driving along in the poring rain. I love to freak those guys out!

The small 4ft gutters will be all strawberries. The 6ft gutters on the porch will be hanging flowers the top two rows to block out the view, then lettuce the bottom two rows.

They look a bit WHITE at the moment, but do a search on the Internet for Gutter Gardens and you'll see how great they look with mature plants in them.

Here are some pictures and I'll keep adding to them. The captions of what they are seen under the photo.

Here I started using ropes to get the measurements right before cutting the chain to length. Rose was supervising, as expected. We settled on 18 inches between the bottom of one gutter to the top of the other.

Another view of using ropes to figure out the spacing before cutting the chain.

Chain added between the gutters. This seems to be the most often used system for hanging gutter gardens. It is strong, adjustable and easily replaceable, and cheap. Cheap, you getting this theme by now...

#2 Gutter Garden. 4ft gutters fit between the two windows exactly. Far enough from the house for good ventilation, space to walk behind, and far enough out to not bang the house in a high wind. We may take them down and store them in the winter. 

#3 gutter garden will be along that far side of the window. 4 x 10 ft gutters.  

Outside view of gutter garden with chains.

Florida Trip House Monitor

I spent years worrying about leaving our yacht "Spellbound" unattended at anchor in the islands when I went on trips. Is the anchor holding, is there a leak, are the bulge pumps keeping her dry, etc... Used to drive me nuts. 

Now with a house I am back to the same old worries. I can't help it - I am a Captain. These thoughts continuously run through my mind. And you want your Captain to be thinking of these things all the time as you jet your way across the sky (how's the weather holding up, fuel is looking OK, what was that noise, hmm... hydraulic pressure just had a bump...). But it kind of drives me nuts sometimes. In fact, it drives everyone around me nuts.

We were scheduled to fly to Florida for a week of business, family, and friends - in January. Oh No the house is going to freeze, pipes bursting, damage, costs... OMG my Captain / homeowner brain went into overtime! What to do! Damn the forecast is for freezing weather the entire time we are gone (in fact for 3 weeks of below freezing). I was bouncing off the walls. Time to find a solution on a budget.

I finally got the OK from Rose to get a camera. The conversation was sort of - Rose to me "Do what you have to do you. You are driving me NUTS"! 

My main worry was that the pipes would freeze if the heating system failed. If I saw the temperature falling  I would call our home warranty company and get them to get in there to fix the issue. At least that was my plan.  

So with a little research I came up with the Logitech Circle camera as a possible answer. Hmm... I could put the big outside thermometer from outside in the kitchen so I can see if the heating system is working or not. The rooster thermometer is large enough to read from the camera. Ha! I have the answer! I can monitor the camera 24/7 anytime I want to from my phone or tablet. I felt better already.  Not a full surveillance system, but for $199 USA not a bad solution. It does depend on the Internet, which is not the best, but hey it is cheap, and no monthly service charges.

The camera also records for 24 hours, has motion detection, night view, and I can talk to someone in my house like "Get the ^&%&*& out of my house I can calling the cops". It did work... I was notified when my brothers checked on the house, got a notification on my phone, pulled up the camera, saw it was them and could chat with the - all from 3,200 miles away in Florida.

 

Next use for the camera, when not being used while we are out of town during freezing weather. Is to set it up to survey the front door and driveway. (Why are cars parked in driveways and drive on parkways?) Anyway, that way while we are in the house, or out we can see who is coming up to the house and/or we'll have a recording if any one anyone is causing trouble. We will also get notified and be able to chat with them. Cool. 

Lemoncello

Homemade by Rose.
Cool label.

Gas Stove - Finally

OMG this has been such an ordeal.

I thought in America you went to the store, buy a stove, they delivered it in a couples days and everyone is happy.
I thought companies stood by there products and customers.
I thought someone out there had a clue!

Well I lived in the 3rd world for many years and had better service - no lie.

No, not some high end custom stove I tell you; no this is all over just a $600 everyday gas stove.

While we are fixing up the house, and having to change out the broke ass old electric stove, we though we would convert to a gas stove, as they are so much nicer. We cook 3 meals a day 7 days a week for the most part, so a nice stove is important to us. That also meant having to have a gas line installed, which turned out to be a pain and huge expense on its own.

Well, 3 months and 6 days, 3 stove deliveries, 2 stove returns, 2 damage stoves, 3 companies (Sears that did such a shitty job, and didn't care, I will never ever buy anything from them again), 20 feet of new gas line, county inspections, 1 credit card charge back. I would continue, but it is depressing me all over again....

We have been cooking for over 3 months on the broken electric stove that came with the house - only one broke ass small burner.
I'm trying to cook dinner switching puts around one one broke ass heating element.

Finally, the Samsung Gas stove that we ended buying from Home Depot arrived. Oh wait, ya this one was also delayed 10 days, as the truck got into an accident. But it finally arrived, it was not damaged, I didn' t get lip from the delivery guys like the Sears guys, and the installation guys were great and did such a good job I tipped them well.

Umbrella Contest & Tree Lighting

We enjoyed the mile walk into town for the Umbrella Parade & Tree Lighting.
It was raining a bit, but that is the NW in December, and we all had umbrellas anyway.

Milwaukie, OR is really turning out to be a nice town. Really reminds us of Safety Harbour - on the water, small town, lots of community events, farmers market, neighborly, nice shops, local hardware store.

This event was the anal Umbrella Parade and Christmas Tree Lighting. Lots of turnout, great umbrellas, and the business decorated for the season (the was a contest for that, too).

Continuing in my tradition of writing the longest sentences in the world, not that I know what the record is - not that it matters anyway; and my liberal use of punctuation, followed by my well know inability to spell due to my sever dyslexia (card carrying member of DNA the National Dyslexia Association,) I will continue my story.

So many people had made cool Umbrellas I want to do one next year - already have the idea.
Great prices to the umbrella winners, and the winners of the businesses holiday season decorations. In fact a whole street got a honorable mention, because they all got together to decorate in a theme - now that is small town.

The mayor, which Rose thought was rather handsome, did a great job as host.

Snow Day - First Snow of the Season

We don't get a lot of snow in Portland, so it is fun.
The city takes it all in stride, as they do everything here, with fun and beer.
The ski resorts will be loving this.

Cutting Baseboard Trim

I'm getting around to cutting, painting, and installing the new floor trim.
I'm cutting the trim outside to cut down on dust in the garage. However, it is 40deg out there, so makes for a chilly day.

Painting is in the garage. Unheated, but better than outside.
I have to keep the paint in the house to keep it warm enough to flow and level out.
In fact, I have had to put a small can of paint in a water bath of warm water to get it to flow.

The new trim is looking good and worth the effort.

Thanksgiving 2016

David and I usually spend Thanksgiving on our own but this year we were so happy to be invited to an amazing dinner at Christopher and Bradley's house in Hollywood, Portland. I felt like I was charmed, and Mrs Bean was my chariot, David my frog coach driver, and I was dressed in finery.

David makes a lovely frog..........

Their house, which they bought almost the same time as we bought ours, looked lovely already. They have a lot more boxes to unpack, and there's still furniture to come. We know what that feels like!

The dinner table was set in harvest colours with a beautiful flower centerpiece.

Such good food - we couldn't have done better in a restaurant.

Being a Brit I rather love having an extra family holiday in the year.

Christmas Cactus

Must be getting close to Christmas - my cactus are going into full bloom. I keep sneaking into the kitchen to look at them. Such spectacular flowers. As these pots have been here since the day they arrived I'm keeping them on the sill - it suits them.

What are the pickup truck guys staring at?

As a home owner, again, I'm missing my old Jeep Cherokee Sport with the roof racks.
Ms. Bean and created a bit of a stir at Lowe's carrying home 12 foot long sections of floor trim.
She is a little tyke and we got our goods home just fine. Way to get the job done old girl!

Potato hand

This is why I love Farmer's Markets. Weird shaped veggies. That taste good.

This is a fingerling potato which had to be recorded for posterity.

Moving Day

Here's the truck.

David and I have a knee jerk reaction every time we see a UHaul truck. Too many times we've sat in the front of one of these!

Here's Bradley organising things.....

David and Bradley organising truck - with a faint impression of Christopher IN the truck.

Somebody must have made a joke! Of course, this is early in the proceedings so everyone is still full of energy and bonhomie.

Rose's office in the stages of emptying out.

The living room and kitchen in chaos....

Mind your back Christopher.....!

Okay - so you are minding......... still smiling.

David is concentrating hard - if he can levitate the cupboard everything would be so much easier for Christopher and Bradley.....

The living room being filled with furniture. Suddenly the empty space is becoming a home. Christopher, we told you.... mind your back.

And it's gone......

Never mind, a drink will help with the pain.

Finally, an empty truck. And Portland waited 'til the very last minute to rain.

At last - the moment we've been waiting for - celebrating our new home.

It's taken us 8 years to get here and with the help of family and friends we did it.

THANK YOU for all your help and support. We could not have done it without you.

Put Your Best Foot Forward

Must be my left one.

The Trim ...

We have reached the trim painting stage. Lots of blue tape, primer and paint. David has finished the studio - 3 door frames, 1 window frame and a door. Took 3 coats.

Here is is working on the bathroom door having already primed the bedroom and his office.

Long way to go.

David has done everything himself (except the floor laying). I don't even want to think how much money we've saved because of his abilities. A LOT.

The big truck move is this Friday. Oh boy........

More Hanging Baskets

Having taken a picture of our hanging baskets outside the Hillsdale apartment I thought I would have one of them hanging off the patio roof at our new place in Milwaukie - continuity you see.

Probably won't keep them there as David will bang his head on them.....

Day 3 - floors laid

3 days - that's all it took to lay luxury vinyl tiles (ha! - whoever heard of luxury vinyl, vinyl is vinyl) throughout the house. All except the bathrooms which will be ceramic tiles - a long way down the road.

The above is David's office - he chose the right hand back bedroom. That way he can look out onto the street and watch what's going on. Probably not much as it's a VERY quiet neighbourhood.

This is my studio floor done. Finally all the threads and beads which bounce onto the floor can be rescued instead of disappearing forever into the carpet and then into the guts of Robbie the Roomba.

Next up - painting the trim......

Shadow Hills in Autumn

I was sitting on my daybed in the living room of our apartment and suddenly realised there is such a beautiful fall view outside our patio. This year my hanging baskets worked a treat (might have something to do with paying attention to how much light there is???).

Behind the baskets is "our tree" which the children love to climb and swing on. It's gone into full autumn mode with orange and yellow leaves. On the ground is a carpet of colourful fallen leaves and in the background the carefully mowed green lawns.

A good memory to take with us when we move to our new home.

Day 2 of the floor installation

Not the best light to see the colours of the floor tiles but you get the idea. It's something called Tuscan Slate and has a mixture of greys, creams and browns. Very neutral. And tough.

The installer got the living room, hallway and big sections of the 3 bedrooms done. Fast worker. I think there will only be one more day and he'll be finished.

We love it. It makes the whole house open up.

Plus, now all the floors have been disinfected and sealed the horrible cat odour is gone. All we can smell now is fresh paint.

Next - painting all the door, closet and window frames. David is so excited - not!