We decided to finally follow the suggestions of our home inspector, John Trostle (hear him on MPR Midmorning), and purchased a fire extinguisher, carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors. Crossing one thing off the to-do list tonight, Sam installed the carbon monoxide detectors.
As soon as he plugged in two detectors, an 85 decibel shriek filled the house. Press the reset button! Make it STOP! Bury them! Do SOMEthing! He pulled out the batteries. Why did the alarm go off?? Do you feel sick? Are we getting poisoned? Should we call the fire department?
So, after calling 911 and explaining that this is NOT an emergency, in five minutes a huge ladder truck with flood lights blazing from Minneapolis Fire Department arrived at house. Four fire fighters, one in full gear, checked for carbon monoxide. Then they put the batteries back in the detectors and plugged them into the wall.
No alarm.
No carbon monoxide.
We're not going to be poisoned in our sleep.
Our neighbors probably think we're the new disaster on the block.
Thank you MFD.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Nice Surprise
A great surprise! Mom & Dad Franklin sent us a grill through our neighborhood hardware store. We will definitely use it - especially in spite of the condition of our kitchen.
This dilapidated grill just won't cut it anymore.
Another nice surprise - there is a buried patio of flagstone! Perfect for the new grill.
End of an Era
Yesterday we officially moved out of the Uptown apartment, which was a little bittersweet. It was our first place together, where we worked through the growing pains of a new marriage. The cozy neighborhood was perfect for us - we had a lot of fun living there. It will be missed!
Knocked Out
The Blitz, Moving Day, living between an apartment and a house ... Becky's body took a break for her. Maybe it was the flu, or maybe it was just sheer exhaustion & dehydration - it knocked her out for a couple of days. However, there is no rest for the wicked (a.k.a. home owner), because she was home sick while the Comcast guy drilled holes in the house to hook up the internet & cable.
Moving Day!
Last Saturday we survived the big move, loading up a U-Haul and schlepping our big stuff to H of B. Lucky for us, we had some incredibly generous friends who sacrificed their bodies to help us move. These miracle workers hiked up and down 3 flights of stairs to heave furniture out of our apartment. They didn't stop there - they came with us to the house and moved everything into the house.
We are indebted to Hoa, Ryan, and Adam - wonderful friends and neighbors in Uptown. And Fred, Sam's oldest friend (they've known each other since the third trimester), who coined the moniker BAM, made the couple of hours trip and really saved us.
Sam and Fred
"Little Sammy Mover"
Coincidence or Irony?
We are indebted to Hoa, Ryan, and Adam - wonderful friends and neighbors in Uptown. And Fred, Sam's oldest friend (they've known each other since the third trimester), who coined the moniker BAM, made the couple of hours trip and really saved us.
Sam and Fred
"Little Sammy Mover"
Coincidence or Irony?
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
The Blitz
Sam and I were able to both take a few days off of work this week, and tomorrow is the last day of the Five Day Blitz. We've accomplished several items on our "Immediate To-Do List" But, there is no time to relax! We are officially moving from our Uptown apartment and into H of B on Saturday, so the pressure is on to get the house ready for us to live in it.
The goals for the end of this week?
#1: To not completely freak out.
#2: Have spaces available appropriate for sleeping, eating, and bathing.
This may be asking too much.
The goals for the end of this week?
#1: To not completely freak out.
#2: Have spaces available appropriate for sleeping, eating, and bathing.
This may be asking too much.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Spackle and Popcorn are not snack foods
It's not easy to paint a popcorn ceiling.
Sam + Spackle, Wall Compound, Plaster = Repaired Walls!
Sneak Preview
A Conundrum for the Mail Carrier
A bird's favorite dumping spot. I feel bad that the mail carrier has to touch that!
To retrieve mail, we have to yank it out of this slot in the 2nd bedroom. The problem? Most envelopes are bigger now than what was sent 60 years ago. Will this cut down on junk mail? Probably not.
More of the Kitchen
Amazing contortions! Maybe Sam is made out of rubber.
Kitchen Cabinet
Oy! Needs work!
Sam will take care of those yucky cabinets!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
The Doozey of a Kitchen
Who doesn't love faux brick?
Cute wallpaper! Unfortunately, most of it is covered by white paint or appliances.
This poor red plate was behind the oven for far too long.
And the wallpaper is gone!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Put a mom to work!
Sam's mom made a trip to help us for a day. It was nice to have an extra pair of hands!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Stinkin Patches! (Bedroom - Before)
The room we're claiming as our bedroom was crying for help. The walls were in such rough shape, that by the time all of the dings were patched, the room took about 2 full days to prep before painting.
The first meal at H of B
When humans are in survival mode, they revert to what they instinctively understand. For us, that means going back to the basics - macaroni and cheese and Fruit by the Foot.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Let's get started! (Other Bedroom - Before)
We decided to start on the 2nd bedroom. A woman from Becky's work graciously offered her piano to us, and we're happily taking it! Hopefully it can fit in this room.
For the record...
These are the projects we initially had in mind for the house. Will we get it all done? Are we totally naive? We're posting this list, so that we can later laugh - or cry - at our big plans.
Immediately:
1) Bedroom: paint ceiling, walls, trim, closet, doors; make curtains.
2) Other bedroom: paint ceiling, walls, trim, closet; install new lighting; make curtains; create new artwork.
3) Bathroom: scrape popcorn off bathroom ceiling; paint walls; replace medicine cabinet; install shelving; make curtains.
4) Dining room: paint ceiling, walls, trim, china cabinets inside & out; install new lighting; make curtains.
5) Living room: paint ceiling, walls, trim; add additional shelving to book case; clean fireplace; make curtains; create new artwork for space.
6) Entry way: paint closet, walls, ceiling, trim; tear off vinyl & replace with ceramic tile.
7) Hallway: paint closets, walls, trim, ceiling.
8) Kitchen: rip off wallpaper; install appliances; install counter top & sink; strip cabinets; paint cabinets inside & out; attach hardware; add shelving in cabinets; paint trim, walls; install new lighting.
9) Upstairs Half-Story: replace ceiling tile; paint walls; make curtains; paint powder room; replace toilet seat.
10) Basement: install dryer; remove leaky cement sink; install new utility sink; install shelving & storage
11) Outside: install mailbox; trim back large shrubs; mow the lawn
In the near future:
1) Outside: re-landscape the yard; add retaining wall; redo front stoop & sidewalk; trim trees
2) Upstairs Half-Story: make into media room/guest room
3) Basement: cover asbestos tile
Down the road:
1) Outside: Build 2 car garage; make tuck-under garage into work space/studio space
1) Upstairs Half-Story: remodel powder room into a full bathroom; make into the main bedroom
2) Dining room: rip out china cabinets; make window into a sliding glass door.
3) Kitchen: demolish and start over
Immediately:
1) Bedroom: paint ceiling, walls, trim, closet, doors; make curtains.
2) Other bedroom: paint ceiling, walls, trim, closet; install new lighting; make curtains; create new artwork.
3) Bathroom: scrape popcorn off bathroom ceiling; paint walls; replace medicine cabinet; install shelving; make curtains.
4) Dining room: paint ceiling, walls, trim, china cabinets inside & out; install new lighting; make curtains.
5) Living room: paint ceiling, walls, trim; add additional shelving to book case; clean fireplace; make curtains; create new artwork for space.
6) Entry way: paint closet, walls, ceiling, trim; tear off vinyl & replace with ceramic tile.
7) Hallway: paint closets, walls, trim, ceiling.
8) Kitchen: rip off wallpaper; install appliances; install counter top & sink; strip cabinets; paint cabinets inside & out; attach hardware; add shelving in cabinets; paint trim, walls; install new lighting.
9) Upstairs Half-Story: replace ceiling tile; paint walls; make curtains; paint powder room; replace toilet seat.
10) Basement: install dryer; remove leaky cement sink; install new utility sink; install shelving & storage
11) Outside: install mailbox; trim back large shrubs; mow the lawn
In the near future:
1) Outside: re-landscape the yard; add retaining wall; redo front stoop & sidewalk; trim trees
2) Upstairs Half-Story: make into media room/guest room
3) Basement: cover asbestos tile
Down the road:
1) Outside: Build 2 car garage; make tuck-under garage into work space/studio space
1) Upstairs Half-Story: remodel powder room into a full bathroom; make into the main bedroom
2) Dining room: rip out china cabinets; make window into a sliding glass door.
3) Kitchen: demolish and start over
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The one that almost got away
Choosing the house, making the offer, pushing paperwork...it was all pretty easy. Sam Strong was great - she met us at any hour of the day at various Uptown locations to answer questions, sign papers. Then we found a mortgage guy who works for a reputable company, and his credentials suggested that he has the expertise to get the job done.
Realtor: check. Mortgage guy: check. We were set! During the next month before closing, we bought furniture, ordered appliances, exhausted ourselves over paint color conversations ("just tell me what you think! do you like gray green or yellow green??"). The closing date was just days away!
Then the closing date came and went. Our paperwork had been sitting at the bank for 45 days, under a pile of refinances - everyone wants a piece of the historically low rates - and the underwriter said he'd get to it "someday". The mortgage guy told us there was nothing to do, but wait (don't panic!). The sellers said they were going to walk away if we didn't close soon (panic!). There were no options for us, except to ditch the mortgage guy. We were not going to lose that house. Thankfully, another mortgage company, Bell Mortgage, swooped in, and processed our loan in 48 hours.
Even though we closed on the house two days late, and the sellers agent reluctantly gave us the keys (if anybody needs a recommendation of who never to work with, I'll give you this guy's name), we made it through the process fairly unscathed. The House of BAM is ours!
Realtor: check. Mortgage guy: check. We were set! During the next month before closing, we bought furniture, ordered appliances, exhausted ourselves over paint color conversations ("just tell me what you think! do you like gray green or yellow green??"). The closing date was just days away!
Then the closing date came and went. Our paperwork had been sitting at the bank for 45 days, under a pile of refinances - everyone wants a piece of the historically low rates - and the underwriter said he'd get to it "someday". The mortgage guy told us there was nothing to do, but wait (don't panic!). The sellers said they were going to walk away if we didn't close soon (panic!). There were no options for us, except to ditch the mortgage guy. We were not going to lose that house. Thankfully, another mortgage company, Bell Mortgage, swooped in, and processed our loan in 48 hours.
Even though we closed on the house two days late, and the sellers agent reluctantly gave us the keys (if anybody needs a recommendation of who never to work with, I'll give you this guy's name), we made it through the process fairly unscathed. The House of BAM is ours!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
The House of Bam
How did we end up with the House of BAM?
On our first tour of open houses last fall, when we were just house-buying babies, we saw the House of BAM. Sam thought the place had some potential, and plus it's in a great neighborhood. However, I had a more adverse reaction...basically, I hated the house. Ugly! I said. Too much work! I said.
Over the next few months, we did research, took a community buying-your-first-house class, and came to terms with our budget. When we were ready to pursue a real estate agent, we saw an ad in the local food co-op's newsletter for Metamorphosis Realty. Its mission: Metamorphosis Realty is founded on the idea that the local neighborhood real estate office is the perfect place to build authentic relationships, greener lifestyles, and more sustainable communities.
Very Cool!
So, we enlisted the help of owner Samantha Strong (Sam Strong, meet Sam Drong - it was meant to be). She gently brought us back to reality and showed us how to identify the "good bones" of a home.
It wasn't too much longer when we were once again at the House of BAM. With a new attitude, we said, yes this is the place for us! It's still ugly and it still needs a lot of work, but it has good bones!
On our first tour of open houses last fall, when we were just house-buying babies, we saw the House of BAM. Sam thought the place had some potential, and plus it's in a great neighborhood. However, I had a more adverse reaction...basically, I hated the house. Ugly! I said. Too much work! I said.
Over the next few months, we did research, took a community buying-your-first-house class, and came to terms with our budget. When we were ready to pursue a real estate agent, we saw an ad in the local food co-op's newsletter for Metamorphosis Realty. Its mission: Metamorphosis Realty is founded on the idea that the local neighborhood real estate office is the perfect place to build authentic relationships, greener lifestyles, and more sustainable communities.
Very Cool!
So, we enlisted the help of owner Samantha Strong (Sam Strong, meet Sam Drong - it was meant to be). She gently brought us back to reality and showed us how to identify the "good bones" of a home.
It wasn't too much longer when we were once again at the House of BAM. With a new attitude, we said, yes this is the place for us! It's still ugly and it still needs a lot of work, but it has good bones!
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