2024 Update on the House

It has been a whirlwind year. When last I posted, it was July and things we were recuperating from our Big Move. We’ve done a lot to the house this year:

New walkway and steps installed

Stairways and upstairs rooms professionally painted

Whole house power washed

Foundation repaired

New heat pump HVAC system installed

New roof

Solar panels installed

Two large trees that were hovering over the house removed

Electric vehicle charger installed

Insulation blown into both attics to increase to 49-R-value

New back door installed with the help of son Tim and grandson Alex

While we did most of the work ourselves in 2023, this year the majority was done by professionals. Age is finally catching up to us I think, and the couple of jobs that we might have tackled a couple of years ago (power washing and using scaffolds to paint stairwells, maybe even installing a walkway) were now beyond our abilities. Having said that, Bob has started demolishing the downstairs bathroom with the help of Alex, our 18 year old grandson. We purchased an antique oak dresser and will be converting that to a vanity, and we still have flooring left over from the kitchen/living room…so aside from a new toilet, there wasn’t much else to purchase. Bob can take his time converting the dresser to a vanity once the rest of the bathroom is finished. It’s going to be a big improvement.

And while Alex and Bob tear things up, I get to play with Jillian! She has asked to learn to knit, and has taken to it quickly! She also wanted to learn to spin yarn yesterday so we played with that as well.

Bisbee has settled into NJ living very well, and has even decided that our family is his family. He was standoffish at first but now enjoys when people stop by. He’s such a joy!

We had a wonderful Christmas gathering on the 22nd, and it was such fun to have everyone over. It’s amazing how many people can fit into this little house.

Until next time, wishing you all a happy and prosperous New Year.