As was suggested in our August post, we knew going into September that we’d need to hang on to the reins! With the start of school, siding coming off 204 Cloverville, and the slow winterizing of Camp Lumsden, there wasn’t going to be a lot of downtime. We absolutely took full advantage of what was very favorable weather this September to keep up with the “to-do” list, and on most nights sleep came easy.
We’ve become all too used to what September means in school, as the many start up requirements, tasks and routines take shape. We do have a recipe for that though, learned from experience. It’s so important to take on tasks / duties one step at a time… keeps the headspace clear and the organization & completion in a manageable state. Of note, we did make application for attendance at NSTU Retirement Workshops as we ease into the final years of full time classroom work. There are some days when we are ready for all that to happen faster, but for the most part we both really love what we do everyday!
As for the renovations, our initial plans to farm out the work were thwarted as efforts to nail down contractors / prices went unanswered. Thus, the decision was made to take it on ourselves with the help of Curtis! He does great work and has been around enough older buildings to know a whole bag of tricks for a place like ours that’s 75+ years old. Janie took the lead in “Project Management”, doing the bulk of the purchasing, chasing down orders and researching to get preferred materials to complete the job. She kept the gang at Kent hopping!!! I guess I proved the arms and legs in between, as my skill set is especially designed for demolition 😁. Dad, Monica, Evan, Pete and Uncle Eric also threw in on a weekend or two to round out the siding crew!
By months end (with group weekend work and the evening efforts of Janie and I) we had doors replaced, a new levelled porch & back step, a few “spongy” spots replaced, a mound of siding / wood / eavestrough and three sides of 204 glowing in “Richmond Red”! Beyond that, propane contractors had relocated tanks and run necessary lines for new heating stove hook up in the living room. Progress on all fronts that felt good, and by October 1st we were looking at a job that was closing in on the front side of our home, an attic dormer, stove install, inside trim details and dumpster ordering! A big project from start to finish 🤞 and we were close to the finish line on much needed improvements and impressive facelift for our modest home. Looking forward to completion!