May 15, 2006 :: A Little About Us
I just realized that I've been writing about my house, myself, my fiancee, and my friends for quite a while now on here without actually properly introducing us. Some of that information can be gleaned from the message board, from the entries here, and many people here know me from other message boards. However, for those who have just wandered in, I reckon I should compose a little bit of a biography/history.
For those who already know all of this, there are pictures of todays' work at the end of the text.
Where to start? Well, my name is Larry. I inherited my house from my grandmother in 2001. Until then, I had lived in various apartments and houses in Indiana, Wyoming, and Colorado. My grandmother and I were pretty close, as far as families go. I spent more time here than I did at my Mom's house, I think.
Grandma was a person of the Depression era. The thought of putting money into the house was alien to her. If it broke, fix it. Otherwise, leave it alone. As such, much of the house's original components are damaged beyond repair. The windows are the prime example of this. Some can be saved, but most are simply too far gone. As you read the various entries here, you'll see me ponder what I should do about various things, change my mind about some, stick stubbornly to others, and later accomodate the change from 1 inhabitant to 3.
Anyhoo, I'm 37, out of shape (unless "pear" is a shape), a packrat, an I.T./Computer tech guy - currently working as a repair tech for the HP factory - a history buff, a mountain bike junkie, an ex-auto mechanic, a web designer/developer, and a published writer.
The "+ 2" are Siân, my fiancée, and her son Jordan. Siân is a cytogeneticist, lives currently in England (South London), shares my love of old houses, and for some reason fell in love with this grumpy old computer geek.
Siân and I applied in April for our K-1 Fiancée Visa. Ergo, we have no idea when she will arrive here, or when we will get married. We're hoping for mid-October for the wedding, with an arrival date of late September. Due to the various changes to immigration laws, it might end up being closer to November or December. I hope not.
Larry & Siân
So, I have several projects here that need to be done before Siân arrives. We need a master bedroom. This is, along with the adjacent office/library/guest room, the current focus of my energies. Jordan needs a bedroom. That will be my next project; gutting and remodeling my old bedroom. Lastly, one wall of the stairway needs to come (the rest of the way) out due to crumbling plaster and a lack of insulation. These are the projects I am trying to complete before the end of September.
Once Siân arrives, the kitchen will need to be addressed. Likewise, the living room - that I started working on over a year ago - will need to be finished. Then there's the Laundry Room/Pantry to tackle. Lastly, the bathroom will be expanded and remodeled. After a period of recouperation from that, I'll be tearing down the old attached garage (if it doesn't fall down on its own first) and building a new 2 story garage that mirrors the old part of the house. Downstairs will be a woodworking shop/garage, and upstairs will be a new guest apartment for when Siân's Dad visits.
So, there you have a very brief bio on Siân and I, as well as a bit of history & future plans for the house.
Those who skipped the bio part, here are the pictures of today's work. You'll notice that there is no more plaster in the master bedroom. Well, not on the walls or the ceiling....it's all on the floor. The lath will be coming down tomorrow, and hopefully the attic floor will be going in, along with some insulation.
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