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Owning a Home
January 08, 2006
Owning an actual home has been an adventure so far, compared the owning a condo in Ann Arbor. In Ann Arbor, I only had one emergency expense to pay for - the heating coil in the furnace died one Sunday - a $50 expense. So far, here in Oklahoma City, I’m looking at $400+ to fix a pipe that broke sometime after the inspection (and no one knows for sure if it broke before or after closing, so it’s our problem).
In more happy news, Christa and I have done a TON of work so for, and we’re in for much more. Completed this weekend:
- Bought a dishwasher and range (to be delivered Saturday)
- Put another coat of yellow on the kitchen walls (using some of the paint left by the previous owners (Thanks Vet!)
- Sanded and repainted the kitchen cabinets
- Replaced the hardware on the kitchen cabinets
- Completely raked the front and back yards
- Built the base for an 8’ by 4’ compost box
- Laid out the landscaping for the backyard
- Bought paint for the trim in the kitchen and office, and paint for the office walls
- Repaired a hole behind the door in the bedroom
- Replaced the kitchen’s main light fixture
- Bought lights for the office and hallway
- Replaced house numbers with more appropriate looking numbers
Things yet to do:
- Wash office walls and paint new color
- Paint trim in kitchen and office
- Sand and paint in bathroom
- Install dishwasher and range
- Install lights in kitchen, office, and hallway
- Buy landscaping materials
- I’m sure there’s more we are going to do
I’m excited about how the house will look. I’m especially happy to work on the landscaping/garden out back. I’ve got a slight plan already worked out… We’re going to build two raised beds, one for perennials, another for a vegetable and herb garden. The existing pathway will be lined by mulch, and a crushed granite walkway will be built to other areas of the backyard (to the compost bin behind the garage, etc.).
This was probably boring to my readers, especially since most of you have only seen a few picutres of the house. More to come later, I promise.
Posted by paul at January 8, 2006 08:49 PM
Comments
kris said on January 9, 2006 08:40 AMi thought it was interesting. perhaps because it's the type of stuff i end up writing on my blog :)
sounds like a cool place! yeah to gardens! have fun!
Mom said on January 9, 2006 04:23 PMYou sure are more ambitioooous about your own place that you ever were about home!Check out Bri's latest entry too.
Brian Ryckbost said on January 9, 2006 07:20 PMyou are funny Mom! Sounds like a lot of work, but also a lot of fun. I hope and trust you took some before teardown, after tear down and before work, and after work shots of all the projects. If not, you are useless.... well, maybe thats a stretch, but it would have been cool to see the process. I like project logs and you should start one. In fact, it wouldn't be hard at all.
You could even start a little side blog about the house. Name it something appropriate, give it some publicity and talk about what you have learned about owning a house or working on projects and the like. You'd be amazed at how much traffic that could bring, especially something as "niche" as landscaping and remodeling (maybe not niche, but it could provide meaninful information to some people if you get that site out there)
Brian Ryckbost said on January 9, 2006 07:20 PMOh and mom mentioned something about my last post and I think that she was talking about my "healthy living" one. Here is a direct link
Brian Ryckbost said on January 9, 2006 07:21 PMhttp://www.ryckbost.com/?p=144
Mom said on January 11, 2006 08:32 AMHey guys,
Yes, I was talking abuot the healthy living post. It is really fun to read all thses musings by you guys and now dad is sending you e-mails from Malaysia. We are a world wide traveling bunch aren't we?
Love,Mom