Seating for Six

Roger and I finally got a dining room table that seats more than the two of us. Since we moved in we have wanted to get a table so that we could invite more people over for dinner. We couldn't justify the expense until recently. We sort of knew what we were looking for, but just need to find it.

We ended up finding just what we were looking for at Casual Dining and Bar Stools. After browsing for a bit, we realized that we didn't even measure the space. Thinking that the space was large enough, we thought we needed a table with an insert. In the end, we had to go home to measure the space and found that the largest table that we could fit in the space (with extra room for the chairs) was 66" inches. Any bigger would just be in the way.

So the next day we went back and re-examined our options. We didn't end up needing an insert so that at least gave us more options in our price range. The table that we purchased, I just happened to be sitting at the night before. It felt casual but formal with its leather seating. What we are super excited about is that Thomas won't be able to see through the table to the things that are sitting on top of it. He is constantly complaining about reaching for things he can see but can't reach. I know that won't last long, but for now it will be less frustrating for all.

Before

After

I am glad we finally have a place to do puzzles, type on my laptop, and eventually, where Thomas can do his homework.

Rain Storms 2010

With an old house, everytime it rains we spend time running around the house to make sure everything is secure and no water makes its way in. So far so good. We are on day three (or four) of nasty weather including tornado warnings, high winds +60 mph, and flooding pretty much everywhere in the county. But everything here has held up nicely.

Something we didn't think about until far too late are the sun sails covering the patio. They are in fact, sails. Attached by nylon rope and metal bolts to our house and the wall around the patio, the tension in the wind pulls on the house creating the most eeiry sounds. Roger was concerned about how the wall of the house would hold up considering we had no idea whether or not we were bolting into something solid. But all is well. Even the rope is holding up.

Next year, we will consider taking the sails down as the winter settles in, just like the patio furniture.

The Hot Tub Debate

If you have ever been over to our house for a party, you have most likely been involved in this little game we have. In the corner of our patio sits an un-used broken hot tub. Yes, broken.

The tub is cracked all over the place, unfixable.

During the summer, we keep it cleaned out, looking presentable for guests as they enjoy our cozy backyard. In the winter, we do everything we can to prevent it from becoming a mosquito breeding sespool (poorly I might add).

So the on-going question of debate is: what should we do with the hot tub or the space where the hot tub sits. Here are the top five responses from the highly plossible to the insane in order by popularity:

5. Get a new hot tub
4. Tear it out and extend the deck
3. Tear it out and plant a garden
2. Clean it out and make it a ball pit ala Chuck E Cheese
1. Cover it up with wood to create a backyard stage

Some of the issues whatever we decide to do are:

• Money: it costs a ton of money to do anything to a house, this is no different.
• Moving the hot tub: Anyone who has ever dealt with hot tubs knows that it is nearly impossible to get rid of them. No one really wants them. And definitely, no one wants to dispose of them for you. This will involve a chainsaw and some creative maneuvering. I know this will need to be done someday.
• Consequences of leaving it there: Said moquitos, drowning hazard (yep, it is currently uncovered), as well as various unknown issues (we can't see the damage it is causing underneath our deck).

One day we will do something about it but, for right now it sits. A topic of conversation for every gathering, a visual nuisance for Roger and I, and a inticing danger zone for Thomas.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

The Morrison Family home is filled with the holiday spirit. A beautiful Nobel Fir, straight from the forests of Mission Valley Mall, decorated in twinkling red and white lights. Sheer red ribbon with velvet paisley curls around the limbs, shimmering in the glow of the lights. Old fashioned bulb ornaments hang scattered purposefully all over the tree. Twelve glass icicles reflect the light as it dims and brightens. A capiz star, unique from Michaels, glows from the top of the tree. The blue bell, passed down from Roger's grandmother hangs near the top of the tree, is rung each night as the tree lights are extinguished. Two antique lights also from Roger's grandmother frame the tree in the arched windows of our Spanish-style abode.

Outside, the air is chilly but the warmth of Christmas decorations reminds us that we are home.

Inside, the heat resonates from the love of the family within (the heater and the fireplace also help).

Last year we could only imagine any of this coming to life. Our kitchen, among many other rooms in the house was unlivable and we didn't have heat. Christmas seemed like such a bear to celebrate, so we refrained from decorating. A small wooden tree with a handful of lights, donated by my mom, sat in our living room where our current tree now sits, so sad and pathetic. Roger and I agree that we finally have the perfect tree and all the trimmings to go with it.

Rainy Season 2008

Now that the rains have returned, Roger and I are remembering last year's horrors. Pictures can only partially show the true damage that water can do to a poorly designed house.

When we moved in, the back room of the house (that is currently our bedroom) had a water stained line on the wall about 1 1/2 feet high and a missing window. Sadly we don't have any pictures of this room in this state. We were concerned about mold and addtional water damage. We mostly thought the water was entering through the missing window and the fact that the bedroom is about a foot below the outside ground.

Since it was a foreclosure, the bank was required to make the space "livable." So they had a contractor added a window and replace the drywall on the lower half of the wall for ridiculously cheap. After the first heavy rains, the water line on the wall was back and the wood around the window looked waterlogged.

Here are some photos taken after the bank contractors replaced the window and after the first heavy rains:

Under the window, Roger saw the paint lifting away so he poked his finger at it and his finger went straight through the wood.

Here is the outside of the house. You can see the crappy job of sealing the window (yes that is all caulk 2 inches around the edges) and the paint pealing off the outside. Those dark spots where the paint has peeled is water seeping in the walls.

This is the inside of the walls. The original color of the room is maroon. The white is the dry wall repair that the bank contractors did. The line about 2 inches from the floor is the new water line.

Our real estate agent called the bank to get the contractor's information. After nearly pulling teeth, we got the number of the contractor and spoke to them about the job. The bank only paid them $300 for the job that included replacing the window and the drywall. They acknowledged that they installed the window on rotten wood and that the wall is completely rotted on the inside. They did what they were told to do and could do no more without being paid lots of money.

Just thinking about this makes my stomach sink, even now.

Welcome to our Humble Abode

From the first time that Roger and I stepped foot in our living room, with the coved ceiling, arched windows and the fireplace, we knew we couldn't walk away. Well, that isn't completely true, but I like to think it is. This house had more than a feeling to us... which inspired us to buy it and now for me to write about it, and aptly name my second blog after a Boston song. Oh, what has gotten into me.

Roger and I have been homeowners for a little over a year. In that time, our home has been through a complete transformation and so have we. It is here you will find little stories of the good, bad, and the scary of being a homeowner. From fleas to flowers to paint to carpet, we* will share it all. I'll mix current happenings with the tales of the past, as there are definitely some good ones there. As any homeowner knows, your house is never done.

*I hope I can get Roger to write a bit here now and again, but we'll see.