More Progress

I guess around here everyday has progress of some sort. I try not to think about the scary things, like the termite damaged sill plate, or the faulty foundation. Those things are too expensive to think about. So I distract myself by focusing on things I can change, like the yard or the color of a room. Or small reno jobs I can do myself. Like the ugly cabinet in the hall, and the stupid shutter door in the bathroom. Or refinishing the kitchen cabinets to white wash rather than white paint. That sort of thing. What ever I can do to give the home some wow factor incase we do need to sell. I want people diverted by the lovelies so they forget about the nasties. Not that I'm trying to hide something.
Anyway, I've finally started priming the bedroom and painting the ceiling. The ceiling has a long seam crack near the wall.

Should I have scraped it out and retyped, and mudded? Probably. Of course the whole paint job might not last if the moisture issue is as pervasive as I think it is. After all, we are missing a layer in the house envelope. Again, these are the said nasties. At night, it's hard to fight away the anxiety that they bring. So I try to think about my next project. Like putting in a small patio with a pergola between the two windows on the back of the house.

That side of the house needs something and at the moment there isn't a place to sit and enjoy the evening, after a hard afternoon of toiling. Plus, those stupid bushes have got to go. Sorry. Or at least relocated someplace more appropriate. Another couple of bushes that need relocating are the two huge holy bushes right next to the garage. They are so close I think they sprouted there on their own. So close the foundation could get bothered. If I move them that area would make a nice grilling area. Right off the kitchen door.

I like the holly bushes, I just don't like them there. It's a phrase I say a lot in regards to the landscaping and tree placement. It's so happenstance. The next area that needs sprucing up is the yard area off the bedroom window. Right now it's a red dirty lump fest. I'm going to move the ornamental grass from the pump house to behind the fence or just in front to mask it. The fence is cattle fencing. Not very heart warming. I don't have any plans to graze sheep in the yard, to the fence is kinda goofy in that sense. But it's here, and it keeps the critters out, so I'll work with it. I can hide it with grass, or use it to support raspberry bushes, beans, peas tomatoes, or grape vines. There's options. I want to smooth out that back uninviting corner plant along the parameter, add some tall grass for privacy, and make it a cozy oasis/sitting area. I might put down all the river stone I'll have after I clean up around the foundation, in the area above the septic tank. Then if I level it, maybe that can be the area where I put the pool in summer? I'm not sure how that will work with river stone. I'm still working the concept out in my head.

The shed isn't doing me any favors either. It's a giant brown monstrosity at this point. I'm thought about removing the older main part, and leaving the newer addition as an open air shelter, sitting area, and grilling location. But, who know. I need to open it up, add some windows, or a large door that can slide open. Right now it's like uncle Charlie's taxidermy murder shack. And that bathroom in there. No, it's just too creepy. I wouldn't mind tearing the whole thing down.

Lastly, and an easier project. I'm going to dress up the pump house, rather than try to move it or reduce it's size. I'm going to faux paint it like it's an old out house. Plant hollyhocks, wildflowers, even tomatoes (get it, outhouse tomatoes? Gnuck, gnuck) and make it look like whimsical yard art, rather than the giant brown turd that it currently is. 

With each project, the previous seller slowly vanishes from existence, and the place really becomes my own. My own ongoing project. But that shed though. Ugh.