This update is overdue!

It's time for a little catch-up! Since I last posted, our old house sold! The initial offer came after the house being on the market for only 7 weeks. We know this was truly a blessing. It was very, very stressful - the buyers were challenging to say the least. When the title finally transferred, we felt such a burden lifted, and still do! Since that time, we've begun to keep our sweet grandson one day a week again. We've celebrated both kids' birthdays and as we celebrated, we continued to give thanks for being back in OH We are still plodding through challenges...... the new house is still not completely finished out. We don't feel that the contractor is being fair with us in terms of the final details. I think the hardest part for me is that once again, a person I trusted to be fair with us isn't doing so. Must I really distrust other people??? I'm resistant. We're trying to stay calm and positive - another meeting is scheduled with the contractor next week. Some workman are scheduled to come on the 16th. In the meantime, the mold remediator reinstalled our laundry room cabinets (they had to be removed because of water problems). He declined to charge us for the work. We've gotten fallen limbs out of the woods and it looks great. A really nice young man is coming tomorrow to work hourly to do odd jobs, including painting the utility room cabinets. I will post a picture later. The most important thing we haven't had time or emotional energy for is to reconnect with the attorney to try to get some reimbursement for our reconstruction costs. We seem not to have enough energy to go around, but we CAN see progress in terms of how far we've come since March, 2008.

We're thinking positively!

We have two (2) !!!! prospects who seem seriously interested in our house that we have on the market. We are so excited - and amazed - since it's been on the market only 5 weeks. Realistically, we're acutely aware that the prospects could both fall through, but we're buoyed by having GOOD news for a change. Just wanted to share our news - it would be great if you could cross your fingers, say a prayer, send up a balloon - whatever. I'll keep you updated.

One of these days soon.....

One of these days soon, this blog is going to change to a blog that doesn't center around a housing crisis! We are definitely moving along, and I think the blog should reflect that. At this point, we have our old house on the market (and we have a prospect!). Cross your fingers, send up a prayer, whatever......we are hopeful that perhaps this person will send us an offer. At the new house, continue to unpack and settle in. Our energy has been limited because of the year + scope of this housing effort, but we're getting there! There are still details (many, many) to be finished by the contractor. His crew will be coming in soon. We're in the beginning stages of working with our attorney. All in all, I'd say that we're doing very well. Another "return to normal" sign is that we'll be having Evan (our grandson) each Wednesday beginning the end of this month. We had to take a break from keeping him because of the move. Can't wait for his smiling face to be in our home again! One of our first goals after the old house sells and the finishing is done on this house will be to take a vacation. It hasn't seemed at all like summer to us, as we've been stuck right here dealing with one project or another. We'll probably opt for going to New Mexico and checking on our house there. Hope to hear from you too!

Progress, and it's exciting!

Late last week we finished all the updating on our old home and finally moved the last things out - those last pesky things that remain after all the essentials are gone. Then we listed the house with an agent. It hit the MLS yesterday and we had a showing today! We sure hoped to have it on the market earlier, but perhaps we can still catch some of the summer home shoppers who want to have their kids in school this fall - or just are looking for a home during nice weather. The house looks great. Now we can concentrate on unpacking and settling in to our new home -- we're ready!

No boredom here!

There's certainly no boredom around the Wardlaw house. We have more to get done than can possibly be done in each day. Our focus continues to be getting the Butternut Circle house ready to put on the market. It's been painted and had many upgrades put in. We've hired workers to tear out the old carpet. The upstairs is out - today the downstairs will be done. I believe that the carpet layer is ready to come in when we are ready. We lucked out on the carpet.......we'd met Lou, a Shaw carpet inspector months, ago during the water damage phase of our adventure. When we needed carpet for Butternut Circle we called Lou. Luckily for us, he'd just finished carpeting a seven story building and had a roll left over. So we got a good deal on good carpet, and we're sure the installation will be good. When we're able to be at our new home, we're finding it to be wonderfully relaxing and enjoyable, just as we'd hoped. There are still final finish details to be done here, but we're enjoying the house a lot even though some things still need to be done.

Things are moving along!

We still need to unpack at the new house so we can take pictures. Can't wait to post some for you to see. Thus far, our time has gone into continuing to move and unpacking has had to take a back seat. A friend gave us a couple of awesome lounge chairs for the patio --we hope to spend many peaceful relaxing moments in those - out in our wooded back "yard" - not really a yard since there is no grass. We continue just to work and make progress toward getting Butternut Circle on the market - it will be such a relief when we're finally able to list it. Hope you're having a fun beginning to the summer!

Multitasking

We have been in the new house for about two weeks now.  We're still living surrounded by boxes since our primary attention must go to clearing out the basement and garage of the old house.  We need to get it on the market very soon.  We've met with a realtor we like a lot - and will probably list the house with him.  For the last 10 days or so, painting has been taking place there and it looks great!  Next is a new kitchen floor, new bathroom floor and carpet.  We hope that these upgrades will make the house attractive to buyers and it will move soon.    We don't want this house sitting around - we want it sold!  Because of all this work, we're trying to balance getting completely moved out, supervising the work, and trying to unpack a bit at the new house.  The latter isn't happening very fast.  Our next goal will be to get to work with our attorney and try to get recovery (of damages) under way.  So, life is good.  We're loving the feel of the new house and how it works for us.  We're both feeling very overwhelmed with way too much to do.  It's just been such a long process and it still seems that it will never end.  On the other hand, we can see progress.  Thanks for visiting our blog and keeping up with us - we appreciate your interest, good thoughts, and prayers!

Basement/Minnesota

The boxes are all moved from the main floors of our former home.  Thanks, Lin, Dave, Melanie, and Jane!  Our next big project is to go in the basement and decide which of our 40 years of stuff that is stored down there we will keep and which we will donate or toss.  Through many moves we've kept more stuff than we should have.  I'm glad our new house doesn't have a basement!  Too easy to gather clutter - at least for us.  At the end of the week, I'm flying to the Twin Cities to attend the college graduation of our international student, Michelle.  She is from Hong Kong.  We were here host Mom and Dad while we lived in MN, and she's still a dear friend and daughter.   I'll see her Dad again and get to meet her Mom for the first time.  I'm staying with a friend, so that will be fun too.  

Boxes and more boxes!

We have a couple of friends coming Saturday to help move boxes.  G will rent a U Haul.  Tomorrow, a friend is going to come help and we'll pack the dishes - and the pantry if time allows.  When this is over, the boxes are going on the CURB!!  Hooray!  Last move for a long while.  Goodbye interims, goodbye parish ministry, goodbye house hunting.  Color me happy!  And tired too, at this point!

We slept at the new house last night!

While I was in TX visiting my Mother, G got some help and got all the furniture moved into the new house~!  That being said, there is still a ton of stuff at the old house - all the non-furniture items.  Kitchen, pantry, closets, bathrooms and stuff in the basement storage.  We need to get the majority of it moved this week.  The painters will begin to paint the old house next week.  After painting comes carpeting, then we will hopefully be ready to put it on the market. We have yet to interview realtors - we felt that it would be best for any potential listing agent to see the house freshly painted and carpeted.  Friends have offered to help with the move, and when we can figure out how to best use their help, we'll accept their gracious offer.  We're spending today recovering (G from final construction details and moving; Jan from travel).  Thanks for reading our update!

I just knew it!~

My better judgement told me not to schedule a trip away from Strongsville - that there would be some reason I should be here.  However, having not seen my Mom in so long, I decided to go with it anyway.  Yep, sure enough, we'll probably need to start the move while I'm gone or maybe even before I leave.  We'll do it in stages.  A bunch of workman are coming tomorrow to finish many of the small details - other than that, one room remains to be carpeted.  (The carpeting arrived damaged by the manufacturer for the one room).  So it appears that things will be finished up soon.  Pretty exciting stuff here!  I anticipate that the move will be a real challenge.  Among other things, we'll be forced to go through things that we've accumulated for the 20 years we've lived in this house.  On the plus side, however, we'll have less "stuff" and have most of our living on the first floor.  It looks like the move may finally happen.  After the move - sale of our present home, then getting around to dealing with the parties who were involved in causing this situation.  Thumbs up, everyone!

Monday, April 20

The carpet installation has begin.  Tack strip is going in at this point.  The plumbers were at the house recently to "finish up".   There were some problems remaining after they left (for example, the kitchen faucet sprays water when it is set on stream)  - quite a few minor, annoying details.  G has emailed the contractor about those details.  It would seem that after the carpet is in, finish details would begin.  I think there may be more of these than we imagine.  All of the vertical blinds have to be put back up -- they were taken down during the "destruction" to remove damaged materials. Quite a few light fixtures need to be hung, and on and on.  Still - it couldn't take all that long to get those things done.  I have an increasing sense that my timing on the TX trip wasn't ideal, and yet since I'm finally able to go in terms of traveling after the shoulder surgery, it seems like the right thing to do.  I have never before let over a year and a half pass between visits to my parents.  We will continue to watch, wait, and hope until time for us to move.  One very positive thing is that homes are beginning to sell here because of the low interest rates. We have great hopes that once we get our present home "spiffed up" and on the market, it might actually sell.  Have a great week!

Woo hoo!

I only have to go to one more physical therapy appointment - and then will  do my exercises at home (and fewer of them).  Hooray!  The surgeon reminded me that full recovery and being pain free may take up to one year (6 more months).  I'm so excited not to have to go to PT twice a week!  Oh, and I can try to lift Evan.  We'll see how that goes, but at least I am allowed to try! :-)

Dashing to the finish line!

Things are really moving along at the house.  The heating system went in yesterday (to replace the one that was ruined by standing water).  Final plumbing details were finished.  Carpet installation will be next week.  After the carpet, all that will remain will be "finish details" - and there are actually a lot of them, but they are all small.....little items that need to be done by the contractor and subcontractors.  I scheduled a short trip to visit my Mother in TX - leaving on April 30.  That decision will insure that everything will be finished and I should be here instead of there (ha!).  On a serious note, we decided that it had been too long since I'd seen my Mom, and that in the end a pre-move trip would be easier than a post-move trip.  I go today to the shoulder surgeon for my second post-op visit.  Perhaps some restrictions will be lifted.  A big thanks to everyone who cares about us and visits this blog!

Crossing my fingers that this will post!

I tried a few days ago to post, but couldn't get it to work.  Hopefully today is the day!  Things are moving along at the house.  It seems that everything takes longer than it is expected to take.  The cleaning of the house and the cleaning of the ducts are both finished.   The furnace will go in on Thursday of next week.  I guess the carpet will follow that.  I'm a little afraid to schedule a moving date (seriously!) because I don't want to jinx the process.  But it looks hopeful that we can begin to move soon - or at least within a few weeks.  Just in time to start mowing the lawn - ha!~  In the meantime, my physical therapy continues.  I can lift my right hand almost as high as my left (above my head).  Good progress and there is less pain!  In fact, I have almost no pain at all except at night.  Things are looking up in all sorts of ways!

More progress!

Things are still moving along rather quickly.  I just came from the house and a noticeable amount of cleaning has already happened - hooray, hooray!  The one frustrating thing is that the heating contractor hasn't gotten back to G -- the new heating system needs to go in pronto (the old one seized up due to standing water).  So, get on the stick, Len, and return those phone calls!

Someone was kind enough to ask about my shoulder.  I'm so encouraged!  I'm pain free most of the time - except sometimes at night.  There is a huge improvement.  Since my surgeon is a team doctor for the Cleveland Indians, I can't get in for my recheck until April 17.  So until then I won't know what my restrictions are- so I'm still not trying to lift Evan.  It's clear to me that I made a wise decision to have the surgery.  Thanks for asking!! :-)

Clean up

Cleaning of all the debris at the house will begin tomorrow.  Things are so dusty/dirty from construction, sanding, cutting wood, etc. etc. etc.  It should be wonderful to see the house with several layers of dust gone - things will be a different color, I'm sure!

and....

The shower is going in; the pulls are on the kitchen cabinets; some of the lights have been put back up.  Woo hoo!

Painting!

The kitchen and bedroom are painted.  Now they're doing the hall to the master bath and the utility room.  I think I have to drive over and take a look soon!

Color #2

.....to continue (since part of the post didn't publish).  G and I have strayed from our practice of having all neutral colors - we've chosen to be a little more creative (thanks for the help, Julie!).  I can't wait to see the colors and hopefully be delighted with our choices!  The master bathroom shower is also being put in.  We don't have a moving date, but we can see that there is progress! We're so grateful.

Color!

The painting crew has been at the house for a long time now -- seriously.  Patching, masking, priming - all the things that painters do.  I may have to learn more about these fine details when we get ready to sell our present house.  

Approaching the one year anniversary

On March 12, we will have owned this house of ours for one year!  That fact evokes far more feelings and thoughts than I want to explore here at this time.  Soooooo - we are told that the painters will complete their work by the end of next week.  At that point, things should really move along - the carpeting, the finishing of details.  Perhaps a move?  A few days ago, G discovered a water leak in the wall between the kitchen and dining room.  Fortunately, he was there, found it early on, and the contractor came out immediately and set up fans, turned the water off, etc.  The plumber fixed the leak (which was coming from the icemaker line.....fridge isn't in yet).  A little scare, to be sure!  But that's done and we move on - hopefully without any more excitement!  We're ready for the drama to end.  Bulbs are peeking up through the snow - maybe we'll actually live there when the blooms open!

Progress

There are still workmen at the house every day.  It seems to me that the staining of new woodwork (baseboards that were flooded had to be replaced matched to the existing woodwork) and preparation for painting is taking a long time.  We are told that the wall painting may begin a week from today.  The tile installer will begin on the shower tomorrow.  That's exciting.  We can't wait to see the finished shower!  The tile guy banned us from the house the last time he worked there - wonder if that will happen this time??????  The plumber will be back out this week.  So things are moving along, and we're grateful!

Action!

We had a successful meeting with the contractor today, where we feel we got most of the problems that had overwhelmed us for the past two days worked out.  There was ACTION at the construction site there today.  When I left the house after the meeting, I counting 10 workers' trucks.  People everywhere!  Painters, electricians, plumbers.  If we can just be lucky to sail along without any more major crises or monstrous unexpected bills coming our way, we'll be fine.  Some of you have asked about my shoulder.  I'm still in PT twice a week and doing exercises at home.  Some days I have pain most of the day, which is a bit discouraging.  But overall, I feel that I'm doing quite well.

Yikes!

We've had a couple of rocky days at the house.  Yesterday's worst problem was that we went to check on the beginning of the painting - some of the woodwork that had been stained look like a zebra - or giraffe - all splotchy.......absolutely  not what one wants ones woodwork to look like. And we have some major misunderstandings with the contractor about painting costs - these are just a couple of examples of the headaches.  It's hard to believe that in just a month we will have been at this task for one year!  We're looking for better days to come soon - hopefully starting tomorrow! 

Wow!

Things are moving along - unbelievably quickly at this point.  The tile has been laid in the last couple of days.  The baseboards were put in today...then later in the day the plumber came to install faucets.  The painter comes tomorrow.  This is looking very hopeful that we might actually finish up sometime soon!   We are pretty darned excited!

Here's a picture!

Here's a picture of the kitchen coming together. All the old cabinets had to be removed because of water damage. We decided to get new cabinets - by the time the old cabinets were taken down,they were pretty "shop worn". It's amazing to see something finally looking like a house we might live in sometime! Hooray!

Tile!

Tile is being laid - halls, bathrooms, kitchen.  We can't go in, so we can only peer in from the door.  It's progress!  I'm motivated to pack some boxes!  We still don't have a moving date, so it's really difficult to plan.  We need to schedule a moving company to take the heavy furniture.  We're in hopes that we can move the rest of the smaller goods ourselves, perhaps with the help of family and friends.  My shoulder continues to progress really well - I'll be going to PT twice a week for a while longer.  G is feeling well and is getting so excited about the house moving toward completion!

Maybe someone is pushing that turtle!

Today should be a fun day at the house.  The countertops will go in the two bathrooms.  G thinks that means that the bathroom sinks will be set too.  Thanks to kitchen cabinet mistakes, the kitchen countertop can't be put in.  Still waiting on that one renegade replacement cabinet to show up.  Now you know, as I do, that as soon as the granite folks leave, a call will come that the replacement  cabinet is ready to be picked up.  The doors are all in and framed.  There are some pretty awesome sliding pocket doors (paneled) back in the master bedroom.  Baseboards are going in.  We've been told that painting may begin this week.  Things are moving along, which, needless to say, we're ready for.  We still don't have a completion date.  The plan, when we're able, will be to move, put our present home on the market, and move full steam ahead to deal with legal issues that will hopefully recover funds that we've spend getting the house inhabitable.  I've neglected to mention my shoulder.  I'm out of the sling and have been for a couple of weeks.  I'm going to physical therapy twice a week and,  YES, I'm dutifully doing my exercises!  I'm still having pain, which I'm told will be the case for quite a while.  As long as I can manage not to fall on the snow/ice outside, I'll be fine!  Anyone watching me walk outside probably thinks it's a comedy show ....I walk like a robot.....one cautious step following another.....just want to be sure that I don't fall.  

More like a turtle......

....this construction progress, that is.  We would have liked it to progress like a race horse.  Alas, there have been days that there have been no workers on site.  There have been glitches  - one incorrect cabinet that has held up contertop installation is one example.  I don't want to write, and you probably don't want to read, all of the various ups and downs.  Suffice it to say that the end of January moving date isn't going to happen.  The "trim" work - frames around doors, etc. - is happening now, and it is beautiful.  We're being taught patience.  It's a long process - the result will be beautiful. The frustrating part is that we shouldn't have been involved in this project to begin with.  We'll post another update when there is more to report.

It's becoming a house!

The house is beginning to look like a house again!  There were so many damaged pieces of drywall, cabinet, etc. that the house went mostly back to the studs.  A lot of work has been done.  Now the drywall is back up - doors are being put up; kitchen cabinets are being installed.  There have been some problems with part of the cabinets not being made as we ordered them.  We didn't need the complications caused by these mistakes!  We can tell, however, that once the cabinets are in it will look so nice and very cheerful.  Tile will go in next - walls will be painted.  Our completion date is sometime around the middle of February if things continue to go as planned.  I have only one more week in my shoulder sling.  I'll be able to truly be functional again and help prepare for the move when I lose this sling!  Send up good thoughts!

House update

A friend reminded me that I've not posted news about the house in a while (someone actually reads this!!!).  Work is progressing.  The drywall is up and floated and the sanding of it will begin tomorrow.  Supplemental heat has been brought in because the work wasn't finished before really cold weather.  Standing water destroyed the old heating system on the main floor.  The mold expert suggested not installing the new heating system until all the framing and drywall construction was finished, because the ducts would hold too much dust and stuff and have an ill effect on my allergies.  Thus - the 8 supplemental heaters.  I don't want to see the electric bill!  We haven't asked for a move-in update.   I think it is doubtful we'll make it in this month. But I also feel sure that sometime in February we'll be able to move in. In the meantime, I've "served" 3 weeks in this shoulder sling and have 3 weeks to go.  My physical therapy starts this next Tuesday.