Househole Disaster- Tragedy Averted

Today I climbed higher on a ladder than I have ever done for any reason other than an art installation. This is what it looked like- a backyard version of the Himalayas. We felt compelled to scale the icy heights and remove copious amounts of snow as roofs have been collapsing and more snow is on the way for Wednesday. We shoveled for five hours. We were exhausted and near collapse.

Into the house we went to have cup of coffee and the first thing that assaults our senses is a terrible odor... I mean it was bad. Suspecting the worst, Bob immediately starts going, "The septic must be backed up! What next?!" And then we realized that our dog Jules had been laying in the hallway and that powerful smell had emanated from him. It was nothing worse than ripe puppy gas. Hahaha.

Bob posing as Sherpa on rooftop of the world.

Our Talented Assistant

Here is Jules in a typical "bath mat" position. He is more than eager to assist when things go wrong and to help clean up afterwards by consuming random nails, sponges, paint brushes or neglected pieces of clothing. Jules is actively enjoying the stairs in our house; aerobic exercise at its finest!

Househole Disasters Round #2

So there's this sliding door in the living room that actually worked great. (The living room is going to be my studio, but that's another subject). Anyway, the slider worked great until one night really late when it was about 2 degrees outside and I was bringing Jules (the intrepid puppy brought from Kansas by Flying Monkeys) inside when the door decided to jump track because of snow build up. Bob and I were suddenly confronted with the Great Outdoors rushing indoors. Fortunately Bob retracked the door which is unusable until further notice and warmer weather. As a further flourish, the simulated wood plastic blinds started shedding strips for a festive note. Every day a few more fall, as if to mark the passage of another day, another project to tackle...

Househole Disasters Round #1

How about that ice, huh? I know everyone's got it this year: those magical icicles dribbling yellowish brown ooze down the sides of clapboards signifying ice dams and leaks. But we were fortunate enough to discover that not only was our north wall leaking into the utility room, but it was running down the wall right onto the electrical panel! All kinds of excitement ensued, with Bob heroically scaling ladders in the freezing rain to chisel channels to allow the ice to run off. A new neighbor even came over to help hold the ladder and offer moral support. Bob had to re-climb the ladder later to staple a tarp over the leaking section. I'm sure Martha Stewart would approve of our new decorating ideas.

Here's a tiny snow man instead of miserable ice damage. Enough is enough.

House Buddha

Here is a lovely head of Buddha that thoughtful friends presented us with at our Open House Party. Thank you to Karin and John! I think Bob and I need the blessings of the Buddha what with all the calamities that are befalling us... read on.

We're Moving- Soviet Style!!!

Here's Bob hauling some of our prized possessions across the tundra to his new studio building. (This is not a staged photo!) Mother Nature in her infinite compassion, has provided us with more than 30 inches of snow to facilitate our move... with more on the way!



Greener, Halcyon Days

Okay so I know that Bob would find my last post negative so I will back up and say this is what the property looked like when we made our offer- waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in August. It is lovely and has room enough for us to grow those fruits trees and berry bushes that I've been lusting after for these many years. I am simply having trouble recalling greener, more halcyon days what with the unrelenting heaps of tragically discolored snow that are lapping at our frost-filled key holes. When did we move to Antartica?

Our Civic Duty

We have decided that we will share the tribulations- and joys- of our first time home-owning experience. Indeed, we see this as a civic duty. Prehaps others can learn from our adventures. Every day is an adventure. Such surprises as this await the unsuspecting virgin home owner:

This is the lock on our front door. The duct tape is intentional; it replaces the far inferior blue masking tape that originally surrounded the lock. But it is to the frost seeping through the key hole that I direct your interest. The weather has chosen to be capricious and bless us with single digit temperatures through the first weeks of our residency. Welcome to the new day, seeping in through the keyhole! Welcome!