New pains....

Moving is a PAIN!!! These are the times I wish that I was moving into a brand new home, that I had helped design, chosen the colors and the fixtures, etc. I don't think that will ever happen, so I need to take what I have and turn it into what I would like it to be AGAIN...within the limits provided.

I should have shown the before destruction pictures, but... When we went through the house, there was no electricity. It's amazing how much semi darkness hides...stuff! When the lights came on, I knew my work was cut out for me.

Rachel was finished teaching for the year, so she wanted to come with me. It was so nice to have her company and she helped SO MUCH! There is no way so much could have been done in so little time. Every time I re do what someone else has done before, I'm amazed and ... well amazed at what others might think of 'good'. I think maybe they just ended up thinking, I'm done! We came across at least 3 other 'improvements'. Since this is a modular home, it doesn't have 'real' dry wall. It has drywall with a vinyl veneer. The texture was blown out of a can...in blotches and blobs that had a glue in it like no other. We tried everything we could to take it down, the texture that is. We hammered, sanded, chiseled, to no avail. Then Rachel found that the 3 coats of paint already there, would peel off, somewhat, from the vinyl. So, she started peeling. Bert was just happy to be there and get a pat on the head now and then.

This is the kitchen, obviously, with really, really bad cupboards and drawers. When we got home and I walked into the beautiful kitchen Stan and I have created in the Idaho home, well, I knew even more of the 'project' I had in store. It will take years and saving a lot of money to recreate what we had in Idaho.

This is the laundry area that goes to the outside and also to the side of the kitchen.

Rolling on texture after taping the walls...knocking down the texture, then painting.

We were hoping to totally have the living room finished before we had to go home, but we did get this far. All we have left is the molding on the ceiling, windows, doors. Even if you don't like the colors, I hope you can see the improvement.

I'm really not complaining (a lot) about the work involved. The home is larger and in a beautiful setting. We have wanted to leave the Cache Valley for years. It is SO cold, and the growing season so short. Stan and I have wanted a place where we could, as much as possible, have a self sufficient life style. This Missouri property will provide that. The corn is top of the fence high where here in Cache Valley, it is about 2 inches tall. And by the way...weeds on the side of the road in Missouri are GRASS!!