Home Improvements

Since moving into our cozy cottage in the woods, we've come to experience some of the disadvantages of buying an older home. For example, mice crawling under the siding and into the house, an overflowing septic system causing a "green belt" down the hill outside, a heater that doesn't shut off automatically so we have to flip the breaker on and off every time we want the vents to blow (or stop blowing) hot air, a roof that leaks when it rains, a shower that drips constantly, and of course a tiny master bedroom with dark siding on the walls and no light. We've certainly got our work cut out for us!!!

Fortunately, we're making progress. We think we've patched all of the holes where the mice were coming in, and hopefully we've managed to catch most if not all of the mice that were living in the walls. We installed a ceiling light in the master bedroom, but since there's no light switch on the wall, we have to fish around in the dark for a pull string to turn the light on...still much better than the cave it was before. For the past two days, we've had the roofers here, replacing the old mossy, shook shingles with sturdy new leak-free ones:

We had the heater fixed, so now we don't have to get up 3 or 4 times in the night to flip the electrical breaker on and off when it gets too hot or cold. We have a guy coming to lay some pipe for the septic system soon and are making plans to put in a new, bigger, leak-free shower. Best of all, we're in the process of converting the screened porch into a new master bedroom!!!


Although it might not be any bigger than our current room, it sure will have one heck of a view!!!


Speaking of great views, I sure am enjoying the beautiful fall colors this time of year. Here are few shots of the trees around our house...




Happy Fall, Everybody!!!