Tuesday, July 6, 2010

If this is Tuesday, this must be Switzerland.

Well, that's close. People used to call this part of the country (USA) "Little Switzerland", I suppose, because  it had "mountain" sports like skiing, and the requisite snow, an area that made cow's milk into cheese, beautiful scenery, friendly people, and a tad bit of isolation. Same kind of things could make it "Little Italy", too.

West, by God, Virginia is a beautiful place to live, (despite the current heatwave which registered 100 degrees on my car thermometer in the parking lot at Lowe's this afternoon.)  Nevertheless, I find myself here, wondering if I will ever be able to sell my house on the Boulevard, which currently holds the equity of my life's savings.  As I drove around my old neighborhood today, I saw  a few more houses with "for sale" signs in the yards. I have scoured the interesting-net to see what the asking prices are... it really doesn't matter. I can only afford to "fix" part of the problems. (That number is yet to be determined.) Someone else must take on the rest... After I empty it and clean it.

Today's progress: I made a command decision to use mold and mildew resistant drywall in the bathroom, paint it and move on. Jeff has already removed all the pink (and some red) tile that lived there for 40 years, removed the sink (anyone want an ancient cast iron porcelain one bowl bathroom sink with chipped drain area and rusted overflow?), taken to the porch the pink toilet we got from Mom n Dad 15 years ago (goodbye pink flushing machine.), removed the "no emotional attachment" medicine cabinet which left a hole 13 1/2" by 26" in the wall above the missing sink. Now - my excursion to Lowe's has revealed 1 American Standard Restoration pedestal sink and pedestal can be found in Buchannon for @200 bucks, then the American Standard toilet , if I get the 15 inch height will be @220. the faucets for said sink are on 8 inch centers @ 152 w/o tax. (They have little porcelain roundels marked hot and cold, which match the fixtures on the bathtub, which are X's with porcelain roundels.) And I haven't settled on the flooring... nor the medicine cabinet... nor the paint... But, the window - double hung, cheap replacement @200. w/o installation and trim. And Don't Forget Everything needs TRIM. $$$$$

But, I am not the only one involved in this renovation. I report back to Stan every day. I tell him; he tries to tell me. He's feeling about the same. He's having trouble with phlegm. And swallowing.

Tomorrow, I can't work in the heat over at the boulevard; I have a Dr's appointment in Mo-town. Friday, I'm having lunch w/ Leah - place to be determined. Next week, JJ and his football buddy will help me move the big stuff from the first floor, over here - temporarily, of course, until I need firewood in the winter... LOL
Well, that's what they do in Switzerland isn't it - make a fire, roast marshmallows and keep warm.
Keep warm, gentle readers.

3 comments:

  1. I was at Lowes today too. The cheapo handheld shower thingy we put in when we moved in crapped out and sprayed water all over my bathroom, the new higher quality one cost forty bucks.
    Come and see me before or after your appt. I work till around noon, you can always ring my cell.
    Love, me

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  2. Sounds like a lot of progress!
    Joey says in Switzerland, they do not make fried green tomatoes, but fried cheese. Cheese covered bread, cheese covered potatoes...2/3 of all gruyere produced in the world is actually consumed within Switzerland, they only export 1/3...so apparently, they eat cheese by the buckets.

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