My strange remuddled house

[Nyboy]

All good things Fantastic neighbors worth their weight in gold.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

I'm going to be 60 in March and DH 61 after that. And we're going to continue to remodel and fix up and what not. Its what keeps us young and alive - to plan and do and improve.

I love all the green and the colors...but I live in dry CA. What a fab transformation you've done to the outside! Yes, more pics!

 

[thistlebloom]

What a huge difference Moxie! I can appreciate all the hard work it took to get it there. I agree with Lavender, it's really cute!

In our old fixer one of the first things we did was pull up the vinyl tiles. The previous owners were dog "breeders" and nothing I did would eliminate the pee smell. The intention was always to put stone or tile in, but things come up and the money gets used elsewhere....I had cement floors for 10 years. They really weren't all that bad! Very easy maintenance.
We worked so hard on that house, new roof, new exterior, new plumbing and electrical, new windows. Moved walls around inside, relocated the kitchen, built a porch...as well as hundreds and hundreds of trips to the dump and burn piles etc. and working on the landscaping. We still weren't officially done after 20 years in it. My husband did all the work himself, with me as his helper and go-fer.

But when we were house hunting a fixer was the last thing we wanted. Especially dh. This was the 4th house we looked at and even though it wasn't my ideal, dh went for it in a big way. It was only a year and a half old and everything worked!

Your house is paid for and livable and that's huge! Everything else is frosting.

 

[Just-Moxie]

I love to do DIY...murphysranch.....but we can only go as far as our own limits. I have cleaned and painted much of the back rooms. That bathroom took 2 months just to get it usable.
There is just an overwhelming amount that needs done here. "Where to start" is a big problem.
Then, DH's elderly folks are just down the road. His mom seems to want to schedule her "to-do" list when we could be doing things.
The living room here is the worst mess. We would basically have to gut it down to the studs. Raise the ceiling. Put up drywall and insulation...no insulation. The demolition would be quite a chore in itself. So...we just don't do it.
There is also the problem of the only one useable bathroom. DH wants to build on in the little back corner by the master bedroom. But seriously...the would required removing the only good bathroom we have. To gain access to that corner. Oh the conundrum.

And if we did build that bathroom....it would require digging, laying drain pipe, pour concrete, remove 3 walls of vinyl siding, build framing, build a small part of the roof, finish the roof, and on..
Not much time on a weekend to do that. DH works 45 miles away, and is too exhausted when he comes home at night.

So...that leaves back to accepting the house as it is...and hoping we can live in it as long as possible. It is worth it just to not have a mortgage.

 

[Just-Moxie]

Some inside pics....and a few outside.
The tiny room stuck to the house...is the bathroom.

 

[Smart Red]

Now the snakes IN THE HOUSE, nope! ... I couldn't do it! ... I wish I didn't have that fear!

How about a couple of mongoose for pets?

 

[Smart Red]

Yes it is Nyboy

And....the good things are that... We have 1 acre Fantastic neighbors

We can live as we please..without being in an HOA, or under the urban thumb.

Peace and quiet of the country side

It is a matter of priorities as well. It belongs to you and yours!

All the rest is just things. Bigger things, nicer things, different things, newer things. . . none of these things matter as long as the necessities are there for you and your family. Iour priority is to live as you please without debt.

 

[Just-Moxie]

Some inside pics...

 

[Just-Moxie]

How about a couple of mongoose for pets?

Well....the snakes do eat the mice. We have plenty of healthy fat country mice...that get away from the cat. That eat the dropped chicken feed and scratch.

Just think "Green Acres"

 

[thistlebloom]

Remodeling is also just a lot harder when you have to live in it as you do it. Sometimes you get so used to things being makeshift, that you become comfortable with them as is and there seems to be less urgency to finish it. At least that was true for me.