choice

I choose Tacoma. West Seattle goes on sale later this summer. Done.

And as difficult as that decision was, as long as it took, once the choice was made, I felt like the weight of the world was lifted. Kinda silly. When I think about where I will be in the fall, back in my craftsman, on the surface it will seem as though nothing happened, like I never left in the first place, or I don't have "that story" to tell. I could choose to remember nothing really, pretend West Seattle just didn't happen. However, despite the challenges and the pain over the past year, that would be sad. I changed as a person because of those challenges, the people who came to my rescue, the reflection, the lessons...and I had the opportunity to bid farewell to the city that I have loved for so long, even though that city is not what it used to be. Turns out I was in love with the past, and oddly enough, Tacoma, where I was born, is the future.

Life is funny.

ketchup

Recall Mia Wallace's joke in Pulp Fiction: Three tomatoes are walking down the street - a papa tomato, a mama tomato, and a little baby tomato. Baby tomato starts lagging behind. Papa tomato gets angry, goes over to the baby tomato, and smooshes him...and says, catch up.

So "ketchup", or catch up. Ha. Really, this blog is all about catching up on my craftsman since I haven't posted since 2016. I am in a writing kind of mood I suppose, considering my vacation this week just got smooshed, like the baby tomato.

Where to begin. I do not plan to go into much detail because some of it is both painful and embarrassing, and trust me it takes a lot to embarrass me. Guess I'll start with, I am currently living in West Seattle. I ended up buying another house, a super cute Tudor, in the High Point neighborhood. It's a nice house, well maintained by the prior owner (also named Gina) who lived here for 20 years before me. The house has a sweeping view of the Cascades and city, so that alone was likely the reason for 24 bids on the house back in May 2017. Not kidding, TWENTY FOUR OFFERS. Seattle real estate is just as insane as you've likely heard, and I dare not mention how much over asking I paid (hint: embarrassing). But it's been a great house with good neighbors and an incredibly convenient location to the city (well, it technically is in the city) without having to live in the thick of it. And I see why Californians love WS so much. It feels like a beach town, probably because it has beaches, and the main thoroughfare is called "California Ave", and it's just slower over here on "the island" as I like to call it. So yes, I am happy here. Now why did I move here in the first place, you ask? That is the part I will leave out of the story (hint: painful and embarrassing). If you really care to know, call me and I'll tell you.

Meanwhile, I rented out my craftsman. That was a rough decision. Initially, I decided to sell. Then the guy who posts the 'for sale' signs in the yard showed up a day early and I literally flipped my lid, as in lost my shit, as in had a meltdown. I immediately called my realtor in an hysterical fit and told her to TAKE IT DOWN! I could not let my house go. I had too much invested emotionally given all the work I'd done to it, all the challenges I faced and the growing I did in the process. Fortunately, I was referred to a good property manager and she was able to rent it to a nice couple from...California! Their rent covered my mortgage. I felt set for the year, at least.

WS has been fun. The people at Bakery Nouveau know my drink and name. The neighbors are nice and chatty, and they look out for me, the "single gal". Biking and running and hiking routes are plentiful and safe. I am near many of my friends and the city attractions, so convenience is tops. However, my renters are moving (ironically to WS) and so I am back at a crossroads. I do not want to own two homes. I do not like being at the mercy of renters and the market and PNW plate tectonics. I also want to feel "settled" and be able to focus on house projects without thinking, well, what if I don't stay here? Having that second home is distracting. I also want to simplify. Who the hell needs two houses?! Thus, I have decided to offload one of the homes, and that is my current dilemma. But which one?

Emotionally, I cannot decide. I have formed attachments to both houses. My gut is being vague. The decision has to be logical. I have therefore worked on a pros/cons list, and so far, Tacoma is leading. What is holding me back from making the decision? Which factors are weighted higher? Well, that view for one. My WS view is just stunning. I think the second reason I am hesitating is the social aspect. Getting together with people is just easier when living in WS. I know more people in Seattle than Tacoma. But there are so many pros to Tacoma...including the fact that my mortgage is less than half the amount in Seattle so I can probably pay it off in five years and not have to work a job that makes my life hell but rather do something that brings me joy. Such a concept. Perhaps I should weigh that factor highest?

hiatus. not.

I obviously have not written anything in a while. I learned a lesson: don't blog while remodeling. You will not have the energy to do both. Ha! I don't have the energy to just remodel...

Things slowed down a lot that last couple months. The kitchen remodel drove me nuts. Thinking about it gives me anxiety.

It consisted of:

• Plastering the walls - hired out
• Painting the walls
• Installing the cabinets - hired out
• Installing the countertop - hired out
• Hooking up the plumbing (sink, dishwasher, ice maker) - hired out
• Tiling the kitchen floor
• Creating the barnwood wall (probably the most fun I have had with this place to date
• FIXING the tile floor, i.e., chipping out all the black grout, replacing the grout, adding more thinset to three tiles so they didn't move

Still to go:

• Install backsplash on one wall - April
• Install the hood and vent outside - April/May; will hire out
• Do "something" with the ceiling - April/May??
• Fix trim by the door - May
• Do some kind of fancy floor tiling to merge dining room and kitchen floor - May/June??

As for the entire house:

• Tile fireplace - April/May
• Paint most of the trim - whenever
• Baseboards throughout - summer
• Eventual bathroom remodel - 2017
• And then there is the exterior (paint, gutters, roof)...and the yard... - 2017

But for now, it is beautiful and livable and comfortable.

chug chug chug

I am obviously losing steam. Pictures are not so exciting anymore, I just want to get it done already! Still, things are coming along. The fact I am starting to care that dirt is on the floor is HUGE. It only means the place is starting to come together and the semblance of "home" is materializing. I actually cut off all "tours" this past weekend since I am starting the transition out the construction zone feel and energy. I like to control the energy (aka people) that walks through my doors.

So what's happened this past week?

• Internet/wireless installed
• Nest installed, and I installed it myself! (Mom said I am more excited about this thermostat than the house. I said, Mom, it's the reason I bought the house!) This was actually somewhat of an ordeal because I could not figure out how to turn off the furnace. Turns out there is a switch, like a light switch, ON the furnace, which means I actually had to go into the freaky as all hell boiler room. I made the electrician stay on the phone with me until I safely escaped. No thanks to my mother for making me watch all those horror movies growing up! ;)
• Ducts/intakes cleaned, furnace inspected/cleaned. The $35 Groupon quickly turned into $300 because it turns out they don't cover as much as you'd think! I ended up having them clean the filthy furnace and intakes and "sterilize" all the ducts. The place already smells better.
• Appliances delivered. The fridge and range are installed. They are beautiful!!! One more reason NOT to cook: I don't want to get them dirty. Turns out the dishwasher is hardwired so it needs to be installed by an electrician. (When did this shit get so complicated? Hardwired? What happened to plugs?)
• All ceilings painted, with the exception of the bathroom since I don't know what to do in there yet. The bathroom is usable but not amazing, and yet it's not "the kitchen", so no rush to update but need to at some point...
• Upstairs wood trim repaired. There was some wood trim and shakes hanging loose outside the master, so Stew nailed those back in so they aren't swept away by the wind.
• Another 2 yard waste containers were emptied (This is very important to Stew! He actually called me to get the yard waste/garbage collection schedule so he can keep the disposal moving as efficiently as possible. I am impressed. Maybe I should offer him a job since he is more organized than most professionals I work with.)

The carpet also came in 2 weeks early! Bob is scheduled to install it October 19 (after I move my crap in), but now he can move that up a week. Sweet! My mom and Stew are heading over today to paint the trim in the master/stairway so it's ready for carpet. I swear, they have been my lifesavers throughout this process. Things never would have progressed this far or this fast without their help and EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.

Sigh...

gina got her groove back

Things seem to be moving along. I see better now, not worse (with the exception of the kitchen, that room is still a dump). I ordered carpet this week - a grey/taupe color with fun textured lines (went with this color to make the mauve paint look less "pink"). It will be installed the week before Europe, two days after I move in. Hardwoods while I am in Europe. I finished painting the master with the exception of the trim. Ceilings in the master, stairwell (mostly), hallway, and office (somewhat) have been painted Maui Mist. Not sure if I will paint the ceilings in the dining room and living room the same color, may go a bit "whiter". All appliances are ordered: fridge, range, and dishwasher. Funny thing, I LOVE the appliances at Ikea and ended up finding the same ones at Home Depot! All Maytag, which turns out is owned by Whirlpool (the Ikea lady told me all of their appliances are "Whirlpool", so same family I guess...and totally not important).

Best part of this week? I BOUGHT A NEST THERMOSTAT! I cannot stop looking at it. It is beautiful! And Home Depot put an incorrect sign in front of the 3rd gen Nests, so they honored their screw up and gave me the discounted price. :D

And then I just got back from Home Depot (my second...er, third or maybe fourth? home) and ordered a front door. Those guys are good! They called to tell me they got my measurements into the system from last Friday, and that my front door looks like a custom door and lo and behold, Home Depot is taking 15% off all "custom" doors TODAY! What a coincidence, and call me sucker. I went in and dropped the cash.

Someone say discount?!!!

It's a pretty cool door. And yeah, it's black. It will take ~4 weeks to make the door and ship, so looking at an early November installation. Five bucks say they call to schedule while I am in Europe. :/

This week, internet goes in, ducts are being cleaned, and the furnace is being inspected. Now, why you ask are the ducts being cleaned before the hardwood is worked on given all the dust? So, I have to turn on the heat to get the house at 65 degrees by October 19 when the hardwood is being delivered so it can acclimate a week before install, so I need the furnace inspected before then (which is included with the duct cleaning in the Groupon), and I need a thermostat before I can turn on the heat...thus the internet install since it is a hella smart thermostat and uses wireless! (There is a Nest app hehe.) Make sense? Breaking it down: Internet -> Nest -> furnace (and ducts) -> wood delivery. The hardwood guys will block the ducts/intakes anyways while they work, so I think this is the best route.

time crunch and carpet

My townhome sells on October 26. I will be in Europe October 22-November 1, so I have to move my crap to Tacoma the weekend of October 17. (Never thought my career as a project manager would prove useful in "real" life.) I already have movers scheduled to help with the big stuff I cannot carry alone that Saturday. I thought I would have one room completed by then so I have a clean place to sleep and work until the hardwood floors are finished while I am out of the country...but then I hit a snag. I called to order the carpet I wanted and SURPRISE! The price was per square foot, NOT square yard. Came to $1750 for a room. Say what? I hung up and began to panic. I am hemorrhaging cash right now, so what to do? Home Depot? I drove over and learned that installation is 4-5 weeks out, so they could not complete the work before Europe. I thereby resigned myself to ideas of meager comforts for a while. Good thing I like to camp. Bust out that tent! Then - of course! - my mom stepped in. She spent all of today visiting carpet stores in Tacoma researching lead times, installation, etc. She even tracked down a cousin who will install the carpet for cheap as soon as the carpet arrives, and lead time to get carpet is ~2 weeks because ALL carpet for some reason comes from Georgia. (Yes, I realize I said previously I will NEVER do business with a family member ever again, but this is an emergency: It's called, I am broke and need every "family discount" I can get!). We are going to pick out some cheaper carpet tomorrow and have it installed before October 17. Phew, disaster averted!

Meanwhile, the electricians finally finished up yesterday. The fixtures look fabulous. They broke one glass globe and the door to my attic, which I don't consider too shabby for 20-something boys. (The toilet is another matter.) I also had a contractor come over yesterday to measure the front and back doors so I can replace the current doors which are just ugly. You guessed it, they need to be custom! And custom equals MO MONEY! Hurray! And some of the trim has to come off to install the doors, sigh...

And on that note, I had a recent "come to jesus" realization that this house is consuming my life. I have to pay more attention to my social life. So, plan for this weekend is to 1) get on bike, 2) go to Oktoberfest and enjoy some delicious pumpkin ale, and 3) remember to take all this house stuff one day at a time...and if it doesn't get finished in time, so what? And for the record, I STILL have not shed a tear. ;)

floors walls floors repeat

It's been a while, you may be saying. Well...I've had a lot going on. New job. Trip to CT from hell. Got sick after said CT trip from hell. The house, of course. And then I put my Seattle townhome on the market 9/10, so had to prepare for that. Thankfully, a full price offer came in four days later. Oh yeah, and my dog got hit by a car (she is fine!). Needless to say, blogging has not been a priority. And yet here I am world!

Where did we leave off? I think floors...yeah, it took me a week to recover from that ordeal.

Hallway after Stew removed the parquet crap. No hardwood. GASP! Fortunately, this can be repaired, and has served as truly my only bad surprise in this process to date. I consider myself lucky.

I also had to pull the laminate from the upper/master bedroom, but that literally took less than an hour (yes, I timed myself, 10:48 AM - 11:40 AM, how else am I going to have any fun?), including removing it from the house and adding it to my growing pile of trash on the patio. Here are before shots; after shots are further down. And of course, guess what was underneath the laminate? Yep, more hardwood! But interestingly, the stairs were painted forest green (same color as the kitchen) and the closet bright red (same color as the living room). I don't get it...but that's probably in my favor.

I then spent the rest of THAT day cleaning the windows in the spare bedroom. Nobody had cleaned the windows in years. Gunk was caked onto the windows. The key to this task is a toothbrush. Fortunately, my mom and Stew actually think of this stuff and save things like old toothbrushes, so I did not have to buy one (and the fact I did not have to buy something as "cheap" as a toothbrush in this situation is HUGE because the costs are really adding up, sigh...). Meanwhile, Mom started to plug all the nail/screw holes in the window frames with spackle so we could prepare to paint. Progress is sweet.

A week passes...

I then proceeded to clean the windows in the master. It took hours. Yes, my life has been reduced to this. What is a social life, after all? I now speak to windows. I have not even gotten to the screens yet. I wonder what those conversations will be like.

Not sure if I mentioned this yet (my brain is in overload), but the hardwood guys cannot refinish my floors until the week of October 26, which is AFTER I want to move in (my townhome closes on October 26). Fortunately, I will be in Europe rocking out to U2 and chasing northern lights while they coat my floors with carcinogenic substances. Still, I have to return and have a place to sleep and work. Thus, the master bedroom has become my priority; my rest of my furniture will have to be tossed into the garage in the meantime. I will be carpeting the stairs and bedroom/closet rather than refinishing the hardwood so my spoiled dog has one room of carpet to roll around on post baths. So, this weekend I had to start painting. My mom helped. We went through 1.5 gallons of paint on the ceiling alone (color is Behr's Maui Mist...ooh la la). It was ridiculous. The plaster dude put a sand finish on the ceilings, so the surface area is pretty great and since this is the first (and ONLY, thank you very much) coat of paint/primer going on the ceiling, it was sucked up pretty well. We did not get to finish the closet because we ran out of white paint, and yes the closet will be white because I don't want color interfering with my clothing selection. I am fashion challenged enough.

Next, we painted the rest of the walls, and it took EXACTLY one gallon of paint (Behr, don't know the name of it). I wanted a mauve, not pink or purple, something not too feminine...hope I nailed it. My mom thinks so. The trim will have to wait for another day. Here are photos.

And don't you just love the photo with the light fixture dangling from the ceiling? My expectations are so low right now.

And as an added bonus, since you actually made it this far through the post, here are pics of the living/dining room in their current state. Nothing is painted yet. I shudder to think about how many gallons of paint these ceilings will consume.

Funny how when everything else gets cleaned up, the fireplace looks like an explosion occurred.

Entryway that used to be covered with parquet.

I will be painting the beadboard white.

Home Depot is heading over to the house on Thursday to measure the front door. I will be installing a new front door. A black door. No, I don't care to know your thoughts on that one.