Problem Areas

Here are some problems I have been thinking about for 16 years, but have had the money do do anything about (or found a competent craftsman to help me!).  They are all on the least visible side of the house, which is probably why I have not done anything with them yet.

The first pic is of my kitchen windows.  When someone decided to modernize the Victorian kitchen with no built-ins they wanted the sink under the window instead of on the common wall with the bathroom (which is to the right in this picture).  To do this they chopped the upper window frames in half and added these wonderful pieces of wood and lovely storm windows in the openings.  On the inside there is a cabinet with sink and counter.  I'm afraid of what is under there after all these years--probably rotten floor boards.  The plan is to turn the kitchen back in time to around the 1930's - - - some day.  I have the stove and Hoosiers!

All this will take is a competent window craftsman to replicate the upper frame and some inside trim pieces.  Of course, the window frames need serious work, too, but I can handle that.  I would then have to build storms and install them.  I am working on a design that lets me remove the bottom pane and insert screens in summer, but not on the downstairs windows unless I find some nice window pins.  Anybody seen any that aren't just big nails?

The following are the basement windows that are just below the kitchen windows above.  The frames have been removed and the sills built up with concrete and chintzy metal framed windows put in.  The bottom one is really scary--being just two pieces of plexi.

To do this right I would have to have the new sills chiseled off and frames and sash made to match the other windows.  There is a lot of water that accumulates here from an adjacent downspout.  This used to be a cinder drive between the houses--the other house is not very far away, behind my board fence.

One reason nothing has been done is because the washer/dryer is right there.  The plan is/was to move the laundry to the second floor as part of an enlarged bathroom--which has not yet happened.  You know how it goes--you have to find the one thing that can be done before all the other things can be done and do it to get the ball rolling or you end up with everything torn up and an unliveable house.  I need one working bathroom at all times, so need to get the downstairs one finished first.  That is my "first project" and I need a serious kick in the pants to get that room cleared out and get to sanding the walls and then laying the tile floor.  (I have had the tiles for years, now.)

Here's what a basement window done correctly looks like.  I made a new sill, repaired the stonework, and built a screen.

Disclaimer:  The Google AdSense ads that appear on the left for replacement windows are way too numerous for me to block.  I do not endorse replacement windows when original windows are repairable.  Heck, I never endorse them!

Around the House

I was without my computer for 4 days last week and had problems for two weeks before that, so I've had to re-learn how to live without that daily routine.  Fortunately the weather was just beautiful and cooperated in getting my fall painting done. (Yet again!)  It seems I paint the porches and steps every year.  It doesn't matter if I undercoat, use oil or latex, sand first, or anything.  The winter just peels the paint off every time.  That's one of the reasons I have never painted the porch floor you see Tommy sitting on below.  It still has its 108 year patina.

This is my under-porch hidey-hole for kitties. (And where raccoons go to die.)

I know those piers look bad, but they are terrible to begin with and I refuse to try to pretty them up.  Some idiot replaced the rounded-red-brick-with-granite-cap ones that were there with these abominations many years ago when they painted my brick and foundations.

I'll end this with some photos of the awesomeness that is my house.

Sibley Learns to Play

Sibley, my formerly feral cat, has now learned how to play interactively with me instead of running away when I flick the snakey toy at him.  He comes when he sees me playing with one of his brothers and seems to enjoy it.  One more little victory!