House to Hog to Dog

The House that Cindy Built..

NO.. not the house in the photo!
 
Once upon a time (sometime around 1920) a man built a house.  This photo is NOT that house.  The man's name was Charlie Jelleberg.... or not.. perhaps it was somebody before Charlie, but that isn't the point.

the house that housed the house that Charlie built

About 60 years later the house was torn for whatever reason, and all that COULD be salvaged, was.   The lumber made a journey across a few fields and came to rest in another building.  Not ON the building, IN the building.  The building in the photo to be exact..

There the ghost of the old house eventually became simply a part of 'things collected', which
is where the story might have ended. 

Along comes Cindy

Actually.. Cindy wasn't the first to come along.  What FIRST came along was a FREAK windstorm in the Spring of 2011 which completely thrashed a lot of things out at the farm. INCLUDING the house (shed) that housed Charlie's lumber.  okay, that is not fully accurate.. the wind launched an assault of magnificant proportions on the huge pine trees on the property.  The PINE TREES thrashed the buildings.  Can we move on now?

 

THEN along came Cindy...

my initial stack-o-boards

One weekend, post-shanty production, I was yammering with the faux folks about my wish to have access to barn wood.    Just turns out, they had some.    My first salvage trip was born.  Off to the house that housed the house Heck.. you know where this is going.

I was pretty impressed.  They told me pull what I wanted... As you might suspect, I was pretty generous with myself.. eventually Mom started getting a bit nervy about it - but Pops gave the stack two thumbs up and here is the stack of boards they said they'd be delivering to me their next trip to town.  THAT was a fun Day!
 

What was next Cindy?

 

So much for 'shelter'

Well - the faux Mom took me to the front of the house and pointed at THIS.. 

 

What IS it Cindy? 

I'm GETTING to it..  Ease back Turbo!

It's the carcass of the dog-house left slightly less dog-worthy after the big storm came through and pushed trees on the house that housed my house boards... and felled trees on the wood stack, and yes - even clipped one across the dog house.   Turns out falling trees have little consideration for what's currently occupying the space they choose to fill..

Mom wanted me to build them a new one... as a surprise for Pops. 

Roger THAT!  An actual TASK with a Plan!  alright..  a task!

 

Cindy?  Do you know how to build a dog house?

What does THAT have to do with anything?  Sheesh!...  Uhm... no.   But I wasn't going to let that stop me.   Dog House they want?  Dog House they're gonna GET!

First, Let me just tell you.. this lumber is amazing.   TRUE 2x4s and 1x12s.  With the saw cuts beautifully visible...  My heart pitty-patties when I'm messing with it.  NOT just for the substantial-ness of it.. but for the history.. it held up roofs, blocked out storms, kept people safe.  It was seasoned with age, laughter, love, saddness... it is chock full of history.   I FEEL it every time I touch it.   And THAT makes it so special to me.

it's looking like something!

Okay - moment over... 

I decided to start with a pallet base, since we all know I have a couple of those.  I then laid 1x12s across the pallet to create the floor.   This obviously was going to mandate the actual size of the final product.  And without having actually measured the old one - it was a guessing game to me.  I just had to make sure a cow dog would fit in it.

To reassure you... and since I was MISSING an actual cow dog to test this rule... I will tell you it is old-broad accessible.   Awkward perhaps, but accessible.  Should be dog worthy!

and there she is - minus the roofing metal

With the base in place, I began laying out the upright structures.   I think it was about there that I began to realize just how MUCH of my stash this house was going to consume - which may or may not explain why I started trying to jam in bits/pieces of the newer stuff I had lying around.   However... too little, too late.   I was in it now!

As you can see by the next photo.. it came together pretty quick.  I topped it off with plywood remnents I had laying around, lined the inside with carpet intended for garages (waterproof bottom to stop drafts/cold) and all work stopped until I could get my hands on some roofing materials.  Mom wanted metal, which she eventually provided from left-over bits of their roof re-do.

And YES.. that went into the Audi.

Cindy?  Is it time to surprise Dad?

That's EXACTLY what time it is!  

My friend (their REAL daughter) Barb planned to come through town with the flat-bed one weekend.   And when she said flat-bed, she wasn't just a kidding... That thing was HUGE!!!   We had to 'borrow' some of the neighbors yard to even begin getting it partially up into my little yard.

And not only that, the doghouse was HEAVY!! (remember?  REAL lumber).   But Buffy and Tuffy won out, squat-walking it down the driveway, and up the ramp... that darned thing was loaded and ready to roll.

There is 'gym' strong, and there is 'farm' strong.. note - NO spandex visible in the picture provided!  It is safe to assume you are looking at 'farm strong' with these two girls.

I think one of the day's highlights was the dog.   As we rolled into the driveway, the folk's dog not only ran alongside the trailer, but actually kept hopping up on it, much the same way my kids used to lunge at the grocery bags as I toted them in the house.  It's like Sissy KNEW the house was for her.

let's put it HERE

Cindy?  Exactly how DID you get it where it needed to be?

Funny  you should ask that.  Farm ingenuinity at it's best..  It's called "JOHN DEERE" smart!

Dad brought the tractor over - scooped up the old wracked up one, and hauled it to the burn pile.  Barb and I leveled the space, added pier blocks and upon Dad's return, placed the doghouse where it needed to be.

We finished our day off by loading the flatbed up with MORE CINDY LUMBER!!!

Obviously more projects to come for THIS GIRL!

And then went inside for dinner.    And MUCH to Cindy's suprise - Mom and Barb brought out my 'almost 50' birthday cake.

HOLY CRAP.. Did you say CAKE?

Yes.. yes I did.   Chocolate, with Chocolate filling and Chocolate frosting... covered with Chocolate Sprinkles. 

How can you beat that?   Fabulous day, much laughter with wonderful people.  Providing shelter for beasties, more reclaimed lumber... A couple of FABULOUS vintage wringer/washers loaded on the trailer.. and CAKE!

Life is DAMNED GOOD!

11/30/2012 update:  
Pops called... he has since salvaged all the shingles off the original dogstead, and this coming weekend I will be tasked with wrapping the new shanty in tar paper and shingling it. 

I hear all contractors need to be flexible in implementing modifications - to please the homeowners!

Be Assured!  The DogMajhal shall be shingled. 

Screws are spendy, Glue is forever!

Cindy, whatever happened to all those pallets and salvage wood?

my pallet stash

Oh.. you mean THESE pallets and salvage wood?    Funny you should ask!

So I took a week off...   NOT that I had any place to go, or any specific thing to do.. but the week before Labor day effectively stretches into ten full days of dicking off with only 5 hitting the leave bank.. so that works out pretty nice for me!

HOWEVER we now have a LOT of uninterrupted time on my hands, and per usual, a limited budget.   What to do, what to do?

random plywood and boards

Well, my side patio is loaded with pallets.. and scrap lumber.   And it isn't going anywhere on its own power..  So I decided to build a Shanty.

And what exactly IS a shanty Cindy?

Wikipedia says this:  Shanty may refer to: Ice shanty, a portable shed placed on a frozen lake; Shanty, an irregular, low-cost dwelling ...  

I'm coming up shy on frozen lakes, but I've got low-cost in the bag!  

Urban dictionary says this: A shanty is a poorly made house in which one can dwell, usually made out of scavenged materials.

Now, keep in mind I am not planning on dwelling...  reality is.. I'm not planning at all!   PLANS?  We don't need no stink'n plans!  

Wikipedia offered me up a pic of this ice shanty..

As I drafted this blog, I searched on shanty to either confirm my definition of shanty, or come up with a better one.   I came across THIS pic..   

Yuppers, Shanty totally matchs what I had in my head and now have in my yard..    Minus the 5 gallon bucket roof..  I LIKE that...  maybe next time!

SO how'd you start the project Cindy?

Exhibit 1

Well.. initially I'd gathered up pallets because Etsy is chock-full of cool pallet projects.   And I love a good cool project.   But as I stared at them, I got to wondering if I could use them as the lower half of my structure.   And then I though "well hell.. it's a shanty.. you can do whatever you want"... 

After some digging around in the various  wood stashes, I realized I had a couple of 60" -ish lengths of 2x8 boards.. Yay ME!   Then I thought.. hmmm, I wonder how big of a base I could get out of that.   So gathered up the 2 longest, and trimmed them to equal lengths...  repeated it with the other two, and glued/screwed em together..   Editors note.. I NEVER EVER want to take apart something I've constructed... I have a bit of a Liquid Nails Construction Adhesive fetish and DO let my passion run free during random builds.

So I made a rectangle!   Please note Exhibit 1.   It wasn't going to be huge, but it was a fair start as far as I was concerned.   However, now that I have this frame.. what the hell to do with it?    Hmmm, I HAD 4 pier blocks.. but had used 2 - so off to the hardware store for 2 more.  I think that was a total of about $5 with tax.

The Base

Back home, I cut two 4x4 treated posts in half, positioned the pier blocks and with some difficulty and less skill, and got the frame screwed to the blocks.   Sadly, I must report the right front 4x4 lists hard to the left, but I wasn't terribly concerned at the time - as I never really strive for perfection in ANY project I do.

However, I DID want to use what I had on-hand, so I ran to the basement and brought up the joist hangers I knew I'd kept for some reason, and dragged out every 2x4 I could find in my various lumber piles. 

basic structure in place

I was feeling pretty good about myself right about now... I have what CLEARLY appears to be the base of something, and it was solid.   So I skin it in random pieces of 3/4" plywood found in the 'up against the house' stash, and then drag over the equal-sized pallets from the pallet stack. 

Although far from perfection, I was relatively pleased with the results and called it quits for the night.


So where do you go from here Cindy?  That's a short structure.


Well all along, I knew I was going to use 2x4s to build the upper half of the structure.   I don't live in an area that suffers gale force winds and to my knowledge, there would never be a troupe of tap-dancing pygmies up on the roof... so this should suffice.

Awhile back I scored six wood-frame salvage windows. Since this is a potting/growing shanty, I believe windows are mandatory.   Although I intended to use all 6 of those windows, the design ended up allowing for 3, with one from my actual house going in the front wall. 

open air version

Framing had to accommodate the windows, while keeping an eye on my limited number of remaining 2x4s.   Sadly, the number was indeed not enough, and a trip to the lumber store was required.   Eight 2x4s at 2.59 each is 20.72 plus tax.   Now I'm up to almost $30 invested in my shanty.  

In standard Cindy Project ADD fashion, I got the frame structure up, and ran out of boards.. so moved on to the side cladding.  I had a TON of 1x6 boards and even more length of 1x2.  In order to stretch the coverage, after doing the back exterior wall in nothing but 1x6s, I decided to insert 1x2s between each row on the rest of the walls.  The small front wall was a fully-intact mini-pallet already clad with plywood.  WinWin!

a REALLY trimmed door with a random window tossed in

The next morning with my new 2x4s, I finished off adding 2 more to the roof structure - even notching the back ends so it rested on the cross piece.   WoOT WOOT! Time for the sub-roof material! 

This consisted of a bunch of 1/2" plywood squares with grooves cut in them.   By this time, I'd run out of star-head screws, and simply pounded them in with twisty nails and locked them with Liquid Nails.   Those roof panels are staying PUT. 

Another trip into the small storage shed and I dragged out a 2' wide door I'd held onto forever...   that got SIGNIFICANTLY hacked down... and then for giggles, I cut an opening into it in order to wedge yet another salvage window in.  I figured now that I have a enclosed shanty, perhaps I'd like a breeze at some point.   Window opens!

Finally, I scored just a few cedar fence boards free (AND delivered) off of a local womens sales group, and decided to use THOSE to clad the front panel of the shanty.

Quitting time came early that day, and my final move for the day was to trim the roof materials so it wasn't quite so jagged and messy.    Turns out it was solid enough that the roof held all of this girl AND her powertools!

It also gave me a great view into the neighbor's yard... I thought FOUR chickens was the max we could have in town?  

The view from the roof also showed me, for a chick with no plan and less knowledge, MY shanty was far more attractive than the neighbor's chicken coop structure.  I was feeling pretty badass by now.

 

Now what Cindy... a plywood roof with grooves and duct tape?

 No!  I had a plan...  okay, I didn't have a plan, but I had an idea that I could find proper roofing material, and shazaaM!   it happened! 

Saturday I was forced to take a break to drive North for a funeral.   It just so happens my Dad had some salvage sheet metal roofing material.  After staring at it for a bit, I decided it SHOULD fit in the Audi.  Seats got popped down, trunk rearranged and I came home with 3 pieces.

Last stages (to date) included unearthing some redwood stain in the shed left by the previous homeowner 4+ years ago.

East view

South view

not quite for a brick shithouse.. but close

In future days, I hope to add a small porch like the Ice Shanty photo'd above... and perhaps a brick walk from the patio with free bricks I brought home from Pullman one day.... actually, it took 4 trips to Pullman... despite the quattro rating, the Audi really wasn't up to hauling all the bricks in a single run.

Ultimately, I still have a few pallets (compost cage coming up soon) and a few spare boards left over.   I'm about $50 total into the shanty as far as materials out-of-pocket.   I know the porch will certainly add to that cost.. but for now?

Bogey's shanty town has its first structure.  Casa Bogey's Shanty Annex :)

Buddy Michael Ray says it's an outhouse.. first person caught poohing in there will be banished forever.   Others have called it the doghouse or time-out shack.   Whatever the case, *I* built it!

Project A.D.D.

Manic Creativity 

Combine Manic creativity with absent-mindedness and non-existent budget and what do you get?  A Sunday in my backyard.

Years ago, one of the quickest identifiers of my stress levels was how short my hair was.  If life was getting overwhelming, or I found myself in emotional crisis - suddenly I would be sporting my 'power lesbian' haircut.   No -- I didn't name it, someone else did.

Yesterday antsyness started to kick in about 7:30am.  Suddenly my couch-sitting, coffee-drinking self realized I'd shifted into coffee-drinking, pacing the house self.   SO I went for a 10+ mile hike up Moscow Mountain.  I was about 2 hours up the hill when my phone rang, and I was instantly reminded of an appointment I'd made with a generous staffer w/pickup.   We were SUPPOSED to go haul wood pallets together.   However, as I mentioned... I was near the top of a mountain.

My pallet stash

Thankfully that same wonderful young man was kind enough to offer to load them himself and leave them in my driveway.   I came home just about the time he was finished unloading (SCORE) and we talked for a little while.  He asked me about the pallet stack and my plans.. I have many.  Etsy is FULL of pallet repurposing.. but in the walk-about of the yard, and watching his face, I had a bit of an epiphany.

I can now say unequivocally it isn't hair anymore, it's projects.

Now before ya'll wonder if I've lost my mind (some of you quicker to leap than others).. know that each and every one of these projects will be completed at some point in the near future.  But for now, this is what we have in the queue (or on the patio as you will).

 The bus seat!

the wee bus seat

A few weeks ago I walked into the Main Street Antique mall and spied this wee little bus seat.  I know this is 'old school' (no pun intended) and it is the little seat I often found myself sitting in when I got in trouble on the bus, the one RIGHT inside the bus, just above the door, where the bus-driver could REACH me if I needed re-sat-down.   I got this little charmer for $30.00.  It was obvious to me she'd lived some time in a barn.. or in the bus, in a barn... or whatever.   She was MINE now!

I decided then/there she was going to be kiwi green on the metal, and some fabulous outdoor fabric, and she will live on the side porch, greeting friends and family who use that door.

going green

Last Sunday, she got moved around to the patio and the disassembling began.   First, I went about removing all the screws that held the back on.   That was a joy in itself, because they were rusted out and somewhat nasty.   Then the base seat came off (easy enough) and finally she was naked enough for paint.   Two cans of fabulous green spray paint later, and then I have to concede the back panel plywood is in awful shape.

Oddly enough, I find an appropriate partial sheet in my stash, and shazaam.  Step 2 down.  Except it's curved somewhat... and the metal clips the screws go into need pounded on and drilled out.   Okay - time for a redirect of attention!

waiting quietly for our next move

That meant time for fabric removal.   I took a picture of the rats nest (literal, not figurative) I found in the seat base.   That grossed me out.  Then I removed a great bunch of the urine and feces soaked interior padding... that was pretty hideous as well.  I FINALLY got close enough to cutting out replacement fabric... and decided I wasn't happy with it... so I moved to scrubbing the back plate of rust and debris.   This is where we stopped... and how she sits for now quietly on the patio. 

Anytime I'm unhappy with something.. I stop all work on it while I 'contemplate' where I'm going next.   Next happened to be a cabinet I brought home from Dad's place.

The Cabinet

Sanded top, now what?

Awhile back I made a trip up to my Dad's.  My stepmom was something of a 'collector' and since her passing, Dad has been 'purging'.    Luckily a few items indeed missed the burn pile (Dad's favorite method of purge) and the dispersing began..

I couldn't fit this cabinet in my car, but my brother wisely took his pickup, so home it came.  

It is a relatively solid, but unassuming piece.   The door scream very 70s, but are at LEAST 3/4" thick solid wood.   A shelf inside, and modified to include wheels.   Hmm... what to do? what to do?

Well...  the center panels of the doors have to come out.. SO THEY DID!    Easier said than done, I immediately leaned so hard on the improperly secured panel that I broke the bottom of the door off.   Down to the basement for glue and clamps, THAT incident didn't stop me.

Puck says "it is looking okay Otis, howzabout from your perspective?"

I painted the main cabinet a metallic chocolate color, and the top/door panels a champagne metallic.   THEN it came in the house for a professional inspection.

At the Bogar household, we don't mess around.  The top was closely inspected by Otis.   Surfaces and tops are Otis's area of expertise.  Puck - the resident apprentice was tasked with interior inspection, under direct supervision by his superior.   Keeby remains as always, HR and quality control; the true administrator of this outfit.  The cabinet was found satisfactory and passed inspection.


With that hurdle behind us, I turned my attentions back to the doors.  A quick trip to JoAnn's fabrics scored me a GREAT mustard/gold/black colored paisley-esque metallic fabric (Karma?  I think SO)..  I rifled through my stash-o-wood and came up with some very fine 1/8" backer board.  A little spray adhesive, some poly batting and a staple gun and we are now ready to mount to the back of the doors..

Of course, there is the question of screw length and whether I'm going to pop em through the front.  This DID happen on the first screw, but not in too tragic of a way, so we moved on. 

All said and done, I was pleased with the combo.   Pics aren't quite showing it off as pretty as it is in person.  However, I do NOT like how deep the cut-out panel is, so have been messing with the idea of hot-gluing in some black braid or trim.   Also spent a few moments eyeballing large quantities of decorative nail heads.. I thought that might be a cool look - not to mention hours of detailed installation fun for me.  

But then again, I'm the person that painted the exterior of a 1600 sq foot home with a 2" brush.  Sometimes? it's the journey, and not so much the result.  At least when we're considering Cindy's projects for their therapeutic value.

I can't presently post a picture of the completed cabinet... because, well... it isn't completed yet :)

However, what I CAN post a picture of?  A completed Pallet Art Project!  Yeah... here you were, wondering 'Cindy.. what about the damned pallets?'   Well hold yer shorts, it took me a few weekends to get around to messing with those!  Last Sunday I woke and thought "hmmmm  I should do something with a pallet" and this is the end result.

My new Welcome sign made out of a used pallet top.

Hey!  It keeps me sane!

Shut the front door

 June 24, 2012

The Project:   AirFlow !!

(AND to keep the cats in... )

Chill out, there are only 2 of them

When I bought the house, the side door had a small window that opened but the seal was broken.  Since this is South facing, and the house is surrounded by very tall trees, I had the small window cut larger, and replaced with a 'blinds inside' full view glass window.   However, I failed to realize how much I would miss the fresh air coming in.

The solution!

Sometime in 2009 I stumbled across a vintage wooden screen/storm door combo.  It was the right width (32") and within my budget range.   I purchased it on layaway and eventually got it home only to discover, it was hinged/handled on the WRONG SIDE!    Off to the basement it went.  See, I know myself, and at SOME point.. I will find either the 1) the time, 2) the motivation or 3) a use for this door... so I'm KEEPIN IT!

The ONLY reason the door came out of the basement this weekend was because it was stored smack in front of the main sprinkler system water valve, and the time has come to reactivate the sprinklers (something I actually failed to do in all the trips to the basement).  Once I had my hands on the door, jockying it around in the cluttered chaos that is my workshop, I realized it was also 'leave your doors open, but don't let the cats out' time.  Upstairs it came.

After bracing it in the doorway, I realized it wasn't going to be THAT simple a project, because it was too tall.  I had to trot downstairs to find a measuring tape, then haul the door to the back yard in prep for cutting.   Back to the basement for skilsaw... for 4' level (straight line), clamps for the guide board (which turned out to be a metal crib rail I have no idea what I'm going to do with quite yet) and let's get started!

After a little mishap (the saw wanted to climb the crib rail), and a GREAT Dewalt orbital sander - back to the basement where I found some stain that was 'close enough' so I could get the base sealed.  I am 'schooled' enough in half-ass to know that the first winter of snow piling up would NOT do the wood door any favors... so took the time to at least three-quarters-ass THAT part of the project.  Also amongst the basement stash, I found a can of spar varnish and some industrial strength all-purpose patch/filler for the holes.  After about the umpteenth visit to the basement, I took a moment to pat myself on the back for having such an awesome stash of supplies - that I didn't once need to go BUY anything...  

Then I took another moment to reflect on my posterior... all those stairs!  I SHOULD be seeing some results DAMMIT!

Back upstairs, I completed the modifications to the door.  

I got pretty jacked up about hanging it UNTIL I realized I'd lost half of one of the hinges.  NOW back to the basement to see what I have in the way of used hinges. I found brass ones.   Not ideal, but there were three of them, and three would certainly stabilize the door far better than two.   Now for screws. Basement turned up nothing of usable value.  
 

DAMN YOU MAGIC BASEMENT!  YOU HAVE FAILED ME!  This means going into public!

The Outfit!

I went to the basement in my pjs.  This consists of ugly sweatpants and a t-shirt.   A great deal of the early project was done in this get-up.  Enhancements included a scrunchy to pull the hair up into a stubby ponytail.   Yeah.  However, as weather warmed, I went inside and changed the sweats for a pair of girl's shorty-shorts I'd found for $1.99 at Goodwill.   When I purchased them I promised Ashley (who was shopping with me) I would NEVER go into public wearing them, as a 49 year old woman has no business wearing shorts that short.  But for yardwork?  who needs coverage?  or a bra?  or makeup?  or her hair brushed, Right?  But I need screws NOW!   Out of respect for the masses, I did put a bra on... but that about covers it.

The math!

Brass #10 1" screws are 0.37 each.  REALLY??? WTH?  Do I REALLY want to pay $6.66 pre-tax for screen door screws?  But can I willfully put silver screws in brass hinges?  Oh the horror.   Eventually I found a full box (100ct) of 1-inch outdoor wood screws, ALSO brass in color.  Whole box?  $4.89.   That works for THIS girl and her fantasy budget.

The install!

I am embarrassed to admit the tweaking and placement of the hinges to the house took far longer than it should have.   Real-time observers would have thought I was mapping out the Theory of Relativity for the length of time (and number of attempts) it took me to get the hinges placed right (meaning the door swings wide open and shuts properly).   After a bit of contemplation, a number of false starts and one partial install/removal, SUCCESS.

If this were a tv show, what is condensed into 24 minutes in reality took 12 hours - give or take a couple.   But hey..

It's keeping me sane!

The result!

The intro to Bogey's world of projects!

The Explanation!

 As my bio says... I'm a bit of a project freak.   I call it "Project A.D.D.".  What this means in reality, is I'm generally ALWAYS doing something, and odds are, I am generally always doing a number of somethings in the same time and location.

It isn't enough that I am going to paint.. I will have more than one can, more than one color and often times, more than one room going simultaneously.  Then I just bounce around from one to the next when I get bored of doing one color.

This approach extends into any/ALL projects.   I was recently reminded that it is best, for ANY significant other presently in my life... it's best if they just go away during the project and come back when it's done.   For people who are organized and methodical and linear in their project approach - I believe time with me CAN and will induce an aneurysm or at the least... a nervous tick.

Addendum!

 The other aspect of the projecting, is a whole lotta years of being single.  Although it's been argued by one or two that I've NOT been single the full 19 years-and they ARE correct, I've had a number of male friends [for all you thinking I like girls] over those years, but I've only lived with one about three years -in HIS house much to his dismay- while maintaining my own residence...  ANYHOO... back to single...  I've found for an emotionally healthy Cindy, it helps if I stay busy.  Too much sitting around leads to a lot of dwelling and self-review... and THAT is depressing and frankly - unproductive on a lot of levels...

I'm a relatively solitary body... I was once labeled a 'home body'... I think they meant it as an insult, but since I agree with it, and see nothing wrong with it - I will happily tote the title.   However, solitary bod means a LOT of time to fill.   Yahtzee is doable, knitting impossible with cats (at least my cats)... I could cut my hair (and did.. OFTEN) but even that gets boring.   I could cook - but that leads to eating.. So what in the heck do ya do?

I PROJECT!

I once calculated the amount of time I have to fill...  Let us review shall we?

If we look at work days, realistically I have from about 6-10 pm... so at max, 4 hours a night, 5 nights a week.   Weekends are an easy two sixteen hour days, so 32 hours on weekends added to our 20 hours of weeknight time.  Essentially a minimum of 52 hours a week to not mope - or 208 per month or 2496 hours per year.

HOLY COUCH Potato!  That's a lot of flippin hours!  This girl better have more than ONE hobby, I'm just sayin...  Otherwise?   that's a whole lot of couch-sittin, tv-watchin, popcorn-eating moping.   And frankly?  I could barely keep myself in popcorn, much less the prerequisite diet pepsi chaser.  

Well...  on the front end of things.. I DID do quite a bit of that.   I can remember renting 3 movies and watching them back-to-back on a good Saturday.  However, one relationship stands out more than others, and it was THAT time I came to really adore projects... we spent almost every weekend doing something to his place.   I was in Cindy-Heaven.   And after that relationship ended...  well.  I needed a way to work through the changes in my life...

I think about that same time, HGTV was birthed, so my sittin/watchin time was sitting/watchin some very creative channels which soon translated to not-sitting/watchin, but movin/doin.... Hey, isn't that Home Depot's catchphrase now?   well, it works!

What that looks like!

Projecting= Putseying.  Putseying in MY world used to mean things like painting.  NOT painting pictures.. painting rooms.   I like to paint.   I'm sure a shrink would have a words about my love of covering ugly with pretty... redefining a space from nondescript to wowzer.... well, I'm sure it's just me trying to remake myself into something worth loving, or some other shrink tripe.. but ultimately, I love creating beautiful spaces and taking abandoned things and repurposing them into things people fight over.   THAT is my passion.

You combine that with a love of vintage, and time-killing treasure hunts at local antique/second-hand stores... well, I kept busy.


So initially what started as painting and small renovation projects - grew and expanded to the point I've torn out walls, relocated cabinets and redesigned spaces all-together.   Basic plumbing, electrical I get.. but demo and construction?  My fave.

I spent a few years remodeling 2 different Moscow Manor apartments.  It grew from simple paint, to tiling tub surrounds and kitchen counter-tops... to eventually realizing I could buy my own place, so I began sinking my money into this little gal.  I bought a house in Moscow.

I think I failed to snap a photo the day of move-in.. so the numbers are altered, and the new front door was put in already.. but you get the idea.. this little cottage was soon to become my salvation.... and frankly?  if i were EVER found on a rooftop - well, it'd be for the all right reasons, not all the wrong ones.

I've been there 4 years so far...  And it's been a slow-moving transformation.    And one that makes me happy every single time I pull into the driveway.

What do we care Cindy and why are you still talking about it?

Well brace yerselves..  because this is EXACTLY where I'm going to continue talking about it.  This is the fresh start to historically documenting the changes (those already done, and those coming in the long weekends and months of tomorrow).   Once the intro is up... I'll start sharing things I've tackled and the challenges associated with the tasks.

Today my friend Liz reminded me that some of what I do should be documented.   Last week I unearthed all the html files of my long-ago webpage.    I giggled for some time over stories of dates and dramas, and I remembered how much fun I had writing about it.   Isn't blogging the latest way to journal?   That's what *I* think anyway...  and since it's my blog, what I think goes! :)

I hope you join me..  but even if you don't...

It's keeping me sane!