- Sharing the blog love amongst family, the official wife is up to 3 posts. Apparently, while obtaining 11 hours of sleep last night in an effort to shake this nagging sickness, I missed out on a hellacious evening with Aimee. I'm deep sleeper, but I had no idea it was possible to sleep through an hour-and-a-half of nonstop baby screaming. However, that's what I'm told I accomplished last evening. Many thanks to mi'lady for allowing me to rest. Venting wife post here.
- The official sister (a.k.a. The Family Cook) has been published. Cin Weekly, that bastion of local journalism, selected the sister as its cook of the week. The lovely photo of the sister and her dish is taken in a beautifully-restored-and-familiar kitchen. (The dish definitely can serve more than 6, IMHO.)
- When the very cool photographer arrived at our house, the food wasn't quite finished yet. "Dave" introduced himself to all of us, and Toby immediately took a liking to him. Tobe took Dave by the hand and said "want to see my room? I'll show you my trains..." and led him away. Dave, certainly aware that he was a stranger in our house, looked back at me with a very uncertain face. I accompanied them upstairs, where Dave quickly tried to figure out a way to get back downstairs. It was quality.
Showing posts with label rehabbing olive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rehabbing olive. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Chapter 764, In Which The Family Cook is Interviewed, and Toby Takes a Stranger Upstairs
(Sorry for the long title, but Winnie-the-Pooh is oozing from my brain right now. Thus, it must be parodied in this post.)
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
More Termite Damage
Yep. Here we go again.
On the day of our "final" termite and structural repair inspection, prior to officially purchasing the house, my gut told me to keep fighting, to demand a more thorough investigation, to demand more parts of the ceiling be cut away to prove that all the significant termite damage had been found. After all, it isn't every day that termites are able to eat an entire 8" x 12" beam that is 18 feet long to the point that it disintegrated and fell to the ground as dust.
Alas, I allowed myself to be convinced by a complete idiot city building inspector that all was well and that there was no need to inspect any further. With much excitement, but still that still small voice deep within me expressing concern, we bought the house.
Then we found out that the kitchen floor joists were completely beyond any semblance of ability to bear weight.
Then we found more damage in the floor when finishing the dining room floor.
Then I found more undiscovered termite damage when thawing a frozen pipe last winter.
Surely, there couldn't be more, right? Silly me! Of course there is more!
I ain't posting any more until I have a better diagnosis... My sanity is completely gone. Pray for my sanity, the sanity of my wife, and for my house to not collapse.
On the day of our "final" termite and structural repair inspection, prior to officially purchasing the house, my gut told me to keep fighting, to demand a more thorough investigation, to demand more parts of the ceiling be cut away to prove that all the significant termite damage had been found. After all, it isn't every day that termites are able to eat an entire 8" x 12" beam that is 18 feet long to the point that it disintegrated and fell to the ground as dust.
Alas, I allowed myself to be convinced by a complete idiot city building inspector that all was well and that there was no need to inspect any further. With much excitement, but still that still small voice deep within me expressing concern, we bought the house.
Then we found out that the kitchen floor joists were completely beyond any semblance of ability to bear weight.
Then we found more damage in the floor when finishing the dining room floor.
Then I found more undiscovered termite damage when thawing a frozen pipe last winter.
Surely, there couldn't be more, right? Silly me! Of course there is more!
I ain't posting any more until I have a better diagnosis... My sanity is completely gone. Pray for my sanity, the sanity of my wife, and for my house to not collapse.
Monday, September 29, 2008
The Andy Gullahorn House Show
'Twas a really nice evening here at the Duebber castle. We sure know how to pack things in to make an eventful day...
We hustled out of church... Robyn had to get to a friend's baby shower (with Aimee), while Toby and I were to finish getting the house cleaned and set up for an event. Translation: I was to finish getting the house cleaned and set up for an event while simultaneously keeping track of a hyperactive, disobedient toddler. Let's just shout out a big "THANKS" to Aunt Ceen for being a big helper with the kitchen and errands and food prep!
Thankfully, Toby decided to be a pretty good boy. We even got to watch the end of the Bengals' game together, after everything was cleaned sufficiently. My goodness, do I love this little fella... his personality continues to develop, and I'm loving getting to know my boy. And, as usual, he was affectionate and caring toward his little sis.
Our new housemates were moving things in as the earliest guests were arriving. Toby "helped" them move in. And then he called me from Geoff's bluetooth. The technology that this kid already knows how to use is mindboggling to me.
He also got to play with some of his favorite people, and play on stacks of chairs, and listen in during the first half of the concert. What a good life!
We pretty much had a packed house for Andy. And the living room floor didn't collapse under the weight of 27 adult bodies, so our structural renovations may now be officially considered a success.
Andy does a real nice job of mixing storytelling and music and comedy. Really, it's all interchangable. Thought provoking, entertaining, you name it. In the audience, there was much laughter, much smiling, a few amens, some tears, and an overall appreciation for Andy coming to spend the evening with us. I think everyone had a good time.
I had the pleasure of spending about an hour with Andy after the show. I won't ramble on about all the details... but suffice it to say he arrived as a minor celebrity and left as my friend. House shows are the way to go. Maybe we'll try another one someday.
We hustled out of church... Robyn had to get to a friend's baby shower (with Aimee), while Toby and I were to finish getting the house cleaned and set up for an event. Translation: I was to finish getting the house cleaned and set up for an event while simultaneously keeping track of a hyperactive, disobedient toddler. Let's just shout out a big "THANKS" to Aunt Ceen for being a big helper with the kitchen and errands and food prep!
Thankfully, Toby decided to be a pretty good boy. We even got to watch the end of the Bengals' game together, after everything was cleaned sufficiently. My goodness, do I love this little fella... his personality continues to develop, and I'm loving getting to know my boy. And, as usual, he was affectionate and caring toward his little sis.
Our new housemates were moving things in as the earliest guests were arriving. Toby "helped" them move in. And then he called me from Geoff's bluetooth. The technology that this kid already knows how to use is mindboggling to me.
He also got to play with some of his favorite people, and play on stacks of chairs, and listen in during the first half of the concert. What a good life!
We pretty much had a packed house for Andy. And the living room floor didn't collapse under the weight of 27 adult bodies, so our structural renovations may now be officially considered a success.
Andy does a real nice job of mixing storytelling and music and comedy. Really, it's all interchangable. Thought provoking, entertaining, you name it. In the audience, there was much laughter, much smiling, a few amens, some tears, and an overall appreciation for Andy coming to spend the evening with us. I think everyone had a good time.
I had the pleasure of spending about an hour with Andy after the show. I won't ramble on about all the details... but suffice it to say he arrived as a minor celebrity and left as my friend. House shows are the way to go. Maybe we'll try another one someday.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Photo Update (Dining Room)
I know I said that the dining room was officially done when I bought the organ, but I was misquoted. Take a look at these pictures and notice how silly that pathetic fan looks. It is one of the smaller fans that can be purchased, designed for a small room with a low ceiling. My dining room has 10-and-a-half foot ceilings and is 16 feet by 16 feet. Not exactly meeting the specs, there. Might work up in one of the 3rd floor bedrooms, but the motor is grinding, so no thanks.
Down it comes, soon to be heading for it's final resting place, Mt. Rumpke.
I'm getting to be quite the ceiling fan install expert. I've done 4 of these bad boys in the last 2 months. And they aren't my favorite things, it's just that the previous owner... well... he pretty much sucked at life. 2 of the fans that he installed fell. Ceiling fans are supposed to stay attached to the ceiling.
After the first one fell, I thought "there's no way that ever happens again". Then Toby's fan fell into his crib during his nap, and it became evident that there needed to be an accelerated plan to get some new ones. This one went up between the hours of 10:30pm and midnight tonight, and was the most challenging install yet.
Personally, I think this is a huge improvement for the room. So, ummm... maybe the dining room is finally finished. Who knows.
Down it comes, soon to be heading for it's final resting place, Mt. Rumpke.
I'm getting to be quite the ceiling fan install expert. I've done 4 of these bad boys in the last 2 months. And they aren't my favorite things, it's just that the previous owner... well... he pretty much sucked at life. 2 of the fans that he installed fell. Ceiling fans are supposed to stay attached to the ceiling.After the first one fell, I thought "there's no way that ever happens again". Then Toby's fan fell into his crib during his nap, and it became evident that there needed to be an accelerated plan to get some new ones. This one went up between the hours of 10:30pm and midnight tonight, and was the most challenging install yet.
Personally, I think this is a huge improvement for the room. So, ummm... maybe the dining room is finally finished. Who knows.
Photo Update (Roof Maintenance)
I'm not a big fan of heights, but I'm a whole lot more ok with them than I used to be. Good thing, too, because I now own a house that is very tall, and much gutter work needed to be done, and Levon wouldn't let me hire anyone to do it. He said he'd do it. And then he said that I would help him. I was mentally prepared to shell out a thousand bucks to get the gutters coated, cause I sure as hell wasn't going to go up there.
Replacing box gutters would be ridiculously expensive. The existing ones are in very good shape, but they were exposed to the elements and in dire need of maintenance. Rust is bad. For whatever reason, the previous owner decided to paint them. Paint doesn't last.
(Note: this is a recurring theme... "for whatever reason, the previous owner ________." Just fill in the blank. "Covered the entire house with hideous yellow carpet", "Failed to maintain the termite contract", "put up the cheapest ceiling fans ever made", the list goes on and on.)
This ridiculously thick tar-like roofing goo does last. It's also pretty intense to work with.
10 hours on the roof over the course of a few days wound up being a pretty nice time. I'm just glad Levon agreed to do the way-up-high stuff. Like I said, no way in hell am I getting up there. And now it's done, and won't have to be addressed for 10+ years, hopefully.
Replacing box gutters would be ridiculously expensive. The existing ones are in very good shape, but they were exposed to the elements and in dire need of maintenance. Rust is bad. For whatever reason, the previous owner decided to paint them. Paint doesn't last.
(Note: this is a recurring theme... "for whatever reason, the previous owner ________." Just fill in the blank. "Covered the entire house with hideous yellow carpet", "Failed to maintain the termite contract", "put up the cheapest ceiling fans ever made", the list goes on and on.)
This ridiculously thick tar-like roofing goo does last. It's also pretty intense to work with.
10 hours on the roof over the course of a few days wound up being a pretty nice time. I'm just glad Levon agreed to do the way-up-high stuff. Like I said, no way in hell am I getting up there. And now it's done, and won't have to be addressed for 10+ years, hopefully.
Friday, August 08, 2008
City Real Estate
I think we probably overpaid for our house. It sat on the market for 18 months and got little action. Maybe we could've lowballed more than we already did... you know, "you really wanna sell this place that has significant termite damage that has been on the market forever?!"
It has it's problems, like any old house will have. Still, I feel ok about it. It's a gorgeous place, and we have more than enough space to stay here forever, even if we someday acquire a half dozen more kids (which is not likely, I'm just making a point here). I guess, seemingly unlike anyone else in the world, I'm willing to pay a premium to live here.
Seeing the abundance of vacant and/or blighted properties within a quarter-mile of our house, we kinda sorta agreed we'd someday probably wind up with more property around here eventually. We had no idea we'd be open to the idea so soon. We also had no idea how inexpensive it is to buy property in our 'hood:
I received a voicemail back after the second call, but the caller gave limited information, not even mentioning the asking price. I learned a whole lot more from Dusty Rhodes than I did from the seller. I returned his call, thanking him for his message, asking for more specific info. Several days later, still no response.
I've made 4 calls over the past week-and-a-half. The real estate market sucks. You'd think that someone expressing interest might get a return phone call, no? You better believe I'd be calling back if I was selling a building by owner. I doubt anybody's knocking his door down. (Maybe that's a bad choice of words... it is, after all, the 'hood...)
Of course, regardless of what happens here, there will surely be other opportunities. There are an awful lot of available places 'round here.
It has it's problems, like any old house will have. Still, I feel ok about it. It's a gorgeous place, and we have more than enough space to stay here forever, even if we someday acquire a half dozen more kids (which is not likely, I'm just making a point here). I guess, seemingly unlike anyone else in the world, I'm willing to pay a premium to live here.
Seeing the abundance of vacant and/or blighted properties within a quarter-mile of our house, we kinda sorta agreed we'd someday probably wind up with more property around here eventually. We had no idea we'd be open to the idea so soon. We also had no idea how inexpensive it is to buy property in our 'hood:
- We almost bought a house up the road last fall. 2000+ square feet. $17k. It needed some work, but still, turning a profit wouldn't be too hard with such low capital costs. If we hadn't just found out we were pregnant, we almost certainly would have done the deal.
- Not knowing an adjacent property was even for sale, I found out from the new owner that he paid a whopping $40k for a 3-family almost 3000 square foot house that seems to be in pretty dang decent shape.
- A property that caught my wife's eye from first sight is the old flower shop + apartments above. 6000 square feet, in really good shape, arguably the crown jewel of what once was an impressive business district. Just sold for $60k, which seems unbelievably low to me.
I received a voicemail back after the second call, but the caller gave limited information, not even mentioning the asking price. I learned a whole lot more from Dusty Rhodes than I did from the seller. I returned his call, thanking him for his message, asking for more specific info. Several days later, still no response.
I've made 4 calls over the past week-and-a-half. The real estate market sucks. You'd think that someone expressing interest might get a return phone call, no? You better believe I'd be calling back if I was selling a building by owner. I doubt anybody's knocking his door down. (Maybe that's a bad choice of words... it is, after all, the 'hood...)
Of course, regardless of what happens here, there will surely be other opportunities. There are an awful lot of available places 'round here.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Any Publicity Is Good Publicity
Kevin LeMaster and I are featured in an article in this week's CityBeat. CityBeat has been getting quite a bit of publicity lately, so naturally they are raising the bar and now featuring famous Cincinnatians such as myself and Kevin.
I can honestly say I never thought I'd be featured in a publication that is currently in a legal battle due to their running advertisements with a "degrading, sexual nature". Kevin, we've hit the big time. We are culturally relevant.
Nothing either of us sought. I got an email from the author, requesting an interview, and I put her in touch with Kevin. I would've guessed it should have been the other way around, as Kevin is the man when it comes to documenting building projects around town.
The story can be found on page 15 in the CityScapes insert. On newsstands now... and... they're free, thanks to the ad revenue generated by the all those whores and satanists. (Just kidding!)
(Actually... maybe kidding, to be fair.)
It's a well-written article about, predictably, city stuff. Pick one up. I'll even autograph one for you. I might even pay you to let me autograph one for you.
I can honestly say I never thought I'd be featured in a publication that is currently in a legal battle due to their running advertisements with a "degrading, sexual nature". Kevin, we've hit the big time. We are culturally relevant.
Nothing either of us sought. I got an email from the author, requesting an interview, and I put her in touch with Kevin. I would've guessed it should have been the other way around, as Kevin is the man when it comes to documenting building projects around town.
The story can be found on page 15 in the CityScapes insert. On newsstands now... and... they're free, thanks to the ad revenue generated by the all those whores and satanists. (Just kidding!)
(Actually... maybe kidding, to be fair.)
It's a well-written article about, predictably, city stuff. Pick one up. I'll even autograph one for you. I might even pay you to let me autograph one for you.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
What Am I Doing With My Life (redux part 2)
(continued from redux part 1)
I started researching. I looked on Craigslist. I looked on Ebay. I played a couple absolutely horrible organs at a local antique place. (They were HORRIBLE.) I came to the conclusion that there are very few of these things out there in any sort of reasonable condition. There is a plethora of them available that are pretty to look at but impossible to get a nice sound out of, but I'm not looking for a piece of furniture. I mean, looks are nice and all, but if she doesn't sound good when I play her, what good is she? (Write that one down, boys. That's poetic.)
With my wife's blessing and encouragement, we planned a day trip to Madison. After a month of thinking about it, it was decided that it was worth looking at again. This could no longer be considered a dreaded "impulse buy".
I recently sold a piece of equipment, I have some cash stashed away in a "music slush fund" of sorts, and we have Dubya's Stimulus. So, this thing wasn't going to blow up our finances.
We would borrow a vehicle capable of hauling it home, if it was decided that it was an acceptable instrument. Remember, these things always sound better at the store, or at camp, or in my mind. So, we'd go check it out, and if I wanted it, I could have it.
I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.
I don't know exactly when it was made, but there's little reason to think it's any later than the late 1800s. I'm hoping to find out more information. The company is still in business! I'm guessing it's about the same age as our house (118 years, built in 1890).
It's awesome. It sounds real nice. It looks real nice. (I think the dining room is now officially done!) Toby enjoyed the road trip in "Karl's Wed Twuck". Robyn and I enjoyed a change of pace. And I got to talk to my new friend Rod again. So we all win.
I started researching. I looked on Craigslist. I looked on Ebay. I played a couple absolutely horrible organs at a local antique place. (They were HORRIBLE.) I came to the conclusion that there are very few of these things out there in any sort of reasonable condition. There is a plethora of them available that are pretty to look at but impossible to get a nice sound out of, but I'm not looking for a piece of furniture. I mean, looks are nice and all, but if she doesn't sound good when I play her, what good is she? (Write that one down, boys. That's poetic.)
With my wife's blessing and encouragement, we planned a day trip to Madison. After a month of thinking about it, it was decided that it was worth looking at again. This could no longer be considered a dreaded "impulse buy".
I recently sold a piece of equipment, I have some cash stashed away in a "music slush fund" of sorts, and we have Dubya's Stimulus. So, this thing wasn't going to blow up our finances.
We would borrow a vehicle capable of hauling it home, if it was decided that it was an acceptable instrument. Remember, these things always sound better at the store, or at camp, or in my mind. So, we'd go check it out, and if I wanted it, I could have it.
I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.
I don't know exactly when it was made, but there's little reason to think it's any later than the late 1800s. I'm hoping to find out more information. The company is still in business! I'm guessing it's about the same age as our house (118 years, built in 1890).It's awesome. It sounds real nice. It looks real nice. (I think the dining room is now officially done!) Toby enjoyed the road trip in "Karl's Wed Twuck". Robyn and I enjoyed a change of pace. And I got to talk to my new friend Rod again. So we all win.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Ceiling Fans Are Weapons
If I was a fighter, I think my weapon of choice would be an unreliable ceiling fan.
Fans are the closest thing to AC that this place has, so we were thankful that ceiling fans were hung in every big room. Kitchen, Living Room, Dining Room, Bedroom, Bedroom, Bathroom, Bedroom, Bedroom, Rec Room. Nine of 'em. They move a lot of air and keep this house reasonably comfortable, even in August.
Well, the bathroom fan fell. While running. One of the blades just snapped off, the motor continued to run, and it eventually shook itself off the ceiling. Broken glass everywhere. Thankfully, there was no one in there at the time. (That would be one Tale From the Can that would live in infamy.)
The fans didn't run much over the winter, but it's heating up, so they are getting used again. Some of them need to be balanced, as they shake a little too much for comfort. Especially knowing that one of the nine already came to a tragic end.
See where I'm going with this?
Toby sweats like I do. (That means he sweats a disgusting amount as soon as the temperature rises above 68 degrees. It's ridiculous. Poor little sweaty kid.) Therefore, we leave his ceiling fan on high 24 hours a day. At the very least, it keeps the air moving and moderately comfortable.
I put Tobe down for his nap Saturday afternoon. Set him in the crib, kissed him goodnight, and he went straight to sleep. Good boy. Daddy left the room, and within 5 minutes, there was a CRASH, and the little man was screaming in pure fear of what had just happened.
I ran in to find the ceiling fan shaking violently from side to side. It looked like what you might expect a demon-possessed ceiling fan to look like if one was in some sort of cheap horror movie. I turned off the power and went to pick up the poor kid...
...who was laying in his crib with a fan blade. There is a significant dent in the wall above Toby's bed. Once again, a fan blade snapped off. The poor kid is now terrified to be anywhere where a ceiling fan exists. Which is especially unfortunate, considering they are in every room. And our "good sleeper" is suddenly afraid to go to sleep.
This could wind up being one of those traumatic events that follows him for a long time. We're trying to convince him that everything is ok and that Mommy & Daddy won't let a fan hurt him, but good luck convincing the kid who had a blade fly over his head and take a chunk out of the wall above his bed.
Fans are the closest thing to AC that this place has, so we were thankful that ceiling fans were hung in every big room. Kitchen, Living Room, Dining Room, Bedroom, Bedroom, Bathroom, Bedroom, Bedroom, Rec Room. Nine of 'em. They move a lot of air and keep this house reasonably comfortable, even in August.
Well, the bathroom fan fell. While running. One of the blades just snapped off, the motor continued to run, and it eventually shook itself off the ceiling. Broken glass everywhere. Thankfully, there was no one in there at the time. (That would be one Tale From the Can that would live in infamy.)
The fans didn't run much over the winter, but it's heating up, so they are getting used again. Some of them need to be balanced, as they shake a little too much for comfort. Especially knowing that one of the nine already came to a tragic end.
See where I'm going with this?
Toby sweats like I do. (That means he sweats a disgusting amount as soon as the temperature rises above 68 degrees. It's ridiculous. Poor little sweaty kid.) Therefore, we leave his ceiling fan on high 24 hours a day. At the very least, it keeps the air moving and moderately comfortable.
I put Tobe down for his nap Saturday afternoon. Set him in the crib, kissed him goodnight, and he went straight to sleep. Good boy. Daddy left the room, and within 5 minutes, there was a CRASH, and the little man was screaming in pure fear of what had just happened.
I ran in to find the ceiling fan shaking violently from side to side. It looked like what you might expect a demon-possessed ceiling fan to look like if one was in some sort of cheap horror movie. I turned off the power and went to pick up the poor kid...
...who was laying in his crib with a fan blade. There is a significant dent in the wall above Toby's bed. Once again, a fan blade snapped off. The poor kid is now terrified to be anywhere where a ceiling fan exists. Which is especially unfortunate, considering they are in every room. And our "good sleeper" is suddenly afraid to go to sleep.
This could wind up being one of those traumatic events that follows him for a long time. We're trying to convince him that everything is ok and that Mommy & Daddy won't let a fan hurt him, but good luck convincing the kid who had a blade fly over his head and take a chunk out of the wall above his bed.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
The Dining Room
I like dining rooms. Are they practical? Absolutely not. An eat-in kitchen (or breakfast bar) has plenty of space for a family to share a meal. But a formal dining room is just... special?
I think our dining room is the crown jewel of our house. It has the pocket doors, the enormous front window, the parquet floor, the old formal DR furniture, and the Bride Wall. It's been "done" for several months, but I haven't taken pictures of it until now.
Here's the only photo we took of the room before tearing it apart.
After the carpet was torn out, we discovered this treasure of a floor that was refinishable.
It was starting to show signs of gorgeousness (!) even before the floor was sealed.
Now, it's done, and it's awesome.
It's after 1 in the morning, and I just went out onto the porch and took a pic through the front window. For whatever reason, looking into the house feels like a scene from an old movie. I can picture the black-and-white camera panning through the window... Maybe it's just me, but I envision a Rat-Pack-esque social gathering. Minus the kids' table, of course!
I think our dining room is the crown jewel of our house. It has the pocket doors, the enormous front window, the parquet floor, the old formal DR furniture, and the Bride Wall. It's been "done" for several months, but I haven't taken pictures of it until now.
Here's the only photo we took of the room before tearing it apart.
After the carpet was torn out, we discovered this treasure of a floor that was refinishable.
It was starting to show signs of gorgeousness (!) even before the floor was sealed.
Now, it's done, and it's awesome.
It's after 1 in the morning, and I just went out onto the porch and took a pic through the front window. For whatever reason, looking into the house feels like a scene from an old movie. I can picture the black-and-white camera panning through the window... Maybe it's just me, but I envision a Rat-Pack-esque social gathering. Minus the kids' table, of course!
Monday, May 19, 2008
More Photos
Everyone likes pictures, right?
Earlier this month, I posted pics that included Robyn's 2nd floor alcove. Aesthetically, not to mention structurally, the difference in this house is amazing. Sometimes I can't believe it's the same house we first looked at approximately a year ago.
Well, these smaller, trapezoidal rooms are difficult to photograph, but I tried my best. This is my happy place. Comfy chairs, multiple guitars, and my choice of either tons of sunlight or complete darkness.
The guitar above is more a piece of art than an instrument... it very rarely leaves the wall. Below, the new-to-me Seagull waits to be strummed.
I bought this platform rocker for Robyn for Christmas. Somehow, it ended up in my room. The best chair EVER.
-----------------------------------
Enough house stuff. I hosted the Mother's Day party for my wife, her sister, and their mom. Who knew I was an amazing cook? (I've definitely never spent multiple hours working on a full meal for 13 people before, but it went well. I mean, Robyn was happy, so I assume it went well.) Somehow, even with a house full of people, most of whom were carrying cameras, no one took a group "mom" shot. Oh well.
I'm so glad that Toby gets to know his great-grandpa Labe. He's an amazing man. In fact, my first ever "real" blog post was about him, back when this site didn't yet exist. (Reflecting on that day very well may have been what got me hooked on writing. And some things never change... that post was me rambling on about marriage...)
How many men in their mid-eighties would choose to sit at the kids table? I can't get down in those little chairs. And heck, I'm glad I get to know Labe. Generosity and love flow from the man. Ravioli generosity flows from The Tobe. Seriously. He's offering you one.
Changing topics one last time...
-----------------------------------
I've made it no secret that I love it when The Tobe tries to wear his daddy's shoes. Well, he's gonna have bigger feet that me sooner than I can believe, so I need to take advantage of this while I can. See, I have small feet, so my boy actually fills these out just fine. Because he's enormous. And he loves my red shoes!
Earlier this month, I posted pics that included Robyn's 2nd floor alcove. Aesthetically, not to mention structurally, the difference in this house is amazing. Sometimes I can't believe it's the same house we first looked at approximately a year ago.
Well, these smaller, trapezoidal rooms are difficult to photograph, but I tried my best. This is my happy place. Comfy chairs, multiple guitars, and my choice of either tons of sunlight or complete darkness.
The guitar above is more a piece of art than an instrument... it very rarely leaves the wall. Below, the new-to-me Seagull waits to be strummed.
I bought this platform rocker for Robyn for Christmas. Somehow, it ended up in my room. The best chair EVER.
-----------------------------------Enough house stuff. I hosted the Mother's Day party for my wife, her sister, and their mom. Who knew I was an amazing cook? (I've definitely never spent multiple hours working on a full meal for 13 people before, but it went well. I mean, Robyn was happy, so I assume it went well.) Somehow, even with a house full of people, most of whom were carrying cameras, no one took a group "mom" shot. Oh well.
I'm so glad that Toby gets to know his great-grandpa Labe. He's an amazing man. In fact, my first ever "real" blog post was about him, back when this site didn't yet exist. (Reflecting on that day very well may have been what got me hooked on writing. And some things never change... that post was me rambling on about marriage...)
How many men in their mid-eighties would choose to sit at the kids table? I can't get down in those little chairs. And heck, I'm glad I get to know Labe. Generosity and love flow from the man. Ravioli generosity flows from The Tobe. Seriously. He's offering you one.
Changing topics one last time...-----------------------------------
I've made it no secret that I love it when The Tobe tries to wear his daddy's shoes. Well, he's gonna have bigger feet that me sooner than I can believe, so I need to take advantage of this while I can. See, I have small feet, so my boy actually fills these out just fine. Because he's enormous. And he loves my red shoes!
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Working on the Aesthetics
When purchasing and rehabbing a house with crazy amounts of termite damage, the yard and interior aesthetics doesn't exactly rise to the top of the list of priorities. However, these days, all the structural stuff has been dealt with, so we are free to focus on beautifying the property. So... here's a photo update.
Last fall, I went to the Netherlands on business. Since I was in the tulip capital of the world, I picked up some real, authentic Holland bulbs, and they did the yard proud this spring. (The magnolia tree didn't hurt, either. We had no idea we were getting a big, full, blooming magnolia when buying this place.) If I go back to Europe this fall, which is possible*, I will be buying plenty more. Tulips in the spring give the yard a lot of life.
Robyn and I share positive thoughts about stained glass windows. We bought a few on our honeymoon, and we hope to have a house full of them someday. I found the perfect one for "her" alcove on the 2nd floor. She painted the sitting room pink, decorated very appropriately, and now there's some stained glass to make the room just about perfect.
Also, there's no good way to capture this on film, but biggest deficiency left in the interior was the upstairs hallway. There is a lot of wall, and all of it was painted a yellow-ish cream with 17 years of fading and smoke. Robyn lightened it up. We've NEVER painted anything white, except for ceilings, so this surprised me. I'll try to get something to better show the transformation, but this at least shows a little bit of the in-process brightening.
There is still much gardening to do. And we have a few other yard projects that may or may not happen this year. But give us a break, huh?! Robyn's the one with all the skill, and she's a third trimester prego. Lay off!
(Have I ever mentioned that I married up?)
Last fall, I went to the Netherlands on business. Since I was in the tulip capital of the world, I picked up some real, authentic Holland bulbs, and they did the yard proud this spring. (The magnolia tree didn't hurt, either. We had no idea we were getting a big, full, blooming magnolia when buying this place.) If I go back to Europe this fall, which is possible*, I will be buying plenty more. Tulips in the spring give the yard a lot of life.
Robyn and I share positive thoughts about stained glass windows. We bought a few on our honeymoon, and we hope to have a house full of them someday. I found the perfect one for "her" alcove on the 2nd floor. She painted the sitting room pink, decorated very appropriately, and now there's some stained glass to make the room just about perfect.
Also, there's no good way to capture this on film, but biggest deficiency left in the interior was the upstairs hallway. There is a lot of wall, and all of it was painted a yellow-ish cream with 17 years of fading and smoke. Robyn lightened it up. We've NEVER painted anything white, except for ceilings, so this surprised me. I'll try to get something to better show the transformation, but this at least shows a little bit of the in-process brightening.
There is still much gardening to do. And we have a few other yard projects that may or may not happen this year. But give us a break, huh?! Robyn's the one with all the skill, and she's a third trimester prego. Lay off!(Have I ever mentioned that I married up?)
*Is it wrong that I'd like to know, now, if my company plans on me spending a week in Europe this fall? I understand that business trips sometimes have to happen on short notice, but... with a 2-year-old and an infant-to-be, is it too much to ask to know these things months in advance?
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Good Construction
Mike has a good post up about well-built old structures. I especially like these quotes:
With a you-silly-ignorant-guy kind of smile, the inspector said that he saw no "lean". Then he said "if this place is standing up this straight after 117 years, there's no reason to think it won't continue standing for another 117 years." He then told us about the stone foundation and the brick construction, and my fears were gone.
Well gee golly, I thought, I probably won't live another 117 years...
(Granted, we had some serious termite issues, and the house was at risk of an internal collapse, but that doesn't change the fact that this house ain't going nowhere. The interior structure has been fixed, and is basically good as new.)
If we wanted to live in a less-than-40-year-old home in a neighborhood near our parents, we would not have been able to afford a 3 bedroom cape-cod-style house. By choosing an old structure that has seen its fair share of neglect, we were able to spend less and get a 3000+ square foot living space with 10'+ ceilings and all sorts of beautiful old features, fix it up, and know that this place will stand forever unless it gets hit by a meteor or a bomb.
(And it's a pretty cool lookin' place, too, if I may say so myself.)
We are a middle class family, but we live in a structure that would take millions of dollars to rebuild. Why is that? Why do people abandon such places and choose cheaper construction?While the home inspector was looking over our place prior to closing, I mentioned that it looked like the house had an ever-so-slight "lean" to it. I was concerned, as our plan was to make this house a very longterm residence. We plan on staying, essentially, forever, and I'd really like to not have to deal with foundation issues in the future.
For the price of a modest new house, one large aparment or sometimes a whole building can be modernized with kitchens, windows, and mechanical systems. And one of these renovated buildings can stand indefinitely. The same cannot be said for new houses.
With a you-silly-ignorant-guy kind of smile, the inspector said that he saw no "lean". Then he said "if this place is standing up this straight after 117 years, there's no reason to think it won't continue standing for another 117 years." He then told us about the stone foundation and the brick construction, and my fears were gone.
Well gee golly, I thought, I probably won't live another 117 years...
(Granted, we had some serious termite issues, and the house was at risk of an internal collapse, but that doesn't change the fact that this house ain't going nowhere. The interior structure has been fixed, and is basically good as new.)
If we wanted to live in a less-than-40-year-old home in a neighborhood near our parents, we would not have been able to afford a 3 bedroom cape-cod-style house. By choosing an old structure that has seen its fair share of neglect, we were able to spend less and get a 3000+ square foot living space with 10'+ ceilings and all sorts of beautiful old features, fix it up, and know that this place will stand forever unless it gets hit by a meteor or a bomb.
(And it's a pretty cool lookin' place, too, if I may say so myself.)
Friday, March 21, 2008
The Price Hill Wall
So, have I mentioned that the wife and I desire to have traditions?! There's something about leaving a legacy that is so intriguing...
Robyn has begun working on the 3rd "wall" in our house. First, there was The Bride Wall. Every bride in the family, going back as many generations as possible, has a picture on our dining room wall from her wedding day. The legacy of our family. They are our past. For better or for worse.
There are 5 old old old photographs of our house on the living room staircase wall. I assume they are from the late 19th or early 20th century, as there are no dates on them. The legacy of the structure in which we live. Some of it isn't the greatest legacy to speak of, but it's still history. History doesn't have to be pretty.
And now, Robyn is working on The Price Hill Wall. There shall be a portrait of our family surrounded by images of the places in our community that we think fondly of. One of our family traditions is to hit up St. Lawrence Bakery on Saturday mornings, so a bakery pic will go up. Robyn walks to the post office with Toby, so a post office pic will make the wall. We enjoy walking to the grocery store, so a Kroger pic will be on display. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
Of course, the church is gorgeous, and the view of the facade was a contributing factor to us purchasing this house, so a church photo is required as well. One beautiful sunny day last month, Robyn handed me the camera and sent me on a mission. Here are a couple of my favorites, even though I'm pretty clueless with a lens:
I'll post more pics when the wall is complete.
Robyn has begun working on the 3rd "wall" in our house. First, there was The Bride Wall. Every bride in the family, going back as many generations as possible, has a picture on our dining room wall from her wedding day. The legacy of our family. They are our past. For better or for worse.
There are 5 old old old photographs of our house on the living room staircase wall. I assume they are from the late 19th or early 20th century, as there are no dates on them. The legacy of the structure in which we live. Some of it isn't the greatest legacy to speak of, but it's still history. History doesn't have to be pretty.
And now, Robyn is working on The Price Hill Wall. There shall be a portrait of our family surrounded by images of the places in our community that we think fondly of. One of our family traditions is to hit up St. Lawrence Bakery on Saturday mornings, so a bakery pic will go up. Robyn walks to the post office with Toby, so a post office pic will make the wall. We enjoy walking to the grocery store, so a Kroger pic will be on display. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
Of course, the church is gorgeous, and the view of the facade was a contributing factor to us purchasing this house, so a church photo is required as well. One beautiful sunny day last month, Robyn handed me the camera and sent me on a mission. Here are a couple of my favorites, even though I'm pretty clueless with a lens:
I'll post more pics when the wall is complete.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Frozen Update
Have I mentioned how much I hate the fixed ceiling in my basement? To refresh your memory, it is a full inch thick and it is a combination of concrete and steel. It's ridiculous. Why anyone would put up such a substantial ceiling in an unfinished basement, I'll never understand.
When we first saw it, we thought it was plaster with wood lathe. We was wrong. Check it out:
This frozen pipe issue needed to be addressed. I mean, how long can a family go without being able to use the bathroom sink, ya know? Well, I don't have the tools to cut through the ceiling, but I have a hammer and my right arm:
That 8-foot section of ceiling took FOREVER to demolish. And now I have a very sore arm and a raw spot the size of a nickel on my palm. It's not good. There's a section of my palm that is still bleeding under the skin. I promise, I will whine about it. Cause it hurts like a mother. And I don't think it's going away anytime soon...
But I don't think the pipes are going to freeze anymore! I deem tonight to be a success, as I was able to bash the hell out of enough of the ceiling to expose it to the basement's heat (thanks to that lovely-but-terribly-inefficient boiler).
Once I stuck my head up there, I found the source of all the cold air. Raise your hand if you guessed that it had something to do with termites. (If you raised your hand, you are correct.)
Those dang bugs ate through the side of the house, exposing the area between the basement ceiling and tile floor to outside air. Since the ceiling is so thick and permanent, it insulates very well, which made it a great space for pipes to freeze in.
While on topic of the basement, I'll share a couple more fun photos. The basement really is an interesting place. A section of it (that I will not upload a photo of) resembles the Auschwitz gas chamber. And there are pipes everywhere. The infamous boiler:
It's on its last legs. The amount of crud in the tank and the lines is incredible. No wonder it has to run constantly... it's heating and circulating more rust and crap than steam. I open the valve, crap freely flows from the boiler, then I dump the bucket down the utility tub drain. Guess which side I dump it on?
When we first saw it, we thought it was plaster with wood lathe. We was wrong. Check it out:
This frozen pipe issue needed to be addressed. I mean, how long can a family go without being able to use the bathroom sink, ya know? Well, I don't have the tools to cut through the ceiling, but I have a hammer and my right arm:
That 8-foot section of ceiling took FOREVER to demolish. And now I have a very sore arm and a raw spot the size of a nickel on my palm. It's not good. There's a section of my palm that is still bleeding under the skin. I promise, I will whine about it. Cause it hurts like a mother. And I don't think it's going away anytime soon...But I don't think the pipes are going to freeze anymore! I deem tonight to be a success, as I was able to bash the hell out of enough of the ceiling to expose it to the basement's heat (thanks to that lovely-but-terribly-inefficient boiler).
Once I stuck my head up there, I found the source of all the cold air. Raise your hand if you guessed that it had something to do with termites. (If you raised your hand, you are correct.)
Those dang bugs ate through the side of the house, exposing the area between the basement ceiling and tile floor to outside air. Since the ceiling is so thick and permanent, it insulates very well, which made it a great space for pipes to freeze in. While on topic of the basement, I'll share a couple more fun photos. The basement really is an interesting place. A section of it (that I will not upload a photo of) resembles the Auschwitz gas chamber. And there are pipes everywhere. The infamous boiler:
It's on its last legs. The amount of crud in the tank and the lines is incredible. No wonder it has to run constantly... it's heating and circulating more rust and crap than steam. I open the valve, crap freely flows from the boiler, then I dump the bucket down the utility tub drain. Guess which side I dump it on?
Friday, November 09, 2007
Heat
Our old College Hill house had no insulation. There was exterior wood, then plaster, then living space. Also, none of the windows actually shut (completely). Also, we had an old Williamson furnace that was approximately 45% efficient. For a 1300 square foot house, it was costing us over $300 per month during the winter to keep the house at 58 degrees. Eventually, we replaced the windows and had an efficient furnace installed, which made the house A LOT more comfortable and much cheaper to heat.
I say this only to say... I know what it's like to live in a chilly house. But none of that felt quite as cold as the last couple days in Price Hill. The boiler is (currently) running fine, which is a blessing. Unfortunately, several radiator valves failed. We had a rushing river in the dining room and a geyser in our bedroom. And then we turned it all off. I can't imagine how cold the house would have been had the weather been colder.
There's nothing quite like getting out of the shower, wet and naked, in a 52-degree house. And I LOVE the cold, so imagine how great it was for my wife, who would prefer the house to be 80 degrees if financially possible. (I don't think The Tobe cared, as he has a 3 inch layer of blubber surrounding his entire body.)
Enter my friend Levon, a heating and air guru, who has saved the day what feels like thousands of times already. He installs valves like I eat BBQ - quickly and efficiently.
The house was nice and warm (71 degrees?) when we awoke this morning. Rock.
I say this only to say... I know what it's like to live in a chilly house. But none of that felt quite as cold as the last couple days in Price Hill. The boiler is (currently) running fine, which is a blessing. Unfortunately, several radiator valves failed. We had a rushing river in the dining room and a geyser in our bedroom. And then we turned it all off. I can't imagine how cold the house would have been had the weather been colder.
There's nothing quite like getting out of the shower, wet and naked, in a 52-degree house. And I LOVE the cold, so imagine how great it was for my wife, who would prefer the house to be 80 degrees if financially possible. (I don't think The Tobe cared, as he has a 3 inch layer of blubber surrounding his entire body.)
Enter my friend Levon, a heating and air guru, who has saved the day what feels like thousands of times already. He installs valves like I eat BBQ - quickly and efficiently.
The house was nice and warm (71 degrees?) when we awoke this morning. Rock.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Open House
If you want to see our house, feel free to stop by this Saturday, November 3rd, anytime between 10am-2pm. We'd love to see you, and we'd love for you to see our place. If you need directions, give me a call or fire off an email to scott at impactwest dot com.
(No gifts, please, unless you plan on bringing the international offering of hospitality: a pineapple.)
(No gifts, please, unless you plan on bringing the international offering of hospitality: a pineapple.)
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
On Extravagance, Responsibility, and Fiscal Emergencies
Back in May, I was told that I needed to get a passport because I'd be going to Europe on business before the end of the year. Well, the time has come...
Our Euro-employees dress professionally - we're used to business-casual here in the States - and I didn't think I had a week's worth of "good enough" threads. After looking in my closet, I decided that I needed a couple new pairs of slacks. I don't do a whole lot of wardrobe purchasing, and when I do, I typically buy clearance stuff, so I was shocked to see the high prices on the pants I wanted.
So I settled for a lesser-name brand that was on sale... It took me over an hour to finally figure out what I wanted... and when I got to the register, everything rang up full price, and the completely inept cashier wasn't interested in helping. I ended up buying nothing. It was such a draining time.
When I got home, I called their customer service because I wanted to bitch about it, and Robyn didn't need to be the recipient of such a one-sided conversation. I got a recorded message saying they were sorry about the long wait I was about to endure and that I should probably just call back later.
No problem, I can bitch via email... so I hit up the website, typed my diatribe, clicked send, and was told they were experiencing server problems, please try again later... Sheesh. I can't buy the pants that I need, AND they won't let me whine about it.
---------------------------------
I've written much in the past about wanting to be fiscally responsible. I feel really guilty about buying certain non-essentials, just knowing that there are so many people in this world who don't have enough. I'm a music guy, and I haven't had an iPod for the last year and a half, because I feel too guilty spending the money on something that is obviously a luxury. I'm sometimes embarassed to drive a 13-year-old Buick, but I'd feel too guilty buying something nicer when the trusty Pimp Boat gets me from A to B just fine.
I've been able to get separation from that guilt while rehabbing the house. We didn't need a new stove, but everything else in the kitchen was going to be new, so I convinced Robyn to buy a new stove. We didn't need new dishes, but the old blue plates just wouldn't have looked right in the new kitchen or dining room, so I convinced Robyn to buy a new set. Woot.com was selling Zune mp3 players for $100, and I've been wanting a player for sooooooooooo long, so I splurged and bought one.
But that tightwad feeling is coming back with a vengeance. It started last week, possibly prompted by much listening to Share The Well, a Caedmon's Call album. Then the Osteen discussion picked up over the weekend, reminding me of how much I despise that extravagant lifestyle. Then I found out my new furnace is going to be a LOT more expensive than I previously thought. Then, at Kenwood Mall during my lunch break, I asked myself if these elusive new pairs of pants were really needs.
Needless to say, I left Kenwood with only the pants I was already wearing, which, who am I kidding, the Euros will just have to deal with. I also decided that the dollar menu at McDonald's was too expensive, at least for today, when there is a loaf of bread in my office.
---------------------------------
It's been said that once values are compromised, it's hard to go back. The recovering alcoholic who suffers a relapse thinks "ah, what the heck, there goes my sobriety, I might as well mess up big". The couple saving sex for marriage does it one night and it surely won't be the last before the wedding. "Just this once..." can quickly become a habit.
I've become this way with money over the last couple months. "Let's just hit up a restaurant tonight, don't worry about making dinner", then the next night, etc. "I've been so patient without an iPod for the last year", beginning the justification process. "I deserve this..."
Osteen makes me sick to my stomach. Seeing a "shepherd" preaching a bogus gospel in a jam-packed $100 million arena literally makes me want to throw up, because I love the true gospel, and I don't want anyone to fall for his crap.
And yet, when I spend on things that aren't necessary, I feel like a mini-Osteen, worshipping these trinkets as if they gave life. No, I may not be verbally telling others that God wants them to have material wealth or expensive toys, but you get my point.
Plus, if I had saved a little more and spent a little less, I'd be a lot less concerned about where to get the cash to heat my house this winter.
Our Euro-employees dress professionally - we're used to business-casual here in the States - and I didn't think I had a week's worth of "good enough" threads. After looking in my closet, I decided that I needed a couple new pairs of slacks. I don't do a whole lot of wardrobe purchasing, and when I do, I typically buy clearance stuff, so I was shocked to see the high prices on the pants I wanted.
So I settled for a lesser-name brand that was on sale... It took me over an hour to finally figure out what I wanted... and when I got to the register, everything rang up full price, and the completely inept cashier wasn't interested in helping. I ended up buying nothing. It was such a draining time.
When I got home, I called their customer service because I wanted to bitch about it, and Robyn didn't need to be the recipient of such a one-sided conversation. I got a recorded message saying they were sorry about the long wait I was about to endure and that I should probably just call back later.
No problem, I can bitch via email... so I hit up the website, typed my diatribe, clicked send, and was told they were experiencing server problems, please try again later... Sheesh. I can't buy the pants that I need, AND they won't let me whine about it.
---------------------------------
I've written much in the past about wanting to be fiscally responsible. I feel really guilty about buying certain non-essentials, just knowing that there are so many people in this world who don't have enough. I'm a music guy, and I haven't had an iPod for the last year and a half, because I feel too guilty spending the money on something that is obviously a luxury. I'm sometimes embarassed to drive a 13-year-old Buick, but I'd feel too guilty buying something nicer when the trusty Pimp Boat gets me from A to B just fine.
I've been able to get separation from that guilt while rehabbing the house. We didn't need a new stove, but everything else in the kitchen was going to be new, so I convinced Robyn to buy a new stove. We didn't need new dishes, but the old blue plates just wouldn't have looked right in the new kitchen or dining room, so I convinced Robyn to buy a new set. Woot.com was selling Zune mp3 players for $100, and I've been wanting a player for sooooooooooo long, so I splurged and bought one.
But that tightwad feeling is coming back with a vengeance. It started last week, possibly prompted by much listening to Share The Well, a Caedmon's Call album. Then the Osteen discussion picked up over the weekend, reminding me of how much I despise that extravagant lifestyle. Then I found out my new furnace is going to be a LOT more expensive than I previously thought. Then, at Kenwood Mall during my lunch break, I asked myself if these elusive new pairs of pants were really needs.
Needless to say, I left Kenwood with only the pants I was already wearing, which, who am I kidding, the Euros will just have to deal with. I also decided that the dollar menu at McDonald's was too expensive, at least for today, when there is a loaf of bread in my office.
---------------------------------
It's been said that once values are compromised, it's hard to go back. The recovering alcoholic who suffers a relapse thinks "ah, what the heck, there goes my sobriety, I might as well mess up big". The couple saving sex for marriage does it one night and it surely won't be the last before the wedding. "Just this once..." can quickly become a habit.
I've become this way with money over the last couple months. "Let's just hit up a restaurant tonight, don't worry about making dinner", then the next night, etc. "I've been so patient without an iPod for the last year", beginning the justification process. "I deserve this..."
Osteen makes me sick to my stomach. Seeing a "shepherd" preaching a bogus gospel in a jam-packed $100 million arena literally makes me want to throw up, because I love the true gospel, and I don't want anyone to fall for his crap.
And yet, when I spend on things that aren't necessary, I feel like a mini-Osteen, worshipping these trinkets as if they gave life. No, I may not be verbally telling others that God wants them to have material wealth or expensive toys, but you get my point.
Plus, if I had saved a little more and spent a little less, I'd be a lot less concerned about where to get the cash to heat my house this winter.
When it Rains, it Pours...
I'm not having a good day. A favorite quote of my boss is "in every life, a little rain must fall". Well, this scattered shower feels an awful lot like a hurricane right now.
Our house has steam heat via radiators, powered by a boiler in the basement. We knew it was old and needed to be maintenanced. The home inspector said it was fine. Since buying the house and having the boiler drained and cleaned, we've noticed some leakage, so I called the home warranty folks to come tell us what needed to be fixed.
This morning, the tech stopped by, showed me where the leak was coming from, and said the boiler needed to be replaced. He said a new one will be between $6,000 and $10,000. Yeah. Thousands of dollars. We don't have thousands of dollars. We have tens of dollars. We probably have a couple hundreds of dollars. Thousands? Not so much.
It gets worse. The home warranty folks called me this afternoon to tell me that they've deemed it a pre-existing condition because the boiler could not have rusted through in the last 2 months. So no help from them.
What the hell good is a home warranty if they won't help you fix something that breaks down, especially if the home inspector says it was OK when the house was purchased? And while I'm thinking about that... what the hell good is a home inspector if they tell you the house is structurally sound with a fine boiler and they're wrong?
I should've bought a condo. This sucks.
Our house has steam heat via radiators, powered by a boiler in the basement. We knew it was old and needed to be maintenanced. The home inspector said it was fine. Since buying the house and having the boiler drained and cleaned, we've noticed some leakage, so I called the home warranty folks to come tell us what needed to be fixed.
This morning, the tech stopped by, showed me where the leak was coming from, and said the boiler needed to be replaced. He said a new one will be between $6,000 and $10,000. Yeah. Thousands of dollars. We don't have thousands of dollars. We have tens of dollars. We probably have a couple hundreds of dollars. Thousands? Not so much.
It gets worse. The home warranty folks called me this afternoon to tell me that they've deemed it a pre-existing condition because the boiler could not have rusted through in the last 2 months. So no help from them.
What the hell good is a home warranty if they won't help you fix something that breaks down, especially if the home inspector says it was OK when the house was purchased? And while I'm thinking about that... what the hell good is a home inspector if they tell you the house is structurally sound with a fine boiler and they're wrong?
I should've bought a condo. This sucks.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Storied Past
When we were in the process of buying the house, the previous owner mentioned that there is quite a bit of information about the house at the library. He mentioned being asked to have the house on a tour of Price Hill homes. (The people who asked must have assumed the interior was nice. It is now, but it wasn't 20 years ago, or even 2 months ago, for that matter.) Someday, I need to get over to the library and see if I can find what supposedly exists.
We have, however, learned about some of the home's history from some of my "distant" relatives (who used to live on the street), from the neighbors, and from property records.
The house pre-dates St. Lawrence Church. Since the church is only a stone's throw away (literally, not that I've tried), I was hoping there might be an old photo with my house in the background. No such luck, so far, but a local Catholic website sports this photo, which was likely taken from the parcel of land my house was built upon:
For at least 40 years, until the late 1970s, the house was owned by the bigwigs at a local foundry, which no longer exists. At some point, under their watch, the house was neglected. My grandmother's brother and sister-in-law raised their family halfway down the street. She remembers thinking, along with the other kids in the neighborhood, that the house was haunted because of the boarded-up windows.
Tragically, decades ago, a child who lived at the house was seriously poisoned by lead, which led to his mental retardation. A massive lead clean-up of the house occured to ensure that such a thing wouldn't happen again.
For 7 years, the house was vacant. Apparently, the house was "loaned" to a family member who had fallen on hard times. His hard times continued, and he let the house go to hell, and then it was abandoned. While vacant, theives broke in and stole a variety of things, including all the original solid-wood doors, hand-carved woodwork, and 2 Rookwood fireplaces.
A westside family-owned-and-operated office supply company (Markus Inc... my parents know the owners well) bought the house and used it as a sometimes-residence-sometimes-office-building in the 1980s. (This explains the phone-jack-in-every-room phenomenon. Seriously, there are 10 phone jacks in the house!) There was significant damage when they bought the house, and they cleaned up the mess and made many repairs. Of course, aesthetically, it was still an office building on the inside.
Unfortunately, the next owners decided (1) to keep the office building interior intact, and (2) not to keep up the termite contract. The house needed a lot of aesthetic work, and structural as well, as those bugs came back strong. As evidenced by my life over these past couple months, and also evidenced by photos such as this and this.
And then we bought it and fixed it up, and will continue to fix it up, and love it and squeeze it and kiss it and hug it and hold it forever like it's our very own.
So now we're all current, right? Right. If you read this entire post, you are a warrior. And you were rewarded with a Tiny Toons cameo, so that's good.
We have, however, learned about some of the home's history from some of my "distant" relatives (who used to live on the street), from the neighbors, and from property records.
The house pre-dates St. Lawrence Church. Since the church is only a stone's throw away (literally, not that I've tried), I was hoping there might be an old photo with my house in the background. No such luck, so far, but a local Catholic website sports this photo, which was likely taken from the parcel of land my house was built upon:
The house went up in 1890, 3 years before the 8th Street Viaduct was completed, and 4 years before the church building. The incline was getting people up the hill from the valley as early as 1874, but it was the public transportation trolley system in 1894 that made the neighborhood "take off".
When the house was built, it was the only structure on what is now our block, and probably the adjacent blocks as well. The family who built the house had plenty of land for themselves, as would be expected for a big house in what was then considered "a hilltop resort community". (My, how things have changed.) It was 20 years before the second house was built on Olive Avenue, a house built by the original owner of my house for a family member. All of the 19 houses currently on the street were built by 1926.
For at least 40 years, until the late 1970s, the house was owned by the bigwigs at a local foundry, which no longer exists. At some point, under their watch, the house was neglected. My grandmother's brother and sister-in-law raised their family halfway down the street. She remembers thinking, along with the other kids in the neighborhood, that the house was haunted because of the boarded-up windows.
Tragically, decades ago, a child who lived at the house was seriously poisoned by lead, which led to his mental retardation. A massive lead clean-up of the house occured to ensure that such a thing wouldn't happen again.
For 7 years, the house was vacant. Apparently, the house was "loaned" to a family member who had fallen on hard times. His hard times continued, and he let the house go to hell, and then it was abandoned. While vacant, theives broke in and stole a variety of things, including all the original solid-wood doors, hand-carved woodwork, and 2 Rookwood fireplaces.
A westside family-owned-and-operated office supply company (Markus Inc... my parents know the owners well) bought the house and used it as a sometimes-residence-sometimes-office-building in the 1980s. (This explains the phone-jack-in-every-room phenomenon. Seriously, there are 10 phone jacks in the house!) There was significant damage when they bought the house, and they cleaned up the mess and made many repairs. Of course, aesthetically, it was still an office building on the inside.
Unfortunately, the next owners decided (1) to keep the office building interior intact, and (2) not to keep up the termite contract. The house needed a lot of aesthetic work, and structural as well, as those bugs came back strong. As evidenced by my life over these past couple months, and also evidenced by photos such as this and this.
And then we bought it and fixed it up, and will continue to fix it up, and love it and squeeze it and kiss it and hug it and hold it forever like it's our very own.
So now we're all current, right? Right. If you read this entire post, you are a warrior. And you were rewarded with a Tiny Toons cameo, so that's good.
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