Renovation

Sparkler Ruthie wants to come to Montana and help out with home renovations.

Thank you, Lori!

I would definitely put her to work. Can she paint?!

I keep inviting people to painting parties but so far I am the only attendee.

I am frozen by indecision about the window trim. Also, I am frozen when I paint since I need to ventilate the room and it is rather cold here in western Montana.

But back to the window trim — what do I do?! Paint it? That seems so permanent. And it feels sad to paint wood.

But the wood is not in the best shape (there are other windows in similar indecisive states) and if I paint it, all the trim can match. And how many colors does a room need?

When I am not sure about things, including whether to paint window trim, I do nothing except think obsessively about it — and ask for opinions. Consider yourself asked. Paint or no paint? Submit your vote in a comment below or via email: sontag.ma@gmail.com.

This week was pretty action-packed. I got the small bedroom on the main floor painted and ready for Carpet Dudes — note the same indecisive trim problem in this room.

The room is now carpeted — and storing the carpet that will go in the primary bedroom tomorrow (but what about the trim?!).

The loft and stairs also got new carpet but there was a minor glitch — I did not have enough white paint and it was Sunday and I was on a schedule that did not include a trip into town. UGH!! Rookie error.

I had enough paint to “cut in” all the edges before the carpet went down, and so I did that — you can tell if you look at the landing. That will at least make it easier (and safer) to paint with the carpet already laid.

The week would not be complete without a visit or two to the dump, and so Trusty Rusty was loaded up.

I pulled up all that carpet from the stairs/loft and hauled it to Trusty Rusty as I watched/listened to the Super Bowl. Thank goodness the game went into overtime because it took a long time to do all that.

And then my new friend and I made not one — but two trips to the dump.

Note: No spiders or humans were injured.

I absolutely, positively did not climb up there to disassemble the fan — that would be Casey, the guy who is doing all the skilled work around here.

New fan and lighting is on the agenda

I just fretted from below and reminded him to aim for the bed if he fell. Yes, I am still sleeping in the living room. The girls think this is all pretty crazy — and I tend to agree.

Three generations — Capella in the front, grandma Sparkle in the middle, and her mom, Claire, in the back ⭐️❤️

But the living room will soon be back to it’s primary functions — gym and dog training space — because the third coat of paint will go on in the bedroom today. Check out how great the new bedroom door looks!

LOVE the built-in shades

Carpet Dudes will be back tomorrow to lay the carpet in the bedroom and that is the last of them (although they are awesome and great and so I will be sad to see them go).

I will also finish painting the primary bathroom today and then Casey should be able to finish it up this week or next.

LOVE the new flooring

Yes, this is all exhausting!

Capella, Pozy, and Harper on her layered bed

But it is also strangely fun. Who knew 🤷🏼‍♀️

I hope your weekend is full of happy accomplishments!

Love

“There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.”

― Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey

Thank you, Kay & Sue!

Transformative (and exhausting)

The animals are enjoying the new show.

Pozy and Rosebud

I am not sure what to call it but it is a home remodeling kind of show — with a lot of kicking trash to the curb.

All I need is a goat at the top — and maybe some chickens.

Yes, indeed. With the house firmly and solely in my name, I am getting things done. The truck (aka Trusty Rusty) was loaded up with what used to be in two of the bathrooms.

I have a Remodel Dude — I waited over a year for him to be available. We are steadily making progress. I paint and make dump runs and he does the real work. Like putting in this brand new shower in the brand new bathroom.

This week was Door Week because we had a break in the weather. That matters because of this kind of thing when replacing doors in the middle of a Montana winter.

My other remodeling responsibility is making sure no dogs or cats are making a break for it!

Sparkle is very helpful, of course, and made sure we stay safe with our new locks.

Years ago — at Kay and Sue’s home — I saw built-in blinds and so that is why my new doors have those.

SO COOL!!!!!

This is the new door in the walkout basement.

Door painting is on my list but it has to wait because other painting has been more critical. I have already painted the entire walk-out basement — the timing of that was based on when the new flooring went in down there. So much easier to paint before new flooring!

Last weekend I painted the stairwell to the basement — after I pulled up the carpeting on the stairs.

Because Carpet Dudes have started laying the new carpet.

Rosebud has also been very helpful.

The new screens arrived and were installed this week.

And then it snowed and snowed and snowed.

Which was mostly fine as I still have so much painting to do and did not need to go anywhere anyway.

I took a break this morning for tracking and YAY! Capella passed her certification track and is now ready to enter an official tracking test! All of our training paid off — she did great 🏆

And now I need to get back to work — the sooner I finish painting the main floor bedrooms, the sooner the new carpet can be laid and then I can move back to my bedroom and stop sleeping in the living room.

Yes, it is a wild life around here these days.

Have a wonderful weekend!