I promised a description of the kitchen and laundry floor damage. Dan identified several spots that need joist repairs, but we also need a plumber to assess the kitchen and bathrooms before we can go further on those projects. I'll save that for one post once we get a plumber.
For the next week or so, it will be all about finishing the bathroom demolition, continuing with the wallpaper removal (it's boring, which is why we are dabbling in other projects), and washing out the kitchen cabinets (the weather is warm and dry right now).
The stench faded from most of the house and seems localized by the front door... i hope that it is, in fact, NOT a man slathered in bear fat, wrapped in old raccoon fur trapped in the crawl space.
So let me tell you a little about the people here. We have great neighbors both at the house and the apartment.
Delores lives in the house to the right of ours. She lived there when Dan bought the house over 20 years ago and were happy to see him back. And i think it was more than just because his return meant no more renters for a while. She is very elegant. She recently retired; her sweetheart still works landscaping/garden care (handy, eh?) Delores has been very generous in helping us settle in. She brought a scented candle on the first day to help with the stench (i feel like that should be capitalized now). She's been able to refer us to services, like HVAC work and exterminators, and brought me some of my favorite pastries when she went up to Odessa!
Delores rents a small mother-in-law apartment to Betty and Nate. Nate is very affable and collects the kazillion pecans that fall from our trees. Sunday, he grilled... oh my, and it smelled so good! It reminded me of Belize on a Saturday. He called us over and gave us half a slab of ribs. The man makes some mighty fine ribs, i'm telling you. We only met Betty today and from afar and we were grungy, so we just waved.
The family directly across the street from us is Betty's sister, Edna, Edna's daughter Marian, Marian's two boys and two girls. We've only met Marian, and she is warm and cheerful.
Next door to them are Katie, Ed, their six children, and Katie's mom. The kitchen window in the apartment overlooks their back yard. We've only met once, but really enjoyed the chat. The kids are all very nice, and Katie thinks their daughter is interested in helping with some projects so that she can learn. Ed is also a plumber. Handy, eh?
The house to our left had renters until recently. Hooligans. The owner tidied the mess and put the house on the market. Looking forward to welcoming new neighbors.
We share a stoop with the apartment next to ours. Alfonzo often sits on a chair outside his front door to smoke and enjoy a beer. He is also a wonderful cook and has treated us to potatoes in spicy tomato sauce, chicken in gravy, chili colorado, and tortillas -- all home made. He lives with Virginia and takes care of her since she is ill. She is wonderfully sweet and charming. Unfortunately, today i learned she has been in the hospital since Saturday - i sent lemon cakes with Alfonzo to the hospital for her.
Upstairs are Tony, his wife, and their two boys (3 and 5 maybe?) Tony's here going to school at Goodfellow AFB and will soon transfer to a new assignment. His wife takes him to work in the morning, drops the older boy at (pre)kindergarten, and brings the younger back home. They are active boys who run and jump and giggle and laugh and play games with their parents. Neighbors at the other end of the building aren't so lucky... i often hear yelling and wailing from an apartment down there when i walk Haley (our little old bitch).
Now, across the alley from our front door is the back fence line of neighbor's house. They have several dogs--two Pomeranian types, one beagle-looking pup, and a larger mutt. They are outside 18 hours a day and bark at everything within five yards of the fence. It's like a doorbell. We always know when the other has returned from shopping, the house, walking Haley because our arrival is announced.
I think i'll be able to show you a little bathroom/kitchen progress next time.
No comments:
Post a Comment