Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Dream big, baby.

Greg and I have a running joke. He asks me what I'd do if I won the lottery and I always reply, "I'd put insulation in the attic." And I really would. We have some loose insulation in the attic that doesn't do much to keep the heat out of the house in the summer. If I won the lottery I'd apply to be on This Old House, fan-girl over Tommy, have them fix everything in the house, and then live there forever. I'd finally buy that black daphne too.


Greg and I are taking a bit of a step and he is investing in the house. He's going to pay for some big stuff, like installing insulation and updating the electrical.

I contacted Clean Energy Works a while back to an energy audit on the house and draw up a bid for making our house more energy efficient. The proposal includes insulation in the attic, floors, and walls, as well as gap sealing. We're going to be working with Neil Kelly. It's one of those things where we need the electrical upgraded before we go blowing in insulation in the attic, so I've found an electrician to do the work. The harder thing has been finding time where he can get it done. I took off to California this weekend for my niece's birthday and Greg texted me that the electrician was mapping out the electrical in the house and "it makes no sense."

Tell me something that I don't know.

So yeah, we're having him pull all of the old original Romex (the cloth covered wire that disintegrates every time you touch it) with new Romex and wiring everything in a way that makes sense. He's also going to do fun things like put the microwave on its own fuse so the lights don't dim when you run it.

All of this is to say that I've been so busy trying to coordinate with a busy electrician and keep the house supplied with cool beverages and Romex that I neglected to take photos of the Casa Blanca lilies that came and went. They smelled nice.


I did have the wherewithal to create a drinking/bathing station for pollinators. (Do I want to know why there's a rock pie in the veggie beds? Greg asked. No, you probably don't.)


So yeah, July was here. I put some rocks in a pie pan. Have you accomplished anything bigger?

24 comments:

  1. I hope that the electrical goes well. We still have so much old Romex in our basement. I hope to get Vince over soon...

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  2. No way, he's mine! Ha! It's hard to drag him over to work, knowing he's got a wife and that adorable kid he could be hanging out with . . .

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  3. I still dream of being on This Old House and The Victory Garden...those shows pretty much were they highlight of my Saturday TV viewing...well, that and the Golden Girls ;-)

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  4. Should I send this to Norm as a gift idea? http://www.etsy.com/listing/108583630/golden-girls-house-scale-model-6151?ref=af_circ_favitem&atr_uid=15516745

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  5. SQUEEEEEAAAAALLLLL!!!!!

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  6. Yeay - insulation! That's EXACTLY what I would do if I found myself with some moolah! What a nice warm winter you guys are going to have. Nice!

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  7. Meryl Rose PhillipsJuly 31, 2013 at 5:58 PM

    I'm sure Chris will be very excited to hear about the electrical update :)

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  8. I hope he's also excited to hear that it took the electrician 4 hours to map everything, since it's so fucked up. It didn't just confuse Chris!

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  9. It will be strange to not have the breeze floating up through the floorboards of the dining room, but I suppose we'll soldier on somehow! ;)

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  10. Haha - we might come over and visit once we wear out our fleece socks next winter!

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  11. We'll have to meet sometime. Yes, he has the nicest family and is such a cool guy :)

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  12. Why can't the home repair guys come when there is nothing going on? Why do they pick these busy summer months! Our porch is finally in the midst of being remodeled, which means he came and tore out everything, then went off to do another job so we have been living with a torn up porch right smack in the middle of the nicest summer weather all season. Where to sit? Where to have my coffee on a nice morning? Sheesh.


    I like your rocks in a pie plate. Is there a recipe?

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  13. Oh no! I can't believe you're without your porch for the summer. And you have such a good porch, too. I'm not sure you want my recipe for rock pie, all the pollinators still seem to prefer the bird bath, still. Maybe I need to add feathers?

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  14. I do need to have you over, regardless!

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  15. Jenni @ RainyDayGardenerAugust 1, 2013 at 11:05 AM

    You know what I appreciate about you so much? You love your house. So many people just do not 'get' that in order for a house to be a home, it must be loved, and cared for instead of getting overwhelmed and moving to a newer built home. Well done Heather (and Greg!) And, yah, I don't think I blogged in July at all, such a busy month!

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  16. Thanks! I always scratch my head watching House Hunters or shows of that ilk, where they complain about paint colors. It's so easy to change!

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  17. Our best friend was an electrician.Now he's retired and moved to Napa and we may never again launch into a project requiring electrical. No projects in July, just soaking up the best summer ever.

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  18. Oh, that's a good friend to have. Maybe better than a plumber.

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  19. This is true! And I should have you over to our house. Heading outside with color samples right now. Would love your input!

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  20. Tommy came to the local "home show" at the fairgrounds and I went just to attend his talk. I'm a Tommy fangirl too. He can do anything! I was too flustered though to think of a question. It was a small crowd, I really missed an opportunity. Sigh.

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  21. That's so cool you got to see him!

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  22. Tom is my BF (I wish). I will go into deep depression when he retires im sure. I don't think there is anything that that guy doesn't know.

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  23. I think he has sons that work with him. Maybe we'll get a new generation Tommys? But I hope that never happens. He's a treasure!

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