A week later

I’ve been at the Oregon house for a week now, and what have I accomplished? Quite a lot, actually, though most of it early on–the big push getting the LR-BR-stairs carpets out wore me out and I haven’t had that kind of energy since. But let me enumerate for myself, if no one else:

• All carpets are now out except in 1 upstairs bedroom. The carpet is newer in there, so I left it for last–may get it done before I head back to CA on Thursday, may not. I waffle. Except for bathroom carpet, all carpets and padding (now known to me as “dog pee sponges”)taken to the dump. Discovered floors from stairs up are fir, not oak; it’s pretty but nowhere near as hard. Both upstairs bedrooms at the ends under the windows are plywood, so I’ll have to decide how I want to finish those out. Could put in new carpet, but right now I’m feeling very anti-carpet, so we’ll see. Pictures here (living room) and here (stairs and upstairs all and bedroom).

• Carpet is even out of the bathroom, revealing an ugly situation underneath. However, I figure I can live with it until I move in permanently. I want to get the other floors done before I bring major furniture up, but in the bathroom that’s not an issue. So I’m thinking of painting the floor just to cover the ugly temporarily.

• Many padding staples and much carpet stripping has been removed–downstairs bedroom and both upstairs and downstairs hallways are entirely clear and ready for sanding. Upstairs bedroom about two-thirds done. It’s tedious work and hard on one’s knees.

• Leaking valve in upstairs bathroom replaced (I didn’t do this myself, but I funded it so it counts.) Outside pipe and faucet issues being taken care of even as I write. One benefit of having the plumber out is he discovered my very own water cutoff valve up by the house, so I won’t have to have the city turn it off and on all the time as I go back and forth.

• Lawn has been mowed, and the weeds in front (mostly) round-upped and dying satisfactorily. Needs mowing again, though.

• Fence guy fixed bent strut so garage door now operates. However–it can’t be closed entirely because of hump in the concrete in front of the garage. This will require contemplation before working on a remedy–there are drainage issues involved.

• Trees have been trimmed in back–low hanging branches removed to let more light on other things.

• Brush and ivy killer has been purchased but not yet applied.

• Pressure washer has been purchased but not yet fully tested. I bought a 1600 psi electric washer thinking I didn’t want too powerful a one so I couldn’t do too much damage, but now I’m thinking that may have been a mistake. But it’s done now, I’ll make the best of it. It does work–but cleans a swath all of about a half-inch wide. Will try it with detergent in it (simple green) first before deciding it is a bust.

• Got my hair cut. Does that count? Sure, why not–it needed doing before this weekend.

• Final gate has been started. Frankly, I won’t be surprised if I end up finishing this myself, but we’ll see.

What still needs doing?

• Lawn needs to be mowed. Again. Hopefully fence guy will do this for me.

• Much poison needs to be applied–on lawn weeds in back, on ivy all around, on blackberries in back (mostly), on the myrtle wood that’s growing by the house. It was cut down in January, but is valiantly returning to life–this must be discouraged.

• Deck needs cleaning and sealing. this will be a huge project, but is a top priority for when I return.

• Gotta go see what’s up in the attic. There’s a space under the eaves where birds are going in and out–I suspect a nest.

• Saw termites flying a couple of days ago (gulp). Exterminator coming for an estimate on Wednesday.

• Still lots to do to get ready to refinish floors–remove last carpet, remove all staples and carpet strips.

• Try to connect with floor guy to get his advice and an estimate on having him apply the final finish–I’m scared to tackle that part. But we’ll see how much he’ll charge to do it. There’s a lot of floor to be done.

• Buy floor paint for bathroom, and maybe get it done just before I leave. We’ll see.

• Figure out what to do about worst pee areas. Will try some smell reduction stuff first, but I have the feeling the thing to do is cut them out and replace them somehow.

• Trim shrubs (buy hedge trimmer in CA, need to get to a Home Depot or Sears for this.)

• Clear out flower beds in back of the stuff I know I don’t want.

• De-moss the back concrete areas (chemicals and pressure washer for this)

• Clean sunroom windows.

• Clean siding (fence guy got started on this, but I need to buy a brush with a very long handle to finish).

• Get furnace people out to figure what’s up with the furnace itself, and with the ducting to all the rooms.

• Pull up deck boards outside the sunroom to see if I can figure out what’s up with it and how to fix the drainage issue there.

Both lists look pretty long to me. I’m not sure whether to feel more proud of what I’ve gotten done in a week, or more scared of what still needs to be done.

Plumber is almost finished with outside work, so time to wrap this up and get started on some of my to-do list.

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