A roof and other updates.

We have a new roof.  There was a slight setback due to an angry neighbor who didn't like the noise and a little problem of no building permit, but everything got straightened out and we don't have to worry about leaks anymore.  The crew pulled off old, clogged gutters and replaced squirrel-chewed soffit boards as well, so we are very slowly fixing everything on the outside.

Before hell descended on Hampton Roads, I pulled out the oh so lovely ground cover in the front flower bed.  I guess when originally planted it looked ok, but it was getting out of control and resembled a mass of weeds to me.  You know those Home Depot or Lowe's commercials that play in the spring with happy people bounding around their yards while a voice-over says "Let's get to doing!" or "Take back your lawn!"?  I did not experience that jubilance while ripping out a million leafy stalks.  And that was just the tip of the iceberg with what needs to be done to this yard.

Before

After

You can get a glance of our new roof in these pictures too.  We will be putting white vinyl trim around the edges (where you see the unpainted areas) later this summer or fall.  Won't that be an interesting color combination until we paint the outside of the house later this fall?

In the midst of the roof, gardening, and general life I have been painting doors.  We replaced every interior door in the house and after Dad trimmed them to fit the door frames, I painted them.

We went from brown and ugly to clean and white.  And let me tell you, there is a reason Home Depot never has commercials with happy couples replacing doors.

Before.  Notice the brown and ugly.

After.  This picture isn't great, but dark wood doors no longer pop out at you.

I also painted the inside of the French doors in the den. 

When it is no longer eleventy million degrees outside I will work on painting the exterior.

So, what's next for the short term?

1.)  Paint exterior of den doors.
2.)  Paint both sides of French doors in the dining room.
3.)  Clear out the garage and move things around to prep for expanding the laundry room/pantry.
4.)  Build the pantry!  Yay!!!  I cannot wait to have more storage.

This probably isn't the best idea due to the recent storms, but I will be calling a tree care company this week to get an estimate for cutting down our gum trees and trimming limbs in any other trees they think is needed.  I have literally almost fallen and/or rolled an ankle every day on the gumballs.  I loathe them, so the trees are coming down.  I do feel a bit guilty about cutting down mature healthy trees that were probably on our property before the house was, but we will plant new trees in their place.  Preferably ones that will not kill me.  Oh, and not drop big limbs that dent my car during summer storms.  Google tells me that gum trees are notorious limb droppers.  Who knew?

In the meantime, Finn and I are hitting up farm stands, playing in the water at the splash pad at Norfolk Botanical Gardens, and trying to find indoor activities in this heat.  Finn went on his first boat ride of the summer last weekend.  He had a blast going fast, eating snacks, and checking out the ladies.  He got a lot of smiles and waves.

Yes, that is a toothbrush in front of him.  He leaves the house with the most random things these days.