Widening the driveway

Though we regularly parked two cars side-by-side in the driveway, they didn't necessarily fit...  One car would inevitably wind up on a patch of dirt next to the asphalt.

Well, we were so impressed by Antonio's work on the planters (check them out here)  that we hired him to help us with this project.

My boss was getting rid of some cobblestones on his property, so I spent a day digging them out of his yard and loading them into his truck for delivery at the ranch.  Labor-intensive, but free!

Best cobblestones are free cobblestones!

Ready for placement

From there, Antonio and I spaced them from the back entryway to the street and he began to set them in concrete.

 

Last step - Antonio poured concrete with aggregate to match the original sidewalk.

Independently drying

Finished sidewalk / driveway extension!

Has it really been a year...?

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!  There, I said it.

I can't believe an entire year has gone by - especially when there are so many updates to share with you!  One of the most exciting projects of the past twelve months is the complete overhaul of the front landscape.  This project has consisted of everything imaginable - demolition, construction, research and planning, planting, and maintenance - phew.  Here's a step-by-step look at the landscape makeover:

1.  If you remember, the 51 year old bushes had started to get a bit out of control...  Our pathway, windows, and general facade were being overtaken by yew bushes.

2.  One of the first things we had to do was rip out all of the existing bushes.  This can be a big job, especially with such well-established roots.  I would like to say that I labored for weeks to remove everything, but a tree company actually took care of it one day while I was at work.  One of the best comments from a neighbor: "Hey, did you know you had brick behind those?!"

Bushes removed!

3.  Once the bushes were removed, the foundations could be established for the planters we had designed last summer.

Planter foundations

4.  Once the dimensions were finalized and the foundations poured, our mason Antonio got to work creating the planters.  We wanted the look of 'dry-stacked' stones:

Dry-stack stone planters in progress

Antonio at work on the dry-stack planters

Dry-stack planters finished!

5.  We took a break for winter...

6.  Spring seemed to arrive early this year, and it was time to start re-grading the lawn and establishing the future plant beds - all with the help of our trusted landscape plan!

Establishing garden beds

Landscape plan

7.  Once the beds were established, graded, and weeded, I started defining the borders of the beds with aluminum edging.  This edging was incredibly easy to work with, and helped to truly define planting areas vs. grassy areas:

Aluminum landscape edging

8.  Once the beds were fully defined, I was able to put down weed-stop sheeting.  Again, an easy product to work with.  Whether it lasts the season has yet to be seen...  but I haven't had to weed yet in the past two months!

9.  While working on the edging and weed block, I also started choosing plants at the local nursery.  It was a great way to keep me motivated through all of the grunt labor...

10.  With the help of a friend and a neighbor, the plants started making their way into their new homes...

11.  I am happy to note that after two months, the garden is beginning to thrive...:

12. ...And the annuals have been added!

Stay tuned, as more plants will be added throughout the season!

Imagining hardscaping

We've been trying to figure out what to do with our front entrance.  You can see one option below, which consists of bricks that match the house's facade, and either a bluestone or precast concrete cap.  Planters to have integrated step lighting tied in with the new lampost.  Thoughts?

We like it, but we don't like the associated price tag!  Anybody know how to lay brick...?

Signs of Summer

The Fence has Arrived!

Check it out :-)

Oh, THAT fence? Yeah, the rotten one is ours.

Exciting news - we get our new, beautiful fence this week!  Photos to follow once it is up.

To prepare for the new addition, we had to rip out the existing fence.  With the help of our friend, Charlie, we were able to have it ripped out and cut up in no time.  Note to current and future homeowners - never pay anyone to destroy a fence!  It's too much fun. 

I find it funny how many things I've let slide as a homeowner - things that don't take a lot of time, necessarily, but take a lot of planning and commitment.  For instance, this fence has been rotten and falling over since we moved in.  Yet I didn't realize what an eye sore it had become until taking a photo of it and viewing it 'as someone else'.

Rest assured the new fence will be nicer, taller, and upright. :-)

Updated Entrance

New lights, house numbers, and mailbox are up! All that's left is to paint the front door once the weather gets nicer.

Executive Decision Needed

So folks, with my tax return being so close I can nearly taste it, I'm trying to get some outstanding items checked off of my list.

First order of business - the living room furniture. I love this furniture, but not necessarily the upholstery. In the picture below, you'll see five fabric swatches. Any preferences?!

Thanks!

Howls for Owls

Feast your eyes on the latest addition here at the ranch (compliments of JS)!

Now we can really try out all of those homemade remedies and recipes that were sprinkled around the home when we moved in. Does anybody have a stained shirt? Or need to boil water?

PRE-spring cleaning

Behind every good spring cleaning is the additional shelving to stash more sh*t, right? In our case, we just needed shelving that wasn't held up by strings (I'm guessing whoever built the 'deck' also built the basement shelving...)

Luckily for us, my brother offered to come up on a Saturday and help build NEW shelving in the basement. While we were at it, we also but in a small work bench in the garage - pictures below. I can't wait for it to get warm enough that I can paint out the garage and work bench!

What January?

Did you happen to see it?

Between 75-hour work weeks and multiple business trips, I lost the first month of 2012. BUT, hopefully you enjoyed it for me!

Blogger's being strange right now and not allowing me to upload photos, so you can't see all of the amazing progress we've been making - we have to show you the new boiler, the new hot water heater, the new windows, the new furniture, etc!

The good news is the suspense will make it all worth it. Hell, maybe the pictures will even be up before March. :-)

Glimpses of Christmas at the Ranch...

...it's sort of like the HGTV special 'Christmas at the White House.'

Only smaller. And better. :-)



It's been a great year at the ranch - from new paint, to a new boiler, and from great new furniture down to awesome and unique accessories. But soon we will all be opening presents and welcoming 2012 without looking back. Although the holidays can be stressful, they offer us the time and ability for reflection: upon ourselves, our accomplishments, our goals, and our many relationships.

We share these small glimpses of our holiday home in hopes that they provide a small break from your hectic week while conjuring great memories of Holidays past. May we look toward 2012 with hope, and may we all see each other more often in the months ahead! Now that we have heat and hot water at the ranch, we can even host. :-)







And it looks as though the new decorations have even pleased the neighbors:



PS - For all of you haters (Tom): I apparently already failed at Rebirth Mondays. Rest assured it's only because I had to make sure the tree was perfect.

Holiday Punk'd

Imagine my surprise when I return home after a 2-day business trip to THIS. A catastrophe beyond words - the trashiest Christmas this home has ever seen.

Apparently, the Michaels thought it would be funny to 'decorate' for Christmas while I was away. Tired from the flight, and starving for dinner, I did not find it as funny. I spent my first hour home taking down the blue tinsel trees, blow up snowmen, and cheetah-printed stockings. The white tinsel wreath and mismatched lights also had to go - did I act too hastily?

A much *classier* Christmas ranch to follow this week, stay tuned!

Rebirth Mondays begin!

You're in luck! On this very special, inaugural Rebirth Monday, there is so much to share - from a new boiler to new furniture, and from new lights to improved water quality, sh*t's getting done. :-)

The first bit of great news: After multiple months of angry phone calls / fighting / yelling / with National Grid, we have a whole new heating system *just* in time for winter! We have made the switch from oil heat to natural gas, we have installed a new hot water heater, and we have installed a new boiler! After two cold months, we can officially turn the heat on again.

And judging by the looks of the original 49-year old boiler, this conversion could not have happened any sooner:



Photos of the new system to follow in the next few days.

We also finished cleaning up our latest Craigslist steal, and this means the living room is almost complete! Check out our new sideboard, direct from 1962.



Also, thanks to your input (both on and off the blog), the new outdoor lights have been chosen, installed, and are letting the new paint and windows shine even more. Thanks to everyone for your input, and a special thanks to Matt C. for bailing on the install.



The lights went up on the front door, the garage door, and the back door (below).



Last but not least, our fight with the Water Department over the quality of our water seems to be nearing its end. We have been suffering from high percentages of iron in our water for months, and have only recently discovered that our friend is Chairman of the Water Board. :-) He arranged for some intense water main flushing, and the department has been very responsive ever since. They will be out again to test samples this week.



Consumed by my impatience, however, I also had an entire house filter installed at the home's water main this week. :-) Pictures to be included with the boiler photos later this week.

As Thanksgiving fades away, we have much to be thankful for moving toward the December holidays and the New Year. Now that we have heat, clean water, and lights, we can have you all over for dinner. Stay tuned throughout the week for more updates!

Announcement: Rebirth Mondays start 11.28.2011

With the passing of another Thanksgiving, I have discovered one more thing to be thankful for: outspoken friends and family.

It has come to my attention that I am a complete slacker - a blog fraud, if you will. You're complaining about infrequent updates, unmentioned projects, empty promises of future posts, and the lingering photos from Hurricane Irene (Jen).

Well I'm announcing right here, right now, that this week marks the start of something big: Rebirth Mondays.



I am pledging to post something new every Monday of every month, just for all of you happy readers. It may be at 1am, it may be at 9pm, but it will happen. The first time I miss a Monday, I will buy drinks for the first five people who hate-text (hext?) me.

Happy reading!

Executive Decision Needed

Which exterior lights should we go with? Each one has its unique charm and would be a great addition to the ranch.



Thoughts?

Before and After

So I spent - potentially - the last sunny, warm day of 2011 painting window trim. :-/ On the bright side, the trim looks great and really makes the new windows pop!

Find a good before / after photo below, showcasing the new exterior paint, the fresh trim paint, and the brand new windows!

Autumn reportings

Well folks, yet again I've let too much time go by. But rest assured, there has been progress! We have installed a natural gas line, we are awaiting a new boiler, we have gotten all new windows, we have found great new furniture... And so much more!

I will be updating the blog with some pictures this weekend - stay tuned :-)

Irene

Long story short; we were not prepared for Irene. Find our "hurricane-readiness" kit below:

Little did we know, the wind and rain would be rough...

...sailboats would wash ashore...

...we would lose power for four days...

...and have to empty our refrigerator of everything delicious. Lessons learned: 1. Don't mess with Mother Nature, she's a b*tch. And 2: That we're incredibly fortunate for good friends, beer, bananas, and that we did not suffer from any real damage.