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Let the Home Improvement Projects Begin

There were so many other blog titles that went through my mind today while tearing out carpet, such as “Carpet is Disgusting”, “I Know Where All the Dead Skin Cells Go”, “What the Hell Were These People Doing on Their Carpet?  Sacrificing Animals?”  We have been tearing out carpet for two days, and it is gross.  We are going to install 3,000 square feet of “luxury vinyl flooring” that looks like gray weathered planks.  It is waterproof and nearly indestructible.  No more dead skin cells filtering into the carpet pad.  I see a Roomba in my future.

The debris pile is growing

Vinyl flooring acclimating before installation

Toilet replacement was one of the first projects on the list.  Shawn was not going to use another man’s throne, especially one with a wooden (ick) toilet seat.

Dethroned

This house has about a million doors, and half of them don’t shut or lock properly.  Shawn replaced the doorknob on the garage door so it would close by itself instead of banging into the door jamb.  Today we noticed that our bedroom door to the deck was not locked.  The deadbolt was a half inch below the hole in the door frame.  Of course we’ve been told that no one locks their doors in Idaho.  I have not shed all my California paranoia yet, so Shawn fixed the door.  I noticed the lattice on the French doors was loose, so I removed it and greatly improved my view.



We got Internet today.  Mike from Red Spectrum Communications installed a big ass antenna below the deck.  A tree or two may need severe pruning or removal to improve our download speeds, but we have lots of trees and can spare one or two.  Mike shared some interesting Idaho facts with Shawn.  For example, if the previous home owner leaves stuff and then later decides he wants it back, you have to give it to him or pay him for it.  WTH?  Within the boundaries of the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation, a tribe member can shoot something on your land and then come to your door and ask you if they can remove the kill.  As I saw numerous white tail deer meandering across the front yard today, this may be a problem (or a way to make new friends).

More random stuff from the previous owner


Tomorrow is our last full day at the house.  Hopefully we will get about 1,000 square feet of flooring laid.  We haven’t unpacked much because we want to get the flooring in first, so we have been living like college students with camp chairs in the living room and eating sandwiches and Cheezits off paper plates.  Soon our house will be a home.

My new work attire: gloves, back brace and knee pads 

Sunset from the deck 


View from the deck today - the snow is almost gone after the rain last night



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