Raising Seedlings in the Cold

 Some photos of the more recent work at the NE corner of the house.  This shows the new rear door, and the new electrical gear installed on the reconstructed rear porch area.  A closer view once I have turned on the lights (plugged in the drop cord to the neighbors back deck.  The neighbors have been great while I have dealt with the somewhat forgetful electrical inspector who has forgotten to call in the turn on order to the utility twice now. Demolition.  This is much cleaner looking than the actual demolition, which involves lots of dust.  I generally hate dust masks, but the use of them is absolutely essential to this work. Some mopre demolition in the background with new construction in the foreground.  White pine is new construction, either around the new rear door, or as a crib wall to support the previously failed exterior wall which had suffered extensive termite damage.  Also note a couple old radiators that have been removed to the rear door for resale or scrapping.

                                        So where to start this odyssey of home remodelling; I suppose I'll start this story where every story begins, the beginning.      By now anyone who has happened upon this blog has seen several interesting cooking and home-maker posts by my wife, and the occasional dryly written technical account of something I have recently built or grown.  As we have been quite busy the last year our posts have been few and far between, with the last one in April after we had begun the process of buying our next house.  Now, when I say process, I mean PROCESS of buying a HUD repo house.  Actually this was fairly straightforward from our end as the buyers, but it did take quite a while.  As a point of fact it took about two months from writing an offer to the closing, even though our offer was accepted by day two, and our financing was cash (home equity line from our current house) which would mean any other seller would close in a matter of days

Josh and I are so excited! We have just purchased a 3000 square-foot home for $27,000! It is for sure a fixer-upper, But I have never seen a home with more potential. It is just what we need right now as our family seems to be outgrowing our current home. In addition, This home will be a great investment opportunity. If we renovate carefully we should double our total investment. While all of this is exciting, Leaving our current home in 6-8 months will be heart wrenching. Josh and I spent our first dates here, We were engaged here, It is where he carried me across the threshold after we were married, And it is where we brought each of our baby boys home after they were born. In such a short time these walls have become dripping with memory. Letting this house go, even if just for a rental, will be difficult. As a child we moved fairly often, and I was always taught that our house is an investment and home is family. I still believe this but I am never felt such an emotional attachm