Come in - don't just stand there - I have to close the door immediately !
This week someone asked me if the raccoon problem had been solved.............
Suzan says - Raccoon problem?
Neighbor says - Well there was a huge problem with them in your house a couple of years ago - they were crawling along the roof and coming in and out of the attic.
I screamed.
I literally let out a blood curdling scream...............and terrified the neighbor.
It would appear we're living in Grey Freaking Gardens ! ( if you don't know what I'm talking about google GREY GARDENS - my all time favorite documentary )
THIS INFORMATION WAS NOT DISCLOSED TO ME !!!!!!!!!!!!
AND BY LAW IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN !
Beware of kind little grey haired old ladies who are selling their homes...................seriously - beware!
The stuff ( hidden ) that we've unearthed since moving into this place is beyond a nightmare..................
Between rodents ( all eliminated ) and faulty fire hazardous electrical wiring ( since updated ) and plumbing
( updated ) and floods in the dining room ..............and...................and.
It hasn't stopped.
Not a month goes by that a new horrible surprise doesn't make itself known.
Do you remember the movie THE MONEY PIT? ( my all time favorite comedy )
Do you remember this scene?
When the raccoon jumps out at Shelly Long?
That's now my newest fear.
And don't you find it a little ironic that 2 of my favorite movies involve raccoons ( of which I hate? )
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Anyway - despite all of it - we're plugging along here.
John's been busy making shutters
I've been busy painting them
John's been busy installing them
I've been busy dreaming of decorating the window boxes for Christmas
( I want to make it homey for the raccoons - God love them )
This photo is on the side of the house - we have 2 leaded glass windows on either side of the fireplace - the outer windows are out because I need to paint them but here it is done - I'm over the moon thrilled with how cute they look ! Those leaded glass windows are the only redeeming factor of this place.
Can you just picture greenery and some colorful ornaments ( and lights - oh my gosh - lights ) in that window box?
Here's how it looked before ( and the window frame's been painted black already in this photo )
Doesn't it resemble a jail house window?
See that bleeding paint under each corner?
The wood frames have been clad in metal and it's obviously rusting inside - nothing a little silicone won't take care of but isn't that awful? WHY DIDN'T THEY SEAL IT WITH SILICONE IN THE FIRST PLACE?
( that's me screaming - I'm prone to do that every now and then with this fixer upper )
We won't be painting the building until next year so I just quickly ran a roller of white paint over it - just enough to cover that up.
Here's a close up of how it looked prior to painting it
These window shutters have probably made the biggest impact of all on this house - and it's by far the cheapest fix we've done ( I feel like it's putting lipstick on a pig )
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Okay - moving on here
90 day fiance - season 3 !
Let's see now - we've got a 58 year old man marrying a 19 year old from the Phillipines.
His first wife was also from the Phillipines - but she left him ( and their 4 children ) because she wanted more
" things "
Sooooooooooo - his solution ?
If at first you don't succeed - try try again.
They showed a clip of her touching the window of his car - and him reprimanding her and telling her to NEVER touch the window on his car - to which she promptly touched it again ! She's a rebel !
This is going to be riveting - I can tell already.
Next up we have a Mormon boy marrying a Russian girl ( whom he had converted while overseas on a mission trip ) and couldn't tell her he was falling in love because - well you know - you can't mix business with pleasure ) she happens to be a former vodka drinking go-go dancer - this story should be more than fascinating to watch ! ( although I have a suspicion this may turn out to be one of the success stories )
Oh ! And then we have the young girl who went to Israel and fell in love.
I'm not sure why but her and her parents flew to Canada - while he flew in from Israel to meet them
It was very important that they meet him because they'll all be living under one roof - a 3 bedroom condo.
The best line of the night?
Her father asks her why - with all the available men in the States - that she has to " import " one - I laughed out loud !
And then there's the nurse that went to Jamaica - met a lifeguard - spent 10 days with him and is on her way back to Jamaica to bring him back and marry him ( not quite sure why he can't just fly over on his own )
She showed him the bikini she's bringing with her and he LOVES it and can't wait to see her in it !
Ooh la la !
So already we have controlling behavior - drama - a connection that's covering 3 countries - a steamy beach romance - and supposedly a couple of women plagued with jealousy ( I haven't " met " them yet.)
What more could you ask for from a t.v. show ?
Between that and the new books I have ready on my end table I should be thoroughly entertained for the next few months.
John says - What are you watching?
Suzan says - 90 day fiance !
John says - Oh not that crap again - how can you stand watching such nonsense ?
Suzan says - Shhhhh - I'm already invested.
Sad.................it's just plain sad.
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Sunday's forecast -
DEAR GOD !
NOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHY I DREAD FALL ?
I wore a sundress last week working outside - got a burn on my shoulders and now THIS is in the forecast.?
I doubt it'll happen - but just seeing those words is terrifying !
SunOct 18
Snow-rain showers
Last year we didn't get snow until the week before Christmas - which was perfect - I'm certainly not ready for it now - the first year ( in a few of them ) where I've actually done a little Fall decorating and now snow?
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Last year we didn't get snow until the week before Christmas - which was perfect - I'm certainly not ready for it now - the first year ( in a few of them ) where I've actually done a little Fall decorating and now snow?
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Hope you all have a wonderful weekend - we'll probably spend much of it glued to the tv watching the weather station - with scowls on our faces ................or this - maybe we'll watch this again
I can relate to Walter - sometimes you just gotta laugh!!!
Much love,
Me........................
you are so amusing to read--I love visiting your blog...... it is quite horrific what people hide when you are buying a house.!! I do hope that those awful animals are long gone and that your new house turns out to be a loved home... I thought the shutters idea smashing, and so easy to achieve... you are a mine of information and I am looking forward to your next post** Have a super weekend.. J
ReplyDeleteThanks SO much Jeannine - I'm laughing out loud at the fact that I'm a mine of information - hoping I've taught people not to buy a fixer upper in such horrid condition LOL
DeleteHope you have a great weekend too !
xox
Well, at least your bathtub hasn't fallen through the floor...
ReplyDeleteHugs ~
The shutters look Absolutely Awesome.
ReplyDeleteRaccoons! Not a good thing. Not hearing any noises in your attic are you?
Check up on your roof for any small openings......but not you. Get someone who is more brave. :}
Now here is what you do. Find a very brave person to come in and check out your attic to see if they see any traces. If so, then have animal control come out and set a trap.
Now I have Rocky Raccoon stuck in my head.
Right now @ 1:45pm our temperature is 77 deg.
Enjoy your weekend Suzan.
After watching the "clip" of the Money Pit that you attached, I now think I know where they got the prototype of "Beavis and Butthead"........if you look at Tom Hanks from the side.......then fast forward to the bathtub falling through the floor..........then you can wonder how on earth a grandmother of 68 years of age could ever had figured this out!!!
ReplyDeleteOMG - I'm laughing my head off here - I've never watched Beavis and Butthead in my life - but I know what they look like ( my kids watched it ) and you're right LMHO !!!
DeleteXOX
What we learned from the neighbor about 2 weeks after we moved in is that the entire house had flooded due to breaking pipes. The hot water tank was located in the attic. Remnants of that is still there. Now, it is in the garage. Apparently, since the owner had died in the house (which we didn't know either, but it's ok, because that happens), the daughter who apparently lives far away kept the house warm enough not to burst pipes. But, since the hot water tank was in the UNHEATED attic space, the pipes burst. So, when the neighbor noticed that water was streaming out from under the garage door, she called someone (probably the water company), and the water was shut off. Finally, the daughter had to have done something, thus the hot water tank was moved to the UNHEATED garage (I don't know what this means to us!), the entire house was painted BEIGE, the carpet in the wing with the bedrooms was apparently dried out (but not re-stretched) and the flooring in the rest of the house was replaced with icky cheap laminate. We hate the laminate (the color and cheap sound it makes when we walk on it) and may just go with the concrete slab stained or painted, but we aren't ready to open that can of worms just yet.
ReplyDeleteAnd, here I am trying to figure out what to replace my fake shutters with so I don't have to look at them!!!
We watch crime shows...no on-going saga there!
Katie's on her way home from picking up the new car. That was about as difficult as buying a house. I think the woman we were dealing with had too much going on in her world to pay attention to anything. She repeated herself frequently, exchange "I" ro "we" when I told her repeatedly I would not be with Katie to pick up the car!!! Asked for our insurance card, but I just got a call from the insurance company asking if I would give permission to discuss our insurance with her...Kate's here...gotta go!!!!
Walter!!!!! I have started calling Dave this lately. 'Nuf said. Cunstruction-reno naise, expense and constant dirty etc, not for the faint of heart. Yes why don't they maintain their homes?! Money is all I can think of, they need it for their old age, after all. It's been a very rough week here, we are both beat. Love your windows. I think you have given those racoons the boot for good. We hope we have with the voles, mice, chipminks, squirrels and the snake that munched on them all! xo Patty
ReplyDeleteOh Patty - but look at what YOU end up with at the end of the day - we should have bought something 250 years old too - I mean if you're going to go old......................your beams - I dream of your beams.
DeleteA snake would be the end of me - seriously it would
Have a great one ( go renovate something for crying out loud LMHO )
xox
Well you are all over the place as much as I am this week! Looking here, there, everywhere projects tempting me and some screaming 'finish me for crying out loud'! Your shutters are divine plus your window box ideas super cool! So when do you put up all of Christmas, seeing as how you have had your Thanksgiving, you could aim for the first of November! Ha ha ha! Well you might start earlier but we keep ours up later, so there!😋! Snow oh my goodness, no way, better put up your Christmas lights! Don't you just hate a smartaleck, did I spell that right? Have a jolly weekend! Xxxxxxxx
ReplyDeleteI have way too many projects screaming " finish me " lol.
DeleteI wish I could put Christmas up today - with the snow falling and all - but I'd look a little crazy don't you think?
I mean I AM crazy - but I don't like the neighbors to know. ( I like to keep that between me and you guys LOL )
XOX
oh dear about the raccoons. My mother had them in her attic and we had to spend $$$$ to have all the old insulation removed and new put in, because raccoons like to poop up there. Sorry to say this, but it's hazardous stuff. Hope you've had your attic completely checked.
ReplyDeleteI think I just pee'd my pants watching that video clip. ROFLMHO I've never seen this movie but now I must!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh Marie - you HAVE to watch that movie - it's absolutely hilarious !!!
Deletexox
Hi,
ReplyDeleteWe got the snow/rain today - TWICE. The sun was shining, there was a beautiful blue sky and it was freakin' snow/raining. Couldn't believe my eyes when I looked out the window so went out and stood on the balcony and yep, it was freakin' snow/raining.
Before the end of each "session" the sky would cloud over with huge black clouds; the "session" would finish and the sun would come back out. A couple of hours later it started all over again.
All the best,
Cathy (London, ON)
It was the same thing here today Cathy - dear God - it's only mid October !!!
DeleteIt melted as it hit the ground so there's nothing there but just seeing it blew my mind away !
Listen - keep your ridiculous weather over there in London please LOL !
Have a great weekend xoxo
Always enjoy your post so much with John in them. Good luck with the raccoon's. They look cute, but the are destructive.
ReplyDeleteStay warm and have a nice fire in the fireplace.
Mary
Ok, I freakin' love your shutters...I want Bruce to make some for the farmhouse. They do make a huge difference for yours. Raccoons...in your house...oh my. Well, you'd hear those in the attic, for sure! Snow/rain? Oh send it here! Ok? I'll trade our still 90 degree weather. (And we need the rain!)
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Cecilia
I have never heard of that show. Sounds crazy!!!LOL Love your shutters and mostly I love reading your chats. Always brings a chuckle! Cheers.
ReplyDeleteWe lived by a creek in Washington state and had raccoons who visited our neighbor often because they had dog food on their deck. So be sure to keep your pet's food indoors. I can't imagine thinking they would get away with not disclosing problems.
ReplyDeleteOh My God! Raccoon's! I guess you'd know by now if they were still there... but still!
ReplyDeleteLove the shutters! And your window box.. it's going to be pretty! And the show, I've seen the commercials but haven't watched it... I'm with John... nonsense! I'm hooked on The Voice at the moment. I wish I could sing...... but I can't!
You guys who actually have "weather" where you live make me jealous!
ReplyDeleteI loved that movie "The Money Pit". Did you ever see the first one named "Mr. Blandings Builds a House"? It is much more sedate, but the announcer said that "The Money Pit" was based on, or a remake of "Mr. Blandings Builds a House". It is funny too! It has Cary Grant, (Swoon) and Myrna Loy, (I think it's Myrna Loy). It is good!
Gosh, the shutters you built and added to your windows sure make a huge difference! I think it's better than putting lipstick on a pig! BTW, Never heard that saying, or I forgot it, because I have "SomeTimers". But you knocked my socks off with that one! 'm still cackling and snorting! The window you showed no longer looks like a tiny medieval turret window! It really looks so MUCH bigger--I can't believe it! It is beautiful! What a difference a day, er shutter(s) makes!! You are so good--even painting the rusty stain. (We don't get those--it NEVER rains, and now we can't water our plants so no danger of those pesky stains on our exterior walls! Ours just crumble and melt with the dryness and heat! (I read that the Middle East deserts will heat up to 165 degrees in about 20 to 30 years with this global warming, so that means it'll be about 135 here in So. CA. where I live. It already gets up to 110+ here and 120 in Arizona, not that far away.)
Your window basket and decorating idea is also really neat! You really are very good at decorating! Of course, I am sure you do not need ME to tell you. But I want you to know how very Impressed I am! I love your ideas.
God's speed!
Laura, et al
Mr Blandings builds a house sounds SO familiar - I must have seen it - going to you tube it later !
DeleteThe expression is " You can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig " and I LOVE it LMHO !
Thanks so much for being my fiercest cheer leader Laura - wow - you make me feel like superwoman - and I'm so not that LOL
Have a great weekend girlfriend !
xox