First Official Visitors

Wednesday evening we did our first entertaining in our new home. Many have been in the house before we moved in. Not to forget Lloyd and Neal who have been back and forth doing various repairs in the house. This would be the first chance for anyone to see the house transformed into a home.

On Sunday I made a point of inviting Pat and Merv over to visit with us before they head for holidays. Wednesday was the night chosen. I spent the day cleaning floors, dusting and picking up items that were in the wrong place. Of course as usual I did more than I should and by early evening had a migraine. Richard suggested cancelling but I said no. I took medication and hoped that it would keep the migraine under control. I'm so very glad that I chose to suffer through the pain as getting Merv and Pat's reaction on our home was great.

If you remember from our post in November when we were house hunting here in Prince Albert, Pat and Merv came with us to view this house, being about the third or fourth time we had been to see it. They were not happy with our choice, they pointed out how filthy it was and small and old, but we could see beyong that and our minds were made up.

So here we are the first week of February two months later. They were shocked on the transformation. Pat said they could now see what we were seeing through all the filth. Her first impression was how inviting the house was as they walked in. The next impression was how spacious it appear even with all our stuff, and as Pat said, we have a lot of stuff.

They took the tour and at each new view they were shocked. The colour I had chosen for the stairwell worked they were impressed at what a great choice it turned out to be. All the pictures up the stairs worked as a gallery of family shots. The orange room, now blue, was so much bigger looking and clean. Even the paneling on the other two rooms worked by giving a rustic look and feel to them. They thought we had painted more areas and rooms than we actually had which goes to show what a great job the ladies had done cleaning the house.

It is great to have new friends and to have them now see the vision we had when we first viewed this old and dirty house. Making friends can be hard but I feel that Pat and Merv will be regular visitors to our home and we to theirs. We are now planning our Open House for the church members and those who worked on the house before we moved so they can see the transformation of a dirty house to being a clean home.

New Home Update

I thought it was time to show you what our home is beginning to look like now.

This is the living room, sorry it's a bit on the dark side. We repainted the walls a soft green, replacing the original blue. There is also new flooring. We had the dirty carpets and various other layers of flooring removed. Our furniture was on the large size so we had to purchase a love seat.

The dinning room. We have not changed any of the wall colours but the new flooring was continued into this room and then into the hall area. It still looks pretty cluttered as all our pictures are either on the table, piano or propped against the wall. We have yet to decide where to put what pictures.

The kitchen has new fridge and stove; we brought our portable dishwasher with us and still need to remove the old built in one as it leaks everywhere. We've added a white shelving unit (that isn't in this picture) by the side of the stove and several of our extra small appliances live there.

You will notice the new burgundy paint on the one wall we are going to continue this colour to the right of the stairs; this is the front door wall, there is also a window on this wall which is reflecting burgundy wall making the paint look a bit lighter there. You can't see the new flooring but it is also in this area. We have a small bookcase to place where the box and cat scratching post are, this will probably be the new home for the photo albums. The stairwell wall will be where the family pictures will hang.

This is the largest of the three bedrooms and as you can see we've taken it over as our study. This room needs lots of sorting out as there are still boxes to be emptied and small display shelves to be hung ready for my thimble collection. This will also be used as a guest room. We are considering buying a futon to put here which will double as a comfortable place to read.

If you remember from the original pictures of the house this room was a dirty orange colour. Before the furniture arrive the colour was changed to blue. I'm really happy with this room other than it needs pictures on the walls.

This is the other bedroom which we haven't done anything to other than place furniture in the room again it needs pictures on the walls.

Slowly the house is starting to look like our home. The picture hanging will take some time as we have more pictures than wall space; and of course we have to finish painting the hall area. All in all things are working out nicely by Spring the inside should be done for now and it will be time to work on the outside.

The Boxes are Packed

The day is just about here. Yesterday we spent the whole day packing. Even with downsizing over the last couple of years we still have more boxes than you can imagine. I had help with the packing yesterday which I was so grateful for. By the time I fell into bed last night there wasn't a part of me that did not hurt.

All that is left to pack is my computer which Richard will put in it's boxes just as soon as I have finished today's list. First: read all messages of the last few days. Next: catch up on Evette's Blog and Laura's Blog. Then: write a quick blog... and this is it.

Our poor cats are in a dither as to what is going on. Their daily routine is no long there, their food and water are in the wrong bowls. Their comfy blankets packed away. To say nothing of all the boxes that are in their way.

Tomorrow the truck will be here to load all our worldly belongings. We will put all the liquids, food etc. in the motor home, the movers will not take any of these items. Most of our frozen food will have to be given away as the freezer in the motor home is very small.

Once the rooms are empty I will sweep them out and close the doors for the last time on this house that has been our home for five and a 3/4 years. Another chapter will start, in a new town, in a new house, this time a house that we have purchased. We have gone through many good byes. Friday I finished work, being unable to complete all that I wished to get done before my last day; but then work is never done.

Hopefully we haven't forgotten to do anything that needed to be done before we move from here. Medical records, Dental records, medications have all been handled. Cancelling the phone and Internet still have to be accomplished but we can do that tomorrow while the movers are loading everything.

We say good bye to Nipigon and within the next three days we should be in Prince Albert beginning another phase of the life God has mapped out for us.

The House is Ours

Our New Prince Albert Home

Front Door View

Our plans will be to remove the two ceders either side of the front door. Remove a lilac bush to the right of the house behind the spruce trees.

Side View

The spruce that is touching the house will be removed and also the elm on the side that has the power lines running through. All these trees have closed the house in and caused moss to grow on the roof. The flashing on the porch will have to be replaced with a flexible type of flashing so there is room for the porch to move during the cold weather.

Back view with shed and deck rails.

There is a lot of painting that has to be done outside but first the old paint needs to be scraped a sealant to be put on the wood then repainted.

This is the back Decks

There are some rotten boards to be replaced a set of steps also need replacing and more sealing and painting.

This is the living room

The fire place can not be used and has been closed up. We may eventually take the front tiles etc off and bring it back to the original fireplace but use a natural gas fire with a new flue placed up the chimney. The carpets will be removed in this room, the dining room and hall-way, it its place laminated boards in walnut colour will be layed.

The dining room

Other than the flooring this room we are going to leave as is. Unlike the living room the decor is livable and not too dirty.

Kitchen

Other than a good clean, the addition of appliances, repair or removal of the dishwasher as that one leaks, we will not be doing too much with the kitchen.

This is the porch.

There is no heat in this room so really a waste of space. As funds permit I would like to have this heated and open it up from the dinning room with french doors making it part of the house. For now it will just be a very large boot room.

The stairs to the second floor

The hallway will have the floor done and of course some fresh paint.

This is the upstairs landing

Again other than paint we will be living with this as it is, even the painting will not be done until next year.

One of the 3 bedrooms

All the bedrooms have this awful paneling on the walls and carpeting. For now we will live with this. The plan in the future is to remove the paneling and decide whether to repair the original plaster or put gyproc board on the walls, then paint. Remove all the carpets and replace with laminate board floors, using area rugs by the side of the beds.

So there you are, our new home. The ladies of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Prince Albert are going to clean the house, remove the carpets on the lower floor and arrange for the laminate boards to be laid. We should arrive the first week of December and take up residence.

We are really excited about our move but we still have all our packing yet to do. As I will be working up to November 28th most of the packing will fall on Richard's shoulders. We had one offer of help today from one of our church ladies here, I might just take her up on that offer.