New Year's Progress on this Really Old House

Dear friends,

The weather continues to be an issue here at the crazy old house, but it finally got warm enough for Husband (AKA "Mr. Fix-it") to finish pulling the old aluminum siding off the front of the house.  With a little monkey-like agility, he was able to climb up and get the last pieces off the top gable.

With the metal off, the house looks smaller to me, but that's OK.  It actually *is* a bit smaller, since it lost 2-inches of thickness.  I love it that I can see the eaves now.  For the first time in over 50 years, the wood can breathe!

1930s bungalow/cottage remodel, coming along

It looks unbalanced to me since there aren't windows immediately to the left of the door.  I'll  have to come up with some magical decorative tricks to make it look more balanced. Any brilliant ideas? It will probably involve some kind of tall plant.  The railings *might* get re-configured, eventually, so that would help, too.

 I cannot WAIT to see this painted! But first, lots more scraping and sanding. And caulking.  And a little bit of pondering about possible trim to add to the gable end, decisions about door color, etc.

Here's a reminder about the colors:

As for the garden, my resolution to start seedlings inside early has fizzled.  It's just been too cold and wet to mess around out in the cottage, where I hoped to set up a light stand.  And my motto is Out of Sight, Out of Mind.  So I'm trying to figure out a place inside where I can start some tomato and pepper seeds, some place warm where I can keep an eye on them.  The best place?  Of course, right where my desk is, underneath the south-facing windows.  Hmmm.

The last thing I need is an excuse NOT to write! I'm making notes for the second in the "Lowell's Crossing" Texas 1880s mystery series and working on a slew of short stories.

Happy trails from Texas!

bobbi c.