STRESS FREE RIDE

    My wedding anniversary is around the corner and, little did I know, I needed a new bike.   It arrived early and we have been taking advantage of the nice weather with rides to local restaurants for dinner.

My bike is the red one

and a trip to the neighborhood beer and wine store, Once Upon A Vine for the weekend's provisions.

Wide streets with little traffic make for a stress free ride

Going

Returning home

Anyone up for a porch party?

FOR SALE IN GLEN ALLEN

......our long-loved, enjoyed, and cared for home.

Open House, May 19th, 2 - 4 PM

LOVE IT AND LIST IT

     Putting some finishing touches to our house and listing photos are taken....

Dining room

Great room with wood burning fireplace

View  from sunroom into great room

Sunroom -  Vented gas fireplace and French doors to kitchen  

Sunroom - exit to deck

Master bedroom

bedroom 3

bedroom 2

Decks and shed

Backyard as seen from deck

patio

Looking so good makes it difficult to list the house, but list it we will.  

                                                               

                                                                          Open house will be Sunday May 19, 2-4 PM.

THE END IS IN SIGHT

   Over on Warren Road we have been readying the house for market some time now.  Once the majority of our possessions were moved from one locale to the next, the house we enjoyed for so many years looked dingy and worn.  In  order to maximize our potential profit, many things needed to be done.

1. WINDOWS

We've known for some time that a few windows required replacing, but once all the curtains were removed the situation was more grave.  Seventeen windows needed upgrading.  UGH!  Because of the scarcity of dollars, we did it ourselves.

   One full day + 3 hard workers (Wallace, Donnie and myself) = 17 new windows installed

4 new windows in the living room bay

2.  PORCHES & DECK

Years ago I took down the railing on the front porch.  The original builder put a ranch style railing on our Victorian style house and it looked so wrong.  In order to sell the house a new rail must be installed to pass an inspection.  Fortunately, I got much experience building and installing rails and balusters on Hawthorne Avenue just a year ago.

front porch

                     

side stoop

                 
    

Michael levels and installs pickets on the back deck railing

...any excuse to use the reciprocating saw

3. FLOORS

A lot of living has gone on in our Warren Rd. home for nearly 26 years.  Thankfully hardwood floors can take a beating and survive.  All they needed was light sanding and a couple coats of new poly.

Wallace sands

   

and scrapes

                                    

Poly is applied and results are outstanding

What we discovered while completing this project ....

    ~The old windows had no insulation what-so-ever (consequently big heat and AC bills)

    ~It was not so difficult or pricey to upgrade windows as we had thought for so many years

    ~The house looks and functions much better than it did when we first bought it years ago
    ~Many hands make light work

    ~We have skills!

Had I known these past years how capable we are of tackling and accomplishing all this I would have done it long before now.


         

THE ALLURE OF SIDEWALKS

    In the 13+ years of owning a dog, my daughter has never requested to walk the dog.  'Go for a walk', yes, but 'be responsible for the dog', never.  The other day, Billye brought me Socks' leash so we headed out the door.  The 3 of us walked around the block and Billye held on to the leash without dropping it once!  (Previously, a trek of this distance would mean the leash got dropped no fewer than 10 times.)

Those of you who know us, know this is a red letter day.  

The beauty of spring and the allure of sidewalks.  Yet another reason we are so happy in our new home here on Hawthorne Avenue.