From a few recent posts on kitchen forum, her husband is finally home, both seem to be doing well.

Thanks for the news about LL...that is wonderful!

Yes, it is, and she is as usual quite upbeat. Quite a gal!

Hi all! Thanks for checking in on me Phoggie...and the kind words Ogrose :)

My husband is doing MUCH better! He's been home for about six weeks and he's walking with the walker, mainly for balance. His neurologist is very optimistic that he should get his balance back, in the next four to six months. Maybe by the holidays (fingers crossed).

It's been difficult with all that's happened the last year (and losing Sammy my kitty on top of everything else) but I'm so happy my husband is home and we can start putting our lives (and business) back together again.

No remodeling right away, but still fun to plan. Had to be by the phone the last week or so (lots of business stuff to catch up on) so was able to chat on a few forums.

Phoggie- So happy to see you're in your new home...and someone else is actually using your plan! I hope Summerfield sees that :)

It's going to be a while, until we're ready to remodel (unless I win the lottery LOL) but it's still fun to plan. Today, we got 1/2 the hay for the horses (YEA!) and while I was down by the barns, I was looking at the farmhouse.

This is my latest plan and I think it works well with the existing home and only adds on a few feet at the entry and kitchen bay window...except for the family room/master addition. What do yo think? :) {{!gwi}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

This post was edited by lavender_lass on Sun, Sep 8, 13 at 16:42

LL, my friend, there is a reason for everything, and your DH is a lucky man to have you standing by him.

In due time all will fall into place and I wish for you that you get all you deserve.

We're still getting 100 Degree weather every day, can hardly wait for October and our warm days and cool nights. At this time of year miss Montana and cooler weather! However, wouldn't trade those February 70 Degree days for anything...

Ogrose- Thanks!

I need to concentrate on the house we actually live in, for the next few weeks, but it is fun to daydream. Some day (maybe) we'll get the farmhouse remodeled and then all the handicap accessibility we have in the manufactured home will be great for my mom (if needed).

Although we may never actually remodel, I don't really like to crochet. (That was always a joke with my Grandma.) When she had a lot of stress, she would crochet an intricate pattern, because it took all her attention and she wouldn't think about anything else. I like house plans, because there's so many things to consider (roof lines, load bearing walls, foundation, sunny/shade sides, wind patterns, views, etc.) that I need to concentrate on... I can't really think/worry about anything else :)

I know what you mean LL, I do the same thing. Right now I am looking at house plans even though my dh has firmly said we will not build. But it lets me escape from the pressure and depression I've let myself fall into.

So is that the current layout of the farmhouse, except for the bay window & vestibule?

Yes, except for the family room, laundry and master bedroom. It's a small house (used to be smaller) since what I'm calling the kitchen and dining room are an addition from the 1950s.

What are you depressed about? Not to get too personal, but if you need to talk, email me. Lavendar_lass@yahoo.com. Whatever it is, it might help to talk to someone, who you don't see socially and I do consider us 'friends' on the internet :)

That goes for many here, on the Smaller Homes forum. For me, my husband is getting much better, but all this has taken quite a toll on our finances...and the business. I think we'll have it all taken care of in the next month or two...but so stressful! I'm looking forward to (hopefully) a happier, more relaxed 2014!

Just this whole mess with our house. I'm tired of living with it, tired of trying to get bids, and having people not show up when they say they will. And mainly tired of dealing with the slab - or rather not knowing how to deal with the slab.

This post was edited by marti8a on Mon, Sep 9, 13 at 13:16

Are you trying to move the plumbing? Sorry, I know I've missed some of the remodeling progress...but slabs can be frustrating.

I don't know if this will help, but in Under the Tuscan Sun, she said get one room in order, make it your own, while you're dealing with all the construction mess. That's what I've been trying to do here...no construction, but moving all the rooms around to accomodate handicap accessibility. It's actually working out to be better, but it is a LOT of work.

I just found this picture...this would be where I'd like to have tea today, if we could visit 'in person'. Take a break, make some tea (or whatever you like) and close your eyes and pretend your sitting under a climbing rose, with nothing to do all day, but relax. It sometimes helps me :) {{!gwi}}From Courtyard Garden album

No, we're not moving plumbing. After a water leak, which spread through several rooms, we ripped up the carpet in the master bedroom, which we thought must have gotten wet and musty smelling. But it wasn't just the carpet. The slab has a musty smell in there, and I think icky water must have run down all the hairline cracks in the slab. I painted the cracks with an epoxy sealer, but the stuff was so thin that it just ran down inside the larger cracks - and by larger, I mean the width of a line drawn by a #2 pencil - maybe 1/16" of an inch at most. That's what is frustrating. They're too small to fill with anything like concrete patch - at least without grinding out a V along the cracks.

No one I've called knows what to do and they all act like they have never heard of this before. I found a video on youtube where someone is using a product to fill cracks in slabs, but they did grind out a little V before filling, and that's probably what we'll end up doing.

And there is a smell like wood rot near the back door in the kitchen and I'm afraid water got under the cabinets and they didn't get it dried out when that company set up all their dehumidifiers and fans.

I appreciate the tea. I wish we could sit together and enjoy an afternoon.

This post was edited by marti8a on Mon, Sep 9, 13 at 14:37

Yikes! That's troubling. Have you asked some of the people on the Building/remodeling forums? They might have some idea.

Is your homeowner's insurance covering the problems with the water leak? Don't they have someone, who can test for mold or make sure the cabinets got dried out? That's got to be frustrating...

In our area, right now it's hot and dry so just about everything will dry out on its own, given a little time. But on the other side of the state (Seattle) the humidity can cause a lot more problems. I hope things get better soon!

Now...is there anything good, going on right now? Something you feel happy about? Sometimes it can be something very minor...like my mom loaning me some tea and sugar yesterday, until I can get to the store. I like Jasmine, but it doesn't wake me up in the morning! LOL Also, very excited that I found someone with HAY! Of course, I think the horses are the ones most happy about that :)

No, I haven't asked on the building forum. Insurance did cover it, and we had someone come out and do the water removal and drying out. I called them back and they will come back out. But we thought we'd better get the bedroom sealed first so it won't mislead them. And who knows, maybe the bedroom smell is just migrating to the kitchen. I doubt it though.

Something good? As a matter of fact, dh just got off the phone with an O&G company who wants to lease some of our mineral rights. IF that happens, it will be very good. But we've already had a lease fall through, so I'm not really counting on it yet.

Keeping my fingers crossed :)

Hi LL...good to have you check in with us. So glad your DH is gaining ground....recovery can be such a long process, but glad he doing it. Please make any addition and changes handicapped accessible....I can relate to it! What are the steps in your sketch?...do you need them?

Hang in there....you have always been such a bright spot in all our lives. God's blessings to you and DH?