I bought a cherry tree! (05-29-10)

I can't help it, I love cherries...often eating them till I feel miserably sick (I once ate 5 lb)...

To satisfy my annual lust for cherries, I ordered a Compact Stella tree from One Green World Nursery.

We already have a huge cherry tree on the property, but it is so tall that the branches are out of reach of even a 20-ft ladder.

Work has started on the shed (05-27-10)

After days of agonizing over it, I finally decided to hire the artist carpenter since he was available when I was ready to get started with the project.
We decided to focus on fixing the base structure at this point, to get it ready for pest control treatment and insulation. So far, he removed the damaged wood boards (carpenter ants), replaced them with new ones, and installed the French doors I bought at the Rebuilding Center. So here are some before and after photos of this work in progress.

Wanted: A Competent Contractor (05-12-10)

My days are spent trying to get contractors to give me estimates to make the shed usable as an art studio to spread my art supplies around. There is no middle ground; contractors are like day and night.

An upscale-looking remodeling website recommended this contractor based on my zip code. Right off, when I see that this gentleman specializes in Lake Oswego and West Linn remodel, I doubt that my modest project will be worth his attention… In any case, he comes promptly with his dad, a retired architect. Both are dressed in business casual, and, with similar perfectly creased pants and matching shirt, look so much alike that I can’t help repeatedly cast surreptitious glances from the father to the son during the visit. Rather than give pertinent directions as to what I am expecting from the project, all I can do is distractedly point to the inside of the shed and lamely say that I want it, you know, “nice.” They walk around the inside of the shed, take notes on a legal-sized pad, nod their head in unison, and promptly leave with the promise of an estimate... Neither ever calls back.

According to my real estate agent, this guy is a true artist who worked on various local artsy projects on a regular basis. He looks like a nice quiet young guy, but seems to be pretty bummed out due to some recent losses in his life. He explains what could be done to turn the shed into a really cool building and seems knowledgeable about how go about to achieve that result. The problem is that he doesn’t have any tools at the moment, and neither do we; I am not sure how this problem can be overcome. He sends me a rather vague text estimate via his cell phone.

The day I find a crudely printed black and white flyer in my mailbox praising the merits of this contractor, I am particularly fed up with deciphering Yellow Pages ads in tiny print, so I call him, my heart full of hope. He seems competent enough, but I am not sure he understands what I mean by "an artistic look, like in North Portland," using materials from the Rebuilding Center. The blank look I get in return and his immediate naming a nearby suburban home improvement center as a perfect source for materials suggests that he does not, in fact, know what I am talking about. As I ponder whether this guy has ever been anywhere outside of suburbia, he clears his throat and spits something huge on the gravel outside the shed... (My mental picture of my perfect little shed is now jarred by the presence of pools of spit…). His high estimate confirms my determination to not hire him.

Many times, one relies on a network of people who recommend people who did a great job, etc. This contractor, a smiling, happy-go-lucky type, comes with high recommendations. His estimate is very affordable, but I am not sure he understands the scope of the project, despite my best efforts to overcome the language barrier. When I mention getting recycled materials, he suggests vinyl windows, then shouts "No problem!" when I object. In fact, he keeps interjecting "No problem!" for every issue we may find, be they carpenter ants or structural beam that need strengthening. This is a man with vision. He gesticulates, waves his arms around; we could move over that wall, remove the siding; we could even tear down the building and build a new one! Despite his contagious enthusiasm, deep inside I suspect that there will be problems down the road...

Again, the homeowner benefits from using references, and references from other contractors are valuable. This guy exudes a quiet self-assurance in his capabilities, seems competent and immediately comes up with sound solutions to eventual issues we may encounter. He clearly knows what he is talking about and asks me to give him a chance to prove his skills. As I finally think I may have found the right person for the job and I see my charming little art shed taking concrete shape in my mind, I get an email from him. His high estimate is distressing; I just can't afford him.

So, it looks like I will either pull my hair over costs, or pull my hair over having to babysit someone all the way...

The Toxic Couch: Part Two (05-10-10)

Now, you may ask, what does NOT work on a cat-stench-infected high-end leather sofa bed and recliner bought on Craigslist? Here is the answer, from direct experience: Febreze (1 bottle); Nature's Miracle (2 bottles); Biokleen (3 bottles). Add to that, a couple of big rolls of paper towels to spread the products all over the leather.

I removed the cushions from their zippered covers and took them to the laundromat, with the idea that if they were thoroughly cleaned, the problem may be resolved at last. Armed with detergent and bleach from home, I loaded three large-sized front-loading washers with the cushions. I filled the soap and bleach dispensers with what I estimated to be the required amount of liquid to deal with the situation at hand, and for good measure, I added yet more soap and bleach in each washer's dispenser. I watched as the machines filled with soapy water, and as I saw the water level rise behind the glass door, I noted with slight alarm that there was an awful lot of foam.

I was alone in the laundromat. I could see some foam pushing through the soap dispenser door on the top of one of the washers; I tried to wipe if off with my hand, but the foam was coming through anyway. A card on the wall behind the washers said that the place was under surveillance 24 hours a day. A glance to my left confirmed the presence of a camera overhead. I casually walked over to the thrash can by a folding table and pulled out an old pair of jeans that had been tossed away.
The foam had worked its way through the dispenser door and was now pulsating down the front and side of the washer and pooling on the floor. I tried to wipe everything, like it was just no big deal, once in a while glancing at the camera overhead. As I was busy wiping, I caught sight of mountains of foam cascading out of reach, at the back of the washer and the one next to it... Needless to say, once my load was done and the cushions had gone through a dryer cycle, I was out of there in no time.
But the cushions had come through with flying colors. They were clean and smell-free. There was hope, after all.

Filled with visions of myself sitting on my luxury distressed leather couch and telling people about my good fortune ("Would you believe, I got this $4,000 Restoration Hardware set on Craigslist of all places!), and bolstered by my success with the cushions, I decided that I might as well also take the leather cushion covers to the laundromat.

I walked in like an old pro, put detergent in the dispenser, inserted money and washed them, three times for good measure. I stood in front of the machine like it was perfectly normal to have this unappealing, even gross, stuff churning inside, and watched the yellow-brown water swirl about behind the glass, every turn of the drum causing a shot of brown color to ooze into the foam. Once done, I carefully stretched the wet covers and ran them through a gentle dryer cycle.

But despite the thorough washes, the part of the cushions that had been at the back of the sofa and recliner still smelled awful and rank and was gummy and sticky to the touch and stained my fingers with an oily substance I tried wiping on my jeans. When I got home, I asked Gary to help me gently stretch the covers, to then let them air dry on a chair in the sun. Cripes and aggravation! Inadvertently pulling too hard on one of the gummy corners caused the leather to tear!

The Toxic Couch: Part One (05-02-10)

One evening, while cruising the Internet, I saw an ad on Craigslist for a fabulous-looking leather recliner and sofa bed. The ad caught my attention: "We are literally selling these for pennies on the dollar. EXCELLENT condition except for the areas that have been treated as a scratching post." True, looking at the photos, one could see that the arms of the recliner were extensively scratched, but still, the set looked pretty cool.

We'd given our worn out couch and loveseat away before moving, and this pair looked like a viable replacement. I insisted that Gary and I go to check them out all the way to Hillsboro despite his less than enthusiastic response when I showed him the Craigslist ad.

The house looked new and decent enough, and the guy how opened the door was friendly. Yet there was something odd about the inside. There was no carpeting in the living room; the perimeter of the room was edged with what appeared to be unswept matted pet hair. The exposed plywood was grimy and had large dark oily stains in several spots. My mind registered the incongruities, but I dismissed them when I saw the sofa bed and recliner. The set had that casual elegance of quality expensive furniture, and the leather color was a warm brown and distressed finish. I immediately liked them.

The only problem with the sofa bed and recliner, the owner said, was that the resident cat had clawed the arms extensively. But this was an expensive set he assured us; it set came from Restoration Hardware, and cost thousands of dollars. They were reluctant to part with their furniture, but hoped that by parting with it, they would be able to train the cat to not scratch the new furniture they were planning to purchase. How old is the cat, I politely asked. Twelve, he said. Again, a little warning sign flashed in my mind, but I merely chuckled at the answer, looked at Gary, and rolled my eyes at the idea that one could train a twelve year-old cat to do anything.

The guy opened the sofa bed, and, -I swear there are times when I wonder about my powers of observation-, although I noticed that he had a difficult time working the mechanism due to very visible rusting of the springs, I didn't wonder why there was rust in the first place, or why the leather was darker in some areas on the back and in the recesses of the couch... So, like a dummy, I paid the guy $160 cash. We quickly loaded the furniture in the truck and trailer under pouring rain, and off we went, Gary and I couchless no more...or so we thought.

When we got home and unloaded the pair from the trailer, as we lifted the sofa up, we got a whiff of a pervasive horrific smell. Upon close examination, we found that the inside of the sofa and the recliner had been used as toilet by an animal, most likely the same cat responsible for the scratches.

To make this sorry story short, despite weeks spent airing under the carport, the sofa and mattress were unsalvageable. They exuded the most repellent toxic fumes that made walking by them enough of an ordeal that one would prefer going around the carport rather than be exposed to the stench.

But wait! There's more!..

Our Very Own Vermin!!! (05-01-10)

Here are some photos of the disgusting carpenter ants we found in the shed.

1. Beam damage; 2. Remnants of nest; 3. They're back! 4. Still trying...

But that wasn't all...

A rat's nest!

Tree Work (04-21-10)

Today, surveyors from the company that had been hired to work on the lot split from 1998 came to show me where the survey posts are on the property. Watching them walk around, I realized belatedly that we could have found some of the markers ourselves with a metal detector (cash register sounds; this service will cost us close to $400). Anyway, now we know who owns what. The East-West property line runs through the large circular flowerbed near the driveway to the nextdoor neighbor’s double-wide; two-third of it is theirs. On the other hand, we do own the Shade Garden area, which I think is rather pretty with my birdbath in its middle.

While the tree hackers were back to cut down a tree next door, I cleaned up the remnants of the wisteria. A close examination revealed a lot of decay; parts of the vines are so rotten, they fall apart when touched, the wood feels moist and runny and is full of fine compost.
I also weeded part of the Rose Garden and the bare dirt areas South of the wisteria today.
At some point during the day, a lady appeared in the driveway next door and demanded to talk to the arborist. I realized that this must be the lady, who has been described to me as “crazy” by two different people.

My suspicions about the front next door neighbor were correct: this a person to be careful with. She saw me weeding the yard, and asked me if things had turned out "bigger than expected." I was a bit put off by the way she'd asked the question, since it suggested that I may be overwhelmed by the amount of yard work. I said that it was just the way we expected, I was just weeding the yard, nothing more. I overheard her describe the neighbor across the street as “crazy” to the arborist.

Looks like we bought into a pretty weird neighborhood.

Of course, when it came time to put the cable in the oak tree as agreed the day before, it turns out that rather than use a Cobra cable as agreed upon, Mr. Tree Guy tied the tree with a red-colored heavy-duty rope. I can’t believe the aggravations I’ve had with these people. I pointed out to him that this is not what we had discussed previously. He offered to give me a guarantee in writing that would be good “for the lifetime of the rope” (whatever that meant). I almost wanted to laugh at him.
We didn’t get the pile of wood chips we were promised, another reason to feel irritated.

Tree Work (04-20-10)

I had misgivings about the tree people, so I called their boss in the morning and offered to pay them for yesterday's work and call it a day, but she assured me that everything was fine, she was going to be there all day to supervise the work, etc. So they proceeded with the work.

Hah! What a mistake: they cut my wisteria down! The %^&!! lumberjacks cut it down many reminders to preserve it. The base of the wisteria was enormous but very decayed. From there, it went way up the fir tree, with a huge section of tangled dead old vines hanging precariously on the left side, and a dense network of newer thin vines actively growing and climbing on the right side. So, as he was trimming the branches off the fir tree, the guy removed the dead wisteria branches on the left as he had been instructed. When they fell down, what was left looked GREAT. I was at that point really happy with the results.

Then, about ten minutes later, I saw the guy cut horizontally across the new vines, and, in disbelief, before I could yell at him to stop, the entire mass of new vines came tumbling down with a huge crashing sound. I just about died. I screamed and yelled, but it was too late. Idiot. I was EXTREMELY angry, yelling and cursing, and then the boss drove up the alley in her truck, like everything was fine.

As the wisteria lay in a heap on the ground, the neighbor across the street came running up the driveway, asking why I had the wisteria cut, “It was so lovely,” he said. I was livid, and yelling that I didn't have it cut: the Neanderthal idiot up there had done it!

Seeing that I was upset, the neighbor kindly took me to his house to show me the work that had been done to their dining and living rooms. He seems like a nice eccentric type who talks with a muffled English accent. A pole at the corner of their property display a US and a Norwegian flag which have been flown at half-mast  for the last few days (perhaps because of the passing of the Health Care bill a couple of weeks ago?)

As for my wisteria, the damage is irreversible. But after I got really upset and stormed inside the house slamming the door, they gathered the leftover of a clump that fell to the ground and tied it to the tree as high as they could, rather than leaving everything laying in a heap on the ground. I got $200 off the agreed price, big deal!, and little consolation, since a plant that old was truly invaluable, especially when part of a historic property.

Tree Work (04-19-10)

Lots of activity today. The tree service people showed up late and didn’t get started until 9:00 AM. I’ve tried to take it in stride, but couldn’t help feel irritated when I saw that some tree limbs had been dropped on my rhododendron bushes across from the carport. The same thing happened with the boxwood shrubs on the front left side of the house. Also, they were supposed to leave us some of the wood, but they let the logs right on top of the new sod the roofer placed over the spot where he damaged the front lawn.

Gary did it all today: he tore down more shelving out of the shed, swept the inside of the shed (you don't wanna know), sprayed carpenter ant poison, dug up the old carpets that were buried behind the shed (I guess, that's an innovative way to dispose of them...), carried boulders, organized the tool stuff under the carport, broke moving boxes down, swept the carport, killed Mondo Spiders...

Speaking of spiders, I got bit by something, probably when I was pulling ivy behind the shed. I’ve got fifteen red itchy welts on my lower legs. A hot shower gave only passing relief. I hope it doesn't get worse.

"Mondo" Spider Sightings (04-19-10)

Here is a photo of a "Mondo" spider that was hiding behind a dumpy cupboard under the carport.
Since we moved, this is the fifth time we've run into of this type of spider. We apparently are a central gathering place for these little critters...

Garden Wonders (04-18-10)

I planted some heirloom tomatoes in the garden today:) It’s probably too early, but I don’t care: I wanted to dig in the dirt and plant something.

Large-scale tree work is to be done (by professionals) tomorrow; we hope to save parts of the ancient wisteria.

In the yard: wisteria, tulips, peony tree, lilacs, blueberries, raspberries, currants, spruce trees, camphor elm, white oaks, rose garden, vegetable garden, shade garden, hostas, calla lilies, lavender, gold dust, daphne, butterfly bush, magnolia tree, plum and cherry trees, lawns, azaleas, rhododendrons, peonies, hyacinths... Hydrangeas...Lilies of the valley...Bleeding Heart... It's truly lovely.

Gary and I went over to introduce ourselves to the people who share the flag lot next door (West side). It looks like there are some oddball characters in the neighborhood.

The front house is occupied by a family of four, but we only met the lady. She showed us her huge cat who, she said, can’t go outside because he eats squirrels. She seemed to not like some of the neighbors around and struck me as one of those people one does not want to tell too much to.

The back house is occupied by a couple, their grown daughters, and two grandchildren. Based on the assortment of non-working vehicles, miscellaneous broken toys and items thrown about (I am especially thinking about that large white cardboard box that has been discarded in the yard for who knows how long…), it doesn’t look like they have much time for house and yard maintenance . The back of their yard is covered with piles of wood (likely place for more carpenter ants...)

Paint Problems (04-16-10)

While (reluctantly) painting my closet, Christopher accidentally tipped over the paint tray filled with purple paint, and it fell against the mosaic glass window with a hand.
The window was saved by Monica’s quick reactions: she grabbed the window and ran downstairs to the kitchen (without dripping paint). She then helped me scrub the paint off the pieces of colored glass with a dish brush. As we were frantically scrubbing, we in turn sent purple sprinkles flying on the inside of the sink, on the wall, the floor... There was purple paint everywhere! The only way to get the paint off the window frame was to scrub it with baking soda.

The Paint for my Closet (04-12-10)

A few years ago, when I was thinking of painting my bedroom, I asked my daughter Valérie who worked at Division Hardware to get me some Aura paint the color of a bowl of raspberries." She came back with two gallons of the weirdest dark pink color, and I realized that there was no way I could ever get my bedroom walls painted that color.
Fast forward to the present. When I first saw this house, I was surprised by the strangely familiar color of the walls in one of the small room upstairs... So, when I decided to repaint the room before using it as a dressing room, the natural choice was the never used two gallons of dark pink paint.
In the photo, one can see how little difference there is between the wall paint and the paint I had bought and never years before... What are the odds for something like that to happen?!

Mosaic Glass Windows (04-07-10)

I went all the way to Houlton Bakery in St Helens where some mosaic windows made by Jennifer Hanson, the same artist who did the three windows I bought at Portico were on display. I bought two of the windows on display, one of a cherry tree in bloom, and one of a sun. I think this type of windows is just what I was looking for to bring some color to the house.
I am pretty excited that the artist is coming by on Saturday, to look at the bedroom upstairs, to get an idea of the colors of the exiting stained glass casement windows, to match then, -if not in style-, at least, in colors.

Contractors (04-07-10)

I got a call from the weatherization contractor, who told me that when his assistant went under the house, he distinctively smelled an odor of gas. He said it would be a good idea for me to call the gas company. So I called them, and a truck was in a driveway within five minutes of my call. I swear, the guy had to be parked down the street waiting for the call!

The guy from the gas company was a tall old guy with a German accent. No matter how I mentioned growing up a mere 20 miles from the nearest German border, and how much I love German food, he just acted gruff and unfriendly.
When he entered the house, he gave me a weird look and said that he’d been here before. When I pressed him for details, he was vague, though…just like the guy who came to install the phone line who, once he volunteered that he had been here before, refused to say anything else… I am starting to feel that I bought the (cursed) house of a sorceress.

In any case, this big guy claimed there was a possible gas leak at the furnace to floor junction, but since he didn’t anymore than waive his wand over the furnace pipes, I don't know what to think. He didn't go under the house either. I knew he wouldn’t the minute I saw him: he was, ahem, lumbering and pot-bellied; I couldn’t imagine him fitting in the crawlspace without getting stuck. He just gave me a card with the gas company logo on which he had checked a box saying that “the problem needs to be addressed,” to call the number printed on the card to get a referral for a contractor who would fix the leak.

Weatherization underway (04-06-10)

The Energy Trust-approved contractor’s assistant came by today. He checked the insulation in the attic, and then he went under the house. I could picture it like a horror show down there, with bunches of spider nests loaded with eggs ready to hatch right over his head...

Weatherization Problems (04-05-10)

Today the Energy Trust-approved contractor came to conduct a test on the house. He installed large fan over the front door frame and sucked air out of the house. The results now point to a new series of problems: the house apparently failed the test and leaks like a sieve. The guy told Gary that this is pretty much the worst test results he's ever had. Gary asked him what would be worse, and he answered being in a tent outside!
The furnace is set over a huge opening over the crawlspace and recirculates cold air from under the house; this explains why the furnace is on all the time and why it feels ice cold inside. It also appears that the air ducts for the heating system are not operational…

"Mondo" Spider Sighting (04-04-10)

While I was explaining something to Valérie and her friend Meghan, Meghan started pointing at something behind me: there was a giant spider on the kitchen door frame. I ran out of the house screaming. Meghan apparently caught the spider because she walked out of the house carefully holding a paper towel. From my safe spot behind my car, I ordered her to KILL IT!, but she shook her head and walked to the edge of the property. She came back assuring me that she had made sure that the spider took off in the direction away from our house.

Gary and I went to Ikea to buy furniture for his office. I settled on a red bookcase with glass doors and a three-drawer dresser for my closet. I still wonder if that’s not a bit extreme, but I can still think it over until the boxes get opened.

"Mondo" Spider Sighting (04-02-10)

While I was explaining something to Julia, she started pointing at something behind me, got up from her chair and ran out of the dining room screaming. Not sure of what this was about, but suspecting it may involve some creature with more than six legs, I started running after her, also screaming. We ran around the house, from the dining room to the laundry room to the kitchen, and back to the dining room where I caught up with Julia. While we were both shrieking and jumping up and down in one place, I got enough visual information from her to realize that she had seen a huge spider crawling on the back of my pajama pants. Still shrieking, I threatened to remove my pajamas on the spot if she didn’t check if the spider was still on me (it wasn’t). I then ran to the bathroom, grabbed my hairbrush, brushed my hair (no spider), ripped my clothes off (no spider) and jumped in the shower, patting myself all over, just in case.

Contractors (04-02-10)

Today, two guys came to look under the house. Needless to say, they gave wildly different reports.

The first guy works for an outfit that installs fancy steel jack “spikes” 30 ft. into the ground, like one would see used for new Happy Valley houses built on the side of cliffs, -whatever-, and he looked horrified that this house had such a small crawlspace, as opposed to a new suburban-style foundation.

The other guy was moderate in his comments; in fact, he didn’t see much to do to the crawlspace (despite it being accessible to rodents, a few posts needing extra support, etc.); he indicated that the patio area was the problem, since rainwater pools near the back wall of the house.

Cleaned out the shed, etc. (03-29-10)

I am amazed by everything Gary and I did today.

While Gary took down all the ratty shelves inside the shed, found a rats' nest and killed a bunch of ants, Julia and I carried dozens of 2 x 4s and put them in the trailer. After that, we took a load of lumber to the recycling yard, then went to the dump.

Later, we picked up a huge red bookcase for the living room and, best of all, we met with the tax accountant.

And I forgot to mention that all this was done in POURING RAIN, and I also met with two tree guys for estimates...

Pretty Mosaic Glass Windows (03-28-10)

I went by Portico to pick up the windows that were on hold. They are absolutely beautiful, especially the one with flowers. I placed it over the front dining room window. The one with a sort-of metaphysical hand design on it will be in my closet.

Pretty Mosaic Glass Windows (03-27-10)

I went by Portico and saw some gorgeous mosaic glass windows on display and ask for three of them to be placed on hold. I need to think about this, because it’s a lot of money.

Chosing paint colors (03-26-10)

My day was spent opening the last boxes of kitchen stuff.

The color for the upstairs bathroom paint has been chosen (big, big step, since it takes me a long time to make up my mind). It's funny, but it basically is the same color of light teal green as we had in the staircase at the other house.

First Project: Tear Down of the Lean-to (03-22-10)

This is the first project we've undertaken: to repair the shed, the crumbling lean-to must first be removed...

Gary and Valérie at work