The Mistress
Some women have to deal with losing their husbands' attention to some beautiful, young babe. My husband's mistress isn't that type. She was built in 1938. She stands ragged and worn. She definitely needs lots of love and attention! And he loves her dearly, even after a year of time and money.
Yesterday made one year that we've owned Little Mount Vernon. At times we get disappointed that we aren't further along. But for weekend warriors, I believe we've made a lot of progress.
So far, the garbage that was knee deep all the way throughout the house has been cleaned out. The North front columns have been repaired. A water line has been run and a spigot installed. Joists and wall framings have been rebuilt and installed to repair structural damage in the south front entrance, the dining room and hall, and the kitchen.
And work in the master bedroom is in progress.
Subfloor boards have also been cut and sized, although, they are not all laid down as we continue to dry out the old beauty.
The North front exterior wall and kitchen exterior walls have been sheeted and tar-papered in preparation for new cypress siding to be installed once the lumber is planed and cut.
The basement has been drained and a dehumidifier installed, and the crawl space vents sealed in preparation for encapsulation once the moisture level reaches the desired point.
Dwight has spent numerous hours on the bulldozer pushing up 20 years of growth to reclaim the beautiful oaks, crepe myrtles, and camellias in the North front yard. And the yard has been sloped to provide for better rainwater runoff.
The upstairs wiring has been run and the electrician is on standby to wire the downstairs as we complete structural repairs. We are accepting bids for the HVAC installation. If you or someone you know is in the business and interested in submitting a bid for the job, we'd love to hear from you.
I am so glad my husband's other love is a passion that I can love and enjoy spending time with too. Looking back on the year we've had with her, we are grateful for the progress we've made, the lessons we've learned, and the memories we've gained. Today we are still in awe that she is ours.
Here's to one year down. Now on to the next one!