The House is on the Market

The sign went in front of the house yesterday, but we had a potential buyer do a walk through on Monday. The feedback from the buyer was that the stairwell landing was too low since we is very tall.  The problems that she saw was the moss on the roof, and a branches overhanging the roof. I did look at the trees, and there are a few dead branches that can be removed. I'll just treat each walk through like job searches. I'll find out what wasn't liked and make corrections as we go along. It looks like this weekend I'll be getting well acquainted with the roof at the rent house.

I was really hoping to be done with the house, but if a few more hours or tens of hours will make the house sale, then I'll be doing whatever it takes to get rid of two mortgages, two electric bills, two water bills, and two gas bills. The good news is that our budget is only in the negative by about 100 dollars each month, but that can be fixed by tightening the belt and watching the pennies.

 The List:

• Spray 10% bleach solution on roof moss to kill it. (2nd of 3 applications) or brush and hose off
• 1 new blind small curtain in master bathroom
• Paint outside trim around doors that were installed a year ago.
• Restore hardwoods. Under contract!!!
• Replace dryer vent under house. (trenched)
• Make the under the sink in the main bathroom more attractive (hide water damage).
• Clean under carport
• Quarter round along some walls to cover hardwood flooring gaps. ( LR, hallway, master bedroom )
• Clear house of items.
• Cut two small trees down in backyard.
• Repaint quarter round in boys old bedrooms. 
• Detail room: Kitchen
• Detail room: Bathrooms
• Detail room: downstairs
• Detail room:  Bedrooms
• Added: remove dead branches over roof.
• Added: Clean along back fence line

Is everyone watching the Chinese stock market, and the Greek tragedy unfold? Might be a few ripples affecting the USA, which the main stream media is ignoring altogether.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

Long Term Storage Of Honey

There are a few food stuff things that will last a long time and honey is one of them. I've never seen this addressed, so I thought I would speak from my experience. Honey WILL last a very long time, but it will crystallize. The best method to bring the honey back to it's original form is a hot water bath. Most plastics are not designed to withstand the heat, and melt. Microwaving isn't any better and can create hotspots in the honey. (link to honey facts)

Transfer your honey to clean and dry mason jars for your long term storage if they come in plastic containers. It'll save you some grief in a few years. The two pictures below are from our personal honey stores that we've had for 4 years. We tried a hot water bath and a microwave, but the melting point of the plastic jug is just below the boiling point of water. Nothing teaches like experience.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

Just the list

I'm updating the list then crashing....

The List:

• Spray 10% bleach solution on roof moss to kill it. (2nd of 3 applications)
• 2 new kitchen blinds
• 1 new blind small curtain in master bathroom
• Paint outside trim around doors that were installed a year ago.
• Restore hardwoods. Under contract!!!
• Replace dryer vent under house. (trenched)
• Install quarter round on stairs painted quarter round
• Make the under the sink in the main bathroom more attractive (hide water damage).
• Clean under carport
• Quarter round along some walls to cover hardwood flooring gaps. ( LR, hallway, master bedroom )
• Clear house of items.
• Cut two small trees down in backyard.
• Repaint quarter round in boys old bedrooms. 
• Detail room: Kitchen
• Detail room: Bathrooms
• Detail room: downstairs
• Detail room: Living Room
• Detail room:  Bedrooms

Keep Right On Prepping - K

Breaking News

The Doctor woke up around 5:30 a.m., which is unusual, while Sweetheart was out with her friends at boot camp. I usually keep my phone in the living room and I was surprised to hear it ringing at 6:00. Sweetheart was calling to say that she coasted to a stop along the freeway. The vital car needs were a new alternator, terminal post, and brakes. There were half a dozen other needs, such as 2 new back tires, that also needed to be replaced/repaired, so we just bit the bullet and went ahead and had it all done.

Friday night the cables on the garage door, that attach to the drums, both snapped, and we have a call out to the garage door people to have it fixed. The future profit from the rent house is slowly being devoured....

This is the only real maintenance that the car has required for the last five years, except for a new battery. I really shouldn't be complaining since it got me through school without any issues. On the bright side, it couldn't have happened at a better time, since I've got my Dad's truck and the garage will have all of the repairs done by Wednesday at the latest.

Speaking of money troubles, Puerto Rico has declared that they might not be able to pay their creditors. They are a US territory, and possibly our 51st state, but remaining a territory has it's own advantages that they probably don't want to give up.  The financial collapse is hitting a little closer to home.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

Leaps and Bounds

Man, what a great weekend. I got a lot accomplished on the list, and I think if I went for broke I could actually have the house ready by the first. I got all of the kitchen, hallway, and laundry room detail paint work done. The outside was pressure washed, and I'm sure that if pressure washers were around about the time of Hercules, it would have been one of his Labors. Also while I had Sweetheart was there, I got the refrigerator moved over to our house. It'll reside in the garage for bottled water, Gatorade, and a few beers with mugs in  the freezer.

Huge difference for curb appeal

First time since 2000 that it's been this clean.

The List:

• Spray 10% bleach solution on roof moss to kill it. (2nd of 3 applications)
• Remove refrigerator
• 2 new kitchen blinds
• 1 new blind small curtain in master bathroom
• Paint outside trim around doors that were installed a year ago.
• Pressure wash house, sidewalks, and carport.
• Restore hardwoods. Under contract!!!
• Replace dryer vent under house. (trenched)
• Install quarter round on stairs painted quarter round
• Make the under the sink in the main bathroom more attractive (hide water damage).
• Clean under carport
• Quarter round along some walls to cover hardwood flooring gaps. ( LR, hallway, master bedroom )
• Clear house of items.
• Cut two small trees down in backyard.
• Added: Repaint quarter round in boys old bedrooms.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

A Good Day

As the title suggests, a lot got done at the rent house. I made a good dent in the list by getting the kitchen painted, and 95% of the stairwell and laundry room. So that means that the two biggest projects are almost done. I'll still have to tame "The devil is in the details",but I have the full day tomorrow and July 3rd to get things squared away. I've been gradually bringing my tools and other items back to the house, so that I'm not loaded down at the end with a full day's running back and forth.

Finished Product

After floating the wall and repainting the kitchen seating area

A before shot

Bottom of the stairwell with the new flooring installed

The stairwell is really high, and I didn't want the ladder on the stairs!

The staircase is partially finished.

I'll still have to run around and spot paint some trim work, and a few other areas. The risers are painted the same color as the walls, and I'll paint the steps a dark brown color. Anyways, The List....

The List:

• Spray 10% bleach solution on roof moss to kill it. (2nd of 3 applications)
• Remove refrigerator
• 2 new kitchen blinds
• 1 new blind in master bathroom
• Install flooring in laundry room.
• Paint outside trim around doors that were installed a year ago.
• Pressure wash house, sidewalks, and carport.
• Restore hardwoods. Under contract!!!
• Paint the doors in the hallway.
• Replace dryer vent under house. (trenched)
• Install quarter round on stairs and paint stairwell.
• Make the under the sink in the main bathroom more attractive (hide water damage).
• Clean under carport
• Quarter round along some walls to cover hardwood flooring gaps. ( LR, hallway, master bedroom )
• Clear house of items. 
• Detail window sills listed below:

1. 2 windows in kitchen

• Repaint Kitchen
• Cut two small trees down in backyard.

Tomorrow will be pressure washing the house and cleaning along the back fence line. Mopping the hardwoods, and cutting down the two small trees in the back yard.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

Personal Digital list

I've been mainly updating this list as a personal to-do list that I can access on my phone while at the house. 

The List:

• Spray 10% bleach solution on roof moss to kill it. (2nd of 3 applications)
• Remove refrigerator
• Remove tile by carport entrance, level floor, and install bamboo flooring. (quarter round left)
• 2 new kitchen blinds
• 1 new blind in master bathroom
• Install flooring in laundry room.
• Paint outside trim around doors that were installed a year ago.
• Pressure wash house, sidewalks, and carport.
• Restore hardwoods. Under contract!!!
• Paint the doors in the hallway.
• Replace dryer vent under house. (trenched)
• Install quarter round on stairs and paint stairwell.
• Make the under the sink in the main bathroom more attractive (hide water damage).
• Clean under carport
• Quarter round along some walls to cover hardwood flooring gaps. ( LR, hallway, master bedroom )
• Clear house of items. 
• Detail window sills listed below:

1. 2 windows in kitchen

• Repaint Kitchen
• Cut two small trees down in backyard.

I was able to head over to the house after the boys went to bed and got a few things done. I'm tired today, but gotta keep plugging away.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

List Shrinkage

The list is getting shorter, and I finally have  a company to do the flooring for the house. I'll put the house on the market with a flooring allowance until the floor gets refinished. If the buyer decides to install carpet the company has agreed to refund the money, so I get the house on the market and the floors redone. I have a ton of work to still get done before the first of July...(head down and keeps running)...It'll get there.

The two biggest and pressing projects are the stairs and the kitchen being repainted, along with the other items on the list.

The List:

• Spray 10% bleach solution on roof moss to kill it. (2nd of 3 applications)
• Remove refrigerator
• Remove tile by carport entrance, level floor, and install bamboo floooring. (quarter round left)
• 3 2 new kitchen blinds
• 1 new blind in master bathroom
• Install flooring in laundry room.
• Paint outside trim around doors that were installed a year ago.
• Pressure wash house, sidewalks, and carport.
• Restore hardwoods. (under contract!!!)
• Paint the doors in the hallway.
• Replace dryer vent under house. (trenched)
• Install quarter round on stairs and paint.
• Make the under the sink in the main bathroom more attractive (hide water damage).
• Clean under carport
• Quarter round along some walls to cover hardwood flooring gaps. ( LR, hallway, master bedroom )
• Clear house of items. 
• Detail window sills listed below:

1. 3 2 windows in kitchen
2. 2 in Row old room
3. 1 in Red Ant old room
4. downstairs area
5. back bedroom

• Repaint Kitchen
• Cut two small trees down in backyard.

Keep Right On Prepping - K