While I haven’t been posting updates on our various projects (some I haven’t even documented well) we have in fact been making progress. Over the past few months we have managed to complete work on the apartment, build new doors for the garage and install shelving, repair the framing for the front porch and repair the steps, remove the wallpaper in the front parlor and paint it, and this spring we have been planting in the yard: a lemon tree, a satsuma tree, tomatoes, peppers, basil, and lots of flowers.

Jim teaching me how to build doors for the garage

Jim helped me build new shelving in the garage

New wood in place to support the front porch

Drop cloths in place for starting work on the parlor.

Stripping the Wallpaper in the Parlor

The front parlor completed just in time to put up our small tinsel tree. First Christmas in the new house!

Our Loot from a trip to Bantings Nursery

In February, K decided it was time for a sit-down dinner party. She decided that Valentines day would be a great opportunity since no one likes to go out for an over-hyped meal in a restaurant on the same day that everyone else in the city decides to go out. She pulled off a fabulous meal with everyone chipping in (she even assigned me the soup). A perfect first meal in the dining room.

Table Setting for Valentines Dinner 2011

Earlier this month we managed to score a free piano. Of course, as with all free pianos we had to move it. And this one needed a little TLC. But it is now happily ensconced in its new home and I am well on my way to playing Good King Wenceslas.

Repairing the legs on the new piano. The newest addition to the house.