Have You Heard the One About...

So this Irishman and a Scott walked into a house...

And this is what happened:

House with primer, ready for framing!

They worked out a contract and the painting got underway. Our friend Steven and his crew turned the house all nice and white!  All of the remaining woodwork and brick has been sealed with shellac. Shellac is made with the secretions of the female lac bug found in India and Thailand. It's purpose in my house is to seal all of the smelly, burnt-insulation stench into the wood so we won't ever smell it after we move back in. Which is interesting, if you ask me, because it STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN. 

So what happened to the Irishman and his friends when they walked out of the house? Heaven only knows. They had to have been high from all those female lac bug secretions. 

Lovely arches-

The big guy toyed with the thought of removing these arches from the doorways. But, as the painter reminded him, "if Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy" and this Momma said NO. The arches and coffered ceilings were some of my favorite features. 

Shellac on the brick fireplace.  

The red brick on the fireplace was not one of my favorite features. It was always so dark, though not quite as dark as it got after the fire attacked it. But, I personally believe you should not paint brick so I vowed to leave it be. Now, we have no choice. We either seal it, tear it down, or live with the stink working it's way out of the pores for years to come. There you go- my hands were tied. It had to be done. 

What else did the week bring? 

Well, there was a small showdown with the previous landlady. I'll spare the details here but it began when she changed the locks before we left, it got crazy when the police were called, and it ended with her leaving under threat of arrest and us carrying the new keys. 

The moral of the story?

Do not mess with me. Do not mess with my family. We have been through hell. We are busy trying to rebuild our lives and our home and we will not be pushed around. If you can't play nice in the sandbox, I will lock yo butt out of the sandbox and flaunt the shiny gold key. I am nice, and friendly, and all...but my patience does have an end. 

We are strong as steel I tell ya! You can burn us and beat us but we just get stronger.

I think we settled into our new temporary home very nicely this week. We at least unpacked most of our boxes and got organized enough to cook a meal in our new kitchen and wash dishes in the WORKING dishwasher. Gosh, I was almost giddy when it ran the first loads.  

What else happened to our strong as steel family this week?

We went and watched our budding performer in her 1st grade play. She looks strong as steel in those feathers, eh? Like an Angry Bird. 

Little Bean as a Blue Bird

No...she looks adorable! I love that toothless smile. Her line was "she took jazz, and tap, and ballet, and practiced her dancing 8 hours a day!" 

So, what's up this week?

The lumber's coming! The lumber's coming! Tomorrow, all of the lumber for the framing and re-construction will be delivered. Our friend Brad, and his crew will start the framing this week. 

Confession: I don't really understand what framing means. I'm pretty sure my house already has a frame. But, if I understand the men and their contracts at all, I'm pretty sure this means they will be building things in my house as opposed to destroying things in my house. 

I'm all about that.