The Countdown

Seven weeks.

That is how long we have until Dean's annual family reunion, and it's our turn to host it. Keep in mind the weekend prior we'll be out of town! Dean and I work well under pressure, so I'm sure we'll be fine. Yes, I'm sure of it. No...really...we'll be just fine. We won't even kill each other!

The last time we had a big thing here (his twin brother's wedding) we totally re-landscaped the yard in that amount of time! We do know ourselves well though, and when working under such stress, some days one of us might say to the other, "Don't talk to me today. Really...it would be better not to."

Here's what needs to get done by party time:

Remodel basement bathroom (It's been 1/2 gutted for 3 years now. Since not one thing has been purchased for this project, this will prove to be the most interesting project of all) All that junk in the background is where the shower is supposed to be, but has now become kind of a storage area....sigh....(I really didn't want to post the picture, but it'll be fun to show an "after"!)


Do SOMETHING with the *^&# pond!! I want it filled in. The pond is huge, and honestly as much work as a pool, and if I want that much work, I want something I can use! Here's what it normally looks like


And here's what it looks like now. This may not LOOK like much work, but that is an entire weekend project you're looking at. And those rocks? H-E-A-V-Y, and I can't lift anything so it'll be up to Dean and Tyler. This will need to be done before the fence goes in.


Get fence installed in back yard (Containment for Angela and the dogs. This will be a HUGE stress reliever on several different levels)

Finish stripping kitchen wallpaper, then paint. Here's what it looks like now:(project I started LAST summer, now needs to get done.)


Cleaning the garage would be a good thing too! Two years ago I took this picture to PROOVE that we really could fit two cars AND a motorcycle in there! Now? Can't even get ONE car in there because there's a junker, TWO motorcycles, and lots of JUNK!


Do some planting outside to replace stuff destroyed by the dumb Chemlawn guy last summer. (You'd think they could tell the difference between a hosta, clamatis, and weeds! OMG, I'm so furious about what they killed! 5 years of growth in the gardens GONE!)

Haul a load of junk furniture to the dump (old couch, some odds and ends of crap.)

Repaint floor in 3 season porch (This is the room where we serve food when we entertain in the yard. But there were puppies in there last fall, so it needs to be thoroughly scrubbed down and repainted. The dump couch is the "dog couch" from that room.) Sorry, but I will NOT be posting a picture of what this looks like right now! Just imagine the worst.


Professionally clean basement carpet (We have 4 dogs, need I say more?)

Re-seed the yard. I got the front about 3/4 done a couple days ago, and have a huge BARE spot fenced off so the dogs can't walk on the heavy seeding I did there. That was the favorite wrestling and "let me make toothpicks with this stick" spot.


Find a place for all the dogs the day before and day of the party (This is so that not only are the dogs not underfoot in the final hours, but also so that we're not re-cleaning AND we can get rid of all land mines before company comes.) Look at these four lovely, well-behaved dogs, who wouldn't want them for a couple of days?



Anyone need a dresser? It's in my way!