New Siding Project – Part 13
Good news and bad news this week… First the good:
Finally…what we’ve all been waiting for!
Siding!!
The north and south sides of the house are almost done, and the east and west have a few rows done.
South side
East side
North side
West side
We’re so excited!
Bad news: A few problems this past week…
Something died in the crawl space beneath the living room, and thanks to our new airtight house, things were quite smelly for a while. However, it was cool enough over the weekend to open the windows and we gratefully did so.
Our second problem is our new storm door. It’s an Anderson, and we like it very much…quite solid, very pretty and all. We paid a pretty penny for it.
South side
But the wind somehow got it open on Sunday when we were gone all day, flipped it open and mercilessly bounced it against the front of the house all day. Wind gusts 35 mph. The closer was broken, and the bottom hinge ruined. It’s beyond repair, and the warranty doesn’t cover our ridiculous Kansas wind, so we have to replace it. Harland bought a new door, a different brand that’s supposed to be more wind resistant, and will install it when he has time. That could be a while as this week he started the corn harvest.
Our third problem is the cats.
Yes, those little darlings. Last week, Harland was away at the farm every day preparing the combine for harvest. Gerald and Ramona were working alone at the house for the first time on this project. For some bizarre reason, Kitty and Muffy decided to turn into a couple watchdogs and go after Gerald and Ramona when they came into the house for lunch. Apparently there was hissing, scratching, and attempts to drive the evil humans back out the door. They finally gave up and went to town for lunch. Since then, we’ve locked the feral beasts up in the office every morning, releasing them when I get home from work. Kitty’s never liked people, except us, but has tolerated Gerald and Ramona. Muffy is timid and has never been aggressive towards them. We can only guess that because they were home alone, they felt threatened. I understand…But how embarrassing to have our pets drive our guests/family members out of our home. Sigh….
But soon this long drawn-out project will be done. I’m looking forward to this winter to see how much propane we use and how much warmer the house will be. It feels so different in the house now…so quiet, so snug feeling. Our 100 year old home feels like new!
I’m sure Kitty and Muffy will be glad when the project is done too.
It’s a box….NO…it’s a portal to another universe inhabited only by cats.
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If you would like to catch up on the rest of our siding project, click HERE.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxo
I guess you’ve always been there when I was so have never seen this behavior! I will be sure to appreciate your presence even more going forward. So sorry about the door! I guess there are always hitches to every project though. Glad the smell is gone now. Hopefully all things will find an escape route this winter when you can’t open windows.
Hi Suzanne,
Everything is looking fantastic!
Everyone is working so hard.
So sorry to hear about your screen door. I hope the new door fairs better. Growing up in central Kentucky we lived in a brick ranch and had to replace our storm door 3 times because of the wind warping it out of shape. My mother finally had someone build us a very , very sturdy wooden door. It had a glass top. But no screen for the summer. And it was never weather tight.
Those poor kitties. I guess they are more stressed than expected! Thank goodness you have understanding family!
Keep the posts coming. Love reading all about it!
Florida hugs,
Becca
It’s looking great! I’m sorry about your storm door…that really stinks. The wind caught my car door last winter and did the same thing! Your cats make me laugh. I know it’s not funny that they attacked your friends, but oh my…only Kitty and Muffin! 🙂
The wind in Kansas can be very strong. It didn’t ruin our door but, it did crack the wooden door frame the door was attached to. .
You house is looking very nice. It actually looks like a different house than the one you started with.
Dianne
You are in the final stretch toward a beautiful home. Harland must drop in to bed at night! What a busy guy. His brother and wife are a wonderful example of what family is all about. Sorry about your storm door. Guess the term “storm” door is a misnomer??? Your two furry people are a hoot! Love their antics and personalities. Thanks for sharing your journey through a HUGE adventure.
How lovely your house looks Suzanne! We chose white siding and the house looks so clean! Your window and door selections are just perfect. Maybe Kitty and Muffy were protecting the new door, they have a great view from the floor now! Your raisin pie photo made me very hungry!
Thanks Carol, here’s the recipe for the pie: http://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/pies/old-fashioned-sour-creamraisin-pie/
Thank you Suzanne! The pie not only looks good, it tastes even better!
When I was in Kansas a couple of years ago, I could NOT believe the wind. We have wind like that, but it’s usually associated with tropical storms! It’s a shame about the door. It’s possible that got the kitties a bit freaked out, too, with all that clanking and banging around.
The house looks just fantastic. It’s going to be such a joy for you when it’s done. I hope your weather is giving you what you need, too. If only you could keep it dry at the house and rainy over the fields that need it!
The siding looks great.
What great watch cats you have!
Oh Suzanne! I’m so sorry about the storm door! I hate to think of an expensive item like that being beaten to death by the wind! I must ask: Did it have two pneumatic closures, or just one? Our pastor and his wife have one that looks like yours, has two of the closures, and it’s so strong, it takes a lot of effort to open it. I’ll ask what brand it is. We’re about to buy a new one too, and were looking at that brand.
It would be interesting to know why your furbabies behaved in such a manner! Poor Gerald and Ramona! I don’t suppose they offered any explanations, either! 🙂
Your house is looking beautiful! Ours still hasn’t been painted!
Jeanne
We should have had 2 closures, but we only had one. It’s been so calm lately, and with everything going on, we didn’t rush out and get a 2nd closure. Lesson learned. 🙁