Ok.....
I think I have the flying squirrels in the attic, and the mice in the crawlspace situations handled. The flyers won't be harmed, but I can't say the same for the mice.
Poor mice.
The clothes washer was fixed with a new drain pipe, thank God. The Sub Z fridge requires "vacuuming, blowing, and lubrication." It's a whole thing... I had no idea. I'll have another circuit put in the garage for a second stove/oven. The one in the kitchen has a grill, and 2 burners only, but I have the downdraft situation figured out.... only one way it could be solved. I think that's all the mechanical/animal stuff right now.
The staircase looks very much like a clockwork shabby chic ship's stairway. I think I love it. The treads are distressed oak, stained dark, with white risers painted white to match the trim, and tongue and groove on either side. I put tongue and groove on one wall in the LR but ran it horizontally there... it's vertical in stairway. Black Roman numerals XII installed on risers. All that's left to do now is install handrail.... looking for industrial feel to that piece. I'll know it when I see it.
Youngest dd13 has second season of Ultimate Frisbee coming up. Last month she got invisiline braces.... doing very well with it, thank goodness. She picked up a ukulele, took a few months of lessons, and is learning songs on her own now. She sings, and partakes in open mike nights at school. She plays in the car, and in the house. It's lovely. Look up the Ukulele Anthem on Youtube.... she plays it like a pro. Such a joy.
Oldest dd15 was struggling with school, and social anxiety. More than capable of doing the work, but overwhelmed easily, and finding it hard to cope with difficult situations. She'd freeze up. She stopped piano lessons and asked for tutor and therapist, which lead to 4 specialists, including brain integration specialist. Current plan has DD flourishing.
We were lucky that her school is willing to let her do Homebound program for a month or two. DD will re join her class before end of year..... we're blessed.
A good thing for me, youngest dd wants to do martial arts classes in the house.... it's been a goal for both dds. Hopefully oldest dd will join when we stop asking her to. Seems to be the way things go there.
I also purchased shade plants to, hostas, ferns, and assorted other bulbs for spring planting. I don't feel like it, but I know digging in the dirt will be good for my head. I have maybe 15 Hemlock trees.... gorgeous... in my yard that require treatment for Wooly Adelgid bug that's wiping out Hemlocks at alarming rate.
What else got done in the house.... backsplash behind stove. It matches the white granite counter. Simple. I like it. Contractor finished a wooden countertop at bar behind stove into dining room out of old barnwood I stained dark, and sealed. Very nice.
The front porch gets widened next week. Right now the old carpeted interior steps are tacked on to porch walkway where I tore the end rail off.... it's not pretty, I'll tell you. I have to take out 4 or 5 bushes to widen that area, but it will be huge improvement. Contractor wants to put deck across front of house, but it would cover up the lovely stone work, and I'm not sure about that yet.
I'm going to research extending the garage toward the street so I can add a fourth bedroom and bath in that space. I can install a third bathroom without improving the septic tank, but adding the fourth permitted bedroom requires adding another septic drain line. Will see.
That leaves bath renovations, and outdoor shower deck..... decision to screen in back porch or turn into four season room.
That's my update.
I have a grounded sleeping pad, supplements in place, and amalgam filling removal
Lighter
