Patio Installed Before the Winter Snow Flys

The rear sidewalk was removed and a patio was installed in its place. Spring offer the opportunity to complete a walkway to the alley and the placement of stairs.

This project was seeded by the cities $1200 grant for replacing impervious with pervious

A New Roommate

Yesterday I brought home a three year old Jack Russell from the DC animal shelter. He is a mellow character especially for the breed, I hope it doesn't change. I will need to discover a name that fits him, but right now I am calling him Mr. Jack Russell.

Update: I think Bleu will be his name, based on his demeanor it fits. It is also ease to pronounce and is masculine and so Bleu it is...

Landscaping: Coming to a Close

With fall comes the falling of the leaves and time to finish up yard projects. The city planted three River Birch shade trees last week, two in the back and the other in the front yard. I all goes as evisioned when anything grows into place I will have a peaceful backyard retreat.

I have removed all of the side walk and stairs in the backyard in preparation for pavers to be laid. The detail is how much over the allotted $1200 I'm will spend.

Preparing for Winter in the Fall of 2010

I have been a home owner for one year as of September, and since moving in after an extensive renovation, I have worked on multiple projects. Most recently hanging drapes in the bedroom, taking up the walkway in the backyard and planting trees (x4)Crape Mrytles on the property.

As I think about winter arriving I would like to decided on replacement windows for three basement window and installing insulation in the attic.

The Coming of Fall and 1st Year Anniversary

Its August and the days are getting shorter and the anniversary of my closing date is a few weeks away. Much has been accomplished but a few more projects need to be completed before the leaves fall. I hope to replace the original basement windows (x3) and insulate the attic.

This week I have resolved the question of drapes in the bedroom. It was shocking to find out how much custom drapes cost, and so like other household decisions it took a lot of work to find a quality solution at a reasonable price. So I am pleased to have resolved this question that adds the feeling of comfort to the bedroom.

Landscaping Plans Summer 2010

I have been able to plan and work with the city of DC to improve the land surrounding my home whereby it would add to the health of the local water shed.

The city has a program entitled RiverSmart which offers homeowners support with the placement of rain barrels, shade trees, landscaping and pavers all intended to reduce the amount of water run off entering the sewer system. So far they have placed a rain barrel which collects rain from the roof and provides an additional water source for the garden. Come fall the same program is scheduled to add shades trees and new purvious pavers to the property for a nominal copay.

Recent Details Add Comfort

I would have thought I would have written at least a dozen post on my transition into home ownership. But at last there is only so much time in a day.

I continue to move forward with making my house a home. One of my tangible accomplishments since my last post has been resolving detail in the bath room. I have added a glass shelf for towels which works as well as I had envisioned, as well as installing a very sheer shower curtain that is more decorative than functional.

The addition of an area rug in the den adds feeling of comfort there, as does the small area rugs whose color and fabric adds substance to the bath and kitchen were they have been added.

More Settled in Than the Day Before

With each week I find myself bonding with my new home. This past weekend I finally hung my mailbox. Like every project there is a little more involved than first thought, and this to was the case with the placement of my address numbers and mailbox.

Admittedly, the complexity of any project is tied to the vision I have and then the steps I must learn to realize it is. In this case, the choice of floating numbers and a brick facade led me to the decision to mount the mailbox and numbers on a broad and then mount the broad to the wall. The question of how to attach the unit to a brick wall? As I found out use masonry screws....

Good Morning Spring Time

I have really been remiss in posting, my excuse is the number of home related project that occupy any free moment.

Now that 80 degrees has arrived in DC and with a new rake in hand, a few shrubs the plan is to prepare the yard for planting this weekend. This is all new and still pretty exciting. I've recently learned that DC has a rain barrel placement program to help mitigate run off by provide homeowner with free rain barrels. I'm game to have one placed if it fits without issue.

I still looking an plotting my strategy for a landscaping plan. The only thing I know today is that I will be planting some low grow junipers at the front yard retaining wall with expectation that the yellow grass will be replaced by low maintenance hardy evergreen plants.

The First Steps: Expectations and Reality

I committed myself to the idea that with the new year (2009) it was a moment that I should look into and decide to peruse purchasing a home. My only real requirement was to remaining in the city proper. Admittedly I also had some other thoughts that would shape my expectations like: I didn't want to do a condo, because of the added cost of condo fees; nor a renovated property, because someone else's choices would probably not sit well with ones I would make; I simply wanted the opportunity to make a place my own, which meant finding something with the potential, or good bones as those in the business describes houses whose structures are solid though upgrades would still be recommended.

I found a real estate agent by recommended from acquaintances who had found properties and though the agent was helpful. My initial introduction and outing was to look at properties in the immediate neighborhood, Capitol Hill. Fortunately, the first meeting allowed me to see a property that became the model of what I would hold as possible in terms of a small space renovated successfully.

The other reality was the selling price of homes on the hill are far more than I was prepared to pay. My mid-western sensibilities would not in good conscious allow me of to consider dropping 400k on properties in desperate need of 200k in repairs. But that is the reality of established neighborhoods in DC.

My quick conclusion was I would have to look outside of the Hill for a home. This led me to focus on neigh hoods across the river. As history has recorded the railroad tracks or the river defined where affordable and often minority neighborhoods are situated.

Reflections on the Year Long Process of Becoming and Homeowner

Now that I have a little time and hope to gain more as the months of this new year pass, I will attempt to walk through the experience and share some of my insights.

As I struggle to find comfort in my new home I long for getting my simple life back. At present my mind and life still feels consumed with details related to the house. It is 2010 and I am slowly trying to establish that all important balance to my life.

Overall, I am pleased with my handling of this daunting process as a first timer. But my biggest struggle to settling in is my unexpected sensitivity to the noise that filters into my living space from the traffic. I am now on a mission to find an answer to this before it drives my mad.