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The New Digs

Phase one
(in which Doris gets her Oats!)

They let me buy this place.

When I consider myself I find that hard to believe, but it worked! So, lets look around. Hey look! Either my garage has headers or its a square shark with braces...nevermind...

Let me preface that Kimmie was right about the surprises. Not that I'm unhappy, but "Oh My"...here and there. LOL! The thumbnails are actually in the order that I took them. Below they were rearranged for the initial guided tour.

Here is my future glass studio, or at least thats the plan. I'd hate to think it might become a catchall instead. NOT!! I'm still moving. You'd think, that after this much time however, I would be somewhat settled in by now. Truth is though, I'm still trying to figure out whats in "this" box, "this" box and why I even have it...Let alone that I put it in a box and moved it!

Lets go inside.

Heres the livingroom. Nice size, hardwood floors and stuff. Around the corner is what I think was the diningroom, but I setup my computer instead. Around the corner again and we're in the kitchen. WOW! Looks like "I" live here, huh?

When I looked at the place the first time, there was a martial artist living here. There were more samurai swords in here than you could shake your kabuki at. About 25 or more of them and a couple of Claymore replicas (the Claymores seemed a bit out of place, but they looked nice). Then when I moved in there was still a picture on the wall in the kitchen by a child, signed Crystal Dragon (I still get mail for Richard Dragon). Behind the picture was a hole in the wall. Judging from the stucture of the hole I'd say it was done with the butt end of a samurai sword. So I fixed it. Art will fix anything...unless its leaking...then you'll need some caulk. (Oops, that was the bathroom. Back to the kitchen.)

You know...other peoples cupboards are fine until you have to move into them...and then they're like

"EWWWWWWWWWWWWWW".....Right?

Clean, scrape, clean again, two coats of Kilz. Now what? One of my own finishes. Ok, finish is pretty much done, new hinges don't fit the old holes, Grrrrrrrrr...it never ends. (By the way, the painting leaning up in place of the cabinet door is just a goofy I idea have for the doors...) Heres a detail of the finish, I know, you can buy a kit for a crappy reproduction of my ancient chinese secret, but I like mine better. I haven't painted the walls yet but heres what I'm thinking (hope I like it).

Lets go down the hall to the bathroom. Don't be afraid. I haven't been here long enough to make it my own (trash it). You've already seen the bottom of the bathroom sink, so heres the top. Its rusting through there too! I am acquiring parts for the future remodel but in the meantime, I'll keep it caulked shut til I can't keep it caulked shut no more!

So, lets move downstairs to the big bathroom.

But first, I must warn you, theres a red shag carpet down there....downstairs...more on that later. Lets go in the big bathroom. This is a big bathroom. I can't express to you how impressed I was when I first saw it. Its BIG! I ran down to the far end and took a picture. Then I ran to the other end and took another. Its a Big Bathroom. Maybe I should think about it for a while. (Maybe I should've combed my hair first.)

Well, let's venture out into the ...red...part of the basement.

This area is wierd, its the only part of the basement thats finished yet they didn't put in any electrical to speak of an no heat at all. Its just dark and cold and introduces my opportunity to talk about dead mice.

But first, lets go in here. This is the downstairs bedroom. My camera, always trying to get the best pic, overexposed this terribly. There is only a 60 watt bulb in this room. Here is more what it looks like. Yes thats red velvet brocade wallpaper. Now, into the cold darkness. I lit it with a 500watt stage lamp so we could see.

When I moved in and started cleaning cupboards, I found a lot of evidence of mice. I buttoned up all possible entries and made the kitchen tight as a drum. However, it didn't occur to me that the "mouse signs" and the suspended ceiling directly below the kitchen (which is where we are now), had a relationship. Now, I needed to get in above the ceiling down here cuz the electrical comes in through this room. As I said, it blows me away that they went to the trouble to fir out the walls, put up paneling and hang a ceiling with all the fore-thought of installing "an" outlet...one..only one. The light was an afterthought. Its a plug-in shop light tied into a circuit from the livingroom! Anyway...

I needed to get into the ceiling. The very first tile I pulled out was my first clue to something I had no clue of. If you look how at close this ceiling was hung to the joists you can see it wasn't easy. Its like a puzzle which one will come out next. As the tile came out it kind of kersproinged and rained its burden into my hair and all over me...into my pockets.... One dead mouse, a d-con with a mouse still in the box...and...I'm not sure what the other stuff was. Not counting the plastic lens below the "light", I've removed seven tiles and recovered five and a half dead mice...I'm not looking forward to the rest of this....But, all the hard work thats been done in here is coming out! (And that doesn't mean its gay.)

So, what's going on right now? In the basement, I'm pouring rubber. Upstairs, I have brought to light a window. Twelve years ago, I made a window. The studio/gallery was closing at the time and I only just got it finished. I set it in the light to have a peek but since then its been behind my closet door (at the old place...(nowhere to put it)), never seeing the light of day. I'm tickled that is out in the sun again. Still have to hang it proper but damn, thats a pretty window.

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