A Man Walks Into a Red Door - Doh!

It all started when we bought a house... wait, you know about that. Let me try again.

Well, it all started when we painted said house - again, we've covered that, haven't we? Hmm...

The house looked dumb with a white front door. There, that sets the tone I'm looking for. Our neighbors already have a great lime green front door, and the next logical choice was to go with a regal red.
 See the image to the right there? Imagine a white door there. Apparently I didn't take any house photos post-painting pre-door-painting. It figures.

Anyhow, I took down the doors. Roughed them up a little, taped up the parts that need to contrast, and hosed them in some rustic red something or other. It's perfect, and I haven't a clue what the color is.

This wasn't a bad way to spend a warm Saturday. The only problem that arose was running out of paint. Katie was out running errands, and here I was halfway finished and no doors on my house. 

A quick check with a neighbor who was outside, and off I went. Two cans of paint in hand, I fogged the rest of the front door, and then unloaded on the back door. The back went much smoother, as it was new - here I go again repeating stories you can go back to read.

Hanging the doors back up, that was a trick and a half. I got it done, but it isn't something I want to do on a weekly basis. Maybe once more, this decade.

No, wait. It's colonial red. Thank you Katie!

Now, we have a patriotic looking house. Take a moment, say the Pledge of Allegiance for me.

Side projects were also addressed: foundation was painted with extra grey from the porch. Additionally, that terrible wire along the outside of the house, that the Verizon guy thought I wanted making our house look like a dump, I moved that to the wall directly inside from the FiOS box. Verizon FiOS, if you are reading this, stop contracting out to morons who don't take even a slight interest in the quality of the installation. That or warn us before we pay for a full installation that the installer will do a terrible job.

There, that looks better.

Lastly, I put a new set of blinds in the kitchen.

They're nice. It's a nice house. But OH BOY wait until I tell you about the gable vents! I'll bring this story about until another day. Tomorrow, perhaps, if I have time. maybe over Thanksgiving.

Hey, Happy Thanksgiving! Do something constructive to your own home this weekend!

Can Jam!

Worst before photo ever.

After painting Dueselhouse, there was a moment of "wow, great idea!" It was Memorial Day Weekend, and everything in Virginia which was labeled "green" was tax free. Low flow toilets are green, and the bathroom in Dueselhouse wasn't sporting a very spectacular throne.

A one piece micro-seat wasn't very great to perch upon, and with taxes set aside for the weekend, I decided that it was time to make a change.

New wax ring

 Glacier bay makes a good looking can that my parents have at their place on Cape Cod. Dual flush, extra tall, and the deep oval make this bathroom addition very accommodating. My dad helped with the installation, and I must say that aside from having to think about what goes through the drain as you clean out the old wax ring, it wasn't a difficult installation - though it was good to have the insight and experience to help me through it all.

Economically speaking, water doesn't cost a whole lot, but there's piece of mind having a positive impact on the amount of water used. This, roughly hundred dollar upgrade, was probably as awesome as painting the upstairs bathroom - not necessary, but really great return on the enjoyability of the user experience.

Katie didn't like having a toilet in the living room. Odd.

Progress

Finished! All told, 25 minutes elapsed.

Step up, sit down, and consider the goodness.