Before and after

 It's been a crazy weather week here again, with rain and cool temps to start the week and now the heat (and humidity) has ramped up. We're not getting the high temps other areas are seeing but going from 19C (66F) to 28C (82F) in less than 24 hours is a bit much. Especially with the humidity, it supposedly feels like 38C (100F) as I'm writing this on Friday evening. I do know I came in wringing wet from grilling burgers for dinner. 

I had a quiet start to the week too, other than picking up groceries on Monday, I didn't do much around the house until Wednesday morning. I've been putting off painting in the basement thinking I'd wait for the hot weather but got a bee in my bonnet that morning and got started. I did the edging around the room, followed by the first and second coats on the following two days. After I removed the tape today, I noticed a few areas that will need a touch up. I'll use a small brush for those - no need to pull out the roller again. 

This is the before photo, after I'd removed all that ugly indoor/outdoor carpet and scraped the floor of the residual glue. I took the photo from the opening into the room. There was no door at that time, and the wall to the left was only a pony wall.

The after (before the tape was removed obviously). This photo was taken from just inside the door. Bit of a difference, right? For perspective the roof height is just about 6'8". My brother, who is 6'3", can't walk into the closet area without ducking. These are things I don't notice, I'm only 5'2". It can't be used as a bedroom as there is no egress but I think it would make a perfect theatre room....for someone else.

John has asked if I am planning to sell the house, and the short answer is yes. There is more work to be done upstairs (flooring), and outside in the back yard (new sod and replacement of a sidewalk) but that will have to wait for another year or so. I have to pay off the cost of this year's renovations first. 

When I wasn't in the basement - which took about two hours each day - I spent most of my time on Ancestry or knitting and crocheting. I've decided to pause my subscription for a couple of months, and will cancel my Newspapers.com subscription too. Accordingly I've been working at adding information from the newspapers into my trees as quickly as I can before I give up my access. Most of this info revolves around obituaries, wedding and birth announcements, but every so often I come across an interesting story related to the lives family members have lived. This mostly relates to more current times, because it is often difficult to determine the individual in the late 19th century as only initials were used for men's first names, and women were never referred to except by the husband's names. Single women weren't often referred to in newspaper articles, except as it related to their fathers.

When not playing on the computer, I've been watching baseball or football (or both) and knitting. My sweater has been restarted again as although I liked the pattern, it just wasn't working up the way I liked. Another pattern for a tank top has been started, as a well as another crocheted baby blanket. I really need to push through my stash.

Today I enjoyed my breakfast out on the deck, the temperature was a lovely 21C (70F). I watered the containers yesterday evening, but the front flower bed needed a good soak. That was accomplished while I relaxed in my chair.

My campanula or bellflower has self seeded throughout the flower bed. I love how the flowers look peeking out from the fern and hosta. 

Then it was time to head back down to the basement to finish the touch-ups and do some cleaning. All of the paint supplies have been put away, the garbage removed and floors swept. I still need to finish the caulking in the new room, and sand and paint all of the baseboards and casings. That will have to wait, as I've decided to take a drive out to visit with D and Eli on Monday. 

This week Eli had his first round of swimming lessons, as the pool has been closed for two years. He had two lessons a day, 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. He did very well and has passed onto the next level, which he's scheduled for the first in August. They have appointments late in the week, so a short visit is in order. I'll return home on Wednesday, but we've got big plans for the days I'm there. More on that next week.

I'm off to do some housework that has been neglected this week. And I'll likely spend some time on Ancestry too before the football this afternoon and baseball this evening. Have a wonderful week ahead everyone!