In addition to no more double-payments on utilities and lawn care (yay!), I'm so happy that I can now focus on making my new Minnesota house my real home. First step, the kitchen - new dishwasher installed to replace the old broken leaky one, new kitchen faucet installed to replace the old broken leaky one, and new range hood installed to replace the old broken microwave (which very likely was leaking something dreadful). Here's a photo of my new range hood, with a backsplash that I installed myself. :)
Second step - painting more pleasing colors over the dismal brown paint that is slathered on almost every wall in this house. First, I painted my study (the third bedroom) a medium green. This experience taught me two things: (a) green is much more pleasing than brown and (b) I royally suck as a painter. Therefore, I'm now waiting to hear price quotes from a professional painter to paint the front hallway, dining room, and kitchen (phase 1) and my bedroom and the guest bath (phase 2). There will still be some brown rooms in this house, but they'll be few and far between.
Third step - energy efficiency. The living room and quilt room windows are single-pane glass in old warped wooden frames, and the doors into the garage have gaps between the doors and frames. I'm now waiting to hear price quotes from C.L. at Wildwood Builders for new windows and doors and gutter/facia repair. C.L. also made a point of telling me that my quilt room would be much more energy efficient - and warm in the winter - if he could install a gas insert in my lower level fireplace. Hmmm, I like the idea of a gas log fire warming me while I sew. Perhaps that will go onto my dream list for later years...
