“The RoseBouquet”

Well, to continue this saga. Saturday I came prepared to clean inside all day. I did get the bathroom cleaned in the morning, but in the afternoon, I changed and went to the funeral of one of our dear Western Tract Mission volunteers. We’d all been in shock on Wednesday when we heard that Tina Dyck had died that previous night, while watching the late news. We miss her terribly! (Tina was a dearly loved corrector of the correspondence lessons, and had developed close relationships with several troubled teen girls who were her students. She was also always the one to bring cakes to celebrate anyone’s birthday, and at the funeral I learned she did many other things I’d never heard of).

In the afternoon some friends dropped by, so cleaning slowed down some. I’d brought a crockpot full of stew though, so three of them joined me for supper under the tree behind the house. After they left I did a basic cleaning of the kitchen. Not what I call a deep cleaning yet.

Sunday morning I felt like I needed two long days off in bed, but with a slow start I got off to church, and there I perked up and announced that anyone who wished could drop by my new house - as I’d be there by 3 pm. I ended up measuring spaces and plotting placement of furniture, and I looked through my wallpaper remnants to see what might fit what spots.

About 5:30 Penny came over to see if I’d really had no one show up. Moments later one couple came. Jim and Doreen, and they were most gracious, but they had an appointment to see a house their children were thinking of buying.

Finally, at 7 pm. I packed up and went back to Dad’s house in Hague.

Monday I did laundry here, and helped Jona load Dad’s rotortiller on his truck. I loaded my car down in the morning too, and after lunch headed back to my house. My friend Kathy had also called, and offered to help. She showed up and tackled the deep cleaning of the living room walls and the front porch. Meantime, Jona broke sod on one side of the back sidewalk and went back and forth over it to turn it into a soft soil garden for me. I stood nearby with a spade and the bale of peat moss, and spread it over the ground whenever he was at the opposite end. I thought he’d go through it about three times. Naw, he must have mulled through that dirt, at least 20 to 30 times!

Mind you, that is very sandy soil. Not the gooey black Saskatchewan gumbo in this big garden here. But then we’ve put compost into it for years and years. That’s what has made it so rich.

Jona also turned over and worked through two furrows around the front of the house and the side of the sidewalk for my flowers.

He eagerly took a tour of the house and kept saying things Dad-like, “Ho-but-girl, you need a better door here! Ho-girl, you need these dead branches cut out of these trees. Look at all the worms on this branch!” And just like my Dad, he started tackling these problems.

That evening we loaded my perennial flowers into his truck and what was left over into the trunk of my car, and yesterday he was there before me. He unloaded the flowers under the tree and began to saw off dead branches.

When I arrived we went together to the Habitat for Humanity’s Re-Store to look for second-hand doors. None were good enough in his eyes. and then he wanted to go for Kentucky Fried Chicken. He and Dad always used to go to the city for that on Tuesdays. So he took me out for lunch and we talked about Dad. At one point Jona said, “I don’t’ want to be rude, but I think I miss your Dad more than you do.”

I suspect he’s right. But I sure have been thinking of Dad a lot lately, and hearing his advice in my head about a lot of things. My parents re-modeled a lot of older homes in their younger years, and he would really be getting into this stage with me now. 100% present and involved!

So I’ve taken this morning off to do this RoseBouquet and if anyone asks how things are going I’m sending them to the blog to check.

I do have one photo story of the state I found the house in just before I took possession. You’ll see it here; Taking Possession of 903

Unfortunately the photos I’ve taken of the changes do not show up this morning when I put the memory card into the USB slot! There were there in the camera yesterday! When I put the card back into the camera it shows NO PHOTOS! Ouch! What a loss! We can’t re-enact some of those scenes.

But I’ll take more. At least if this card is not wasted. And there’ll be more to see.

Yesterday afternoon I planted the peonies, irises, tulips, rhubarb, and painted yellow daisies.

Today I plan to finish cleaning the bedroom and the spare room (storage now) and to plaster up the holes and cracks in the walls, so it will all be ready to start painting inside tomorrow and the day after. All going well, I hope to do the wallpapering on Saturday. (Jona gave me two bags full on Monday!)

The kitchen needs the most work, and I do want new cabinets there, but I think I’ll resign myself to just cleaning what is there for now, and wait until I can afford the newer ones.

The fridge had mold growing in the sealing rubber of the door, so I had it carried out and will turn it into a big planter. There’s volunteer melons coming up in this garden here, so I’ll transplant them, and if I can get some small strawberry plants, I’ll soon have that thing draped with luscious and productive vines. Maybe some tomatoes in there too!

Next week I expect to work mostly on the basement - another long story. There must be a law (related to Murphy’s Law) that says things always take longer than you expect, but if all goes well, I’ll be looking for friends with trucks to help my stuff move over completely by the end of next week. For the time being it seems wiser to commute.

I’m sure I’ve left things out, but my time’s up. I need to get out there, as my friend Laura said she wants to come help me this afternoon. I still want to load down the car with stuff first.

No doubt I’ve left out some parts in my hurry here this morning, but this should give you a fast glimpse. You can always asks questions if something puzzles you, and when I get a chance, I’ll answer. How’s that?