The next step in making our house secure is deterring would-be burglars from breaking in. One way of doing that is advertizing that our house is monitored by an external security company.  We were given a bunch of these decals from ADT:

We simply peeled and stuck them to the windows/doors around the house:

Ignore the dirty windows, ummkay?

We were also given a small sign to put at the corner of the house…

Next up? Putting blinds on the garage windows to reduce nosy-parkers (“busybodies” in American English) looking in and seeing what we might have to steal.

Personally I feel a lot better knowing we are taking precautionary and preventative measure to secure our home.  In addition to the security system (and warning signs that we have said system), we can also rely on our canine intervention unit:

What steps have you taken to secure your house?

One of the first things we decided to do in 2011 is to make sure our house stays safe and sound.

Yesterday we had an electronic security system installed in the house to give us some protection from burglary and fire.  We have sensors on all the doors, motion sensors in key rooms and a fire alarm that automatically notifies the emergency services if we are not in the house.  That gives me great peace of mind knowing our doggies will be safer when we’re not there.

Eventually, we’re planning on installing a camera surveillance system – one of those funky ones you can check in and view the house online.  It’d be great to see what the dogs get up to when we’re not there!

How do you protect your home? Do you have an electronic security system? Or perhaps a canine one? What other tips do you have for keeping your home, pets and valuables safe?

I’m loving Fall.  The 60-70 degree temperatures we’re having are just perfect.  Over the weekend we had all the windows open to get some crisp Autumnal air running through the house.  And I managed to snap a few pics of some visitors to our back yard…

Other reasons to love Fall?  No more mowing the yard. Cooler temps = nights by the fire drinking hot chocolate (with marshmallows).  Brightly colored leaves on the trees…

The anticipation of the holidays.

Bring it on!

The renovations have slowed down a bit lately as regular work has taken over.  I start teaching this week (where has the summer gone?) and so have been prepping for that, whilst Rick has been working overtime doing computer-related stuff.  One thing that has not been working overtime is our lawnmower (did you like that segue? )

Although the lawn mower almost brand-spanking new -  we only bought it back in March and it has less than 10 riding hours on it – we’ve had to return it to the manufacturer to have it worked on.  Rick started using the mower and after a bit it stopped cutting.  When he inspected underneath, he noticed that the transaxle has a bunch of stress fractures.  Not good.  So while our lovely new mower is having plastic surgery, the dog run in our back yard currently look this:

and this

Don’t judge.  Luckily, it’s just the dog part of the yard that looks like this – we managed to get most of the lawn (the main bits that the neighbors can see) done before it conked out. We’re working on getting a loaner mower whilst ours is being repaired, so hopefully soon we’ll have a less “junglified” yard for the dogs.  In the meantime, I guess Rick is just going to have to get his wacker out.  Weed wacker, peeps.  Keep it clean

Over the July 4th weekend, Rick has been keeping himself busy working on one of our 2010 renovation goals (which is surprising given his penchant for starting new projects, like staining our stairs).

He’s been braving the North Carolina heat and clearing out the brush at the back of our yard:

He’s been making fantastic progress, stopping every now and then to snap a few pics to send to me. At the very back of the brush, he’s made a good clearing…

And between the trees, he’s starting to make headway clearing out smaller trees and brush:

What’s taking the most time is clearing out the random menagerie of bricks and breeze blocks that have been long buried in the undergrowth…

These leftover bricks must be a gift from the previous owners (and builders of the house).  I guess burying them in the back yard was easier than getting rid of them the normal way. Rick says they must have been there for years because the trees have actually grown around some of the bricks…

So far he unearthed a truck load of bricks…

Oh yeah, and a copperhead snake.

That’s a new critter to add to our list! (read about the deer, moles, bats, spiders and bugs).

When I win the lottery, find a sugar-daddy or some other quick get-rich scheme, I dream about having a fabulous outdoor living space out back. Picture a large multi-level deck …

with an outdoor kitchen…

a firepit/ bbq/ pizza oven …

and let’s throw in a free flowing waterfall for good measure. 

Don’t want much, do I?  Whilst all of those things might not be feasible, it is possible for us, one of these days, to build a moderately sized deck and create an open and welcoming outdoor living space. 

To get the most out of the deck, I figure you need to maximize the time you would spend using it.  So, that means not only during sunshine hours, but in the evenings too.  To do that, we need to shed some light.

We saw some of these small solar-powered deck lights on a DIY tv show.

You simply bore out a small hole where you want the light placed, pop it in and it sits flush to the deck.  The sun’s solar power charges the lights and they automatically switch on/off at dusk/dawn.  How simple is that?  Some deck lighting kits you can get are wired, whereas others are battery powered.  Accordingly, the prices online can vary widely: for example, you can get a set of 10 lights here for $144.99, but on this UK site, you can get a set of 6 for £29.99 (approx. $50.00 with current exchange rates). 

Although these deck lights aren’t on the same level of grandeur as the outside kitchen / firepit / waterfall, they are the first step towards creating a welcoming and usable outside living space.  Now I can’t wait to get started rebuilding our dilapidated deck!

Image sources: Large Deck  |  Kitchen  |  Fireplace  |  Waterfall  |  Moderate Deck  |  Lighted Deck

About this time last year, I blogged about Rick using the riding lawnmower we got for free off Craigslist. It was an older model and needed some TLC, but hey, you couldn’t beat the price (I’m talking about the lawnmower here folks, not Rick). 

It almost got us through the summer. By the end of the season, Rick was spending more time fixing the machine than riding it.  And for a couple of weekends, he mowed our 1 acre of lawn using a standard push mower.  Uphill. In 90 degree weather.  Not so much fun.  Rick became someone who used to like lawn tractors.  In fact, you could say he was an ex-tractor fan.  Badummmshhkk.

This year, we thought it would be wise to invest in an updated model.  Here’s Rick riding his new girlfriend (keep your minds out of the gutter people):

Want the deets? It’s a Husqvarna 23-HP twin cylinder Briggs and Stratton engine.  The three 48″ blades make short work of cutting the grass – this one is recommended for areas up to 2 acres (any bigger than that and you need to get a professional model). It has hydrostatic transmission, cruise control, a plush adjustable high-backed seat (a must-have for tall guys like Rick) .. and a cup holder.  You know, in case you’re in need of a beverage whilst mowing.

So far, the mower has been great.  It takes Rick a fraction of the time to mow the lawn than it did last year.  Rick seems happy about the new addition to our family:

Maybe the only way he might be happier is if he can train Beegee, our basset hound to mow the lawn for him!

Beegee on lawn mower 

Back at the turn of twenty-ten, I set out our  renovation goals for the coming year.  Three months later, let’s take a look at how we’re progressing.  We have seven spaces on the to-do list this year: foyer, downstairs bathroom, dining room, office, garage, yard and library.  Some projects are smaller whilst others are more time (and budget) consuming. Let’s break it down one by one.

Goal 1: Foyer

• Finish drywall on headers – put up sheetrock, then mud, sand, dust, mud, sand, dust [ad infinitum]
• Prime and paint drywall
• Paint other walls 2^nd coat
• Install narrow shelving units in wall cavity

Progress: PARTIAL

We have started putting up sheetrock and mudding in some areas, like the header in the left-side living room.  We’ve still got to finish putting up the sheetrock on the right-side header, then mud+sand til our hearts’ discontent.

When we removed the the foyer walls and replaced them with headers to open up the space, we were left with two small partial walls either side of the entryway.  These are helpful in visually delineating the two living spaces without taking up too much room.  But we’re going to be adding more functionality to these puppies in the form of shelving.  In each cavity, we’re installing tall, narrow bookshelves for a built-in cabinetry look.  The shelves are built and have been placed in the space:

Now we have to sheetrock them in, then eventually trim around the outside for the custom built-in look. Once all the sheetrock has been mudded and sanded, we can prime and paint … well, everything. 

Goal 2: Downstairs bathroom

• Finish grouting, molding and decorating

Progress: COMPLETE!

Another one down (ok, the first one down), the first one bites the dust! Sing it, Freddie!  Tiling, grouting and molding have all been finished.  The decor has been … well … decorated.  This transformation is so jaw dropping that it needs a separate post.  Ok, maybe its more like I took way too many pictures to post here. So, watch this space, the big reveal is coming soon! But for now, here is a teaser photo…

Goal 3: Dining room

• Install trim boxes and chair rail
• Paint walls 2^nd coat, paint ceiling

Progress: PARTIAL

Twenty three boxes have been measured, cut and nailed to the wall. That’s 167 feet of trim, and approximately 980 brads nailed in and filled with putty.

Next up?  We’ll caulk around the boxes and paint the trim to make them seamlessly blend in with the wall.  We’ll paint another coat of the charcoal grey on the upper walls and then finally remove all the painter’s tape (as long as it has been up, it feels like a design feature).  The last step will be to put up the chair rail running around the room.  Add a few finishing touches (artwork, decorative knick-knacks … oh yeah, floors and replacement windows) and this room will be finished!

Goal 4: Office

• Finish painting walls
• Get  new office furniture to make office space more efficient (and less ugly)
• Move living room furniture to front living spaces

Progress: ALMOST COMPLETE!

This room has had a total makeover.  The walls have been painted (thanks Alyssa!), gone is the makeshift desk, the book cases have been replaced, and all the junk necessary office items seen in the picture above have been organized and housed in more efficient and appealing furniture.  The big reveal is coming soon, but for now here’s a teaser pic…

Goal 5: Garage

• Replace door, rails and opener on remaining two garage doors
• Tidy up and organize garage

Progress: NOT STARTED

This is one of two projects we haven’t made a start on yet.  With all the renovation projects going on in the house, the garage serves mainly as our storage space/work area and unfortunately will probably be one the last spaces to receive attention.

Goal 6: Yard

• Clear brush from back section
• Fence in rest of yard

Progress: PARTIAL

Rick has made some progress clearing out that dense brush area at the back of the yard.  He has cut down several small trees and piled the wood into neat piles:

We still need to work on clearing some of the bigger trees before we can clear out the smaller greenery and brush.  But we’re getting there!

Goal 7: Bedroom-turned-library

• Finish header – install last supports, remove studs
• Finish drywall – put up sheetrock, then mud, sand, dust, mud, sand, dust [ad infinitum]
• Prime and paint drywall
• Paint other walls 2^nd coat
• Remove existing railing – replace with new wrought iron railing

Progress: NOT STARTED

This is the second project that we are yet to start working on. We really need to finish the sheetrocking of the foyer walls below before we can install the new railing.  With our pack of dogs running around, we need to have some kind of partial boundary in place (whether it is the current stud wall or the new railing) to prevent them from going ker-splat over the edge.  So, for now, this project is on the back burner whilst we finish downstairs.

All in all, I think we are making good progress with our renovation goals for 2010.  Two projects are complete – the bathroom and office reveals will be posted soon.  Three projects are in the works – the foyer, dining room and yard will hopefully be finished shortly.  Only two out of the original seven projects are yet to be started, which I think is normal given that our priorities are elsewhere in the house for now.  How are you coming along with your resolutions?  Are you making good progress or have the goals bit the dust?

When the hubs and I went out for a rare trip to the cinema to see Avatar, we caught the trailer for Despicable me:

It wasn’t til just recently that I noticed we have a despicable dawg under our own roof.  Can you see the similarities?

The likeness extends beyond the silhouette.  Our puppy Reebs has taken to leaving us “presents” around the house.  Understandable perhaps when we are gone from the house and the dogs are kept inside.  Not so much when we are both here and she has free access to the yard.

Solution?  Install a doggy door.  With the exception of the property we rented when we first moved to NC, we’ve had dog doors in all our houses, and so all the dogs have experience using them.  Everyone except Arriba.

This time round, Rick wanted to install the dog door in the exterior wall, rather than the back door. In the past, we’ve had issues with the dog door being fully waterproof because it tends to sit unevenly in the door paneling. 

The dog door was surprisingly easy to install.  Cut out hole in interior and exterior wall using the template provided.  Laugh at dogs pondering the new hole:

Try to stop chihuahua from using dog door without steps:

Next, screw the exterior side of the dog door into the studs. 

Although it was not in the instructions provided with the dog door, we went ahead and installed an additional wooden threshold under the door frame – this was to provide extra support for the dawgs as they come through the door.  The last step was to screw in the door from the inside and caulk around the frame outside.

 And voila!, one dog door installed…

It was quite gratifying to see the dogs use the door for the first time.  It’s amazing that they didn’t forget how to use it after three years without a dog door.  Ok, it’s not rocket science, but the little things get us excited round here.

We’re planning on eventually replacing those old deck steps, but for now they do their job well enough.  Reebs has taken a little time to get used to the door.  But with sufficient coaxing (i.e. treats) she has started using it really well!  No more despicable Reebs.

The storm that blew in over North Carolina dumped about 8-10 inches of snow on us this weekend. With temperatures below freezing since Friday, we haven’t ventured much outside.  I opened the doors long enough to snap a few photos.

Here’s the view from our back deck – check out the 9 inches of snow on the table:

Here’s the view from our front porch:

Our landscape lights should look something like this:

They look pretty cool lighting up the snow!

Did you get hit by the snowstorm this weekend? Anyone brave enough to go outside and build a snowman or make a snow angel?