Our Lady of Perpetual Renovation Has a New Hairdo

Our Lady of Downtown Brooklyn, AKA Our Lady of Perpetual Renovation

Our Lady will be filled with vines and herbs.  Hopefully, She will help speed up progress in the backyard.

Why I'm Losing Patience with the Developers Next Door

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByQ4f6Q0eyqZUldOamYwQnU4Njg/edit?usp=sharing

Construction Next Door Gives Me a Lake

Construction Next Door

Here's the view from my porch this morning.

First Thanksgiving

I just had my first Thanksgiving at the house!  It was a year late, but lovely nonetheless.  I have a lot to be thankful for, including having family that supported me throughout the whole renovation, the sweetest dog in the world, some good new tenants, and a new home that is becoming more comfortable and welcoming each day.  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. And, for those that suffered damage or the loss of your home due to Sandy, know that a big renovation does not last forever. 

Sandy Does a Job on the Construction Site Next Door

The house was left without any damage to speak of, but the fence at the construction site next door went flying in all directions.  Above you can see what happened to the cars near the fence, my new view to Flatbush Avenue Extension without the fence, and the view from the stoop.

Harry the Hazelnut Tree! Thanks, again, NYRP!

I just adopted Harry, an American hazelnut tree, through the Million Trees NYC program run by the New York Restoration Project.  Harry will join Penelope the Pear tree, whom I adopted earlier this year.

SWAT Team Arrives at the House

Last week, I was showing the future top floor tenant some things in the house, unaware that the door behind her didn't lock when she entered.  When I returned to my apartment after a few minutes to get a form, I heard a man's voice in the bathroom.  "Hello?"  "I'm just going to the bathroom!"  A man was in my bathroom, and speaking on a phone with someone.  "Who are you?" I asked.  He didn't respond.  I went outside, and summoned a neighbor, who started banging on the door, "Get Out!"  He didn't open the door, saying he needed a minute.  In the meantime I called 911, who promptly sent five police cars, and a slew of undercover cops to the house.   When the pudgy man in his 60s, wearing glasses, emerged finally emerged, he handed me his cellphone, and my father was on the other end.  He was a friend of my father's who saw the door slightly open, and called to him, thinking he was at the house.  He said he had a stomach issue and needed to use the bathroom.  The police gave him a talking.  "I don't care who you are, you can't go into other people's houses and use their bathroom without their permission"  Amen, Officer, Amen.  I'll be locking my door quite securely from now on.

Stairwells Painted in Advance of Move-Ins

My lovely first tenant, Patty, will be moving in soon.  The stairs just received a coat of paint in preparation for her arrival.  The tenants for the top floor arrive in a week or so.

"Before," "During," and "Later" Shots of the Bathrooms

                           "Before"of the bathroom ceilings

                         "During"

                             "Later" Bathroom Shot

"Before," "During," and "Later" Shots of Kitchen No.1

                                "Before" Shot of Area for Kitchen 1

                                  "During" Shots of Kitchen 1

                               "Later" Shot of Kitchen 1

Almost 3 Years After I First Laid Eyes on the Place, "Before," "During," and "Later" Shots: Part I

I wouldn't call these"after"shots, because there is so much work left to be done.  

                         "Before" Shot of Front from Open House

                             "During"Shot of One of the 13 Dumpsters Filled

                                  "Later" Shot of Front

My Cheap, Green Moving Truck

Here is what I used to move the bulk of my possessions from storage to the house.  The only item that was moved via a car was a sleeper love seat, which jutted out the back of my dad's suv and barely survived the two block journey.

Blinded

We installed some blinds on the lower two floors for privacy.  I will put some curtains up over these when the floors are sanded and polyurethaned.

Electric Passed Inspection!

It took two tries, but the electrical work passed inspection.  The final connecting of the intercom,  a ceiling fan, and checking the outlets will bring this part of the renovation to a close.

Con Ed Strike Slows Us Down

I'm all for unions and am a proud member of a faculty union myself.  I have walked a picket line three times in my career, and know that strikes usually become games of chicken between management and labor.  Unfortunately, while this is happening at Con Edison, my electrical work sits waiting for an inspection.

Here's a nice piece from the Observer on the strike:

http://observer.com/2012/07/con-eds-con-job/


So, hurry up, Con Ed workers and management!  Get back to the negotiating table and hammer out a deal!  I need to move in.

Places for Skeletons and From Which to Come Out

The house is decidedly closet-challenged at this point.  Somehow very few closets entered into the original design for the house.  To remedy the situation we are thinking of taking some IKEA closets and altering them to fit the space tightly.   In this image, the back of the IKEA closet is missing to allow for the space in back to be utilized. The height has to be altered, probably by putting some kind of drawer-like piece on the bottom.  And a front door must be added.  I am skeptical about this working out, but we'll give it a try.

Unused Metal Donated to Veterans Organization

A lot of recycled iron went into the house.  A lot, too, was left over, and gave the backyard the appearance of an old Brooklyn junkyard.
Today an organization that serves veterans and those serving overseas came and hauled the scrap metal away.  It will be sold and recycled, and the proceeds will go to help the servicewomen and servicemen.

Restoring the Dilapidated Shed

While we wait for inspections of the plumbing and electrical work to be scheduled, work continues on the shed that was falling down when I bought the house.