: ) Welcome ( :

We have finally arrived ... the wild world of blogging awaits!

It's taken us a while to get it all started and we finally reached the point where the procrastination, delaying and stalling were too much to endure. Plus, the email, voice mail, and text requests for house pictures flooded both of our in-boxes to the point of no return, well, at least our carpal tunnel is acting up trying to get all of that under control.

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It took us 3 agonizing days to find our home and it was the last one of the dozens we either drove by or walked into and said "Um, no" to. But I must say, things certainly have their own way of working out. Our landlords who happen to be our next door neighbors are probably the most wonderful neighbor's and some of the most lovely people either of us have ever met. It almost seems insulting to call them "landlords." Lee and Erik brought over blueberry muffins made from scratch the day we moved in, homemade pasta sauce last week and tomatoes handed over the fence a few days ago. Needless to say, we've earned it via sweat payments put into this house since moving in. They purchased the home to preserve the neighborhood from being overtaken by the monsters, the monster-large houses that is. The previous homeowner was an elderly woman sadly suffering from Alzheimer's who passed away in the hospital this last year. So it is quite a change for this house and neighborhood to have a lively young couple and active doggie playing in the backyard- very warmly welcomed, particularly the barking from Gracie... everyone loves to hear her barks from our backyard. The neighborhood reminds us both of the Antlers and Bonnie Brae Avenues across from BHS. It is that old Brighton family style that everyone seems to be striving to get back these days. Lee and Erik have 3 girls, 8th grade, 5th grade and 1st grade, the middle who rides horses western, oh, and Mom is from Long Island, NY.

What can I say, it was more than meant to be.

Erik likes to drink beer with Zach and brings over six-packs when he knows we're working on the house. I remember when he was helping us during our first week here, he came in the basement and said,

"I don't want to tell you guys what to do, but, you should paint it white down here and leave the carpet in if you want 'cause that's really nice still... oh and paint a big mural on the all! That would be awesome!"

I'd say that's word-for-word and all while he was jumping around with a big smile on his face. Both he and Lee are actors, theater.

We're pretty happy here and I'd say darn lucky to have jumped on this one, and believe me when I say jumped on it, it was a done deal when we rolled up to the stop sign to turn on to the connecting street, Warren Avenue, only the name of Zach's childhood street.

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So, without further adue, we have for you "BEFORE" pictures of our CO home.
The "AFTER" versions are still in the making but are well on their way. We must bear through 1 layer of carpet plus 3 layers of 40+ year old vinyl beneath in the kitchen before it is completely finished, not to mention touch-up's and the basement's coat of Kilz white paint (never buy another brand of paint, this stuff is the best!).

Don't get us wrong, we've done A LOT already but for the final reveal to have as much drama as it deserves, completion is necessary.

Until then, enjoy our no longer existent 1960's era - post mothball home!

Welcome home!

Hi ... do you live here?

Why yes I do!

None is ours, optional "keep" furniture from previous homeowner that we "opted" out of, graciously of course.

Now you see where I got the era reference from.

The empty living room.

A shot from the bedroom hallway of Zach taking down the dated window coverings in the dining area!

Gracie supervising of course.

Living room and direct shot into the hallway and master bedroom.

A small shot of the master.

A crummy shot of the guestroom.

Our dark, cozy kitchen (it's never really this dark, it's always the brightest room in the house)

The basement with a whole bunch of the previous homeowners stuff in it that was later moved out... the door to the left is the washroom and off of that is our study. There is a bar to the right in this picture which I'm sure will get more visitors now than it's seen in the last 40 years.







Our lovely backyard, completely fenced with newly installed all-weather doggie-door and fully equipped with 6-month old St. Bernard neighbor waiting to play on the other side of the fence.

A lovely (dead) beehive found on the backside of our shed pictured above. You should have seen us trying to figure out what the heck it was, luckily for us and the cable guy who was quietly screaming, nothing was in it.

For those Gans who are concerned, the grass is a lot greener and much less brown these days!

Shot from the back tree of our yard butted up against our garage.

Oh yea, a happy dog too (post-bath after rolling in a spot of "unknown composition" in her backyard) ... also note the hardwood floors, a snapshot from the living room of what's to come!