Before / After - North Side of Cottage

BEFORE

This photo was taken before power washing showing the "real" condition of my pitiful cottage after the shutters were removed. The attic vent near the peak was rotted out, the mildew was out of control, my siding had weathered very differently due to Cabot stain failure, etc. You can see the mildew on the front too.

AFTER

I took this photo yesterday. The attic vent was replaced with a very small window that had to be installed sideways because of the structural beam on the other side. It's covered with plastic in this photo. Now I will be able to look outside when I'm working in the small room on the other side. I have it set up for wrapping packages, using my paper cutter, and other crafty things. The finished attic space on the other side of the eyebrow windows is much larger with a full dormer looking out the back. My PC is up there and this space has central air. The smaller room does not. Now I can set up a fan in the window in the summer. The shingles are only primed in this photo. The men are making replacement pickets for the ones that are damaged by rot. NOW are you impressed? I have to pinch myself every time I go outside and see the miracles being performed by my skilled craftsmen. More later so stayed tuned!

Cottage Front - White on White

The front of my cottage now has a coat of white primer. The men did it while I was out on a real estate appointment. I agonized over whether or not to go white on white and now I'm sure I made the right choice. I couldn't be happier! The fascia over the front door had to be replaced with Azek as did the fascia in front of the chimney. Good night everyone. My six thirty bullhorn wake up call will be blaring from my iPhone way too soon.

Cottage Repairs Before Painting

The white beadboard under the roofline had to be completely replaced with Azek. It is on a north-facing wall that almost never gets any sun. The product has wide boards on one side and narrow boards on the other side. This application required two horizontal long pieces. It is exactly what I had before only this will never rot. The trim around the window you see in this photo was fine but the window to the left didn't fare so well. All of the wood around that window had to be replaced with Azek except for the decorative crown on top. The old wood trim had rotted into the sheathing because of overflowing gutter water.

This photo illustrates why I am so happy I hired a firm that is capable of doing carpentry repairs prior to their paint job. Several corner boards need replacing and I was so impressed when my guys painted the edges of the shingles beforehand. I know my house was wrapped in Tyvek before the siding was put up when it was remodeled. This application on the corner looks new so the men must have added that too. They are so thorough. Sorry to have bored you but I find all of this to be so interesting. I love construction. I really should become a general contractor. See you later.

White Paint on My Cottage Preview

The primer is on the cottage. I am going to love having a white house. I love the way it looks from afar.

Here it is a little closer. The white trim on the barn/garage has been primed too.

Here it is from the driveway side. The garage is on the right. I have the very best painter/carpenters and I am so lucky to have found them. The four of them work so well together and they really know what they are doing. I am so happy -- I just wish I could keep them. Smile. Now I am ready to clean up the kitchen and tuck myself in and watch BROADCHURCH on BBC America. Good night all. Click photos to enlarge.

Turning Over A New Leaf

Just a quick morning post to show you I'm still alive. Not much red yet in the leaf turning business. Mostly brown and yellow. See you later. Have to get this show on the road before my home repair/painting workers arrive.

My Scary Cottage

I was looking at some very old photos on my iPhone deleting many of them when I ran across this night shot of my cottage against a winter sky. It looks like a Halloween cottage for sure. All this photo needs is a witch on a broom riding past the moon. Another day with carpenter/painters and so much was done. I am thrilled. It's looking a lot less scary in the daylight around here. Good night. Pooped. 

Blue Chickory Flower

Snapped with my iPhone yesterday. It's the only chickory flower blooming at this time after a whole field full in late summer. I'm loving the square photo format on my camera phone for images like this.

The Life of George Eliot - A Most Dangerous Woman

Looking forward to seeing this play next week at the Shakespeare Theatre of NJ. I photographed this wonderful graphic ad in a restaurant last week.

"This world premiere explores the extraordinary life of Mary Ann Evans — better known by her pen name George Eliot. An outcast living a socially unconventional life, Evans was forced to write under an assumed name, not only to escape having her work judged by virtue of her gender, but to avoid having it judged by virtue of her scandalous life. Ironically, her success as George Eliot only led her deeper and deeper into a world of secrets and deception."

The play will give new meaning to this incomplete set of books in my bedroom bookcase. I bought them long ago for their bindings and now I might even read them!