Reveal, Part One

Phase three, part one, of the summer projects is, I think, complete!

Hello, brick!

Pretty! 

The front part of the driveway is still a dug-out mess, but it's not being bricked. It's getting its own special thing. That would be phase three, part two. Phase three, part three (seriously) will be all about filling in those planting beds you see above. I'm pretty sure there isn't a part four, but who knows anymore? I've lost track. Oh, wait. Yeah, I think there is a part four (outdoor furniture). Okay, but I'm almost certain there isn't a part five.

If the painting ever gets done, this place is going to look sharp.

More More

Phase, um, three? are we up to three? of Tom's plans began today, much to my surprise. (I mean, I knew there would be a phase three, I just wasn't sure it was happening today.) Let's see if you can figure out what he's up to now:

Too close? How about this:

Oh, yeah. Trucks. At my house. Want to see what they did today?

Two weeks of this (I'm told) after which this view is going to seriously improve. Seriously.

As Promised, More

So, as I mentioned yesterday (two posts in a ROW; it's a summer blogging miracle!), paint is not all we've got going on around here.

You all might not know this about Tom, but he's a fella who enjoys a project. Usually that project is writing a novel. Once it was founding a college. But once he finishes a big project like that, he needs to turn his attention elsewhere. Like toward trading in both our cars in the space of ten days. Or getting the house painted. Stuff like that. But this summer, trading in both the cars and getting the house painted wasn't enough. Oh, no.

This summer, he decided we should tear out the ugly old deck.

And put a big old hole in the side of the house.

And stick French doors in there.

Not bad, eh? And get a load of the morning sunshine coming into our kitchen:

Not a bad project, I have to say. Especially if we get some nice fresh drywall and new paint over the plywood. And if you can believe it, this still isn't the extent of it. In a couple of weeks, there'll be even more to show you. I know, you've got to be thinking, "What more could there be?" Oh, just you wait.

Paint!

Friends, there has been some painting going on.

Okay. The barn is still red. But now, a more stately red. A less harlot scarlet. See, the thing is, I love a red barn. Just not that particular shade of red. Look:

Paint on the left there is the first red I chose. Paint on the right is what it looks like now. See what I mean? The first red was too pink. Or coral. Or something. It just wasn't right. Of course, the name should have tipped me off. The bad red was called Combustion. I should have had misgivings right there. The new red? Shaker Red. Duh.

But wait, there's more! As of two weeks ago, the house colors were this dingy mess:

I couldn't find a more recent photo of the pre-red barn, so here's a chilly blast from the winter for you.

As of today, here's where we are:

I think we're getting somewhere.

But paint isn't all that's been going on. This place is getting all kinds of interesting. I'll tell you more about it tomorrow. (For real!)