You have seen many pictures of House Lacativa over the years. No close-ups ever. This charming misty-eyed view was so photogenic.
We've been ducking the truth for many years. This little house needs big love now and lots of it.
Step one accomplished, as shocking as it was needful. Several dangerous trees and mountains of out-of-control shrubbery have been removed by an amazing team of professionals.
For two days, I've been lurking from room to room watching. Every now and then, one of them would give me a wave or a smile. They have to be used to it.
I even have video of them taking down the monster tree that has been looming over my pool for years. Last year a chunk of it fell and damaged the liner. I think that incident was the impetus for all of this. The thought of losing my blue heaven spurred me through the nine circles of hell I had to go through to get the mortgage refinanced and put some of the equity to work.
We are now a clean, if scruffy, slate. The house faces east and I feel like a vampire shrinking from the light blazing in. There are still two great trees out front, just not in this frame.
I'll be buying new blinds for the kitchen first thing tomorrow. Next, a call to the siding company that came up with the best, if not the lowest bid. Everyone wants to sell us Hardiplank, which is fiendishly expensive. Given that the next owners are most likely to tear this already fifty-year-old house down and build something from scratch on this generous 4/5ths of an acre, I'm not going crazy. Vinyl is final and will do just fine. It will still be House Lacativa for many years to come. I think we'll go with white.
7 comments:
It all looks so different when the trees are gone. I am still looking at the side yard and
thinking I should call someone to grind the stumps. A neighbor had a guy do his with
new tech stuff and it took less than an hour for three stumps. so, I think I'll give it a go.
The two that are out front are 3 feet across, less than a foot high. I'm researching ways to keep new growth from forming but stump grinding is expensive. I'd rather use them to hold birdbaths.
The house is so different from how I pictured it! It’s very modern looking and not typical for a suburb. So glad you have all that light pouring in now.
I'm a huge fan of pruning ... as this is, writ large
Great house. When you get her duded up in her new siding I hope you post a photo. Maybe a shot from you world famous mailbox, too.
Marilee
Your house looks like a great space! I too have a lot of things I could do to my house.
wow! you have a lot more light in the house and out in the garden
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