Everyone asks, "What have you been doing?"

We have been busy.  First we finally started the home repair/improvement projects we've been putting off or unable to get anyone to do for years (over 16 years in one instance).  We started last fall with the repairs to the front porch where I replaced about 80 square feet of decking and had the whole thing painted.  Then we found a competent fellow Nana could work with who would actually return our calls.  He and his crew have rebuilt our downstairs back porch and we now have railings.  All of it is being repainted as well and we are also repairing the gutters there.  That was a big one for me.

Another thing we've done is to build a storage shed in back to replace the one we had to tear down, 16 years ago.  While I had brought in several tons of crushed stone for a base for a new shed, repeated delays, non-delivery of materials, backing out by various contractors or the lack of available time really held us up.  Yes, Nana constantly changed her mind about just what it is that she wanted as well.  It finally has come together and we are getting our shed.  It is up and mostly painted and I am very much relieved.  I can't wait to start moving stuff into it.

THEN, we will move on to the basement door.  We have never had one in the whole 25 years we've lived here.  We have had a cover and just didn't use that doorway much but that was because the basement was more storage than work area.  Now we are using the basement more and the heavy cover is a PAIN to me to remove and replace.  The new door will be a God-send.

Then planning continues for the renovation to finish in the downstairs back hall-way (between the den and kitchen and to the downstairs half-bath), of your Mom's old bedroom as Nana's sitting room off our bedroom, built-in and expanded bookshelf space in my "library" room (you might notice that we gave the desk to your Uncle), and for upgrading some electric circuits in the house.  I think Nana is also looking at doing something to the kitchen.

Add all the social things we've been doing with Nana's friends dinners, walking every day, Nana's yoga class, funerals (an unfortunate adjunct to aging), and so forth and we've been mighty busy.  However, we did make time to see Kirk play basketball.