The new year

The new year has started without much fanfare, we spend New Year's eve quietly at home. We all miss our oldest, who had been with us for the holidays. Has it been almost a month since his arrival was looked forward to it, with so much excitement? I can hardly believe it.

Now he is back with his brother in Berlin and I wish the city would be nearer....
But there is so much to plan ahead, we are already thinking of the summer months! And being closely connected always helps us bridge the far distance.
Until then we also have a few new projects at hand.

Do you remember the remodeling of our drive way and front entrance? We had created a new walk way and added the small columns with the lamps atop. But the roof had to wait then. That was two years ago and now, due largely to hurricane Sandy, we are again building in the front.
A large town tree has had hit our garage and broke through the support beam and also damaged the wall along the side of the house, back to were the addition to the house (our family room) lies.

We needed immediate action and work had started already before Christmas. Of course this was the perfect time to get a new roof and while we were at it, we thought to finally fulfill a long hoped for wish. We are adding a portico over our entrance. As you can see, the old one, below, does nothing in respect of protection from the elements and architectural does not fit in with the portico over the garages, which had been added in the 50's by previous owners.

Something I had planned for a long time, but as you can imagine, it was never a priority. Now we took our chance a made our move...

My idea went along these lines....just instead of the balcony roof below, we will add a portico with two square columns and a lantern.

It is still a work in progress, an old house is always good for some surprises and so our bill has gotten longer as the work weeks pass. Now the portico takes shape...

A rotten beam, nicely hidden under layers of paint, a completely clogged up drainage pipe from the gutters to the ground, too old wiring for future light fixtures, you name it, we find it.

This is the original roof line, just fixed already...new beam!

But as with all renovations, we had something like that in mind when we started a few weeks ago. These are not truly surprises.
Our contractor is a man of integrity and craftsmanship, something we highly appreciate and value and together we will manage just fine! 

As I write this a huge dumpster has been delivered to the drive, to receive all the junk and the old roof, which will come down tomorrow.

This is all so exciting!

I have been ill with the flu over the last days, today is the first day I feel somewhat better and it has been now, that I feel compelled to write in my blog, for the first time this year!
I have been reading on and off your lovely posts and I am so happy to be back in business!
I hope you are all off to a great start, I cannot wait to catch up with all of my blog friends!


xoxo





All images by V.Zlotkowski