I appreciate it!

I remember digging tunnels in the snow when I was young.

I drove up to our storage shed and the tenant's kids had a tunnel. 

What fun. The tunnel was over 8 feet long.

It even had a side opening so you could escape half way through. I really appreciate those kids. They clear a path to the door of our storage shed every time it snows. I know their parents make them do it, but still it is so great to drive up and not have to wade through snow to get supplies. Thanks Samantha and Jared for teaching your children to make life better for others.

This is what the bathroom looked like when we purchased the house I am working on now. The owners had started a rehab and had given up.

Same wall now. The window has been closed in.

There is even a light in the bathroom. 

vanity is back in with a new top.

I even have the door installed. Needs to be trimmed and varnished yet, but hey, that baby is up. 

This is the kitchen when we took possession.

 It has come a long ways. I am hoping to get the new floor in next week.

 

The counter tops have been purchased and are in the garage.

Living room when we started.

Same wall with new windows and the ceiling light is in.

The west bedroom upstairs had plastic over the windows (all windows in the house had plastic over them. They leaked air so badly you could hear the plastic snap and crack when the wind was blowing) and the carpeting had been removed.

With new windows, paint and flooring it is starting to look like a bedroom.

I don't have a before picture of the east bedroom. Sharon is usually the one who takes pictures as we walk through a house. She was not with me on this walk through. I wonder what she thought when she saw what a disaster I had purchased.

I even got the front door in this week. The new door slid so tightly into the frame of the old door, you could not see any daylight around the new frame. (I had to scrape the paint on the old frame to get the new one to slide in) I could just lay a bead a caulk around it and call it good. On Thursday afternoon the furnace did not run from 1 pm till after 4. That tells me I must be getting to the place the air leaks are stopped.

When we were kids it seemed like we would dig a long time to make a snow tunnel, or we would roll up big snow balls and make fort. It didn't seem like work. It was fun.

I can't say this week was always fun. After 2 days of laying flooring it was kinda tough to get straightened up when I got out of bed, but over all I enjoy what I do. If you don't have fun while working maybe you need a different job. 

 A tenant showed up at the house I am working on today to pay her rent for March. She walked through the house and was wishing she could move to this house. That is a great affirmation that what I am doing is appreciated. 

Maybe I should take the time to let others know I appreciate the jobs they are doing as well. When I am going to have no coffee in the morning and I stop at the store to get some in the evening, I appreciate that someone is working so I can buy coffee. When the snow is falling and the snow plows are out, I appreciate the dedication and long hours of the drivers. All the professionals that we use when furnaces or appliances or water pipes break are greatly appreciated when they show up and repair our problems within 12 hours. Thanks to the people who are in manufacturing so I can go buy all the things I need for a rehab or repair, you are greatly appreciated. I think I will try to remember this week to thank some people because their occupation makes my life better and easier.