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It’s our second anniversary. I’m sitting in bed, not because we’ve been romantic & lazy, but because it’s the only warm spot in the house. Thank you, heated mattress pad; you’re super clutch.
Our heat is off again. It’s 55 degrees inside. That’s not even the second lowest it’s ever been! It was 52 before we fixed the thermocouple and 48 a couple weeks ago.
We woke up to water oozing out of our radiators and puddles in the basement. The system flooded again. Not as bad as a couple weeks ago {if you follow me on twitter you may remember that tweet} but bad enough. It took 10 bucket fulls to drain the system and 5 shop-vac fulls to suck up all the puddles.
The breeze coming in from the closed window doesn’t help the heat situation. We’ve established the windows are crap but the one next to our bed is particularly bad. We can see daylight around the edges where the panes that move up & down meet the frame. If you’ve been with us for a few months, you may remember that we used the plastic to weatherize them before. Well the double-stick tape that comes with the plastic sheet is crap. The plastic pulled right off it. Today, we fixed it.
Blue painters tape now holds the plastic sheeting firmly over our windows. It’s super klassy {with a K} and if our home wasn’t a construction zone I might have cared how it looks. Honestly, it’s pretty ghetto looking but it does the job. And our home IS a construction zone, so I’m not caring. New windows will be all that sweeter.
So now, we’re lying in bed {dressed in matching AMH hoodies courtesy of my brother} reading “We Got Steam Heat“. Currently we’re on page 54 and my reading aloud skills are rapidly improving. I don’t remember reading aloud this much since I taught preschool that one summer. It’s kinda fun and we both get to learn without reading over each others shoulder.
We took off the steam vents {from our radiators} and boiled them in vinegar. The book recommends doing this as a fix for getting the crud out of them. I’m 95% sure this has nothing to do with our problem but we had the vinegar on hand and it made us feel productive. Now the entire house smells like easter eggs.
A repairman is coming Monday and we’re educating ourselves in the meantime. Oh the joys of home ownership. This isn’t how I imagined we’d be spending our second anniversary but I’m happy. We’re a good team and it shows in situations such as these {I drained the boiler, Rob shop-vacced the puddles}.
Now if you’ll excuse me, we have to go put all those vents back on all the radiators.
While cleaning out the homes of grandparents and great aunts & uncles, you come across all sorts of stuff. Heirloom quilts, old family photographs, and other little treasures are carefully tucked away, packed in boxes and drawers for safe keeping. It helps tell your family’s history & story.
Today, while packing up Uncle John’s apartment, we found an old letter written in 1851. It was facinating to read but what a loved even more was the handwriting. “Chicken-scratch” would be a compliment to my handwriting but Abigail (the author) had beautiful penmanship. (I wonder if I could scan it in and figure out how to make a font from it…)
But then you come across some stuff that can only be called bizarre. Like these air freshener dolls. Heads glued to the top, with plastic arms attached to pipe-cleaners. Zuh?!??? I believe “these are the stuff of nightmares” was my initial reaction.
I wondered who thought it would be awesome to make these and who was excited to received them. But then I remember all the weird crap I own and am slightly endeared to their creepiness. When my grandchildren clean out my home, they’ll be in for more than a few head-scratching, eyebrow-raising discoveries. And that makes me giggle.
We’re taking today off from blogging to spend the day hanging out & celebrating with family. Of course by posting this, we’re actually blogging. Either way…back to the food!
Merry Christmas!
This weekend it snowed and we weren’t home. While Brick City didn’t get as much as Eva, we weren’t looking forward to shoveling it when we rolled in at 11pm on Sunday night.
As we unloaded the car ~ dreading trudging up the snowy stairs with our overnight bag & cookies ~ we saw this:
That would be a completely SNOW FREE sidewalk and stoop.
With salt, so it doesn’t ice over!
I cannot begin to describe how wonderful this was to come home to.
I could have gone over and given a GIANT sloppy wet kiss to our neighbors. Except that would be weird.
So instead, we just went over with a plate of homemade love.
And a heartfelt THANK YOU!!!
I’m guest posting over at Glocally Newark. Come check out our latest eBay find!!
I’ll give you a hint…
The last week of Dare to DIY. {tear}
Monday, Dec. 21: Dare to… have traditions!
Everyone has traditions for the Holidays. Tell us all about your favorites or start a new tradition to share.
Christmastime brings with it a lot of traditions for both our families. In fact, Christmas Eve & Christmas Day are a whirlwind of activity. Luckily our parents live all of 10 minutes away from each other, so the back-and-forth from family house to family house isn’t such a much.
Christmas Eve goes: graveside -> brunch -> movie -> mass -> 7 fishes
Christmas Day goes: brunch -> presents -> dinner -> pollyanna -> Greed {game}
But one of my favorite, non-familial Christmastime traditions we have is the Christmas in Carol & Song concert. Rob and several of our close friends used to sing in it every year throughout college. It’s so beautiful & festive.
Happening a couple weekends before Christmas, it just gives me the Christmas-warm-fuzzies.
And this year, John got down on one knee and asked Jenn to marry him!
That would be the same John & Jenn that helped us scrape wallpaper off the bathroom walls back in July! {Our first non-family additions to the Wall of Awesome!}
Congrats guys!!
What’s your favorite holiday tradition?
Don’t forget to pop over to Kim’s and check out everyone else!
Since our Christmas Cards went out Wednesday, I thought it’d be fun to share what they almost looked like.
Early on, we decided to go with a postcard. Last year we did a folded card, this year a postcard, who knows what for next year. On the front would be this picture:
{taken by the very lovely Kamila Harris during our 10 year anniversary shoot}
The back of it would read:
The happy couple surveyed their surroundings. 130 years of history and it was theirs for the renovating.
A few bricks out-of-place? Sure.
Ornamental crown moldings with about 8 layers of paint? Yeah, why not.
Drafty windows? probably an understatement.
But they greeted this challenge as they did every challenge in their lives; with a creative eye, sense of pride, and probably an unhealthy level of optimism. Find out what fate has in store for this dynamic duo. Stay tuned for another action packed year in the lives of Mr. & Mrs. A! Follow this urban marriage experiment @ brickcitylove.com.
So that’s how our Christmas cards were going to read… until we had a better idea that we loved even more. I don’t know if we’ll be able to top it next year. It’s gonna be hard.
Am I building this up too much? Probably…
This year’s design is purely mediocre!
Pictures of our actual cards coming next week {don’t want to ruin the surprise for friends & family!}. Maybe even on Christmas. How festive would that be?!
We really did love this design though. Standing amongst the renovations, starring out the window envisioning how it’d look when we were finally done. It was thoughtful and sweet.
Brick City Love’s Christmas Wish List
- Container Store gift cards
The Container Store is currently running a “Buy $100 in gift cards, Get a $25 one for yourself” promotion. We plan to use their free-standing Elfa system for our walk-in closet and they have an annual 30% every January. You can see where I’m going with this… Anniversary present maybe?? {wink wink nudge nudge…hubby??}
- Someone to mud for 2nd floor front room
Our 2nd floor front room was covered in cardboard soundproofing when closed. Taking it down was one of our first projects.
While it was easy-peasy getting it off the walls, the liquid nails used to adfix it left the entire room polka dotted. And I mean ENTIRE room. Every single nook, cranny, and creavis was covered; the walls, marble fireplace, doors, ceiling – literally everything is polka dotted. So we could cover all those polka dots with joint compound, sand and repeat a million {or 4} times.OR we could cover everything in 1/4″ drywall and actually have smooth walls {which would be the first and probably only room in the house}. Either option will require mudding & sanding and mudding & sanding. After doing that 8 times {not an exageration} in the bedroom, guess what’s not happening!! Me <- mudding & sanding. I’ll gladly hang the drywall but draw the line at taping & mudding & sanding {& mudding & sanding & mudding & sanding}. I’m finally wising up and following Katie Bower’s lead. Hire that part out!
Any Newark-ites got a guy? C’mon! Everyone’s got a guy. We just need that “guy” to be a mudman who’s good and affordable cheap {cause I’m cheap thrifty}.
- A mail vault for packages
In our apartment building, we had a 24 hour conceirge who would sign for packages, dry cleaning, whatever showed up for you. It was very fancy. {I felt fancy.} And while I’m totally loving our Christmas-fiyed stoop, it’s not quite big enough for a doorman/conceirge {nor is the budget for that matter!}.
Our wee mailslot is original to the door {I think} but, well, tiny.
The Netflix DVDs have to be slid through individually so they can flex a little to sqeeze through! While this hasn’t been a problem yet, I’m still not super comfortable with packages just chillin’ on the stoop {all of 3 steps from the sidewalk} while we’re away at work. A package vault {tucked behind our front fence} would make me a happy girl. And if dVault could run a 60% off sale, I’d be estatic. - Our $8,000 first-time homeowner rebate
Um…. hey gov’t! We can hasz monies pleze? The amended tax return was filed back in September. We are just at 12 weeks, well within the 12-16 week estimate we were given back in November when we called for an update. But $8,000 would be pretty sweet for getting ye-olde-renovations back on track. ALTHOUGH! Did anyone else read about this proposed “Cash for Caulkers“?? 50% rebate on all energy efficient home improvements? Yes.PLEASE. And new super energy efficient windows paid for with the $8,000 gov’t credit and getting 50% back?! New windows? Party of 20?
- A few free weekends to focus on the house
We have not had a good solid weekend at home since October. As hard as I’ve tried doing the Bewitched nose twitch, it just isn’t working. I’m gonna keep practicing though. Maybe someday… - 4 – 12″ chair legs
I like the little brass feet on those. They’d be perfect for my shoe organization project. - Dishwasher
I am not good with this “hand-washing” thing. If I told you how long dishes sometimes sit in the sink, you’d never come over for dinner. We have the spot for it!
Right there! Ready & waiting for a dishwasher to slip snuggly into place. The kitchen wants a dishwasher. Not me. Do it for the kitchen, Santa. Wants: Quiet, quick wash cycle, ability to fit big & tall items on the bottom rack, stainless steel front Got a recommendation? - A good restaurant on the orner that’s open for late dinners & on weekends
The diner that was there has closed {rumor has it that it’ll reopen but we’ll see}. But it kept crappy hours anyway – breakfast & lunch only. It was closed by the time I’d get home from work. Oh! And it was closed Sundays. Guess when we’re ready to eat out? Dinner & Sunday brunch. Of course, with a dishwasher, I may be more inclined to cook at home. {HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!} {hahahahahahahahahahaha!!} {HAHAHAHAhahahahaHAHAHAHAHA!!!!}
I’m reserving the last 2 spots on our Top 10 Wish List until there’s further consultation with my co-captain.
What’s on your Wish List??
Sunday was spent Christmas-fying our home. We don’t go all out; the thought of having to put everything away before Valentines Day keeps my decorating desires in check.
Or maybe it’s because we’re in the middle of a stalled renovation. Aside from having heat, nothing structural or dramatic has happened since we installed our new fence. {Although having heat is pretty frickin’ awesome and deserves some serious celebrating.}
Or maybe it’s because we’re not hosting a Christmas event; no dinners, get-togethers, or parties.
No matter what the excuse, our holiday decor is consisting of a wreath, window candles, & a Christmas card display and I’m totally good with that.
There must be something to the notion that men are hard wired to find & provide things for the home. Rob scavenged the metal poster holder from the trash. So when he came home with a free wreath, I wasn’t surprised.
A free real evergreen LIT wreath with a pretty sweet red bow.
Nothing but the best for the king of daytime television. And when said king chooses to gift his wreaths, I will gladly take them. Anytime.
Screw in a simple hook & add a socket plug to the stoop fixture.
{Like this but we went with the kind that has 2 plugs & a socket – in case we ever want to plug something in and still keep the light. Less than $3 at the Depot.}
Admire handywork.
Of course we did this on Sunday when it was rainy, cold, and gross outside.
Side note – Rob left food out for a stray cat he saw. Bets on becoming THAT house for all the neighborhood strays?
Back to the wreath…
I love it.
I think it’s the perfect size for our door & stoop.
I love that it’s real evergreen. The classic white lights don’t blink, shimmy, shake, or crawl {shudder}. The bow is a little traditional but full & good quality ribbon. No chintzy plastic here, folks!
Great find, husband. It’s perfection.
Next on the TO DO list? Window Candles.
Do you do a wreath? Get all crafty and make one? Find perfection at the store? Or ~ like us ~ are you in the lucky “finders-keepers” camp?
Sorry for the lack of a post today. We’re wrapped up with a little time sensative project. Back tomorrow with pictures our wreath!
