Home Improvements

Once Christmas is finished, I'm pretty much over all my holiday stuff, so Tuesday (the 26th), it all came down and got put away. As I was maneuvering boxes around on my balcony, I got a bee in my bonnet to organize the closet out there once and for all.

A couple months ago, I tore out the shelves that were in there (and screwed to the wall) because they were falling apart (like everything else the former owner installed in this place) and not quite right for my storage needs.

That not-so-simple improvement (I had to haul a bunch of heavy crap through my living room, out the front door, down the stairs, and to the dumpster about 50 yards away) made my closet much more manageable, but it still wasn't perfect. So I got creative.

I put some screws in the wall to hold a little sleigh I have for my Cabbage Patch Kids in their Christmas finery, and made one big high stack of all things Christmas. Next to that are two Rubbermaid bins--one with all the other holidays in it, and one with garden stuff in it. That leaves ample space in the other half of the closet for my trees, a canvas chair, my stepladder, and my broom.

That's a lot of Christmas stuff, yes...

While I was in there, I took out the six leftover cans of paint and figured if they're sitting out where I can see them, I'm more likely to do a bit of the touch-up work that has needed doing since I moved in to Casa Meg. I bought a small brush last night, and some new spackcle, to use. I'm going to start doing that over the next few days. As long as it's sunny, I can open windows during the day for ventilation, and stay warm by working.

Yesterday, I did some much-needed pruning in my little garden. The weather has been weird so far this winter--not very rainy and while it's been perfectly mild during the days--up into the 60s--it's been cold at night. I pruned the dead bits off and gave everyone a shot of water and some love.

My succulents are thriving.

My allyssum is also thriving--the purple stuff spilling over.

Coming Soon: Daffodils!! (My favorite.)

Mandevilla is a vine, and I've been meaning to get a cage for
mine. Gonna need to get on that!! 

Today, I straightened the second bedroom a bit, and put together the gift I bought myself this week--a new barbell. My home gym is growing, which is great because I'm trying something new--working out here, early, before I shower and head off to work. I'm working long days, and getting to the gym after a day at school on my feet is not easy. I'll do it, but I know my workouts are more effective if I do them first thing when I'm well-rested. Plus, it gives me a big shot of adrenaline to start my day.

My dumbbells, kettlebell, yoga mat, floor mats.

Barbell set, ballet barre, and in the bag, my resistance bands in
the little BodyFit bag. 

Yesterday I did some spackling on a few unsightly spots--like the spot where the front door, when it didn't have a door stop behind it, was repeatedly slammed into the wall by the former tenants. I filled it before painting when I moved in, but the whole was large enough (because the tenants were really, really hard on this place) that some of the spackle fell into the wall. I recovered it an might add a bit more before I paint over it. (One of the first things I did was put door stops in this place--they'd all been removed at some point in the history of this place. Why? Who even knows? Why did the tenants have ten rodents and a dog in this place?)

It's satisfying to get to so many of the little things that need doing. I simply haven't had the time or energy these last few months, but I still have another week off after this one and can't be on the couch the whole time.