August 2009 Update

August 14, 2009 - My efforts to get the house ready to sell as soon as the market improves are coming to completion. All of the major fix-up projects were completed this week. I had the painters come in and do the downstairs and the stairwell and then I got all of the exterior trim painting done. That was primarily the deck door and the garage and basement doors. I have been organizing the garage and getting things thrown out. Jill and I painted the hall and part of the foyer. I painted the small bedroom and took the border down. I still have a way to go with that but I'm close and everything looks pretty good.

I painted the master bath with satin paint to cover up the flat paint we used originally. I did the same color, "Stallion", so it looks much the same. The flat paint was soaking up water and starting to crack and peel. I ended up sanding the wall and then putting on a coat of white sealer paint and then putting on a coat of satin paint.

I have a bunch of clean-up to do with my paint projects and a lot of general cleaning to do. I need to wash windows and clean up the brush pile in the back. I need to get a temporary cleaning service to help with the cleaning. I put some fresh sand out on the front patio because the rain was starting to undermine the pavers.

I hope to have the house ready to show by the end of August. Home sales are picking up and there are two houses for sale on my block.

I had a good birthday on August 12th. Nothing outstanding but I got some birthday well-widhes and Jill and I went to Yen Ching's for supper. Jill bought me a new bed set. As usual, I watched the Perseid meteor shower and it was one of the best I've seen in maybe 40 years of watching.

I got my new truck - a new white Ford Ranger. Mr. Boots went to pick-up truck heaven when the cash for clunkers program was launched. There was way too much work that needed to be done to keep the old truck operating and even then I'd never get my money back.

I got some news from Rio Rancho this week -- there is an arsonist setting fires up near where where my house lot is -- maybe four blocks away. One of the fires burned 18 acres before it was put out. Not good.