Drowning Under Boxes
Looks like my AC guys are really making progress. They installed quite a bit of duct work yesterday. I didn't go crawling through my crawl spaces in the attic, but it looks like they have both "exposed" pieces in place - so I can only imagine that the connecting pieces behind the walls are also in place. There's about a dozen boxes or so piled high in my dining room. Ugh. I look like an Air Conditioning supply house right now! But, those boxes aren't enough. My treadmill arrived yesterday. Yes, Alison, I'm one of the millions (really?) that bought a treadmill. I couldn't resist. Amazon had one for 50% off and was offering free shipping! Shipping would have been over $130 for the thing. But, now that it arrived, I don't know what to do with it. It was supposed to arrive before or after the AC - not during. The box is HUGE. It's got to be at least 10 feet long, by 4 feet wide, by 1 foot thick. It is in one box and weighs 217 pounds. Mom met the delivery guy. She sweet talked him into bringing it into my living room.

If you've been in my living room, you have a general idea of how much open area is in there. The treadmill takes up the ENTIRE space. I have to push my coffee bench/table against the sofa just so I have a path to walk. Right now, the living room floor is the best place for it. I'll attempt (with lots of help) to get it upstairs after the AC is installed. But, I have a stamping open house on Sunday and the AC won't be done until Tuesday!!! This is crazy!!! And, my back porch is covered in boxes too! That's what you get when you do all of your holiday shopping online and are too lazy to take the boxes out with the recycling last week. UGH!

But, I'm having fun dreaming now about how to disguise the exposed duct work upstairs. Along both side walls of the house will be a duct. It's about 1 foot by 1 foot. Everyone talks about building shelves on top of it. That would work. But, what about a cabinet? I'm thinking about a waist high cabinet with doors. Under each window I could build a window seat. How cute would that be? Mounted on the front bottom of each bookshelf or cabinet will be mounted my electric heat! I'm looking forward to having a more permanent heating solution upstairs. Maybe I'll have it finished in time for summer!!! So here's my homeowner's to-do list:
- AC is installed.
- Have electric service upgraded so AC will work!
- Clean out 2nd room upstairs for exercise room
- Carry up treadmill and set it up (room to be finished later)
- Fix overhead light fixture (already purchased and upstairs)
- Build bookcases or cabinets or whatever to hide exposed ductwork
- Cut hole in wall and install custom-made door (already purchased and upstairs)
- Finish priming the walls and bookcases
- Paint room
- Install electric baseboard heaters
- Hang ceiling
- Install wall-to-wall carpeting in Master Bedroom Area (not a priority since I'm broke)
- Pick out and have new screen door installed (gift cards from Christmas are burning a hole in my pocket)
- Scrub/Clean and restain front step (waiting for warm weather now)
- Save money then replace windows and siding and doors.
- Replace/Build fence
- Plant grass in backyard
- Have landscaper make my flower beds pretty and maybe plant some trees/shrubs in backyard
- Replace front and back walks
- Enclose screened in porch, raise porch floor, rework basement door, and install wood-buring fireplace
- Replace garage and have driveway paved
- Build shed in backyard for gardening tools - I have tons of extra time on my hands to pick up an extra hobby!
- By that time I'll be married and maybe even have a couple of kids and will need to buy a bigger house!!!! But, at least I increased the resale value of my home!

What do you think? Remember, it doesn't cost a thing to dream......