Buddha, Boy Scouts and a Bathtub

Spring is finally here and we spent the weekend at the hippie house  ( I hadn't visited for a month) assessing the state of the yard and ( of course) painting.  We managed to get in touch with a few landscapers so April we will see some serious yard and garden clean up - yea!  

We are making some progress on the two upstairs bedrooms and bathroom.  It seems the trim painting is endless but 'Abby's' room as we call it is nearly done.

The room has a loft.  Irv installed a ladder so I was able to get up there and clean and paint.  I love the spot.  Great 'girl cave' for reading and napping.  I just have two doors to paint ( must wait for warmer weather so I can do those outside) and some curtains to buy or sew and done!  

In the tiny front bedroom we finished the wallpaper.  Irv needs to finish installing trim and also put a shelf in the closet.  I need to figure out shades (I am seriously window treatment challenged, for sure).  We just have to figure out how to get a full size mattress up the narrow staircase.

Most exciting was getting the claw foot tub re glazed over the weekend.  This is our version of excitement.

BEFORE, and........

AFTER!  Irv will paint the outside of the tub this coming weekend then sand and paint the floor.  It seems endless.  And we need to hire a plumber to put in the tub hardware.  So many little details, but we love this stuff.  At least you get a sense of accomplishment.

This weekend we noticed that a group of Boy Scouts were camping almost in our backyard.  There is a camping site cleared on the Scout property behind our house- in the summer you can't see it but Irv and I have walked up there.  It's a nice spot with a campfire and log seats.  They set up tents and sat around the campfire ( I know because I could see them with the binoculars!). They had a soggy night but were out and about hiking the next morning banging on pots and pans and singing as they hiked (here is a pix of the merry scouts).

I ran into them as I walked up the road to the trail behind the house.  I have been going up there at times to pick up the garbage (as you can imagine, mostly beer and soda cans, cigarette wrappers and condom wrappers.  As the young man who is doing our landscaping said 'I used to go up there to party'!  And I said that now I pick up your garbage and spy on you with my binoculars.' ).  Someone at the trail head left a Buddha statue - sad but our first thought was that we hope no one steals it. But I love the fact that some one did this.

Finally Sunday was such a beautiful day that Irv and I managed to get a walk in on the trail.  Lots of nesting Osprey and bluebirds.  

Irv in the trail with a curious Norman.

 One of the many Osprey nests on the trail.

I almost forgot.  I met another neighbor - Tim.  He is a carpenter who likes to build picnic tables and bird houses and sell them at the Stonington Farmer's market on Saturday mornings.  We bonded over bird houses and within one hour of talking he left me a newly made unfinished pine birdhouse on our front step.  I ended up buying a few from him.  It seems there is a thriving cash economy in the area with lots of folks doing odd jobs or making things to bring some money in.  We feel right at home.