Finishing Touches on the Guest Room

I had an upper respiratory infection over the weekend so, on doctor’s orders, stayed at home. Andy says the doc probably also mentioned the word “rest” in there, but I didn’t hear it. I took the opportunity to be “lazy” and watch an on-demand movie and sit with a cup of tea each morning. I skipped church, and only saw Andy for a little bit. Luckily, I felt very motivated. Aside from a family meal at Andy’s (and ice mandating I stay put), shoveling my driveway was the only time I was outside. I am really starting to love the Wellies for this – they aren’t as warm as our SafetyGirl fleece lined boots would be but when it’s near 40 they do a great job of keeping my feet dry and just pull on.

The guest room is almost done and I will reveal it next week, I promise! This weekend I used my blend of cleaner on the plank floors – hot water, a dash of vinegar, and a dash of olive oil. It didn’t get everything up but it it did a nice enough job that I am happy with it. Some of the paint has been there for 40 years – that didn’t budge. But I really wanted the feel of this room to be civil-war-era boarding house and I think what I could not remove keeps in this theme. Here are before and after pics of part of the floor. For this I used our poly gloves (the oil is great for your hands but the vinegar, not so much) and the knee pads.

The other main thing I did here was taking stock of the condition of my dad’s mini green house. In the stack of clutter I went through to finish this room, I found some of his seeds. The mini green house in the window is just the start of his obsession. He has a hot house on the hillside, and probably one acre of garden. He would always take us out to walk it with him whenever we’d visit. “And see, Bets, I planted my corn to come up every 3 days. You’ll have to come and we’ll have a roast.” I found the seeds he meticulously pulled from each tomato that   was a gift from someone’s garden, placed on a paper towel marked with “Uncle Fred” or “Maize,” effectively creating new heirlooms. I made his aunt’s (my great aunt) day when I mentioned that her deceased husband has an heirloom variety ready to see if it will bud. The ripples of this quiet man continue.

Add to my list of things to do this very early spring: buy peat pots and potting soil.