Welcome, 2013!

It's been a while since I've updated anything on the blog. A long while, really. I think it was around the start of fall or end of summer since the last post. Naturally a lot has happened between then and now, and I've probably forgotten a good deal—which is a bummer, because one of the reasons we created this blog was so that we would remember some of the details we might forget. Oh well, live and learn.

One memorable event from fall was when our garage door broke. It was the first major pitfall of home ownership. I should have taken a picture, but I was bummed, and I didn't want to feel like a gawker at a disaster site. But I can paint a pretty clear mental image . . . you ready? Okay. Image a normal garage door. Now imagine an accordion. Now imagine both those things at once. You've just seen our broken garage door. Luckily the repair man was able to add a brace to the existing door and we didn't have to replace the old one. That would've cost a few Benjamin's, as they say in hip places that call hundred dollar bills Benjamin's.

The next memory of note, which I also do not have a picture of, was raking. I knew the tree in our backyard was a monster, but there was no way anyone could prepare for the amount of leaves that were spewed about our yard. I bought thirty leaf bags from Menards. After those had all been filled (using a mulcher, so the leaves were in very tiny pieces) I just raked the rest of the leaves into the back corner of the yard. We intend to use that section as a garden next year, so I figure the leaves will just act as fertilizer. That's what happens, right?

Well, I bet you're bored. Too much talking . . . where are all the pictures in this book? Here's one!

     This is the first Christmas tree in the new house, as well as the first living Christmas tree Annie and I have ever had. It did a stupendous job performing it's holiday cheer functions. Not one ornament fell off, it didn't shed too many needles, and it didn't let Leo climb it's prickly boughs. 

This next photo is a night shot of the house using a long exposure with a new camera. If you click it, it will get bigger, and you just might be able to see the moonlight sparkling on the snow covered roof. How special. 

     After we packed up the Christmas stuff, Annie and I pulled out a puzzle I got for Christmas. I actually got it several years ago, but with the new table we actually have a space that can properly handle a 1500 piece puzzle. 

     Today, Annie's dad and brother came over to help with a major project—painting the basement floor. It was during this that I thought to take some pictures, and use them to update the blog. The first step was to try to level out some of the gouges in the concrete, so here are some before and after shots so you can see the difference some self-leveling cement makes. 

(Before)

(After)

     We had to move all the crap we have in the basement into the back corner in order to free up ground space. It makes for quite a cluttered mess. Leo loves it, so many places to explore. We had to shut the basement door though—we didn't want any Leo tracks in the wet cement. Here's the basement crap pile.

     Leo hates closed doors. He likes to let us know that this is his house, and he should have full access to every room. When you close a door, he voices his objections. 

     I've seen that face before. If you get within four inches he'll reach out that little orange paw of his and pull you under the door. He's quite strong, for a cat. Don't let the cuteness fool you. 

Well, that's all for now, a large update. Hopefully it won't be as long until the next post.

-Daniel