Makeover for Tiny House

Here are "Before" and "After" photos of the house with the new stain job. I can't believe how weathered it had gotten, but she looks very spiffy now!

Back in the Loft Again

Well, it has actually been since May that I have returned to sleeping in my loft! I was really missing having my office to eat and read in. Funny how just those few extra square feet make such a big difference.

I have recovered completely from the hip revision surgery, although I still don't have quite my normal energy level. This summer I am determined to stain the outside of the house. I have finished the most difficult sides first; the front with the porch and gable above the porch; the south side which, due to the slope of the space I'm parked in, is quite a bit farther off the ground than the north side; and the back of the house, which is has the other gable end and is over the hitch. I will post some pics of the "new" Lusby - she's looking quite smashing with the "Century Redwood" stain.

Art work

Here are some pictures of the murals I did at the elementary school where I used to teach. The designs are taken from a Native American coloring book published by Dover (they print excellent coloring books, by the way) and a little checking seemed to indicate that my usage would not infringe on any copyright. Each mural took about 40 hours to complete and I really enjoyed painting them. I can't seem to find a photo of my favorite one, a Northwest coast mask, but I'll see if I can get another shot of it. Of course, the school was so grateful for my free artwork, they actually covered part of the mask up with a shelf unit! Go figure.

Surgery a success!

My hip replacement went off without any complications. This was a "revision" or replacement of the original implant due to parts failure. Yes, I AM one of those people with a recalled Johnson & Johnson DePuy hip as advertised on TV. I certainly wasn't planning on doing this again so soon (my first surgery was in 2006).

Anyway, because I am not allowed to crawl for six months and cannot use my loft, I am now making use of the Lusby's downstairs bedroom. The left photo shows the cats on the futon as it looks folded for a couch. The right photo shows Rosebud stretched out on the futon opened into a bed. Right now I keep it open all the time, since I'm sleeping on it every night. The room is quite cozy for sleeping.

I found that the futon I bought was just too hard for long term sleeping. Fortunately, a kind neighbor here lent me a memory foam pad from her camper and that has saved my bacon! In the past I found the memory foam to be rather too warm for me, but this time I have a sheepskin pad on top and that solves the overheating issue. Post surgically, the house has been great - no hassles getting around this small space. I can climb the ladder as needed, but haven't ventured into the loft since January. I don't know if my female cat will ever allow me back in!