This Patriotic Old House

Hello All,
I managed to get a few things done at the house today. Met with another contractor, power washed my AWESOME porch, and got my American flag hung.
So earlier this winter after I knew I was getting the house I called in a contractor and had him figure up a bid for me. I liked the bid, it was within my ball park. After discussions with other people, I took their advice and thought I should get another contractor out to look at the house and get another bid. So I called the same guy who put the roof on and rebuilt the porch 10 years ago. He does really good work and he has done many old houses before. He gave me a rough estimate and then told me how long I would have to wait...a year and a half. After talking it over with Dad, I decided that if I was serious about living here then I need to get started on it ASAP. The good thing about the first contractor is that he told me he could start the day I got money. And this guy also does really good work. So don't think I'm skimping out on quality, I'm just not sure if it would be able to handle another winter like the last two. Remember...she's old...almost 100 years.
As for power washing...I plan on finishing it sometime tomorrow and then putting a coat of stain on to get it looking good. That thing was filthy! It's a good job done, that's for sure.
And last but not least...my flag. It is my opinion but I think that every American should hang a flag. It's just something about seeing a flag wave in the wind that looks so cool. And we all need to think about the people that put their lives on the line for us fighting overseas. If it wasn't for them, who knows where or in what condition this country would be in.
That's all for now. Hope you all enjoy your Memorial Day weekend. Be safe and have fun!

The View from my Front Porch...

Hey Everybody,
I thought I'd do a quick write up about my landscaping project I did tonight. It took about 3 hours, one trip to Corydon, 10 buckets of Mom's rocks, and dirty hands.
Last spring I had an idea about how to spruce up our family farm sign that one of Craig and Shirley's friend designed, using beams from the old barn. I bought some bushes last year and got them planted and I wanted to go back on some hills behind the house and pick up rocks and then use them for some kind of landscaping. So Dad and I headed for the "back hill" with the Ranger and loaded the box full of "Brown" rocks. Well tonight I had some free time and I decided that I needed to get it done. I was pretty happy with how it turned out and hope you guys are too!
I also took a picture looking east off of my porch. I think that the porch is one of THEE coolest things of the house. The view in the fall is going to be gorgeous. I will be thinking about all of you when I'm sitting in Grandpa Sullivan's glider, drinking iced tea, and looking at all of the different colors God has chosen for each and every leaf on each and every tree.
Thanks again for reading, your support, and enjoy the pictures!

1st Setback

Hey Everyone,
Sorry for being MIA lately. This spring has really kept me busy! The place where I work raises sheep and right now we have had roughly 735ish lambs born so far this year. And we still aren't done yet! There are about 50 more ewes to lamb. Then on top of that we have been in the field, between rains, trying to get crops in.
Some other big news.....my sister got married on April 10th. So that kept all of us super busy. Things went without any problems and it was probably the most beautiful wedding I had ever been too. The reception after the wedding was without a doubt the most fun I have ever had! It was so nice to get friends and family together to help celebrate with Kelsey and Mike!
One more bit of news, I recently bought a brand new livestock trailer. Yeah yeah, big deal, right?? Well for those who know me, you can probably guess how excited I was. I have been bugging Dad to purchase a trailer for about the last 10 years so I could have a nice trailer to take to cattle and sheep shows (ask Dad next time you see him how annoying I was about it!). So things finally worked out and I was able to buy one. :)
On with the house...I contacted the lady I have been and will be working on the loan and asked her how soon after I apply for my loan will I receive any money. She then informed me that it takes 60 days for the loan to close. So if I apply for my loan in August, the earliest I will be getting money is in October. I am kind of bummed out about that but maybe this will give me more time to get it and get things cleaned out and start tearing off old wall paper and taking old carpet up before my contractor gets there.
A couple days ago we had a strong rainstorm pass through and it blew some windows out and blew in my front door. Dad and I went down to put plywood over the windows and wire the door shut. I got to looking around again and asked myself and my Dad if I had really thought about what I was getting myself into. This project is going to take alot of time, work, money, and many many headaches, and I'm sure more setbacks. "Would it have been easier to just go buy a house?" I kept asking that to myself. And I'm sure there will be more times than 1 that I will have been wishing I should have. But would any other house have the history that this house has?? This house is a very important piece of history to the Brown's and I plan on restoring it and making my family and even the neighborhood proud! I have been talking to a few people that have done renovations to old houses before and they all have told me that it won't be free, it won't be easy, and there will be many more headaches. But when it's done, you will have a house to call your own and it is going to be something that you will be proud of for the rest of your life. So I took that advice to heart and I have never been more excited to start, even if I have had my first headaches and setbacks. BRING ON OCTOBER!!
Enjoy the pictures...