To be continued......

This story started September 19th, 2018.

 Routine annual maintenance on my near 50 year old oil furnace...…

the tech says....."so I don't want to ruin your day, but..... your furnace is toast"  😬

It sounded just fine, seemed to be running and heating (as crappy as it always has been) but it was emitting carbon monoxide.  😱

He says, "You can still run the furnace, just make sure you have a few carbon monoxide monitors and get out quick if they alarm" 

 Ummmm, no. 

  Furnace = dead💣💥

So, we've been a little chilly. ⛈

Keeping warm with space heaters, heating pads and electric blankets.  

And started the intimidating yet liberating process of researching the next step.

I decided on a gas furnace and will change the water heater at the same time to a tankless gas water heater.  Preemptively making that change - the appliances have been failing one by one since my separation/divorce.  Do not want to risk a broken/leaking water heater.  Peace of mind getting it done now.  The permit process to get the gas moved from the street to the house is typically a 12 week process.   Just learned last week our window for construction is Dec 2nd-12th. 

 We are in the home stretch. 

  I came home from work this week to find the street/yard marked for boundaries.  As well as lines leading to the home for the gas piping and meter location!🚧

  I am so excited.

And just for fun - Kathryn on Thanksgiving Day.  She looks radiant here.  Love that face 💕

Keeping score of my home improvement since I officially became a home owner January 2018:

New appliances:  -washing machine (late 2017)

-Dishwasher (also late 2017)

-New oven

-New iPhone (not really a home improvement - but a huge investment!)

-Gutter repair

-landscaping upgrade/new foliage/new apple tree

-New windows

-New window blinds

-Significant tree care

and now.... furnace and water heater.... upon completion I will rest knowing it's done (and hoping I'm warm and we have warm water for years to come!)

Also need to deal with my underground oil tank within 30 days of getting the new furnace.  So much change, all making me very happy.  😄💙

Miscellaneous : )

Cleaning up & and selective pruning!

Three big trees on my property always made me cringe during a wind storm.

For the first time in the 10 years I've been here, I hired an arborist to get up in the trees and selectively prune.  The sweet gum tree in my front yard was my biggest concern.   Pictured is just part of what they took out of one tree.

All look so much healthier now and I can breathe better in a windstorm!

 Ryan joined the middle school basketball team! 

 They opened the team to 5th graders.  The coach is great, Ryan is learning a lot and getting a good workout at least 3 days a week.  

He looks so grown up here!