Team Schubert.

At the end of April, Andrew and I had a Sunday together ….

The VERY FIRST weekend we were in the house, it rained and poured here and we discovered that our 3 windows in the back of the house on the bottom floor leak….

Ugh.

All over our brand new floors and nicely painted walls.

This house tried to kill me …

The VERY FIRST weekend we were in the house, it rained and poured here and we discovered that our 3 windows in the back of the house on the bottom floor leak….

Ugh.

All over our brand new floors and nicely painted walls.

We spent weeks and weeks with tarps nailed over the window frames to help protect it from the rain…

And it continued to rain. Every few days.

Just often enough that between work and rain, Andrew didn’t have time to recaulk the windows at all for over a month.

More than a month with blue-tinted light because we just left the tarps up.

It was both depressing and hilarious

Finally, we just got sick of it … there was just WAY too much stress trying to keep the rain out AND trying to worry about fixing it in a timely manner….

Our contractor happened to come over on a particularly rainy day and just said he’d take care of it. Bless him.

Yes, it cost us more to have him do it, but the stress relief itself was totally worth it.

So the following Monday (a few weeks ago now), Tony and his team came and reinstalled/recaulked those 3 windows in about 2 hours. Done and done.

No more leaky windows! No more stress when it rains.

Thanks goodness ….

Now we just have to worry about the flooding backyard when it rains ….

This shower was put on by Joe’s godmother … Aunt Mary. She went ALL OUT … It was AMAZING and so gorgeous and at a [...]]]> One final baby shower for Kaitlin … close enough to her due date that the shower host had a mild panic attack when Kaitlin called her the day before!

This shower was put on by Joe’s godmother … Aunt Mary. She went ALL OUT … It was AMAZING and so gorgeous and at a restaurant so she didn’t even have to worry about food …

The shower was both feminine and still for a baby boy :

And because it was at a restaurant, Joe and some of the other guys came too and spent the afternoon watching sports on the patio or the bar or somewhere else …

Katie, with Aunt Mary (on the right) and her friend who helped plan the shower…

Last one for awhile!

In mid-April, Julie hosted a baby shower for Kaitlin involving all of the old family friends from when she was growing up … all ladies that Julie just loves and have been part of [...]]]> As I type this Kaitlin is basically due any time…. But I still have TWO baby showers to show you!

In mid-April, Julie hosted a baby shower for Kaitlin involving all of the old family friends from when she was growing up … all ladies that Julie just loves and have been part of Kaitlin’s life since she was little. And me. And I was invariably introduced around as “Andrew’s wife” …. But everyone loves Andrew so I guess it could be worse.

One of Julie’s friends finagled her the use of the community building as part of their neighborhood HOA … This HUGE room with lots of natural light, a kitchen attached AND all these tables and chairs included…. It ended up working out perfectly.

Plus it was only a mile or so from my new house, so I could head over early to help without having to set my alarm for 6a!

Julie did the colors in this bright blue and red …. with a cars/trucks theme on the cake and favors. SUPER cute for a little boy

The shower started at 11a or so, so we did lunch and a couple games before opening gifts.

That lion bag in the image below? About 5 people wrapped their gifts in one! They must have been on sale at Target

homemade quilt from Kaitlin’s aunt…

Joey’s room is jungle themed, and a LOT of the clothes Kaitlin has been getting are animal themed too … I kind of love this shark outfit!

I can’t believe Joey is going to be here any day!!

In order to organize these plans, as well as *try* to keep track of what [...]]]> Just after we closed Escrow, my brain was going CRAZY trying to remember all the things that HAD to be done to Headquarters, as well as all my ideas for sprucing up the place beyond just making it livable.

In order to organize these plans, as well as *try* to keep track of what we’re spending, and to keep track of what we still want to do, I created a Google Doc for Andrew and I to share. Although, I’m not sure he’s ever looked at it.

Regardless, I now have a record of all the work that has been done to the house and all the things we want to do moving forward. Now that the kitchen is installed, the windows no longer leak and the house is LIVABLE, the rest of our To-Dos are primarily dependent on our cash flow.

So, some of these may stay undone for awhile.

But, so you can keep track along with us ….

Tasks that were basically completed before we moved in

• remove all the trash and debris from the house
• remove all the cabinets/counter from the kitchen
• remove all mold from kitchen
• remove all old floors throughout house
• fix hole in kitchen ceiling
• fix floorboards in bedroom
• fix bathroom/kitchen leaks
• new floors upstairs
• new floors downstairs
• paint all rooms (white)
• take out fake closet in downstairs bedroom
• reinforce beam below upstairs bedroom
• replace broken front window
• trim tree on side yard
• get rid of mold in garage
• add dining room light
• new garage door opener
• rekeyed front door

To be done after we moved in (March 10). Some of these are BIG (buy washer and dryer). Some of these are SMALL (buy hanging basket for kitchen). The crossed out items have been completed as of 5/2… almost entirely thanks to Andrew:

• replace floor in front of garage
• replace door into garage
• fix AC going out of garage
• paint exterior / red front door
• new roof
• rafters in garage
• trim tree pushing on light post
• scrape all ceilings
• replace thermostat
• replace all the windows with double panes
• install solar panels
• garage: add shelves above washer and dryer
• garage: buy washer and dryer
• master bathroom: new floor
• master bathroom: shower door hanging crooked
• master bathroom: clean clean clean
• master bathroom: buy trashcan
• master bathroom: buy TP roll holder
• master bathroom: basket for TP
• master bathroom: paint?
• master bathroom: buy/hang towel racks
• master bathroom: new toilet?
• master bathroom: shelves?
• master bathroom: light cover over sink
• master bathroom: new floor
• master bathroom: new vanity/sink
• master bedroom: paint
• master bedroom: hang curtain rod
• master bedroom: blinds
• master bedroom: hang artwork
• master bedroom: buy/hang curtains
• master bedroom: window screen
• master bedroom: bookcases?
• master bedroom: full length mirror
• master bedroom: bedside tables
• master bedroom: bedside lamps
• master bedroom: hooks in closet interior
• guest bedroom: blinds
• guest bedroom: bed
• guest bedroom: rug
• guest bedroom: small dresser
• guest bedroom: ceiling fan
• guest bedroom: mirror
• guest bedroom: hang artwork
• guest bedroom: paint
• guest bathroom: new vanity
• guest bathroom: new floor
• guest bathroom: new tub
• guest bathroom: fix shower
• guest bathroom: new toilet
• guest bathroom: big mirror
• guest bathroom: new floor boards
• guest bathroom: paint
• guest bathroom: buy TP holder
• guest bathroom: towel racks
• guest bathroom: buy shower rod
• guest bathroom: hang shower curtain
• living room: see about building cupboard under stairs
• living room: paint
• living room: hem curtains
• living room: rug
• living room: smaller armchair
• living room: make coffee table
• living room: new or refinished entertainment center
• living room: better lighting
• living room: lamp for corner
• living room: DVD shelves
• living room: side tables
• living room: window screen
• dining room: paint
• dining room: window screen
• dining room: rug
• dining room: new table
• dining room: chairs
• dining room: artwork?
• sitting room: sand blast fireplace
• sitting room: add bricks to fireplace
• sitting room: add mantle to fireplace
• sitting room: paint
• sitting room: hang artwork
• sitting room: get armchair
• sitting room: rug
• sitting room: side tables
• sitting room: new gas line for fireplace
• Amy’s office: window screen
• Amy’s office: window blinds
• Amy’s office: bookshelves
• Amy’s office: chalkboard paint
• Amy’s office ceiling fan
• Amy’s office: scrapbook bookshelf
• Andrew’s office: window screen
• office bathroom: new vanity/sink
• office bathroom: new floor
• office bathroom: new tub?
• office bathroom: paint
• office bathroom: shelving or towel racks?
• office bathroom: rehang doors so they close
• kitchen: cabinet hardware
• kitchen: Oven/range/hood
• kitchen: dishwasher
• kitchen: cabinet hardware installation
• kitchen: sink
• kitchen: faucet
• replace kitchen cabinets
• replace kitchen counters
• replace kitchen tile
• recaulk back windows
• kitchen: backsplash
• kitchen: hanging basket for onions/etc
• kitchen: hooks for aprons
• kitchen: artwork
• kitchen: rug for by sink
• front yard: add porch to front of house
• front yard: replace posts (brick)
• front yard: create brick front porch
• front yard: flower bed in front of porch
• front yard: add lighting (to path/garage)
• front yard: clean up/decorate entry way
• front yard: weed around tree
• front yard: trim tree
• front yard: till/plant grass
• front yard: clean or remove gravel
• backyard: replace shelf under kitchen window
• backyard: remove “garden”
• backyard: remove palm tree
• backyard: fix flooding issue
• backyard: mow grass
• backyard: build trellis/patio overhang
• backyard: plant trees
• sideyard: rebuild wall
• sideyard: install gate
• sideyard: remove dirt/rocks against house
• sideyard: install cement/brick walkway
• sideyard: remove lombardi tree
• sideyard: clean leaves/debris from hill
• sideyard: plant ground cover on hill

I’m pretty sure this is not all … But we’ll keep you posted ….

Any ideas for Schubert HQ?

Left Aberfeldy at 7am.

Just Andrew and I, luckily, so one else could make us late.

I had a sore throat and the beginnings of a head cold.

We returned the rental car (after missing the airport off-ramp because we were driving INTO the [...]]]> The last day of our trip on Friday was AWFUL.

Left Aberfeldy at 7am.

Just Andrew and I, luckily, so one else could make us late.

I had a sore throat and the beginnings of a head cold.

We returned the rental car (after missing the airport off-ramp because we were driving INTO the sunrise).

We checked in at our ticket counter and were informed our plane had been rescheduled for an hour later (which they didn’t tell us when we checked in online the night before).

Except it wasn’t an hour … it was closer to 2 hours.

So long, in fact, that we had time to get me sore-throat lozenges… plus lunch… plus went and found the rest of my family who left 2 hours after us and whose plane took off before ours.

So that’s awesome.

Flight to Newark and my head cold in earnest (so I start hoarding napkins, Kleenex and paper towels)

Land in Newark at 4:15p – our connecting flight is at 430p! Ha!

We still have to get our luggage and go through customs… Which wasn’t terrible but they were understaffed.

Finally go wait in line so Continental can get us on another flight.

Woman in front of us throws a temper tantrum.

Get up to the counter, informed we were rescheduled for a 5:30 flight but we missed that too…

So we get put on a 7:30 flight. Same as the temper tantrum lady, actually.

So we got some more airport food … And Andrew’s head cold is now coming on.

About 30 minutes before we are supposed to board they change gates. Awesome.

PLUS all this time (at Newark) it is raining and thundering… so more flights are canceled or delayed so the airport is getting CROWDED …

And Andrew and I are both sniffling like crazy.

We finally board about 8:30p … and then don’t take off til 9:30p or so.

With both Andrew and I sick and awake now for almost 24 hours.

We both slept a bit on the plane to LAX, finally landing, getting luggage, getting picked  up and getting home around 1a.

26+ hours after we stared.

And then Andrew had to work the next day.

I still can’t wait to go back

Do you have any horrendous travel stories?

Once we had walked all through the Cathedral and gravestones, Dad wanted to visit St. Andrew’s Castle site before it closed so they did that…. While the 4 ‘kids’ walked way out the long pier just behind the Cathedral near East Sands beach …

So gorgeous to see St. Andrews from that direction …

For his souvenir, Andrew wanted whisky! We found a liquor store (though I’m sure that’s not what they call it)… and Andrew picked out a bottle of Edradour (the distillery he visited in Pitlochry) …. So fun.

Our parking pass was up at 5p … so we stopped by and got Andrew’s whiskey and went to meet Mom and Dad by the car.

Of course, once we got there we noticed that parking is free after 5p, so we could have stayed “out” without worrying – but no matter.

We were all getting hungry, the big sites were closing, and Andrew and I had to leave early to catch our flight the next morning … .

But first – dinner.

Being in a college town there were all kinds of pubs. Everywhere, practically. We had passed by one – The Central – with a photo of some delicious-looking bangers and mash advertised outside … so obviously we had to go there!

Dinner was … interesting.

• The bartender was not super polite
• But, some nice man gave up his seat so all 6 of us could sit together (and then disappeared so we couldn’t buy him a drink)
• Both Kevin and Chelsea ordered meals that the pub was out of and had to change their order

But my bangers and mash were quite good! I wasn’t able to finish it… but I was also coming down with a cold, so no one else wanted to share it either …

Not much left to the trip … drove home. Finished packing. Earlyish bed.

Thursday night Kevin, Andrew and Chelsea walked down to town to the pub at the Blackwatch Inn for drinks and darts.

I had to bully my dad into reading in his bedroom so I could go to sleep, though.

__

From Andrew:

Our last night in Aberfeldy, Kevin, Chelsea and I walked down the road for one last night of drinks and darts to the Blackwatch Inn.

We got a small table right next to the entrance and immediately got a few pints and began talking with a young Irishman. He had been living and working in Aberfeldy for a year or so and was asking us how we liked the trip and Scotland and if we planned to go to Ireland at all. He gave Kevin and Chelsea some recommendations for Ireland and we talked off and on with him for an hour or so.

photo by Chelsea

It was warm and dark in the bar, a perfect complement to the cold drinks. We got a few games of darts in, it was fun playing with 3 people.

The pub is such a good place to relax and enjoy the company of close friends or family. Such a welcoming environment. It was a great way for me to end my Scotland journey.

______

All that’s left now is to go home! SO sad!