FixerUpper Challenge (Stage 4)

Well, a few things have changed since the last time I saw you. We just moved in to the old Haskins' Mercantile. So as of now, for as long as we live here, we will need to be in costume whenever we might be seen.

Excuse me, but my degree is in Business Management not Drama! Rodney still thinks of this as an adventure and I keep telling myself that he's right. In more ways than one.

I'm sorry. You're not here to hear me complain. You're here to see the changes we've made to the old place.


I have to admit that I chose a few of these pictures specifically for the comparision to the brochure photos. A picture from the left front of the house.


One from the rear of the building.

During remodeling Geoffrey and Rodney found a few "soft spots" in the roof. We all discussed the options and decided to patch it instead of replacing it.

The old siding, however, had to go. We found some wood shingles to replace the ugly old gray ones. We also added new black tarpaper to the roof of the porch.

Speaking of which, we now have a porch. I'm already in love with the swing we had installed there. And of course the view.


We tried to remove the old dead tree that was in the side yard but couldn't get all of the roots out. There was no way I was going to look at that stump all the time. That's how I came up with the idea of the rock garden.

We planted tall grass all around the stump so that it wasn't seen. Next Geoffrey started to work on choosing and sorting stones for the path. Watching the men sweat and toil under the hot sun was quite enjoyable. Of course, I made sure that I had a large pitcher of lemonade available at all times.


Although there isn't lots of space in the side yard I think the men did a good job with the path, the boulders and the plants.

Because each household is supposed to be self-supporting Rodney and I found ourselves with a dilemma. Originally, Rodney's plan was for us to live upstairs and have the downstairs of the mercantile be a souvenir shop.

I convinced him otherwise. What can I say? I wanted a kitchen and a second bath and Rodney didn't want to live here by himself.

He came up with a second plan.

The Mercantile now has a petting zoo!

OK, it isn't much as money-makers go, but we are able to sell the eggs to a small restaurant that opened up in the old saloon. Plus, a local nursery has a large variety of roses, so the pony pays his way as well and eventually Rodney wants to buy a cow as well.


Of course, I have no idea where he thinks he's going to put a cow, but he says he has a plan.

I'm sure that you'll understand when I say that I still get nervous when he says things like that. It was one of his plans that got us here, right?

Here's a quick overhead view of what we've done.


Here's my rock garden and the new porch and small garden. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the garden next to the porch, didn't I?


And here's an overhead of the petty zoo. Currently in residence we have;
one pony, two sheep, five piglets and nine chickens.

One White German Shepherd named Wolfgang...


Newt, the ferocious attack-kitty...


And one "soon to appear" edition to the family.