I wanted to wrap up this week long look at our 2012 accomplishments and 2013 goals with the mention of a New Years Eve tradition that's close to my heart. And while I love New Girl and the concept of "Future Nick Wendy," what this post is really about is a tradition I started back in the 1990s, way back when Friends was the hit sitcom on television, and Alex and I were innocent college students at Miami University. A neighborhood friend of mine and I were talking and she filled me in on her tradition of writing a letter to herself each New Year's Eve, to be opened one year later. I loved the idea and thought it was a great way to reflect and make note of a passing year, rather than just celebrating the new year with a little champagne and a new calendar.

I started the practice of New Year's letter writing on December 31, 1997, and have completed my annual note each year since, which makes this year's letter my 15th anniversary in the practice. In essence, this hand written note is a recap of the highs and lows of the past year, expectations for the future, and is capped off with a few resolutions. I seal the letter in an envelope, and write the date it will be opened on the outside.

Each December 31, I take some time to sit quietly and read my letter from the previous year. I then reflect on my year and experiences and write out my next letter to be opened the following year. I also love and find it rather fascinating to read back through letters of past years to see how I've grown and changed, note how relationships or endeavors have succeeded or failed, relive joy and heartbreak, and remember what was most important to me at a given time in my life. 

Since moving into this house, I can't tell you how many of the items are, in some way, home or project related. More specifically, how many of of my updates say "I know I wrote this last year, but this year is totally the year to renovate the master bathroom." But most importantly, as much fun as it is to reflect on and appreciate the year's experiences and accomplishments, I like to be frank and honest with myself. If a year was difficult or miserable, I definitely don't want to make myself look back on it through rose colored glasses, especially if these letters become my lasting impression of any given year as a whole.

To me, this tradition that I've established for myself marks the end of a chapter, as well as a new, fresh beginning. In light of not having a crystal ball or "Future Wendy" to provide direction and interpretation of life experiences, I feel this letter is the next best thing. Though this isn't particularly DIY/home improvement/decor related, it feels similar to the way we hide time capsules of who we are and what we enjoy in the walls of our home. These letters become my personal time capsules that I'm able to open and enjoy each year.

Do you have any New Year's traditions? Perhaps it's a special meal you enjoy with family (pork and sauerkraut anyone?), a place you visit, or an activity you engage in? I'd love to hear how you've been gearing up for 2013.

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Don't get me wrong. It's not that we're dialing back our DIY efforts or even are setting the bar lower, but we want to ensure that we accomplish all of our resolutions, as well as leave ample time for pop up projects. As history has shown us, sometimes inspiration strikes at the most inopportune moments, and we want to have the mental and physical flexibility to take on new things that come our way. 

So here it is, in all its glory. Our list of 2013 resolutions:

Resolution #1: Renovate the master bathroom!

This one has been on my list since the end of 2008, and I'm officially sick and tired of this unfinished project. Ninety percent of the time having only one bathroom isn't an issue for us, but on those occasions that we have guests or one of us isn't feeling well, the desire for an en suite bathroom skyrockets.

Due to the small stature and lack of vanity in our guest bathroom, I've been applying my makeup and drying my hair each morning in our guest bedroom for the last three years. Aside from sharing one shower, this little detail is less than convenient for our guests. So really, and I mean really, 2013 is the year of the master bathroom renovation.

Resolution #2: Replace the stolen copper downspout.

Thanks to the jerks who stole our copper downspout this fall, we have a new exterior item on our project list. As much as the flexible dryer vent was an affordable option, it leaves a bit to be desired in the aesthetics department. 

Resolution #3: Finish building and installing the storm windows.

We love that we still have the original windows in our home, but these windows aren't the epitome of energy efficiency. Alex started building custom storm windows for our living room, dining room, master bedroom, and master bathroom, and we resolve to have this project will be completed in 2013. 

Resolution #4: Restore the original windows in our master bedroom, master bathroom, and living room. Piggybacking on what I said above, our original windows have seen better days...like in the 1890s. Once the new storm windows are installed, we'll remove the old sash, strip and reglaze them, and give them a fresh coat of paint. 

This work will be instrumental in preventing water from making it's way in during severe storms, and will also extend the life of these windows for hopefully another 125 years.

Resolution #5: Remove the old oil drum from the basement.

Buried amongst the crap in our basement is an old oil drum that we inherited with the house. This big tank, once instrumental to having heat in our home, now sits idle taking up a sizable corner of our tight basement. It's hard to see, but it's in the photo above behind the rolls of paper towels, beneath the heaps of wood scraps. 

Our goal is to have it removed and its contents safely discarded, so we can reclaim this area of our subterranean work space. In its place, we'll build a work surface, as well as a place to store larger tools like the miter saw, wet saw, and Alex's new bench top planer. 

It has long been our dream to perform a major overhaul on our home, flip flopping the location of our kitchen and family room. Part of this aggressive plan would include removing the wall between the two rooms, creating one big open area for cooking and entertaining. 

How does this factor into the basement? Well, for starters, if we're to remove that wall, we suspect we'd have to do some serious structural reinforcement, potentially beneath the two rooms. We also know how cramped our basement is just for storage alone, and we'd love to expand the space from what currently runs under our living and dining rooms, back an additional two rooms. This doubling of our basement could allow for a separate storage and woodworking area, plus the addition of a living space and bathroom. It will be a HUGE undertaking, and likely not one we'll be poised to start in 2013, but the more we know about the cost, the sooner we can start saving.

So that's it -- what we plan to accomplish in 2013. As you can see, some of the resolutions are more complex than others, but we're looking forward to tackling each of them. 

What do you think? Did we omit a major item that you feel should be on the list? Have you made any resolutions for the new year that you'd like to share? We'd love to hear all about it.

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Resolution #1: Officially finish the vestibule project. 

Status: Complete!  We applied the coat of glossy black paint to the interior side of the french doors early this year, and officially called it done.

Resolution #2: Put a stop to our leaking sky light once and for all. 

Status: Complete! We completed 90% of the work in 2011, and earlier this year applied a good coat of roof paint. We waited with baited breath, but months have passed by and all signs point to a successful fix.

Resolution #3: Fix unsightly crack near sky light caused by said leak. 

Status: Complete! For years this crack taunted me, and 2012 was the year to say buh-bye. 

Resolution #4: Make custom storm windows for master bedroom, living room, and master bath. After all, Alex publicly declared he'd finish this one by January 31, 2012. 

Status: In progress. Despite Alex's proclamation of his self imposed deadline and hours of effort, this project was pushed off to the side due to several unexpected projects. (Ahem, can anyone say unplanned kitchen renovation?)

Resolution #5: Redecorate the sun porch to remove the tired floral window treatments, and to better incorporate the wine fridge into the furniture layout.

Status: Complete! This one was easier said than done. WIth the month of January came new window treatments and rug, but then I lost my decorating mojo. By August, we had finally solved the wine fridge dilemma, opting to move it into the kitchen and integrating it with cabinets to form a new "wine bar" in the kitchen, complete with custom built shelving.

Resolution #6: Refurbish my great grandfather's chair, given to us years ago by my parents. 

Status: Nearly complete! Alex took the lead on this project, stripping, sanding, and glueing this piece back together again. We tried our hand at using an aniline dye, and restored the missing seat support. All that's left is having a cushion made for the chair. I've been in touch with a local company, the fabric is purchased, the estimate is approved, and all we're waiting on is for the company to complete their week's worth of effort. 

Resolution #7: Repair and replace the bay window on the back of our home. 

Status: The raised panels and windows have seen better days as this part of our house takes a beating from the sun. In August, this project shot to the top of the project list when we experienced a leak in our back bedroom. We didn't replace the back window, but we did repair it so that further leaks can be avoided until we can tackle this project the "right way." Spurred on by the scorching summer temperatures, late night mosquito bites, and an unexpected mid paint rain storm, Alex showed his enthusiasm for the project.

Resolution #8: Devote some serious time and attention to our master bathroom renovation. The 1980s monstrosity must go, and we were sure that 2012 was the year.

Status: Fail! Even though we were realistic and didn't expect to complete this project in 2012, we certainly expected to get further along. Instead, we spent months of effort on our unexpected kitchen renovation, as well as several other projects that just seemed to pop up. Don't get me wrong, we made a tiny bit of progress. After all, we finalized the layout and even bought an old buffet to repurpose as a vanity. We swear, 2013 is "The. Year."

Resolution #9: Continue our Curb Appeal 2.0 efforts by selecting and installing a border around our front tree, and planting the area with flowers.

Status: Complete! We endured hours of back breaking work in order to whip this sad area into shape. One item we removed from the project list was the addition of a cast iron border. Despite our best efforts, having contacted several companies, we couldn't find someone willing to even bid on the job. I guess our modest bed wasn't worth their time, but we've actually grown to love the space just as it is. We'll see about getting a nice little fence next year, but we're in no hurry on this one.

Resolution #10: Do a thorough purge of our closets and drawers.

Status: Complete! This is an ongoing effort in our home, and a process that puts Lulu to sleep. Several times per year we do a thorough clean out of our closets and basement, putting together a large donation to a local charity. It means we can get more enjoyment out of our uncluttered space, and others can benefit from the use of items we don't need.

Resolution #11: Last but not least on the list was more of a household management item than a house project. We resolved to make a list of our bank accounts, retirement funds, credit cards, mortgage and car loan companies, etc. so we have a complete picture of account numbers, user names, passwords, and balances. 

Status: Despite Lulu's best effort to thwart our efforts, it's complete! It's a little morbid to have to think about it this way, but if something happened to either one of us, it's reassuring to know this little list is securely tucked away in our safe deposit box at the bank. We carved out several hours on January 2 of last year to knock this one out, and in return we have peace of mind.

All in all, I'd call this year a success. We may have slipped on a couple of our resolutions, but given the fact that I have a newly renovated kitchen with appliances that actually work, I'm happy to move the master bathroom onto the 2013 project list. I'm really proud of all that we accomplished, and appreciate all the wonderful experiences we had. 

Alex will be back tomorrow for a complete year in review post that will take a look at all the other things that kept us busy in 2012 that weren't part of our planned resolution list. Until the new year, I wish you all peace and prosperity. Have a fun (and safe) New Year's Eve!

Are you a regular reader, or new to Old Town Home? Did you miss any of the projects outlined above, or have you trudged through them with us every step of the way? How did you fare on your list of resolutions this year? Any big plans for 2013? We'd love to hear.

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Do you see it there? Staring at you from the lower portion of the skylight? You might remember said crack from our list of 2012 new year resolutions. This crack has been a sore subject in our home since the day of our home inspection. At that time, we pointed out the crack to our home inspector who responded that the water marks and subsequent cracks near the skylight were "nothing to be concerned about." Boy, were we young and naive. We quickly learned during our major snow melt that we should have listened to our gut instinct and known it was something to be concerned about. With ample evidence supporting a leaky skylight, our first step was to have it replaced.

For a little while we thought the leak was resolved. We went ahead with the assumption that replacing the skylight had corrected the leak, and back in 2004 we tackled our upstairs hallway renovation. During this project, we painstakingly re-plastered the walls and ceiling in this space to smooth out the bumpy, cracked, and sad surfaces, as well as fix the damage from the skylight leak. 

Alex paid special care to the area around the skylight, as it was in really rough shape from the years of water damage. The round discolored area at the top of the photo below is actually the old location of our smoke detector, and water had been leaking in behind it. The dark area is part of our first steps in correcting the damaged plaster. 

He may be smiling, but Alex is not happy above the stairs!

We only invested as much time as we did because we assumed the leak had been corrected with the new skylight. However, roughly one year later our hard work to fix the ceiling was undone. Several big storms and slow leaks lead to the reappearance of a crack near the skylight, and we eventually determined the leak was from around the base of the skylight, not the skylight itself. This crack drove me absolutely nuts every time I walked up the stairs or stood at the sink in the bathroom while brushing my teeth. It taunted me, it stared at me, and dared me to force Alex to fix it. 

Over the winter Alex vowed he was going to correct the leaky roof once and for all. After several trips onto the roof during some of our very nice winter weather, Alex did his best to find and repair the leak, using a combination of patching cement and fiberglass screen. Once the work was complete we held our breath (and during each hard rain we crawled into the depths of the attic to monitor the area around the skylight). After several water free months passed, we breathed a collective sigh of relief. We think it's really fixed this time! No, really!

Feeling confident that we'd finally stopped the point of entry for Enemy H2O, Alex finally conceded that now was the time to fix the big ass crack that resulted from the leaks.

He started by setting up the ladder. This is actually one of the most difficult and dangerous parts of the work, and it's really the reason it took him so long to get around to taking care of it. He absolutely hates the precarious nature of being up on the ladder and hanging over the steps. He's not afraid of heights, and he's not scared of ladders, but the way it's setup in the hall, leaning across from one side to the other, he's just never been totally confident in it.

Here's his view from being up on the ladder, and why he doesn't really like it all that much. I don't blame him.

After scaling the ladder, he was able to dig out the worst of the crack to give the patch something to hold onto. One thing is for sure, this crack is whack! Look at how massive it ended up being.

Since the water had really done a number on the whole area, he also used a plaster button to pull the lower part of the ceiling back up and into place. It had sort of bubbled and fallen down after the consistent expansion/contraction from getting wet.

Once everything was dug out, he knew he couldn't just slap a bunch of plaster or thinset in there, the gap was too large to support that much wet material. So Alex cut up a few pieces of fiberglass screen and rolled it into the crack. Shoving it into the crack before patching would give the patch a bit of a backing that the thinset could adhere to.

With the whole area stable and clean, Alex mixed up his trusty 20 minute setting type joint compound and smooshed it into the gap.

The actual patching process only took him about 10-15 minutes, and the first coat came out looking quite nice.

After allowing the first coat to fully cure (more than 20 minutes when you have very thick coats, despite what the bag recommends) a light sanding, followed by a second coat of joint compound, left the patched area looking like it had never been the victim of an H2O mugging.

Alex then lightly sanded the second coat to reveal a even and nicely patched area.

A thin coat of primer was necessary to ensure proper adhesion of the top coat of paint. Without the primer, the patch will simply soak up the paint, requiring coat after coat for proper coverage, and resulting in a more obvious patched area.

Rather than load up a whole roller for this rather small area, we opted to use a foam brush. It doesn't really leave the same roller marks as the rest of the area has, but it was quicker, easier, and looks good from the floor.

While he was up there he also patched up and painted the second area that had a little damage, but wasn't nearly what the large crack was.

After finishing up the project, Alex actually remarked, "That was so easy. I don't know why I didn't do it sooner!" <sigh> That makes two of us, sweetie. 

In all seriousness, this is one of those little nagging projects that has bothered me for years, and it makes me so happy that's it's officially checked off the list. I can now ascend our stairs or brush my teeth sans angst over the unsightly crevasse that once drove me mad.

Do you have any nagging projects that you can't seem to make the time to knock out? Maybe a missing outlet cover or an unfilled nail hole? Maybe it's more significant, like a gutted bathroom (ahem), missing door, or a broken fixture? I don't know why, but sometimes it seems the simplest of tasks are the most insurmountable. 

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The refrigerator I started with was relatively full of items largely consisting of condiments and beer. 

I suppose by week's end we had eaten most of the meals we had prepared and were left with the items we don't consume on a regular basis (at least that's what I'm going to tell myself). 

In hopes of easily eliminating the odor by tossing some rotten jarred or canned good, I started by removing all of the items in the refrigerator, sorting them into keep and discard piles. If something was expired, looked suspect, or I had no recollection of the last time we'd used it, it went into the discard pile. Judging from the number of expired dressings, I think we're not eating enough salad in our house. 

With all of the items removed, I had a clear picture of how thoroughly disgusting our refrigerator was. I was tiptoeing the line that bordered on a bad episode of Hoarders, particularly when I noticed the gag-inducing grime that had accumulated underneath the lower glass shelf. If you're squeamish...look away.

...as well as a nauseating sticky film that coated an upper shelf.

How thoroughly grossed out are you right now? As a self professed neat freak, I'm mortified that such filth existed in our home. I'm actually so shocked and grossed out by it that I've decided to share it with the whole Internet. Cleaning out the refrigerator is something we do an a semi annual basis, but clearly we've let this chore go unchecked too long. 

No wanting to risk the chance that the sludge might animate and morph into the Toxic Avenger, I donned rubber gloves and started to scrub the shelves within an inch of their lives. 

I removed all of the items that could be taken out of the fridge, such as the plastic door shelves, proceeded to let them soak, and then washed them with warm, soapy water.

After scrubbing, wiping, soaking, and more scrubbing, the inside of the refrigerator now looked like this.

Remember the gross grime on the lower shelf? Gone!

The entire cleaning process took about an hour, but loading the contents back in was a snap. Here's a look at the end result. It's clean, organized, and scuzz free.

The condiments are better organized, and we even have extra room on the door!

And in case you're wondering what item was causing the stench in the fridge, it was the leftover black beans in a glass storage container. (Thanks to my dear husband for taking care of disposing those bad boys so I didn't have to revisit what I ate for dinner last night. I'm telling you, I have a gag reflex like no other!)

Even though it was really embarrassing to share my disgusting refrigerator with you all, I'm happy to say I'm one step closer to checking off "do a thorough purge of our closets and drawers" from our New Year's Resolutions List for 2012. (I know, organizing kitchen cabinets or a refrigerator isn't exactly a closet or drawer, but it's the same basic idea if you think of it as a climate controlled closet for our food.)

I'm sure I can't be alone in putting off cleaning an area or appliance. What's the dirty little secret in your home? I promise I won't tell. 

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