At this time of the year, I feel like the guy in this painting. I have three dogs, but it feels like I have a dozen. I don't think I gained weight during the holidays, but I feel heavy and I have no energy. It must be the winter blaws. 
Even my house looks drab, fat and tired. It's the north side taken from the school's property. The shutters were removed last autumn. Without the shutters the windows look too narrow in proportion to the house. To think that most people end up permanently removing their shutters, rendering their home bland and generic. 
First item on the To Do List, restoring the shutters and painting the window frames on the north side. Five windows in all, so this should count as five items on the To Do List.
Included in the first five items is the removing, stripping and spray painting of the corresponding hardware. Some are already soaking in Safe Strip solution. Ashley from First Home Dreams, uses an old crock pot and lets the hardware simmer in water for a while. I take much comfort in knowing that after this side is done there will be only one window left to restore: the top window of the tower. This one will have to be dealt with by a professional. 
Sixth item: Restoring and painting the kitchen doors. The exterior one is very damaged, but nothing I can't handle. I intend to use my front entrance doors as inspiration for the back doors. 
The interior door is in much better shape.
The handle is pretty, but the mechanism is so worn down. I'm not sure if I can salvage it for this door, but may install it on the door going to the basement. Anyway, I'll see later.
Seventh item: This is the door to the library. Yes, it's an awful aluminium door - it has to go. It should be replaced by a wooden one, perhaps a custom copy of the kitchen door.
Again, the interior door will be a breeze.
How about that gorgeous door plaque! Of course there will be much more things I plan to add to my To Do List, but the ones relating to the house must have priority.
