Hidden Staircase is secret no more

Ron did some excavating with his sawzall to see what sort of staircase was still intact in the house. It had been hidden long ago to accommodate an upstairs apartment with just an outside entrance. We'd heard that the neighbor who did the stairway hiding had kept it intact but after 30 years, one never knows. How surprised and pleased we are to find this! Butch Eggers, who was born in the house and is still a neighbor, took one look and recalled sliding down the bannister, many times, as a kid.

Fun, setbacks and searches

First for the fun. Ron had a great time in Bellevue, hanging out with new friends, and taking in a bit of St. Patrick's Day fun on the town with Bellevue Deb. He also worked out a plan with Al for cleaning out and re-mortaring the basement, and with Steve for hauling away the oil tanks. He's about to start day two of his trip home and should be back in Laramie late afternoon. He's taking it easy: while in Bellevue a few afternoons ago one of his eyes decided to freak out and dispatch a bunch of floaters to impede his vision. Long story short, a Bellevue eye doc dispatched him to Dubuque, where he had laser surgery on the eye. The cause of the problem isn't quite known yet - he has an appointment to see Dr. Lowe here in Laramie on Monday. That's one search: the other is for an affordable leather-ish queen size sleeper sofa. I'd like to buy it online from a store in the Dubuque area who will deliver it to Bellevue the next time Ron is there, maybe in about a month. I wanted to get one anyway for what will be the guest room. I'd like to get it now to spare him another week with the air mattress and sleeping bag. Any ideas for stores?

Ron is getting it done!

Ron is in Iowa this week, staying at "Hotel Setzepfandt" sleeping on an air mattress and living out of a cooler. But there's hope: he's been entertaining a parade consisting our contractors the polka-playing Sieverdings, the guy who is cleaning out 131 years worth of cobwebs in the basement, the plumbers, the bath & kitchen folks, and to come, the kid who mows the lawn and maybe even an electrician. Then of course there are new friends like Steve, Sarah, Butch, and still to come, Deb and maybe even Bellevue Randy.
It has been a very long time since I've blogged here because other than living in the daily stew of wondering what is going on with our renters and hoping snowfall doesn't bring down the roof, we've been unable to take real action. But I'm here grading papers over spring break for the last time ever (progress), the Laramie house is going on the market next week (more progress) and the movers are coming today to give us an estimate to schlep our stuff 900 miles east. Most of this progress equals money, but yep - that's what we've been saving up for. Bring it on!
Pictures coming soon from Ron's stairway opening big reveal. The secret of the Hidden Staircase, for all you Nancy Drew Fans.