Two big things happened yesterday.

First, the contractor came by yesterday before the storm to discuss plans for:

~new siding
~new roof
~stairs (new in basement; more headroom going up to the 2nd floor)
~decks (new in back wrapping around and connecting to side)
~new front door
~last 3 new windows
~garage (decided to only put a new utility door on and rebuild it in a year)

We should have an estimate and some sketches in the next couple of weeks.  If the weather cooperates, we may have a crew working on the house in May or June.  Yay!  Mom is super excited.  This is why she retired :D

The second big thing is I finally called the plumber.  We have all the parts we want installed.  We didn't want to pay his prices for parts, and we wanted a specific design. The plumber will:

~fix a tub leak which means I don't have to shut the water off when not in use
~install new shower fixtures
~install line for ice maker
~install a new hot water heater
~hook the humidifier directly to the sink drain so I no longer have to put it on the sink to drain into the sink. 
~investigate possible gas leak (I think it's coming from an outside source--old gas station--and if I'm right I need to call the guy who checks in yearly on this)

Oh, and last week mom finally ordered new curtains for the living room and found rods a few days later.  It's only been 3 years since the new windows were installed.  I guess it's time.  *lol*