Best State Parks In Tennessee (Best of Tennessee)
A few years ago, we set out in our RV (as new RVers) to visit all the state parks in TN. We did that (all 58 of them at that time).
Along the way, we did a lot of RV trailer camping, tent camping, hiking, biking, kayaking, cave exploring, and learning about history. We visited great towns and ate great food (and lots of ice cream and hot fudge cakes) all along the way.
Emily and I sat down to create a top 10 list to see which ones we liked the best.
This Old Dean House - One Year Renovation Anniversary
As I finished up the steps in the foyer, I realized that it had been exactly one year since we closed on the house. I had ripped the carpet off those steps the very first day. Exactly one year later, I was reinstalling the last spindle on the completed steps. The past year has been busy, and we've made great progress on restoring the 135-year-old lady to get her ready for another 100+ years. What a fun project and what great people we've met along the way!
Refinishing The Staircase - This Old Dean House
The first thing we did when we bought the house was rip the carpet off the steps to see what we had. We had something, but it was under layers of paint. So, hard to know what. Refinishing the hardwood floors in the entire house took a lot out of us, and we abandoned refinishing the steps. After a long break, we got going again and finished them up. So, the first project we started turned into the last major project we completed.
Updated Channel Banner For DeanoRolls YouTube Channel
We've been "Collecting Experiences" on my YouTube channel for the past 6 years! We've done a lot of RV travel, along with some antique vehicle restorations and old house renovations mixed in. For the 2026 "season," the plan is to stop working on This Old Dean House, retire Emily, and get back to travelling. It is time to knock out all the National Parks. So, follow along to see where DeanoRolls!
Guest Bath Renovation - This Old Dean House
To repipe the house, I had to rip out the guest bathroom floor (which was going to come out anyway). Then the ceiling had to be removed (because the roof was leaking). After all the demolition and repairs happened, it could all be put back together again. Once that started, I was given a deadline by the kids (the guest in the guest bathroom) to get it done by Christmas. Mission Accomplished. We don't even know what to do without a tub, sink, and toilet sitting in our hallway anymore!
Walnut Farming On Walnut Street (DeanoFarms)
Sometimes, rather than doing anything on my long to-do list, I'll make up a new project and spend an entire day messing around. Tennessee presented me with a gorgeous fall afternoon, and I spent it outside with my brain turned off, harvesting my walnuts...and coming up with all kinds of crude 'nuts' jokes. Perfect!
Fitness Nerd Out - Using My Whoop Band, Renpho Scale, and ChatGPT To Lose Some Body Fat
I used:
• Whoop Band (Wearable) for 2 years…it tracks all kind of things but calories burned
• Renpho Scale (Smart Scale)…it tracks weight and bodyfat (not correctly but at least the trend)
• ChatGPT (Artificial Intelligence)…to tell me the calories and macros of what I’m eating
• Spreadsheet (MS Excel)…my favorite…to log it all.
I started in August with the goal to lose some pounds and body fat (mainly body fat).
The first week of tracking what I ate highlighted just how much I was overeating. I ate about 2,300 calories a day, and you’d have thought I’d been sent to a concentration camp. To say I’d been overeating is putting it mildly. I joked with my family that I had no clue how I didn’t weigh 600 pounds. At the end of the week (after feeling like I was starving to death), I’d managed a 24-calorie deficit…FOR THE WEEK! Not 3,500 like I’d planned. 2.4. LOL
I kept at it for 17 more weeks, and right before the holidays, I was down 13 pounds and 2.5% body fat. I survived the holidays without thinking about it all too much (just enjoyed the holidays, friends, and family).For the new year, I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing.
My goal is to sit at 17% body fat. I’m not in a hurry to get there. My plan is to run a small calorie deficit by keeping track of what I’m eating. It is easier now that I’ve learned to right size what I’m taking in. AI and abundant technology FTW!
Office Renovation - This Old Dean House
The office renovation was supposed to be easy. Pull the old laundry room sink and paint. We ended up having to remove the ceiling, reframe the roof, and install a new roof (with insulation this time). What was supposed to be an easy room turned out to be a bear! Along the way, we found some old newspapers (used for insulation) from WW2. There is still a piece of it on the hardwood floor. The newspaper clip has my name on it, Joseph. I guess, this house/office was destined to be mine!
Master Bath Renovation - Part 4 - Finishing Electrical, Plumbing, Drywall, Tile
Moving water pipes, never-ending demo, moving walls, and now we are finally finishing up. We made our final decisions on where everything would go. Emily went into war room mode, figuring out the "design". Once that was finalized, we completed the electrical, plumbing, drywall, painting, and tiling. For me, this was more fun because I brought in others who are more highly skilled than I. I did the final punch list, however (scrubbing tile, painting clawfoot tubs, sourcing all the final items, steam cleaning). The last step was to call the plumbers back for the fixture installation! DONE!
Redoing The Front Beds - This Old Dean House
Giant yew bushes OUT... azaleas and hostas IN! Emily didn't like the giant shrubs on the front of our house (neither did I). So we ripped them out. Then we went to the nursery and figured out what we wanted back in.
Laundry Room Renovations - This Old Dean House
The dirtiest part (so far) of our entire renovation (and that is saying something) was our laundry room renovation. I had to pull the ceiling in this room, and half of the back yard came out of it. I guess a family of squirrels had lived in there at some point over the past 135 years. We turned what would have been Preston's bedroom into the laundry room. We had to get the washer and dryer out of the kitchen (?!?). So now we have a laundry room (and Preston has a private floor for his tent when he comes over). The oldest child always gets the shaft! LOL
Master Bath Renovation - Part 3 - Framing The Wall (This Old Dean House)
Build That Wall(s)! I've framed an entire basement remodel in the past. This was much less than that...but...it was not easy at all. In order to minimize demo (and not tear into the entire house), I had to tie my new framing into the existing framing. The existing framing was "wonky" to say the least! Then I had to shore up the load-bearing wall that had been 'remodeled' into swiss cheese over 135 years of prior "renovations". Hopefully, what I did will help it stand for another 135 or so!
This Old Dean House - Sideyard (Phase 1) - HVAC Area
The side yard of our house was a disaster from earlier projects. We'd replaced both HVAC units and the water/sewer lines from the street. I needed to level it out and get the area around the HVAC units put back together. I brought in my heavier equipment for some 'light' landscaping work. This made the project way more fun! Phase 1 of the sideyard is now complete. BONUS: I also cover the origins/meaning of my CB handle (Little Dipper) in this installment.
Master Bath Renovation - Part 2 - Never Ending Demo (This Old Dean House)
This bathroom was like demo'ing a lasagna...layer upon layer upon layer. Paneling, drywall, wallpaper, beadboard, wood lathe...you name it, and this bathroom had it. I was already planning to remove one wall entirely. As I dug deeper, I realized I needed to get all the way to the studs to make sure the structural walls were in good condition...they were not! After several trips to the dump I finally got 135 years of prior renovations removed.
New Bike - Gravel Edition
Max, an avid Marketplacer, called with a deal of a lifetime. A new bike for me. As he described it, "this is one we want to keep in the family". LOL! I didn't know I wanted to get rid of my Specialized road bike (that I'd had for 13 years). I also didn't know I wanted a gravel bike?!? Carpe Diem! Turns out Max was right about it all! I'd cut back on riding, but now I'm getting back out there (on my new whip).
I Finally Got A Trailer - DEANO Farms: Week 163
Finally, a proper trailer for all my hauling needs. I'm gonna be a trucker just like my daddy! Now that we don't need to live in the metal building, I need a trailer to pick up all the old vehicles we'll put in the metal building. Of course, Emily doesn't know about that last part. For some reason, she thinks we have enough antique vehicles?!? How can she be so wrong?!?
Emily's Wallpaper Removal Project - This Old Dean House
There were about 5 layers of wallpaper in our 135-year-old foyer. I say 'were' because Emily went wild and started rippin'', tearin', scrapin' and sprayin'...and now there are zero layers of wallpaper in our foyer. We were going to repaint (or rewallpaper). I say 'were' because we decided we ain't gonna do that.
Flame Thrower Weeding - This Old Dean House
I needed to weed some beds. I didn't want to use chemicals. But really, I just wanted an excuse to use a flamethrower. Win-Win-Win...especially the flamethrower part! LOL
This Old Dean House - Sideyard Plans
I teamed up with AI to design an outdoor space in our side yard area (off our kitchen). I told it all the stuff I wanted, and it came up with a pretty decent starter plan. Then I went outside to stake it all out. After that, I waited for Emily to get home to see if she liked everything. Spoiler Alert: She did not like it all...but she did like most! So, we now have a sideyard plan!
