Two Years

Momentarily, in pictures, you will see why I don't call or write as frequently. A lot of work has been going on in and around the place since January. In a nutshell --new countertops, the old porch is gone and a new one is in its place (thanks to Kade's family & Galloway), new flower beds, new mulch, and new landscaping edgers. And, as I write this, the mud continues to dry in the 3rd bedroom and is waiting to be sanded.

Tomorrow, we'll of had the place for two years. We're still working, but its still worth it.

Musings

After glancing around our house this past weekend, I started wondering.
Wondering how many other people in America:
--have a drywall T-square in their bathroom as its permanent living space next to 2 mirrors
--have stacks of hardwood floor lining their hallway and "hiding" under their kitchen table
--have an air compressor (complete with the hose) chilling next to their kitchen trash can
--have a water hose curled up in their second bathroom with one end in the tub and the other stretched out to the hot water heater as a reminder of of last weekend's removal
--have a finish nailer next to the cat food
--have a mound of Christmas lights on the couch waiting to be stored in a nice Christmasy colored tub
--have a piece of plywood for a countertop, yet no kitchen sink...yep, that's right!!! I said no kitchen sink.

I promise I'm not describing our labyrinth of a house to make you feel better about the organization of yours. But I am describing it so I can tell you that WE'RE FINALLY GETTING KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS!!!! The granite company came last week to measure for our new countertops and they had to take the kitchen sink with them! So although it appears we are going backwards in our home renovation, alas friend, we are not!! And the good news is we get countertops on Feb. 8th!!

Along with fun countertops, Kade also finished the tile & wood floor in the laundry room, thus the removal of the hot water heater last weekend to complete the installation. The floors look great and it is a really wonderful feeling to know that we have one more room that is subfloor only. I love the floors simply for the main reason that it makes me taller. I know it is only a fraction of fraction of an inch or something, but I am taller. The cereal boxes in the pantry come down with a little more ease and with less of my "go, go, gadget arm" comments.

I know we might be the only people in America with these items strewn about in odd places, but to me, these items symbolize progress, hard work, and pride in what we've done and can do.

Lines

Life. You take it day by day. Do what you can do. With resources. With time. With energy. And eventually there's a finish line. But as we know, with every finish line, there's another starting line.

Our latest checkered flag: A second bathroom. Paint, tile, floor, and a countertop (which if you recall an earlier post, was quite heavy to install). Grouted and sealed friends!

Doesn't this look beautiful?? Kade did an awesome job fitting this marble top.

Vanity, wall, tile...please ignore the price tag on the mirror. Not trying to be Minnie Pearl.

Tile on tub surround, by Kade and Galloway.

More tile views.

I love the wall design!!

In case you're wondering, our next starting line was the underbrush and limbs surrounding the driveway. We're under a caution flag because all of this brush is hanging out enjoying the rain in the front yard. Honestly it looks like we flipped a coin and decided to plant another small forest right smack dab in the font yard. Bright side--the driveway looks phenomenal! The yard now could use a little work. As I said before. Day by day. So, for now, the front yard is another day.

Putting on the dog

One Thanksgiving, we were all sitting around the table and I can't remember if it was my grandmother or grandfather that said, "Well, we've really put on the dog today!" Ashley looked up from her plate of tryptophans, ie. turkey, looking confused and asked what it meant. The explanation, basically just gussying yourself up and being fancier than you normally would be. Well, we've certainly been putting on the dog at our place recently.

For instance:

1. Trim & Windowsills-nice and bright white. Contrasts well with the blue, red, and brown walls. Who knew that the trim piece under the window was called an apron? I didn't until yesterday when Kade said it. I mean, when you're putting up aprons, you're putting on the dog.

2. Grouted & sealed tub tile in the master bathroom-it looks so wonderful! Kade & Galloway worked hard getting the tile design up. With a specific bathroom tile design, you're putting on the dog.

3. 2 huge cabinets in the living room that will eventually be utility storage. They are also blinding white and heavy. Massive amounts of storage-putting on the dog to hold items you'll eventually need to actually put on the dog.

4. A nicely painted DOOR (that's right, a DOOR) and trim piece that will be ready to go up any day now! Any door in 2009 is an automatic instance of putting on the dog.

5. And this list wouldn't be complete without mentioning the Christmas tree taking refuge in the living room, where it has been since July when we bought it. Pretty soon it will be up and all shiny & sparkly too! This just goes without saying that we're putting on the D-O-G.

Same time, different place

A little trip back in time for this first Thursday in September.

September 4, 2008

September 4, 2008

September 4, 2008


On this Thursday last year:

Kade and I were both nomads--living with friends and in hotels

We were only two days away from the CU vs. Citadel game.

There was nothing in the house but subfloor, tools, and dust.

My car was stuffed full of everything I needed to wear and get ready for work, the gym, and of course, football & tailgating. Kade told me he's still amazed that living from my car didn't send me over the edge given my Type A personality.

We hadn't had a homecooked meal in a LONG time. I think we were actually sick of eating out in restuarants.

At this point, drywall was the COOLEST item on the planet because it was going up in our house THAT day.

It wouldn't be until a few days later last year that we actually moved a little furniture into the house on carpet covering subfloor. But we were thankful for our walls, our floors, our own bed, and a bath tub. It is weird sometimes thinking back. Because it really feels like drywall going up happened yesterday. It is funny what you find you can live without. And it is funny what you find that you can't. I remember the beginning of last September with such clarity I have to look around at our painted walls and wood floors to remind me that it really is the same place, same time of year, just different. A good different, a wonderful different. And as this fall and football season begins, we're still in awe of the transition and we're still ever grateful for drywall.

Bermuda Triangle

It seems our living room has become the Bermuda Triangle. We bring large pieces of furniture and things into the house and for whatever reason, those things begin to take refuge, and never leave the room. We learned quickly to move gracefully around the two giant wood pieces destined to become our bathroom countertops. We tried to hide our new Christmas tree (now in 3 boxes) but to no avail. One of the branches still peeks over the edge of the box, as our constant reminder the holidays await. As fun as it is to live amongst these possessions hoping to reach their true potential, the Bermuda Triangle was getting too massive.

In an effort to clear out some room and to accent the newly grouted bathroom tile, Kade decided to take the old vanity his brother had given us and get it ready for the double marble sink piece we bought last May. That's May 2008 folks. And this is no light piece. 174.6 lbs (net weight) to be exact. But I digress.

Kade gets his tools and his fluffy Eagles blanket and gets to work in the triangle. A few cuts later and the vanity was ready for the bathroom. After sliding the vanity and then the enormous marble slab through the house using the Eagles blanket, Kade set out to fit the marble piece. Five up and down lifts of 174.6 lbs later, it fit! And it is BEAUTIFUL!!!

Now if we can just get the Christmas tree out of the triangle...

*Harley approved*

New vanity, vanity top, and grout

My sea glass pieces

Vanity before the top pieces were placed, so you can still see the sink bowl

Isn't it pretty??

Harley Girl

She still looks like a kitten to me, but most people these days would say she's a cat. And she is!! Harley turns 1 tomorrow, her birthday was 8.08.08. Her paws are fast and her claws are sharp. She's a quirky alarm clock with four legs that purrs. She loves q-tips and her little flicker ball with legs. She'll chase her rattle toys and bring them back to you, in her own version of fetch. She'll eat just about anything, I think she's part goat. She loves sitting in any window and watching her fine feathered friends out the screen door. She'll love the first person home to death. The second person home gets leg scratches. She loves ice cream and sleeping on tall pieces of furniture.

I'm so glad Kade brought her home--I gave him grief about it for a bit, and I was constantly worried that she would hurt herself in our unfinished house. But she's such a sweet little cat and I just love her to pieces!! And Kade does too, but he'll never admit it!

Happy Birthday Queen Harley!!