We’re way beyond what’s supposed to be a six-month remodel—Christmas 2006 has come and gone. Our contractor reminds us he's a patient man, but he has his limits. We joke it's a good thing we signed up to be on the 2007 Duniway Holiday Home Tour, a fundraiser for Drew's school. Our contractor's not laughing...
Our wall of windows is unveiled in our new family room, and we have a beautiful view of—the garage. Out goes Window #4, giving us wall space for coat hooks in our new back entry, and thankfully, blocking out the garage.
I finally decide on Muddy River for the outside paint color. Mike's busy painting the second coat when I drive up from the paint store with five more gallons. Ugh. It looks like Poop River next to the house of our neighbor-who's-not-speaking-to-us. Sorry, Mike. We're starting over with Zinc.
I decide to do all the indoor painting myself. That way if (or I should say, when) I get neurotic about colors, I can change my mind without upsetting anyone else. I'm lucky I don't get seriously injured when I forget I just painted the basement floor and slip and fall on the concrete, cartoon style.
I finally decide on Muddy River for the outside paint color. Mike's busy painting the second coat when I drive up from the paint store with five more gallons. Ugh. It looks like Poop River next to the house of our neighbor-who's-not-speaking-to-us. Sorry, Mike. We're starting over with Zinc.
I decide to do all the indoor painting myself. That way if (or I should say, when) I get neurotic about colors, I can change my mind without upsetting anyone else. I'm lucky I don't get seriously injured when I forget I just painted the basement floor and slip and fall on the concrete, cartoon style.
Speaking of the basement, it's coming along. Oh, I do have to exchange our washer and dryer when the white clashes with our different white laundry cabinets—the good news is we end up with the blue ones I wanted in the first place. And it only takes us a week to realize we can do dishes in our new laundry sink. Which brings up our kitchen sink—it's been a year since we had one. We're still waiting on our Dacor range, and the arrival date keeps getting pushed back. (By this time, we've spent so much time at Standard Appliance, Drew and I have put on five pounds each due to cookie sampling—ever-disciplined Mike abstains.) I don't let on, but I'm secretly thrilled to have more time to pick out granite. The granite can't be installed until the range goes in (of course, we won't have a kitchen sink until then either) but I don't let on that entire seasons have slipped by during my granite search. I remember freezing in a coat, hat and gloves searching through warehouses. Now I'm sweating in shorts and a t-shirt.
Meanwhile, Mike decides we "might as well" replace some of our old drain pipes while we have workers on site. We rip into our den walls, one of the only rooms in the house that's still untouched, and take out... perfect pipe. Oh well, by now we're philosophical.
Meanwhile, Mike decides we "might as well" replace some of our old drain pipes while we have workers on site. We rip into our den walls, one of the only rooms in the house that's still untouched, and take out... perfect pipe. Oh well, by now we're philosophical.
We do finish by Christmas. It's just Christmas 2007 instead of 2006. And we're on the Duniway Holiday Home Tour—a dream of mine. Funny thing is, we still don't have a front entry and visitors still trip on the threshold on the way into our home.
Drew and Cousin Austin celebrating in our new kitchen Turns out, we use our spa bathtub only occasionally—who (besides Oprah) takes time to take a bath? But I like how it looks. Our new kitchen cabinets are awesome. Our cabinet maker reproduced our old leaded-glass panels. The bonus—no lead paint. I even located some hard-to-find copperish granite, to go with the copper tile backsplash I love. The guest bedroom/ bath in our basement prove so inviting, my sister and brother-in-law (who, after observing how much fun we had, decide they might as well remodel) move in with us for a few—well eight—months. And after we take out a bee's nest that's on our neighbor's property, she starts speaking to us again. We really should've avoided adding up the cost of the remodel though—we could've easily bought a new house with the money spent. But I love our cute new-old home in our wonderful neighborhood, and I'm not moving. When Mike talks about pushing out our front porch to give us a real entry, I humor him with a smile, but I never get around to doing it.
Drew and cousins in our new nook/family room I learned a lot during our remodel. Like there is such a thing as analysis paralysis. In fact, I'm not sure I'd have this web site if it weren't for the remodel. It made me realize I don't want to get to the end of my life and wish I'd done something instead of just thinking about doing it. So I'm putting myself out there—mistakes and all—and trying to remember to laugh at myself. After all, I might as well.
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