Friday, July 20, 2007
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Imagine if you will...
The problem with being on the road while your house is being worked on is that you are completely at the mercy of your husband to update you on what work is getting done.
Yesterday - Steve informed me that they took the plaster out of the master bathroom. In doing so, they discovered that there was an opening for a door on the wall were the sink was. I'd insert a picture here - but for now you just have to imagine.
This door would have connected what we are calling the master closet to the master bath. We know that the master closet used to be the back hallway and there was a stair case into the kitchen. We also know that this back part of the house was not original. Now it follows that this room was added but may not have always been a bathroom. I have often stared at the bathroom and closet doors and wondered why they are different heights. It makes sense if one is not original.
Today Steve came home and was excited to see more garbage in the dumpster - some Kohler boxes. He thought this meant that they had installed some of the bathroom fixtures. Since we did not purchase anything made by Kohler - he quickly came to the realization that this must have been from another job site.
When he went upstairs - he didn't even notice (at first) that the hallway had been extended. The existing blue dining room (soon to be reading/craft room) had a book case in it. The book case was added to frame in a doorway that connected this room to the hallway/stair case. It is so odd to think about what it will look like to "see through" that wall into the room.
Finally, in the existing kitchen (soon to be kids bathroom) - they took out the kitchen sink and have started to prep the kitchen cupboard to be removed.
As excited as I am about all this change - its scary as well. I have only known these rooms as they looked for the last 30+ years. The cleaning out and wallpaper removal that I have worked on are merely cosmetic. Crazy it is going to sound - I am going to miss this space as it once was.
We are doing alot to preserve the footprint of the upstairs. It was like a time capsule up there. You could see (and at one time smell) what life was like up there. The kitchen will never again be a place where cookies are made. The dining room will not be a place for hosting friends for dinner. My grandpa's bedroom will no longer be a place of boyhood dreams.
It seems odd to have these connections to these rooms since I never baked in the kitchen, dined in the dining room, or even saw a bed in grandpa's bedroom. I do take comfort in knowing that the kitchen will now be a host to the smell of clean laundry and bubble bath, the dining room will be a place to relax with family, and grandpa's bedroom will hold toys to be played with in the same rooms my mother and grandfather played in. I also know that prior to my family living in the house - these rooms had other purposes - before the house was a 2-flat. So I guess my "memories" are all relative (no pun intended) and that the house will continue to change as the needs of its caretakers change.
Yesterday - Steve informed me that they took the plaster out of the master bathroom. In doing so, they discovered that there was an opening for a door on the wall were the sink was. I'd insert a picture here - but for now you just have to imagine.
This door would have connected what we are calling the master closet to the master bath. We know that the master closet used to be the back hallway and there was a stair case into the kitchen. We also know that this back part of the house was not original. Now it follows that this room was added but may not have always been a bathroom. I have often stared at the bathroom and closet doors and wondered why they are different heights. It makes sense if one is not original.
Today Steve came home and was excited to see more garbage in the dumpster - some Kohler boxes. He thought this meant that they had installed some of the bathroom fixtures. Since we did not purchase anything made by Kohler - he quickly came to the realization that this must have been from another job site.
When he went upstairs - he didn't even notice (at first) that the hallway had been extended. The existing blue dining room (soon to be reading/craft room) had a book case in it. The book case was added to frame in a doorway that connected this room to the hallway/stair case. It is so odd to think about what it will look like to "see through" that wall into the room.
Finally, in the existing kitchen (soon to be kids bathroom) - they took out the kitchen sink and have started to prep the kitchen cupboard to be removed.
As excited as I am about all this change - its scary as well. I have only known these rooms as they looked for the last 30+ years. The cleaning out and wallpaper removal that I have worked on are merely cosmetic. Crazy it is going to sound - I am going to miss this space as it once was.
We are doing alot to preserve the footprint of the upstairs. It was like a time capsule up there. You could see (and at one time smell) what life was like up there. The kitchen will never again be a place where cookies are made. The dining room will not be a place for hosting friends for dinner. My grandpa's bedroom will no longer be a place of boyhood dreams.
It seems odd to have these connections to these rooms since I never baked in the kitchen, dined in the dining room, or even saw a bed in grandpa's bedroom. I do take comfort in knowing that the kitchen will now be a host to the smell of clean laundry and bubble bath, the dining room will be a place to relax with family, and grandpa's bedroom will hold toys to be played with in the same rooms my mother and grandfather played in. I also know that prior to my family living in the house - these rooms had other purposes - before the house was a 2-flat. So I guess my "memories" are all relative (no pun intended) and that the house will continue to change as the needs of its caretakers change.
Monday, July 09, 2007
On the road again...
When you go more than a few days without posting, it is hard to figure out what needs to be left unsaid. I will do my best to keep to the key moments over the last few weeks.
Previously on 108 North...
We had just found out about the water line and were headed for our first cruise. The trip was great and we have lots of fond memories like....being detained in Mexico and leaving 1 cell phone in LA. The Gs safely made it back to 108N and the phone...well...Steve just got the shipping info today - so he promises it will be here shortly.
PT got to vacation with gma, teach and ellie in chambana and had a grand old time.
The house...while in spite of best hopes of progress while we were out of town...little was done inside. The electrical did get updated - so that's a start.
The week of the 4th - which I keep referring to as 2 weeks in 1 - dragged on. Seriously what kind of a joke is it have a holiday mid-week? Tues felt like Fri, Wed felt like Sun, and Thurs felt like Monday AGAIN. Remind me when this happens again in a few years just to take the week off.
We celebrated like it was 1812 at that band concert on the 5th. It actually was nice that work hadn't really started on the house. I just know there will come a point when having people over will not be feasible. We also got news on a new addition for our friends. Not sure if this has been announced - so will just leave names out for now :) We're so excited for you guys!!!!
This morning I left the house bright and early for ORD and a business trip to Houston :) Steve went for an MRI - his back/leg have been messed up. He also reported in that the dumpster is in the driveway, which I hope is an indicator of lots of work getting done this week.
Tonight I am procrastinating because I have work to do. The hotel offered a free movie and popcorn - so I just got done watching WF and JH in Blades of Glory.
Previously on 108 North...
We had just found out about the water line and were headed for our first cruise. The trip was great and we have lots of fond memories like....being detained in Mexico and leaving 1 cell phone in LA. The Gs safely made it back to 108N and the phone...well...Steve just got the shipping info today - so he promises it will be here shortly.
PT got to vacation with gma, teach and ellie in chambana and had a grand old time.
The house...while in spite of best hopes of progress while we were out of town...little was done inside. The electrical did get updated - so that's a start.
The week of the 4th - which I keep referring to as 2 weeks in 1 - dragged on. Seriously what kind of a joke is it have a holiday mid-week? Tues felt like Fri, Wed felt like Sun, and Thurs felt like Monday AGAIN. Remind me when this happens again in a few years just to take the week off.
We celebrated like it was 1812 at that band concert on the 5th. It actually was nice that work hadn't really started on the house. I just know there will come a point when having people over will not be feasible. We also got news on a new addition for our friends. Not sure if this has been announced - so will just leave names out for now :) We're so excited for you guys!!!!
This morning I left the house bright and early for ORD and a business trip to Houston :) Steve went for an MRI - his back/leg have been messed up. He also reported in that the dumpster is in the driveway, which I hope is an indicator of lots of work getting done this week.
Tonight I am procrastinating because I have work to do. The hotel offered a free movie and popcorn - so I just got done watching WF and JH in Blades of Glory.
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