Renovation Update: Relief!

Two weeks ago Sunday we moved all of the furniture out of the downstairs.  We still had the kitchen undisturbed  because we are staying with the vinyl flooring there.  We lived in the kitchen and on the patio, and of course the upstairs bedrooms and office. 

 The next day Tom removed the brick veneer from the old fireplace.

 That week the fireplace crew came and removed the old zero clearance "can" and installed the new one.  Another team repaired the drywall and then installed the new surround.

 Thursday and Friday the first floor crew came to remove the carpets and cut and remove the parquet.  Now we had dust and grit everywhere, and those raw floors full of the original building plaster dust.  I was always dusting and sneezing.

 We ran away for the day on Saturday, and then in the evening we brought in the TV and our patio rockers.  As Tom said, "If you have a TV as big as the front door, why wouldn't you use it to watch soccer?"  It was a Sounders victory!

We expected the hardwood installers on Monday, but no one came.  After calling, we found out our project had not been scheduled with the installers!  Oh, great!  Tom was not nice on the phone, and the company got a team in on Tuesday, but they were working on another project too, so we had different people each day.  Finally on Thursday the expert came with help and they worked from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm, finishing the floor installation.  

 It was a noisy and dusty three days.  We spent as much time outside as we could.  The cat hid out in her nest upstairs in the office closet.

While the crew was finishing the dining room and entry yesterday, Tom vacuumed the family room, and we moved in our recliners and the TV again.  It was time for another Sounders match.  We were so glad to have our chairs back!

 Josy got her pedestal back, and curled up in it while we watched soccer, then the convention, and then some Seahawks football.  Our teams both scored wins.  

 But we couldn't really relax, so we got out of the chairs and started sweeping and vacuuming and dusting before falling into bed too tired to sleep well.

The stairs are not done.  We changed plans and will have solid oak treads installed.  They are being made up and we hope to get that done next week.

 The baseboard moldings still have to be reattached, and some supplies removed, but everything is cleaned up.  And it's quiet!

We will do some painting on two walls in the family room, and we have ordered the book shelves and entertainment center cabinets.  They will be made and delivered Sept. 25th.  Then we can hook up all of the components of the TV and sound system and get to know how to use all of the applications of our "smart' TV.  At some point we'll get all of our furniture cleaned up and moved out of the garage and back into the house.

Today we began cleaning upstairs.  Those rooms are not changed, but the dust filtered in, and anyway, it's time for a thorough cleaning and sorting.  We got the guest bedroom done today.  

We'll take the rest of the weekend off.  Tomorrow I'll be cooking for the family picnic on Sunday.  It's time again for the annual Phosie-Gertie Picnic.  We'll all gather at the cabin on Whidbey Island for a day of playing and visiting and eating.  Jill and family went up to the cabin this evening.  We will just go for the day on Sunday.  On Monday we hope to be started on the painting.

Happy Labor Day, everyone.  We're doing our best to keep folks working. :-)