The End Is Near

Doesn’t that sound cryptic? No, this isn’t a post about the End Times. My knowledge in that department is pretty limited. Actually, it’s pretty non-existent. My faith is more in the realm of the here and now, not in the distant or not too distant future. Let the scholars debate on the timing of the ending of it all.

This is actually a post about our never-ending renovations. They may actually have an end. In the near future. I filled you in on our Renovation Story here. They got postponed due to The Fire, which you can read about here.

I have also mentioned numerous times that I am a Type A personality. I like organization (and lists!). In the summer of 2005 when we planned our renovation, I was my usual organized (and frugal) self. I ordered a sweet set of leather couches from Costco online, and they were here waiting for the renovation to be done. We moved the couch from the great room into our bedroom temporarily (ha!), and put the leather couch and loveseat in our great room. The loveseat is actually shoved awkwardly against a random wall. And it’s been there for over a year.

Anyhow…Honey has been working as hard as he can to get the family room done so that things can go back in there where they belong. Right now we have the couches in the great room, my corner workstation (from IKEA) in the front hallway (I kid you not) along with the dresser I painted this summer to house toys in the new room, and the TV in our bedroom. Our bedroom has been renovated for eons now, but I haven’t posted pictures due to aforementioned couch and TV in there where nice bedroom furniture should be.

Here is the room when we moved in, April 2001:

He laid the floors in the family room this past weekend. This is a view out to the right where the addition is…where the sliding doors from the first picture used to be. The rest of the pics are on Flickr, and they are public.

Yesterday he applied the first coat of finish to the floors. Coat #2 is today, and coat #3 is on Thursday. On Friday, he and his dad will install the pellet stove (mmmm…heat) and then start on the wainscoting. That’s why only half of the walls are painted. Why paint more than you have to?

Apparently we can MOVE FURNITURE IN ON MONDAY! I may be a LITTLE EXCITED ABOUT THIS! The bar will still have to be built, but we can get the rest of the house organized. And enjoy the new room.

We are excited in general to just get these big projects done. They suck so much time out of our lives. There are still small projects, like a new kitchen table and a new bed for our room, but those are FUN, according to Honey. And they don’t leave the house in upheaval, according to me.

The extra time will be fantastic. Matthew has been asked to join a men’s basketball team, which he has been aching to do since we moved in…five years ago. I think that’s great for him, and he will benefit from it. It also means that I can have “me” time without feeling guilty. He NEVER makes me feel guilty; I do that all by myself. He so rarely takes time for himself that I feel bad doing so. Now we can BOTH take time for ourselves with not a shred of guilt.

The end really is near. I can hardly wait. I’ll show you the end result. Soon. It sounds great to finally be able to say that.