I can’t tell you how happy I am that this week is mostly in the rear-view mirror. It was loud, dusty and messy, hot, confusing, and even painful. Here’s a brief recap.
On Monday, our housekeeper came. We had her focus on the “back half” (bedrooms and bathrooms) of the condo, because the front half, as you know, is undergoing remodeling and renovation. We paid her the usual amount for half the time (we all have budgets that rely on a steady income), and she’ll make the time up on the other end of the remodel when we can start putting things back together again. While she was cleaning, the drywall crew (and painting later on) were busy in the kitchen. They framed in and covered up the recessed hole where the former fluorescent lighting had been and patched all the holes from the electrical, plumbing and HVAC location moves.
On Tuesday, they hung plastic sheeting and began mudding and sanding and sanding and sanding. Ugh. I’m not sure how much of the dust is inhibited by the plastic, but the air conditioner was going (100 degrees+ outside) and spread it around anyway.
Also on Tuesday, my friend Kris came over after Weight Watchers (she’s actually our coach), and we spent the afternoon together basting a baptism quilt she’d made for one of her grandkids. And then I quilted it while she watched. When that was done, we went for a walk around the condo community to see the pool and the creek.
We had a pleasant surprise that evening when we learned that the flooring guys, who were not scheduled until next week, would be able to install the flooring on Wednesday. YAY! We were already so sick of walking around on filthy subfloors.
So on Wednesday, the flooring crew arrived and got the entire floor of the kitchen, family room and hallway done. We had to hang out wherever they were not working, so that meant some time for us in the living room, then in the bedroom where we had access to a bathroom, etc etc. All day. And it was loud.
That evening I went out to a dinner with some girlfriends from the community here and wore a white cotton summer dress. I teasingly told them that it was really a bright pink dress covered in lots of white dust! On Thursday, I went to our monthly card game with my Weight Watcher girlfriends, and it was Bruce’s turn to go out to dinner away from the construction mess!
So, the picture above shows the new flooring after the first couple rounds of cleaning (there have been four rounds so far). That’s the new dishwasher in its crate sitting there because where else is it going to go?!? Hehehe. Once Bruce changed the furnace filter on Thursday, the dust really seemed to minimize, and we were really able to begin deeper cleaning.
Next week will see the cabinet installation. It won’t start until Wednesday or Thursday, but we welcome the break in the interim. I believe the worst of the chaos is over. At least I hope so!
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Bruce had an appointment with his oncologist this week. The news was good. His blood tests over the last couple months have shown that his CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukemia) is very stable. No chemo is needed at present. He will go back quarterly for monitoring blood tests, and that’s all that’s required until or unless something changes. They did double up his iron intake requirements to keep him feeling well.
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I was out on the condo property one evening this week, trimming some bushes with my friend and mentor Karen. I was trimming some dead interior growth off a tall bush near a vinyl fence, and I got stung on my face (right cheek) by a wasp. Oh my, that was eye-wateringly painful! It became red, swollen and numb like I’d been to the dentist. I went home, showered and took some Advil and Tylenol and went to bed. It was only the next morning - when everything was fine except a little lump that I could feel - that I remembered I could’ve taken some Benadryl. Oh well. The next evening I went out with my wasp spray (we’d found the wasp nest in a hole in the fence) and sprayed the hell out of it, Rambo-style. THAT felt good!
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I did do some sewing this week; three blocks that were in the wrong color. So I’ll wait until next month to show them. This morning Bruce and I are going swimming. Right now, in fact. Then this afternoon I want to go to Sherwin Williams to pick up some paint chips for the family room area. Then I plan to spend the rest of the afternoon sewing to my hearts content!
Life is good. Messy, but good.
Remodeling is like banging your head on the wall -- it will feel SO good when it's over. Floors look great. Once upon a time I had a six-legged table like the one your microwave is on. I've seen them at antiques stores over the years. I wonder if they all came from one manufacturer back in 1920 or whenever.
ReplyDeleteLove the flooring. I need new flooring in my kitchen and dining room. I might need to pick your brain some more about what you bought. Problem is the rest of the downstairs is old skinny hardwood. It's shows it's age, but there's no way I can afford to do the whole downstairs. So matching color-wise may be problematic.
ReplyDeleteI have a bee's nest right outside my sliding glass door (in the dining room, exits onto the deck). I'm not even sure what kind of bee it is, but there just a very small opening at the base of the wall where they are entering so the nest is not visible. I've tried spray, but that foaming spray won't work and I haven't gone in search of an alternative. I've had to have the pest guy the last two years to deal with first Asian hornets and next yellowjackets and I hate spending another $110.00 to get rid of these current ones (which are not hornets or yellowjackets). Ugh.
Hardly any sewing going on here as it's just too hot in my unair-conditioned house.
Good news on Bruce's health. What a relief that it's manageable and not threatening.
Pat
Thanks heavens you now have new flooring in place--that should make a huge difference--remodeling is such a headache during the process--but after you just can bask in the loveliness...hang in there,,,,hugs, Julierose
ReplyDeleteFloor is lovely, if the rest of your remodel comes out as well it will be a show place. For future reference I have had good luck with Dawn dishwashing detergent for wasp nests - melts them (the wasps and the nest) and doesn't introduce toxins that can blow back on you when you are spraying.
ReplyDeleteCeci
Looks like you are making good progress. We have vinyl plank in the basement and engineered hardwood upstairs. Both are so easy to keep clean with regular dusting and an occasional vacuum.
ReplyDeleteHow I envy you those floors! The dust and mess however, not so much. Good that the flooring guys were able to come sooner than expected.
ReplyDeleteVery glad that the news at the oncologist was good and that chemo isn't in the cards.