Sunday, January 23, 2022

I Want To, But I Can't

Ever since I knew my brother, Mitchell, was coming to town, I have been anticipating/dreading a couple of remodels that he will be doing. Anticipating the final product, and dreading the process. We are getting a brand new kitchen, including cabinets, counters, tile, pantries and paint. 

We are also getting two brand new bathrooms. One bathroom, in the master suite, is getting a new walk-in shower configuration, a pull-down shower seat, a new toilet, new fixtures, a new vanity and sink, a mirror, a light, a vent fan, tile and paint, and a heated floor. The second bathroom is getting a new tub and toilet, new fixtures, a new vanity and sink insert, mirror, light, vent fan, paint, tile and heated floor.

Throughout the house, we are getting new engineered wood flooring. Right now, we have really yucky dark vinyl plank flooring. The new floor is called Life Proof, and it is a light maple. It will go nicely with our IKEA shelving in the library (that we don't use as a dining room) and the kitchen cabinetry.

We are also getting new wood door surrounds and new baseboards so they don't look like builder grade additions. The studio and two bedrooms will also be painted, then we can add our own decor. We might add crown molding to the bedrooms. That's still up in the air.

In November, we started packing up many things that would be in the way of the remodel, including all of the studio. There's not a thing I could make right now, even if I tried! Most of the stuff is in a storage unit far away, but there are some things that couldn't go into non-climate-controlled unit, like ink pads and reinkers, stamps, paints, etc.. It wouldn't be good for them to get frozen. (The earlier temperature of today was 22 degrees...IN SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA!!!) So, what didn't go to the storage unit is in boxes stacked in the studio! 

Also, we can't sew, because the studio is being used as a staging area for what is going into the master bathroom. (We use the master bedroom as our studio, and the next larger bedroom as a place to sleep. The smallest bedroom is for guests and holds a day bed with a trundle.) There is a tile saw in there along with all kinds of tools needed to do the various jobs in the bathroom.

This project started on 12/26/21 and will probably last more than three months. I suppose since it's started, we can put up with it! The biggest problem is having to sequester the four cats into the two bedrooms. They aren't happy with it, but as many times as Mitchell runs in and out of the house for various reasons, we don't want them to escape. Besides, the noise puts them on edge, so it's best to keep them in their rooms. We let them out in the late afternoon as soon as Mitchell gives us the word that he's done for the day. At about that time, it is time for their dinner...and ours!

Oh, really the first job that Mitchell completed was installing a utility sink in the laundry room. That's so he can have a place to clean up after certain jobs, like painting. It's also so we can wash dishes when we don't have access to a sink in the kitchen during that remodel. Not looking forward to not having a sink in the kitchen!

Anyway...that's where we stand right now. I want to craft, but I can't. I'll put up pictures as the projects get finished, or maybe before. Thanks for sticking with me!