Sunday, June 15, 2008

I NEVER thought it would end!!


I can't believe it, but phase one of the remodel is FINISHED!!!! I actually finished the construction aspect of it a week ago, on the 7th. However, it's taken me a week to clean up, move things out of Cass' new room, into Ali's room and paint Cass' room! I am actually very close to finishing phase two as well; mainly just putting things back, so when Cassie gets home from Europe on the 23rd her room will be ready for her.

The aspect of the project that I wasn't fearing too much, was by far the most exausting, and frustrating-the floor. Katie and I began laying the floor Friday morning, the 6th, at about 9:30. After a couple glitches, we got on a roll. However, between her having to leave to pick up Cassie and do other errands for me, the process of going solo definitely slowed me down. After she left for work at 4:45 the most difficult part of the floor took place. I couldn't believe it, but it took me THREE HOURS to lay the part of the floor in front of the closet and door. Because of the way the old rooms were shaped, and the way we needed to position the new door way, this part of the room is full of lightning bold angles. By the time I got finished installing the baseboards at 10:30 at night I was so ready to be DONE :) Fortunately after Katie got home from work, I had Louie and the girls in there helping me clean up and finishing for the day. After bending, kneeling, sawing, hammering, etc. I guess I now have a very good idea of how I'll feel when I'm 90. Hmmm, when Louie and I layed a floor in the townhouse 15 or so years ago I don't remember being that sore afterward; maybe it had something to do with the fact that I was only in my early 30s ;)

Before we put the floor down Cassie and I wanted to do something a little fun and quirky. We decided to have her write a note and date it. I took her photograph and also put a picture of what the room originally looked like and we put all of it under the underlayment of the new floor. We figured decades down the line when we're no longer here and someone else goes to tear up the floor, they'll have a little glimpse of a teenager in '08.


While I was working on each stage of this endeavor I spent a lot of alone hours in the room and had time to think. Thinking about why we decided to do this for our family; thinking about all the great times we have had (and will continue to have) in this house; and thinking about what I learn each time I take on a home improvement project. One of the things I realized while doing this latest undertaking was that I need to learn to let some things go-things I have no control over and things, that no matter how hard I may try, I just can't change or make better. It's funny how this relates to projects around the house (in my most recent case - the texturing of this room), as well as other aspects of one's life. I also saw habits in me that I have had since I was a kid. I seem to have always had this tendancy for wanting to jump ahead-whether it was reading a book...I know, I know, you should never cheat and read the end :)-- I don't to THAT anymore :); or assembling something before I fully read the instructions (I used to try to whiz through tests without reading all the directions too :). Not sure why, but for some reason I do it. Doing this project made me relalize that as much as I want to jump ahead, taking things in order will save me time in the long run (actually I've known this for a while, but this was just one more case in point :). I think maybe it's because I'm just the sort of person who wants to take action. I don't want to sit and ponder what I'm going to do. I figure I'll just work myself through it as I go along.

I told Louie the other night "The next time I get a project like this in my mind, would you please tell me NO!!!" :) Although now that life will be back to normal very soon, my mind is already thinking about at what point we'll knock out the wall in the master bedroom to install the french doors and the balcony. Ah, but that will have to wait a few years.

This was definitely a room of recyling/reusing :) We reused all the studs that we tore out to reframe the new doorway; we reused all the molding, and I had various odds and ends around the house that went back into this room. One of the best surprises, however, was the bedspread. I was just going to put a duvet cover on it because the comforter is king sized, but the bed is a queen. When I put the comforter on the bed I couldn't believe the fact that the pattern was very similar to the drapes I bought at Ikea the other day. And you should see the colors in the drapes; they match the paint perfectly!! It looks like I selected the drapes first and THEN painted! Wow, did I luck out!!!!

Well, it's been a long three weeks and thanks for putting up with me :) ! The last week has involved having new carpeting installed in the hallway (thanks Freedom Floorcovering!), the rest of the rooms had the carpets cleaned (they were WAY overdue anyway), Cassie left for Europe on Wednesday, painting her room, and I had a wedding yesterday. My little trouper, Katie, has been a huge help and I know it's been really tough on her. I KNOW I'd still be working if she hadn't have helped me as much as she did.

Lastly, I wanted Ali to feel comfortable in her new room, so the headboard has things on it that mean a lot to her. Al, see if you can figure out all the goodies that are on it :) By the way, I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU when you come home this weekend!!! Sorry, but the room isn't "officially yours" until you move home in August...granny and grandpa will be staying in it when they arrive on Tuesday :)
I'll post a photo of Cassie's room in a day or so, but for now here's the big project unveiling!

3 comments:

AB said...

Holy shit. Sorry, but that is the coolest thing I've ever seen in my life. I never thought it would look that amazing. i will be thanking you for the rest of my life.

AB said...

I've already looked at the pics 4 times today and it's only noon.

Claire said...

O

M

G

wowowowowowowow

I can't BELIEVE how well it turned out! you are my new home improvement goddess/hero! Sooooo cooool!

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