The Reno Two-step!

I love to dance. I don't get to do it often (outside the confines of our own four walls). My girls prefer that I don't do it when we are out shopping anymore. They have gotten to that age-you know, when almost everything I do in public embarrasses them but when we are all at home being silly, trust me, they are dancing fools! I guess my dancing skills needed a new move or two. I have dubbed it the Reno Two-step. It goes like this: take one sss-lll-ooo-www step forward, then two quick steps back.

Now, if you have been reading along you know that I am determined not to whine or complain so don't take this as that. Rather, it is my being open and honest about the renovation; a fair and not an unrealistic view of the experience. So, although it may sound like complaining I prefer to call it honest journalism. Stop laughing!

This week we finally had the plumber and electrician come in. The plumber was awesome and I think he has done all he can do for now. I moved the dresser/vanity into what will be the bathroom space so that he could plumb the lines for the sink. He really didn't need me to do this but I couldn't wait any longer. While it was there I had to take a picture (or three) just to keep myself motivated.

I think the new top came out great!



 The electrician is great, too. He has suggested many things that I did not think of and most of them were not for an extra fee but rather just thinking logically about placement, ect. One step forward..... Then there was one little issue-one little, messy issue. Knob and tube wiring.

Anyone who as ever had to deal with this just breathed out a collective "Ugh". Yes, there is knob and tube wiring hanging from the wall and ceiling and it is live and needing to be removed. Easy-peasy, right? Not! The wiring is connected to other things in my home like the lighting in the front room of my home which is our camp kitchen right now and the lighting over the dining table. Long story short, it's got to go but only one of the rooms is an easy fix. Due to the direction of the joists in the ceiling and the fact that there was no strapping holding up the ceiling  you could only snake a line to one of the rooms. That means the kitchen ceiling had to come down, and old wiring has to be replaced. That time I know I heard you go "Ugh". And take two steps back......

Last night Mr. FixIt had taken a much needed break and went to the Red Sox game. We won! Go Sox! When he got home we ripped down the ceiling. A friend once commented about marrying a man who is a hard worker and what a blessing it is if you have a man like that. I gotta say she is 110% correct on that! My man is amazing and works so very hard for us.

 This morning was clean up time.

My girls and I got busy and got it all cleaned out. All the nails and screws were removed from the wood and the electrician can finish what needs to be done for now.

Tomorrow the electrician will be back. There will be holes in the ceiling of the front room that we had not planned for but progress is being made. I am learning a new dance in the controlled chaos. If I could just change direction to one slow step back and two quick steps forward, oh well. Good thing I love to dance.