crowbelle's Diaryland Diary

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Renovation Anticipation

RENOVATION ANTICIPATION

The day is fast approaching now. For more than 16 years we have lived in this cottage, and since the very beginning, we have wanted to tear up the kitchen, rearrange things, take out the ell that splits it in half, and put in all new everything!

This winter Paul announced that THIS would be the year we would redo the kitchen.

It's been going very slowly, too. We have a lovely man for a contractor, a personal friend of Paul's, who is also a part-time lobsterman. He is very good at what he does, but like most contractors, he is "very busy" all the time, and we keep getting put on the back burner it seems. Paul likes to do as much of the work as he can do... but Matt (the contractor) has the necessary expertise to finalize things.

We have bought the two new double-hung windows that will go over the countertop, expanding from a one window kitchen, to a two window kitchen...lots of light. It's a tiny room, nothing too fancy for us...

The windows are in the basement, waiting...

We called Matt. He said he was doing a job right now, and as soon as he finished, he'd call us. That was just before Thanksgiving! Last Year!

He did call, after New Year's rolled around. He said he was in the midst of a job right now and as soon as he finished, he'd give us a jingle!

Then one night a few weeks ago, the back doorbell rang. It was Matt! All in a flurry of hello's and nice to see you's...he came in and he showed Paul how to measure for the windows...so Paul could order them. And then reluctantly, I let Matt back out the door...wondering when I would ever see him again.

The other day Paul and I went to Home Depot to choose our cabinets. We haven't bought them yet, but we know what ones we want, the color, the style, and I spent a whole afternoon measuring and choosing all the various shapes and sizes. All we need to do is get this thing going and we can order them...

Paul found Matt, working on his new lobster boat, the other day, and Matt said he would get back to us by the "end of the month". This was around the last week in March.

I asked Paul...just WHICH month do you suppose Matt meant?

He shrugged...

Tonight, a week into April, we got a phone call at suppertime from Matt!

Could it be?

Do I dare hope?

He told Paul he'd come by tomorrow sometime to scope out the job...see what kind of scaffolding he'd need in the installation of the windows...etc.

(A quiet yipee!)

Now comes the fun part. Once Matt comes and does that, then the ball will be rolling (I think!) and Paul will need to start emptying all the kitchen cabinets out, storing all that stuff somewhere (?) in the house, and then tearing the cabinets off the wall where the new windows are to go. Oh Lordy!

We will have a hole in our house!

I guess I'll love it...once it's done. I just wish that day were here now!

Maybe I could check into a Bed & Breakfast for the duration of this renovation, and come back when it's all installed?

7:42 pm - 09 April 2003

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