So....now what?

My dear Aunt Norma commented on my fb that I am not going to know what to do with myself when this is all over, although there is a wedding coming up I should probably put some thought into. She freakishly predicted the very subject matter of this post!

Last weekend Jake's dad and step-mom were here visiting from Ontario. They are just delightful people - I love them both very much. Sue was speechless for a full minute (at least) when she saw the house for the first time - they had last seen it a full year ago when it was in tact. I have to admit, that reaction was pretty gratifying. It's nice when others notice all the hard work you've done.

Anyway, on Monday (the 23rd, in case you're wondering which Monday) they came over to help us with the last few things. Sue, what a hero, cleaned the sink AND the toilet in the Hooligan which is our temporary 'kitchen' until our new one is done. Frank helped with some last framing projects including a tricky angle piece and pulled nails like a champ.

We were finished our list at about 3pm and I immediately had the same feeling I had every year of university after my last exam. It is a curious combination of relief, excitement, boredom, and let-down. What has dominated your brain-space for so long is gone! What am I supposed to think about,  plan for, procrastinate from now?! Thank goodness Frank and Sue were here to ease us into this transition of not having to work all day, because I don't know what Jake and I would have done if we were by ourselves that day. Actually, I lie. I know what would have happened - Jake would have gone around looking over every inch of the house again and again to MAKE SURE it was ready for the spray foam and I would have gone to have a shower and a nap. :)

On Tuesday the spray-foam guy came, so we had to be out of the house all day. We made the most of our time, paying off some of the heat system bill (that's a hefty one), shopping for a couch and finding a sale (20% off our couch! Score!), and buying kitchen handles for the cabinets.

On Wednesday morning Jake was picked up for his bachelor party camping weekend at 8:30am, and I finished the sound-proofing and few other odd jobs, like shaving down the excess spray foam with a sawsall. If you're ever in the mood for some excitement, sneezing while standing on a ladder with a running sawsall will be sure to give you a jolt.

So now I've been on my own for a few days with nothing much to do on the house, and I have to say, it is all too easy to slip into sloth mode. Also, I'm a little bored, to be honest. Not only is Jake gone, but pretty much everyone I know is on holidays, or camping, or otherwise out of town this weekend. I've been watching a lot of tv. Which I kind of like, so it's ok. I am also eating food Jake doesn't like, such as sushi, goat cheese, and quinoa.

I guess it's time for me to start working on the wedding. I'm just going to be honest here: I am TERRIFIED of the ceremony part. I know how it is supposed to go, and the kinds of things I am going to be expected to say, and I want to do it, but I do not know about professing my feelings for Jaker in public. This may come as a shock to some of you, but I do not like talking about my feelings in public. Or ever. EVER. That's going to be a little tricky.

Wanna see some pictures of drywall? That's way more interesting than wedding nonsense anyway.

 Front door looking in. Sort of sad to have the stairs blocked off - on the other hand, some walls are good.

 From the back sunroom looking in. The fridge is going under that overhanging piece there. We're being sneaky and cheating a fridge box that is 28" deep 4" into the wall so it doesn't stick out into the room. This way it will look counter depth, without the counter depth price tag. If you ask me, it's a mean trick that fridge manufacturers started making fridges deeper than the counter (standard counter depth is 24"), but since we are in charge of this situation, we're beating them at their own game.

The kitchen!  And also back stairs. 

ˆ

The parlour! The fireplace is being put in the week of August 6th. That also means we can get the plumbers/gas fitter (same person) in to finish the gas fitting and then that job is 100% done as well.

This next part is going to go against a LOT of my upbringing and personality, but I am JUST SO STINKING PROUD of this renovation. Seriously. Whenever people ask me, at job interviews or whatever, to talk about myself and my accomplishments, I never know what to say. I don't feel like I've really worked that hard for most of the stuff in my life. University was sometimes a challenge, but there was no way I wasn't going to finish it (x3) - that was the expectation. This project, though, does feel like an accomplishment. So tangible, so hands-on, so long lasting. The coordinating, motivating, hard work, follow up - all of it was driven by Jake and I as partners and I am PUMPED about it. I feel like we are good at this. I know it isn't finished yet, but I also know it isn't going to stall because we are still highly motivated to keep working. In fact, I don't even really want to switch gears to focus on the wedding - this is more fun! This will last for a long time, whereas the wedding is just one day. 

Anyway, mudding starts tomorrow. By the time Jake comes home Sunday afternoon, it's going to look durn near ready for primer. Unbelievable. I just want to jump out of my skin, this is so exciting!