House Sneak Peak

School starts tomorrow. I'm tempted to say 'boo-lame' but it's not lame, exactly. I mean, obviously this job is why we could afford to do this renovation and indeed, can afford to do anything. And there are definitely days that add up to weeks where teaching is really fun and going to work is a joy. But getting up at 7 tomorrow is going to be quite painful. Actually, my job is quite a bit different this year than it was last year - I can't remember if I've written about that. I'm only teaching half-time (no science! Woot!) and the other half is 'Resource' - it's non-teaching, sort of a support role, but I'm not really 100% sure what that part will look like yet - especially now that I will be on crutches. So I'm pumped about not teaching science and hopefully I learn quickly about what 'Resource' is about and can do a good job of it.

Ok, but really what I wanted to show you was a sneak-peak of the house and remind you (and me) what it used to look like.

It is by no means finished - trim, pictures on the wall, decorating touches - all of that will come. We don't have the counters yet (SO INFURIATING! No counters = no sink and also = no new appliances even though they are sitting in our sun porch because we don't want to move them over the new floor twice.) so I'm not going to show you the full kitchen. Hopefully you'll be looking at those pictures next week. Hopefully.

Remember when the living room looked like this?

Or this?

Well, now it looks like this!

Or how about when the floor looked like this:

Now it looks like this! (Sorry, took the picture with the angle the other way...)

The not-orange wood is the kitchen, which was buried under linoleum for many years before Jake ripped it up. Then Jake lived on it without finishing it for seven years. There is also a huge patch job there that I can't find a 'before' picture of (although I know I took one) that Jake worked VERY hard on, to hide where the old door and wall between the dining room and kitchen were.

Now that same spot looks like this! With streaming sun from the new patio door!

So here is a tiny peak at the kitchen. This shallow pantry with some open shelves was a genius idea that both Jake and I had independent of each other. At least, that is how I'm going to tell the story from now on since we're both pretty sure we came up with the idea. Henry John's handy work, at its finest. Definitely the show-piece of the kitchen.

And, full of stuff! So great - you  can see exactly what you have! Not a single can is hiding in the depths of this pantry which means we will be spared of one day discovering 18 cans of kidney beans, the oldest of which has been there for 10 years. 

We didn't necessarily intend on this being a spice drawer - in fact I thought the spices would go in the little cabinets on either side of the stove. This was initially a temporary measure. But I LOVE IT! I can see everything and when I need to fill up the peppercorns, I don't have to pull them from high above my head which means they inevitably rain down all over everything.

 Jake got excited today and started installing the in-cabinet lighting, which is that strip you see up there at the top. Best $15 of the renovation!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to see if I can slide my sliced-open foot into my runners. Otherwise I'll be wearing socks and sandals (socks to keep the grime off the bandage). LAME!!!! And in a junior high! I might need to carry a picture of my foot injury around on my phone so people will know I'm not just a loser.

7am wake up tomorrow. Gonna hurt. No way around it.