New Chapter

When it comes to reading through our life's story, we prefer speed reading in the household.  Pregnant? That was a re-run.  Newborn?  Just a couple pages.  Homeschooling a kindergartner?  Might need a sequel.  Moving?  Old news.  So we apprehensively start a new chapter titled, "Renovations."

This house was a foreclosure, so we knew going in to it that there were some projects to be done.  Nothing ghastly.  The house is wonderfully livable.  But we're going to be doing some renovations over time to make it our own and make it last a little longer.

Today begins the first round of repairs.  We've got some rotten exterior wood trim around one window in the living room and an oddly-pieced together, shaky stair rail that will be rectified by the contractor of our choosing, whom we shall call Joe from this point forward.  This is sort of a test to work the kinks out of the contractor communication method before beginning our big project next week--bath renovations.

We're going to replace some interesting-colored linoleum with tile in three bathrooms, get new baseboards, and new toilets.  The upstairs baths currently have the one-piece, plastic tub and surround.  We prefer a steel tub with tile surround, so we're doing that.  The powder bath downstairs is the first thing you see when you walk in the door.  So we're replacing the non-descript box vanity with a pretty pedestal sink and oval mirror.  I've been assured it will all be finished by Thanksgiving.

I will try to be all HGTV with before and after pics as the work progresses.  But let's be honest, I'm really still writing the above-mentioned chapters on newborn, moving, and homeschooling.  So please don't hate me if you don't get the scoop until January.