Peeks

I blame the fact that I am the youngest of three girls that I love remodeling.  My Dad was a general contractor and I spent a lot of time with Dad, helping him, watching him work and in general, trying to make up for not being the boy that he had planned on.  He let me paint walls before I was even ten, so I've been painting for nigh on to fifty years now.  And I still love that a fresh coat of paint can change many things.

So I am positively giddy with the redecorating process in my little house.  I love the almost camp like feel of a house in transition.  I love that I can sit on my mantle painting the mullioned windows and giggle to myself how odd that would be in any other situation.  I love that Hubby is completely on board with this transformation.  I love that his presence that has been so distracted with many things for many years, is now refocused on the home front.  I love that he frets on how colors accent each other and about tones possibly conflicting.  I loved the day when he said, 'Let's go sofa shopping today!'  And, 'Did you order your couch from Overstock yet?'  And, 'Did you pick up the paint samples tonight?'  And, 'Shouldn't the fabric be here by now?'
 Good times.

We are now about half way through the process.  The contractor has finished in the basement and his contribution to the downstairs makeover makes me smile every time I see it. I love the new epoxied floor treatment.  I love the new moved wall, making room for a crib in the bedroom.  I love the clever way he hid the sump pump by creating a new sitting space/grandbaby nappie time area. Most Wonderful Contractor showed me that matchbox cars could zoom on the little shelf he created above the back of the bed/couch.  He said the bed area would also make a great Lego table or train mat surface.  Yeah.  We are kindred spirits of the carpentry kind. Now the fun finishing touches are underway downstairs and not a minute too soon as Baby Girl, Lil Lady and The Best Daddy Ever arrive this week.  They shall roost in their own little area downstairs while they Spring Break with us.

And upstairs, the painting continues.  Sanding, cleaning, priming, painting....three coats on the walls.  Kindred Spirit Friend tells me that it's always at least two; better for three.  And I agree.  A bit fun having so many windows and doorways and a staircase, but I don't mind.  I'm on my fourth audio book so I'm good with monotonous yet fresh.  Kinda like the process.

Haven't gotten the shipping email on the couch, but am working like it's coming tomorrow.  Hubby hung the new curtain rod and the new curtains are still circling in my brain.  Fabric's on the cutting table; the curtains and the throw pillows.  And it makes me happy....

Ah.  The freshness of Spring.  The renewal of the Spirit within.  The hope for the future.  The thankful love of The Loving Father.

It is good......

The Basement Remodel Begins!

 Quite a few years ago, we had a very wet winter here in Southern Indiana....
Rain pelted and saturated the land and the water table around here had just had enough.
Most of us were hard pressed to win the battle against the simple water molecule.
But then there were the others that just seemed to have forgotten to plug in the sump pump after using the outlet.  That shall always be a disputed conversation...

However.

Since that long ago day(night) when dripping wet carpet was hauled outside, damaged boxes of memories were pitched and tossed, Hubby and I have been wondering what to do now with a considerable amount of square footage known as our basement.

 Life has kept us busy enough to not get too quick to fix the problem.  We just warned people, 'DO NOT GO INTO THE BASEMENT!' with a fervant, passioned, commanding voice.  I winced at Baby Girl's wedding when the young man that played accoustic guitar went looking for a private place to tune up and practice.  Sending him into 'the pit' was most uncomfortable for me.  I wanted to explain the previous two years of my life as to why this horribly neglectful homeowner was not more efficient in straightening up the mess that was down there.  I came to my senses by his need to quiet his spirit before performing. Not really needing to hear my story, I left him alone in the quiet of the basement.  That was one thing that it was good for; quiet.  No one wanted to be there unless fetching some useful tool.

 Then, this past Thanksgiving, Eldest Son and Lovely Wife announced their pregnancy.
Quick to respond in practical, hospitable ways, I immediately began to remodel the basement in my mind.
Call it a primitive call to provide shelter for my proliferating progeny, I felt an urgent need o expand our living spaces.  Now.
Lovely Wife's sister became engaged the same weekend as The Wonderful Announcement, and I began to figure on sleeping spaces for our and LW's family's homes at holiday times.  Certainly, a teeny baby can be comfy about anywhere, but this Grammy/Nana/Mimi wanted to get it taken care of spit-spot.

 We have since employed a most amiable young man and his assistant from far away Bloomington [www.dtdaleyconst.com] to take care of this long overdue project.

 He has come up with some exciting, creative applications to our long neglected space.  And we are thrilled.
I'm eager to share the progress with anyone that will listen.  I'm finding it hard to sleep as I plan and plot on the finished product called  A Spot for Company.
You know what that means, right?
It means you need to come and visit when the finale of the Basement Makeover takes place!
And since the upstairs is getting an update that involves lots of white paint, you might want to bring your own paintbrush and work clothes.
Miss Dixie can't be the only helper.
She's done enough already, herding the contractors and annoying them beyond all reason.

So join me here as we get this place in order!

Construction progress...
LOVE IT!!!!