Long awaited pictures

My dad pointed out I haven't posted any pictures lately.  It's true, so I took some.  This month has escaped us.  It's hard to believe that September is around the corner already.  Summer is winding down, and I hate to see the long days go.  Already the mornings are cool and dewy - I even had to add an extra blanket to the bed last night. And there's a tree down the road with one branch of yellow leaves.  I know it isn't fall yet, but I'm sure it's just around the corner.

For now we are fully immersed in the present and our to-do list.  August held a few lazy minutes, but mostly we work the "9 to 5", change into work clothes when we get home, and log a couple hours on the house before unwinding over a bowl of cereal or sandwich and a movie or program on TV.  A glamorous life of perpetual tiredness is really what it is, but our fatigue is underpinned with a hope that it will be soon. "It" of course being our move into the house.

The kitchen is generally move-in ready.  We will strip and stain the cabinet door and drawer faces over winter.  Soon we will build out the wine rack and cookie sheet cupboard for the island.  The garden window needs to be trimmed out, and the floor and ceiling need trim.  BUT this month we got the plumbing for the sink finished, hooked up the water line for the fridge (which means no more cracking ice cube trays!), and built and installed the island counter top.

The island wasn't going to be so large, but Thomas didn't want to cut it down after he attached the two pieces together.  Consequently, we can fit all the bar stools around it - the old chrome and turquoise ones from Grandma and Grandpa's house.  Now we just need a party!

Thomas welded, painted black, and installed a steel shelf frame.  We still need to make the wooden shelves, but this will serve as partial banister, partial plant stand, partial bookcase, etc.  He still has a section to weld, just a flat section of banister, but it sure is awesome.  And the ceiling fan works great - the house stays so moderate in temperature.

We hung the doors my dad helped oil in July.  It means you can go to the bathroom in privacy now, if you can wriggle under the ladder.  Just kidding - the window needs a final coat of paint around it, and the ladder makes a nice paint tray rack.  The floors are nearly clean for a coat of wax, a couple towel bars need to be hung, and the floor and ceiling trim, too - but it's a working bathroom!

At long last our bedroom is nearly ready for move-in.  We still need to hang a little trim, but half of it is done.  I finally came down from my window ledge high - phew that lacquer will go straight to your head.  And Thomas installed a really pretty ceiling fan, which will be so much nicer than the little floor fan we have in our room now that Thomas stubs his toe on in the dark at least every other week.  I've ordered the closet brackets, but we spent last Sunday installing some cedar planking we found at the Habitat Restores.  It smells so nice and adds a nice touch for the lower section of wall.

And last but not least, our bathroom is nearly finished.  I put the last row of tile up Thursday night.  Hopefully we can grout it this weekend and seal it the following one.  Then we just have to install the handles and shower head, and of course clean the floor and all that, too.

Thomas has been working on other projects, like finishing all the main floor wiring, so now we have power in the guest bath.  And he installed the threshold for the front door, which helps cut down on the dust.  Pop came over with the tractor and helped us get the wood stove down into the basement, as well as hauling one of our concrete slabs to the front door.  What a treat to throw away that ratty old carpet square embedded in the mud!  Next up is getting prepared to pour concrete for the footer for the mudroom.  Once we're ready, we can  un-build it and rebuild it on the house.  No small project, but one we hope to do before winter.

It's no secret that I can't wait to move in.  However, I am putting my foot down (or Tom's or a long board or anything else up for the job) on not cohabiting with giant spiders.  My heart rate wasn't sure whether to flatline or go off the charts when I saw this one at the bottom of the stairs Thursday afternoon.  The legs were at least two inches long - not exaggerating.  (note the past tense)