A Dusty Road To Done

I think it's fairly obvious to all within a five mile radius of my Facebook page that we are living in a construction site while our house is being renovated. Having bought a century-old farmhouse with way too many walls, we have spent the past month creating some open space. We have had the wall removed between our kitchen and living room, and are adding a wood floor and a wood stove to our main living area. Albeit a small project, it is both magical in the transformation in our home, and slightly miserable for our lifestyle while we await completion. 

When I began thinking about this transformation I did not consider how long it would take to make things happen. I thought that, given the relative smallness of the project, it would take two weeks, maybe three. Now over four weeks in and with no clue as to how much longer, I realize that I may have been a bit naive. 

The floors went in today, and by golly, it felt like a home makeover TV show. Stunning transformation from our carpet/linoleum number. Unfreakingbelievable. Francisco and I both waltzed around the fumy living room in complete awe and a bit of a polyurethane haze. The wood stove has been positioned where it will eventually live, and -gasp- removed from its crate, and the walls have been repainted and are ready to go. 

A thick layer of construction dust is still covering every surface, not to be removed until the renovation is finished, and the entire contents of our kitchen are still sausaged into the hallway, but the light is visible at the end of the tunnel. I can finally see how this will drastically improve our quality of life, and maybe curb some of my never ending wanderlust. Maybe. I know I will revel in my new found open space. I'm just hoping the fumes dissipate before my kids' chances of getting into college are completely squashed.  

The Ruins

The almost completed floor