And The Work is Underway!

Most people think we're crazy to be doing a major remodel during the holidays. And, it's not like we don't know what we're getting in to. We added a two story addition on to our first house in Nashville 25 years ago. I think I said at the time that we should have moved out---and would do that again if we ever remodeled. The girls were at home then and it was hard to contain the mess. This time, we're determined to keep up with it.

There have been a few hitches---mostly on our end. I do not say this lightly, but Butch and I cannot work together! We both have very different approaches to overwhelming and unpleasant jobs. He tends to procrastinate and I just want to get it done. I want to be the boss---but he IS the boss. I've never been able to boss him in 43 years, so I don't know why I think I can do it now. I realize I need to calm down and not be so darn fanatical. But I can't. When it comes to organization, my mind just thinks differently. I've been keeping the girls entertained by my stories. Mindy thinks more like her dad and feels like I'm being mean to him! It was just frustration, but now I'm over it.

Here's what we're dealing with:

 While we were gone at Thanksgiving, the painters crammed all the stuff that hadn't been moved out---under and on top of the pool table. I was so mad!

 What a mess! Everything should have been moved out. In all fairness to Butch, we had no idea they would get so much painting done.

He spent quite a bit of time getting stuff moved out. The furniture still needs to go.

I would love to tell a few of the stories, but I don't want them to be only from my perspective. I wanted Butch to tell his side, but he said he'll pass. So, we'll just get on with it. Let's just say, he puts up with a lot from me too!

The first coat of paint was applied to all rooms last week. The demolition started yesterday. The bar, bathroom and part of the shelves have already been torn out. The plumbing still has to be removed---and of course, like every big job, one thing leads to another. Turns out the sub floor needs replacing in the old bar area.

Even though the guys got a late start, they think they'll finish by Christmas. I'm not getting my hopes up, but that little, eternal optimist inside me is saying "Yay! It's going to be done by Christmas!" I've been making plans in that direction. We'll have one day to put the rooms back together before the Lapps family arrives. Currently all the crap that goes in there is filling up the guest room. I'm excited. I don't know why since I only use this room for the treadmill. I just love to decorate.

These scrapbooks represent about a third of what I have. Most are early ones with few stories. Who the heck is going to want all these? The most important ones are more recent---full of stories. Those are the ones that will become the family heirlooms. Maybe in 50 years, someone will want these albums just to know how we lived now.

Through the course of the clean out, Butch had a printer in his office. I didn't really pay much attention to it, but told him that Stephanie needed a printer. She said she wanted it, so he took it over. Then I got this text: "You're killing me with that printer!! 1990 called. They want their dot matrix printer back. Seriously---you were trying to unload junk on me again! The A/V guys are here and they are literally like 'that thing belongs in a museum.That wasn't even a printer they sold. It's so old it's a prototype."

I burst out laughing then I forwarded the text to Mindy and Sandy. They got a kick out of it too.

One thing this family has is a good sense of humor!

PS Butch brought the printer back home.