Before, during and happily ever after?

We've finally downloaded our home reno pics for your perusing pleasure.
After moving everything over last Thursday, and spending the next few days moving stuff, losing stuff, finding stuff and cleaning up the downstairs, where we'll be living for the next couple of months. One thing we noticed was, we have many things with plugs but not enough plug-ins.

Today we finished knocking down the walls surrounding the fireplace, exposing all the brick. Check out how much our upstairs is opened up.

What's even more fun than taking a hammer and crowbar to your house? Try eating from plastic bowls and dishes and washing dishes in the bathtub, and cooking meals from a makeshift kitchen. It's what's new for us this fall ... *joy*

However, our dog, Stella, is loving the place. She's got all sorts of new areas to explore and she's constantly sniffing and snorting her way 'round the house.

Only two more sleeps .... I sound like a child before Christmas ...

In between the weekend visitors (Hi L, D and N) and the birthday party (J's) we've managed to get the bulk of our items removed from our condo and moved to our new pad. We're left with the sofa, love, TV, our bed, a dresser and a TV. That's about it.
Still, if this were a marathon - or perhaps a more appropriate statement - an Ironman triathlon, in terms of the big picture (entire kitchen reno, painting, flooring, windows, tiles, the pooool), and all the prep work that leads up to it,) we're about 10-to-15 per cent of the way to completion.
Wifey and I have pledged to make a schedule and stick to it. I think that so far, we should get a B+ or A- for our efforts.
We'll be meeting with a kitchen designer on Thursday to discuss a material and work estimate. Still feeling like we need to get at least one more estimate before we make any decision even though time is crucial at this time, especially if we want to move upstairs by November.

Did I mention we're setting up camp downstairs while the upstairs is being done? Sounds like fun?! It's an adventure in renovating.

Still need to grab the cable so that we can download the pics we've shot so far, otherwise, this entire project is left being kind of moot.

Aaaaanyway, I was on the phone "negotiating" with our friends at telus and shaw for the best deal on Internet and HD cable. If you've ever done this, you already know how much fun it is. I put on my best hard-nosed negotiator face and over two cups of coffee, I came away with a palmful of special offers but no free HD PVR. *sigh*

Things will begin to fall into place. Renovating a house is kind of like taking apart a puzzle, re-shaping some of the pieces and re-arranging them to create an eye-catching new look. Except it's a lot bigger. and it costs a lot more. and you have dozens of decisions that need to be made. and it's a kitchen and not a puzzle.

Speaking of, I have to decide which company will be awarded out contract for HD and Internet, later....

Flipping Out, Carter Can

If you've ever watched the HG show, "Flippin Out" you know what a freak Jeff Lewis is. A high strung interior designer with meticulous tastes and an exact eye who makes a whooole loooootta money. Tonight he was pitching to potential new clients, Brad Sherwood (Whose Line is it, Anyway)? and his wife and helping his straight brother choose wine for his upcoming wedding.
When I look at the grandiose renos he does, it almost sucks some of the wind out of what we're going to be doing.
Speaking of, we met with a kitchen renovator last night and he helped us hash out some ideas as to how we should approach the kitchen. That's the good news. However, we're also going to need to knock down a second wall. However, it will open up things so much more and I really think we'll like how it turns out.
I would love to show some pictures but I think wifey already stuffed the download cord? into a box and it's already at the house.
Got the pool liner ordered today and work is slated to begin on the pool deck this Monday. Who knows? we might be able to get a swim in before the temperature starts to drop excessively.
We took another couple of loads to the house today so I'm feeling like moving day shouldn't be too bad cuz we'll be about two-thirds of the way complete.
One day at time - I've decided - is my mantra...

Sledgehammer! What better way to work off a 15-hour wine-drinking marathon

We took the first step in renovating our house by knocking down the wall beside the fireplace in the kitchen. It started out with getting the electrical circuits checked, and then the sledge came out, drywall dust was flying and a few hours later, the wall came tumbling down.
We also managed to start taking out the tile in the living room, and we ripped down the valances above the windows and pulled the shelf down in the kitchen.
It was a bit of work but the time went by fast, and really, we put quite a dent in our renovations and was a nice way to start.
Oh, one more thing, Stella had her first dip in the pool. I let her out the sliding door into the backyard and before I had a chance to close the door, she'd trotted straight out and plop! Into the pool! She didn't even stop to check and see what was there.
We have someone coming to give us an estimate on the kitchen Tuesday so that's kind of exciting. And on Wednesday we're off to Rona with some friends to take a class on putting flooring.
So far, and it's very early in the process, things seem to be running quite smoothly.

The wine thing? Well let's just say that multiple wine bottles were uncorked and so were we.

"We've only just begun"--to pack

It's true.

The house deal is signed, sealed and delivered; now the real fun begins.

Suprisingly to me, we already have the flooring taken care of. Got a grreat deal on some bamboo hardwood and on Sunday, we moved it up to our house. We cleared out our storage unit by moving a bunch of stuff up there as well.

Tonight I was at a meeting and when I got home, wifey'd already packed up a bunch of dishware and some of the appliances we won't be using.

I had to follow suit so I boxed up our CDs, books and I took down some of the lovely wall adornments and gathered up the candles that were strewn about our place. Looking around, its beginning to look like the moving has started.
Too bad this is the easiest part.

The challenge will come in beginning the renos which need to begin ASAP. Including the flooring, there's the painting, knocking down a couple of walls and getting a new kitchen installed. Oh yeah, and getting a firm estimate on how much it'll be for the pool repairs.

We had some friends here during the weekend, and the funny thing is, among the greatest amount of discussion was where we could put the TV in the living room and a small one in the kitchen--Like that's the most important thing to be concerned with.

Stay tuned...

House renovation 101, anyone?

Well, after multiple viewings, dozens of Q & A sessions, hope that quickly faded into disappointment and dim hope that transformed into temporary optimism, we are finally homeowners.
Talk about an overwhelming process, this house-buying is. Not only did we have to make a decision on putting in the offer, but there were the decisions regarding counter-offers, bottom line price we would pay and once accepted, we had to hustle around getting a home inspection, financing, a pool inspection which was quickly followed by a new, bottom-line offer, one more counter from the vendor (which we refused) before we reached an agreement.
Our (Bless this home) new abode is truly a handymans' special. Pity neither me nor wifey were blessed with the skills of a Bob Villa, Mike Holmes or heck, I'd settle for a Tim Taylor.
The fun and games with a hammer and nails, and who knows what else, begins after possession date on Aug. 6.

iphone? No, she phone

It's been in the books for a couple of weeks now. My wife got a new phone--an iphone.
She had difficulty engaging in conversation with me the first couple of days. I'd ask her a question, wait for a response, looked over at her, and found her eyes fixated on her phone, and her fingers doing that "gentle flicking" motion people make when they're surfing on a touch screen.
It is an nice-looking phone, and, as a friend of mine noted, "it's not just a phone, it's a conversation piece. Very true.

Apple - in trying to stay a step ahead of the curve and keep sales streaming along, introduced its new iphone 4 today. It looks really nice but I'm not ready to join "the latest and greatest" crowd and snap one up when they come to Canada.

Well, we put an offer on a house last week. It was a little rushed, to say the least. The house had a full price, condition-free offer already, and we still needed to be approved for financing and had couple of subjects to remove. We were running a distant second and the owner accepted the other offer, which we expected.
Our realtor is an interesting person. Kind of pushy, definitely agressive. We haven't decided if we're going to work with her or try to find someone else. My wife continues to look faithfully in the paper and online for our "dream house" (meaning an old house - built in the 1960s - that still needs work).

I'm still waiting for summer or a resemblance of summer to hit. Lately it's been a trade-off of one nice day, one crappy day. It's the second week in June and I still haven't been moved to wear shorts to work. Besides, the lack of sun has them looking pretty pasty anyways.

STILL trying to sort out our loans with our friendly, neighbourhood banker. You would think that with my wife and her mother being longtime customers that they'd actually work hard to keep you. I guess when you make billions in annual profits you need not worry about attrition and you can do whatever you want.