Betty's Bigger Mess AND Getaway Plans

Hi everyone!

Ah, yes, naive Betty believed that home renovation would be fast and easy.

Sigh.

Now I totally understand those of you who commented with such empathy.  

My nest has been turned upside-down.  

What was going to be a simple little job has taken on a life of its own.

Here's a look at Evan's room.  Welcome home for the summer, College Boy, now help Mummy pick out colors for the walls and carpet for the floors and try not to breathe in the white dust that's floating all around the house.

Here is my little room in the back of the house where I enjoyed the comfort of an old twin mattress as workmen destroyed the rest of the house.  The two cats dominated the bed at night, leaving me just the edge.

Here's the hall bathroom before demolition.  Evan was really trying for some normalcy here, using it until the end.

It's amazing what four men can do in less than twenty minutes.  

Yow!

There goes the hall bath.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the house, I was luxuriating in the comfort of this bath.  I came in as they were tearing out the wall.  In a high-pitched, nervous voice I reminded them I would be living in the house until Wednesday and I needed that wall.  They left me the wall at the end of the shower so I could still bathe.  I put up the shower curtain for a little privacy for the workmen who needed to use the toilet.

My people, this has been a nerve-wracking event.  There have been times when I really thought I just couldn't handle all the decisions and all the responsibility.  Needless to say, there have been many doubts, fears, and tears. There have been some major crying jags curled up in the corner of the garage. I just have to believe it will all be OK.

So, what's a girl to do when undertaking this major project?  Hummmm.  Well, a Certain Very Nice Man and I are leaving for a trip to London and Scotland today!  We've had this trip planned for some time. (I really thought the house would be finished by the time we left.  I told you I was naive!)  My contractors have assured me they will continue to work on the house while I am gone.

It's amazing how things can change in a year.  In many ways this home renovation has resembled the ways in which I have had to rebuild my life.

So, today I get to board a plane with a very special person and explore another part of the world!  Am I lucky or what?  I hope to check in from there. Thanks to all of you out there for all your support.  I love my blogging buddies!

Betty's Big Mess

Hi everybody!

Still renovating here...

Yikes.  

I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Just when I think it can get any messier....

 This lovely stuff was above Evan's bed.  

It was still wet from a storm that caused the original damage--three years ago.

The painters are finishing up the ceilings while the electricians rewire the whole house.

So...that's the report from here!  I am pretty much a nomad, spending the days in the garage, organizing my stuff.  I miss writing and I miss my schedule, but it's pretty exciting seeing the changes taking place!

I'll check back in soon!

Monday Morning Flowers and Weekend Update

Good Monday Morning to you all!

Here are your Monday Morning Flowers

Sorry there aren't more but I've been a little busy.

The cats and I moved to Motel Six for two nights, then came back home.

My popcorn ceiling had been replaced with this:

The electrician came and put in recessed lights. 

As you may remember, all my earthly possessions are currently shoved in the garage.  On Saturday the door broke.  On Saturday night a repair man came and did did a very expensive repair.  Yikes.

Last night, I couldn't take it anymore and broke open the plastic covering on the bathroom sink nearest the little back room I am currently living in.

People, I am exhausted!  This home improvement stuff is crazy-making.  

Tomorrow--more fun with electricity and ceilings.  Oh, and I am going to crawl through the garage and look for the dresser with my clothes in it.  I am tired of wearing the same ones.

Take care of yourselves!  

Home Improvement Madness

Hi Betty People,

The Home Improvement Madness goes on here.  It's incredible how many decisions there are to make and how tired I am.  However, I trudge onward!

The past two days have been spent preparing for the asbestos abatement team.  Here's how my garage looks now:

Big burly men started moving things out here at rapid speed a couple of days ago.  There is not much organization.  I was not as prepared as I should have been for the enormity of this task.

Here I am with one of my contractors.  He hears from me every day and brings me cookies when he thinks I am getting too wrought up over details.  The sad thing is, the cookies work every time and I forget what I was so upset about.

We had to move the dining room table outside for the days when the house is being blasted inside.

I had the room divider between the bathroom area and the bedroom taken down.  Not quite sure what I will replace it with.  Ah, well.  That decision can wait.

Here is my other contractor.  This is on the rare occasion that he actually stood still.  He is usually moving around.  I harass him on a daily basis.  He tells me "Don't worry," about fifty times a day.  It doesn't really work and he knows it.  

I have to move out while the asbestos team is here, but I stayed as long as possible since the cats are freaked out.  There is a little room in the back of the house that does not have asbestos in it, so I have been sleeping there while all the other furniture is in the garage.

Glamorous, yes?  Ah, the lifestyle of the displaced homeowner only gets better as I move to Motel 6 for two fabulous nights.  (It's the only place I could stay and keep the cats with me.)

I have had some sleepless nights as I go through this process.  I have been filled with self-doubt that has been almost overwhelming at times.  I am also incredibly sore and tired from all the work.  I can only hope this is making me stronger and helping me to see I can do just fine on my own.

Thank YOU my blogging people for giving me so much support.  Really, there are times during the day when I am exhausted and I grab my computer and read your comments, encouraging me and reminding me that what I am doing indicates progress in all parts of my life.  After I read your words, I get up, move some more boxes, and carry on.

I'll be back soon unless I get caught up in the Motel Six lifestyle and just decide to stay there indefinitely.

Betty's Busy Summer

Hello My Blogging Buddies!

My summer so far?

Well, let's see.  Finals week was a week-long stressfest.

Then I went to a five day intensive workshop on technology in the classroom and almost blew out my brain cells from trying to learn how to incorporate  them there I-Pads in the classroom.

During that week, my divorce was finalized.

After that, I flew off to Kansas to visit my family and friends.  (I had a lot of fun and a Certain Very Nice Man visited Kansas with me!)

When I got home, a contractor called and wanted to know if I needed work done on my house.  Yes!  I replied in a frenetic tone and so two days later, I signed a contract and right now I am in the midst of moving everything out, boxing things up, throwing things in the trash and sending lots of items to Goodwill.

It's exhausting, both physically and emotionally.  This house was saturated with stuff, both physical and emotional from my past.  Cleaning out closets involved sending lots of HOB's (now XHOB) clothing to Goodwill.  I threw in my wedding dress for good measure.  I am boxing up the hundreds of family pictures I have taken over the years, each one reminds me of the passage of time and of the life that is no longer mine.

So, yes, it's exhausting and it's scary.  I am making major decisions on my own for the first time.  I may be making big mistakes, but there's a certain thrill in knowing they are MY mistakes to make.  I am investing and caring for a house that needs serious attention--a house that was ignored and neglected for way too long.  If I had time, Betty Readers, you KNOW I would make a five hundred word essay out of this subject, but, lucky for you, I have boxes to pack up.

I have to get ready for the painters, and the asbestos abatement people, and the carpet guys.

I have a lot to do.

Time to get moving.

Time to move on.


Here are some pictures of the current action around my house.

My Hallway--soon to have new Pergo.

Ceiling in bedroom--last chance to look at water stains and use as Rorschach test.

Decorative hole in wall--checking for mold

Current state of my garage.

I SO miss you all and promise I'll be back, haunting your blogs again soon.

I'll check back in when I can!