06/05/11
“Down in a Hole” (Alice in Chains); “We Can Work it Out” (The Beatles); “Livin’ on a Prayer” (Bon Jovi); “Runaway Train” (Brandon Boyd); “Far Behind” (Candlebox); “One Step Closer” (Linkin Park); “Miserable” (LIT); “Don’t Stop” (Madonna); “Everyday is a Winding Road” (Sheryl Crow); “Tomorrow” (Silverchair); “Story of my Life” (Social Distortion); “Fell on Black Days” (Soundgarden); “Breakdown” (Tantric)
Soooo many song titles that relate to the past couple weeks!
WOW! I can’t believe its been two weeks since my last post and a little over three weeks since we started this project! How things have changed...and for the best! (This post is a little long, but I have lots to report!)
While I was sick, my fabulous parents insisted on working on my condo! Dad finished tiling the shower and mom painted my lower kitchen cabinets, along with a million other projects! I was sicker than I’ve been, well..ever! Finally, Monday 5/23, I started to come back to life.
[The first condo association meeting was on 5/23 :) Good times :) Still waiting for final decisions relating to termite/water damage. (For more on this, talk to me offline)]
After getting over my mystery illness (Doc said it could have been a number of things including just a run down, stressed out system that just needed a break), things went into warp speed! So many projects that still had to be done and the countdown was on for a June 1st move date.
Blood, sweat, tears, exhaustion, arguments, emotions, and any other number of terms can describe this entire process and everything that went into it!
My parents arrived on Tuesday, May 10th. We worked at the condo EVERYDAY for three weeks. It really does look beautiful now...like a completely different place. Monday, May 23rd thru Wednesday, June 1st seems like it went by in the blink of an eye. The whole entire process seems like it did actually!
To sum up everything that was rehabbed over the course of the three weeks:
Dad (& I) finished putting the bathroom back together. He tiled the floor, the walls, we installed the new vanity & sink & painted. All rooms were painted. All trim & doors were painted. Base shoe was installed in living room, hallway, dining room, kitchen laundry room. New window sills were installed & painted in living room & bedrooms. All grout lines in kitchen, dining & laundry room were “refreshed”...meaning dyed with a toothbrush to each line!!! All cabinets were painted. New hardware was installed on kitchen cabinets. New exterior door was painted. New light fixtures were installed throughout. New door handles were installed throughout. Kitchen cabinets were lined. Sliding panel track installed in living room. Bedroom floors were treated & painted with epoxy sealer. Smaller bedroom was carpeted. (Larger bedroom is still under construction due to termite damage) New appliances were purchased and installed. Old appliances were sold on Craigslist. Old fixtures, etc. were donated to Habitat for Humanity. Old satellite dish was removed. Along with all of these tasks, there were ALOT of trips to Home Depot & Lowes. And thanks to a property built in the 70s before many building materials, etc. were “standardized”, we had many odd sized, off sized and problematic situations. I’m sure I missed some things, but there are certainly not forgotten :)
Many long hours, probably “working” from 8a - 6 or 7p each day! Of course, I’m used to working a 10+ hour day, but my parents rocked and worked just as long each day!
By the time the eve of May 31st rolled around, there was still a list of THINGS TO DO :) We worked until almost 10p that night, then I had to finish packing :) Movers were arriving between 8a & 9a the next day. I stayed up until 2:30a and still wasn’t finished when they arrived ::
“Wave Goodbye” (Chris Cornell)
“Home” (Daughtry)
“Wish you were here” (Incubus)
The morning of June 1st was an emotional one! The time had come for my parents to head out :( since they had officially been my roommates for three weeks! As much as I love my freedom normally, I really had a hard time saying good bye to them. They did sooo much for me and made my place so beautiful there is no way I can ever repay them...both monetarily and otherwise. We had taken ATN (a total nightmare) and turned it into a fabulous space! A space that I can’t wait to setup and entertain in. I space that I can’t wait to host guests in. A space that I can finally call my own!
All this emotion, my parents heading out...just as the movers are arriving!!! Talk about a overwhelming morning...and all this before 8a!!!
“My Happy Ending” (Avril Lavgine)
“Everything Zen” (Bush)
“A New Day” (Celine Dion)
“Keeps Gettin Better” (Christina Aguilera)
And so we fast forward through the move...which went great! Movers were fabulous...things took a little longer than anticipated, but overall the experience was awesome. Of course, the thought that I would “grab the last few things myself” amounted to about 10+ boxes and four trips back & forth in the Jeep :( (not much transport space)
So, here I sit among a sea of boxes still! Its really amazing how much stuff you accumulate over the course of seven years! All my furniture + approximately 75 boxes! Yikes! And lets not forget 7 (yes, 7) wardrobe boxes full of clothes! Really? I think I have a shopping problem :)
I love my new place and can’t wait for all of you to see it and come stay here!!
A million thanks to everyone for all the help, advice, suggestions, etc.
I have a TON of pictures to post...here are a few more fun “work in progress” shots. I’ll post the BEFORE & AFTER shots within the next couple of days!
