Renovations....

Ok, so we've decided to do some renovations here at Squirrel Haven....

This of course, was preceded by some sincere thought...and plotting on my part and countered by some mild posturing of my darling pack rat loverman...who knew that his time was overdue for an overhaul.

Let me preface this story by saying a few things...

I love and adore my home.
I've been at this address for 23 years.
That's a long time for a Gemini, so you must know how awesome that statement is.
Yet....
The roof leaks in spots.
It's an old house with problems...and yet...
it's HOME.

I also love and adore my husband. 
He is a hard worker.
Harry is a quirky genius, inventor and unconventional...much like that guy who invented "Flubber".
And ....
He is also a self proclaimed pack rat.

Remember Monty Python's movie, "The Meaning of Life"?
Can you envision that that one scene that "every sperm is sacred?"
Well, to a packrat...everyTHING is sacred.
That means...
Every scrap of paper, every paper clip, every thing has more than one useage...and intrinsic value.
It's nearly a moral imperative to not waste anything to him.

Harry is also very busy. He goes from one install to the next event to the next gig without much downtime in between. We drag costuming and gear in and out.

So there you have our life.

Yet....
There are changes I need to have made.
Some are structural...
some are cosmetic....
some are merely just organizational.

Harry says what we are doing are "decorative changes"
I say, "Nay. They are functional changes."

So, being upfront and candid here...like real people....in a reality tv show...
Here is what our office looked like

This blog is not for the faint of heart.
 Nor the neat freak.

Note please that our whole house does not look like this...but ...
only portions...
and TWO businesses run out of this space.

Well....that's a relative thing.
Fung Shui it's not.

But I've noted that the space has become stagnant and unloved and I personally don't like the living space that has happened here. This is not how I would live if left to mine own devices.
How'ere, I love a man.....
So....I have adapted over the years....
and shite has piled up.
But not by me not bitching about it....

In the interim...and because of the roof leaking...
and frankly...because Harry wants to get laid.....

He has agreed to help me make some changes for US here at Squirrel Haven.
And so we set off to manage some well timed remodeling.

And as you know (if you've ever done any home remodeling...)while we're at it, "we might as well make some other changes"....like some windows for the weatherproofing, painting a room or two (now that it's disrupted...) and side the back of the house and cover the ugly cinder block that I've lived with for 23 years now.

I can't fucking wait.

But oh...
the nightmare.

There is a cartoon on my bathroom wall. It is a drawing of 2 gates of Hell.
Over one is the sign, "Burn in Hell for all Eternity"
Over the other one is "Live in your home while you remodel it."
The devil looks at the person trying to choose and says: "It's a toss up."

So we've started....

Are you ready?

Are you sitting down?

Here is our office...these are the "BEFORE" pictures"

Note the love seat....

My desk

Harry's desk


This is a job for a stalwart crew.
We hired some help....because frankly....I wasn't gonna kill him over this.

So today, after 2 days of 4 of us working on the assorted projects (friend Joe helped sort stuff outside...friend Christine sorted mountains of Harry's paperwork and saved our marriage by doing what would've made Merlyn ratshite crazy instead.....Harry supervised and worked out his master plan...and I worked around the edges, did errands, went shopping for paint and bookshelves...and well...wine.....and I organized areas and fed everyone...).

Here's some pics from today's big job...

We found the loveseat.
(YAY! :)
We extracted it and put it somewhere dry...for safekeeping out of the rain....

We found lots of things....
Like a floor....
a wall....
 a desk....

No...it's not done.
There is a LOT of work yet to do...

But I can't tell you how thoroughly impressed and astounded I am with the progress!!
I am SO PROUD of Harry for letting go...and for him flowing so easily with the changes.

We've picked out and decided on paint colors for the 2 rooms.

I am SO encouraged.
I am happier than I've been in years...
and also more tired than a sore, overworked arthritic witch on a cold night.
Oh wait...

Anyways...
we persevere.

It IS coming along.
It IS daunting.
It IS freeing.

There is so much more to do....
and I will keep you in the loop....
but my dears...

Every great journey begins with a single step.

And sometimes the single step begins with just saying,
"I love you enough to step out of my comfort zone."

This was our front room...but it's going to be painted so we are going to fix this room too while at it...
We are "in transition" .

 Stay tuned

Same Squirrel Time...
Same Squirrel Channel....

1 comment:

Mimi Foxmorton said...

This is rather like me going to the store for new tea towels and ending up moving....... lol

Huzzah! The more you do...the more you do! But I know you......and the end results will please you to no end! ;)

And rug fringe. Do not forget about the rug fringe! ;)

Fair winds with this journey, luv!

*hugs*
Fox