Mad House

Your endless efforts to distract yourself while you wait to hear more about my kitchen are now over! I can't imagine how you filled the hours. I, for one, have been alternately quivering with rage, silently despairing, and staring blankly into the middle distance. This is what I've learned from my adventure: I hate remodeling with the white hot heat of a thousand suns.

Right! On to the photos:

A vast expanse of countertop! I imagine four people chopping vegetables at the same time--come on over. Bring carrots!

It's island-living here in land-locked St. Paul.

Dig the pull-out garbage/recycling -- so tidy!

The refrigerator is still in the dining room, but the liquor has already been stowed in the cupboard above, per family tradition:

The desk! I'm going to be redonkulously organized:

I leave you with the pretty floor:

There's lots of trim still to go up and a closet door, but I now have heat, which is a nice change of pace. I think I can see the end from here.

In eyeball news, my cataract surgery is scheduled for November 11, so there's that. Once I've recovered and the remodelers are gone, I hope to be doing absolutely nothing for weeks on end. Though that plan will be foiled by the holidays... Loafing in January. Who's with me?

P.S.: Several friends just read "silently despairing" and spit out their coffee. "Yeah, silent despair might have been nice, lady." I'd like to give a shout-out to k80, who was very supportive through all my first-thing-in-the-morning rants, Roxy, who soothed me with Ikea therapy, and Fiffy, who had the bad luck to call just as I got home from work one day, when I answered the phone with angry yelling. Sorry for the ringing ears, guys.

Out of the Darkness

I've got Lights! Lots of them -- in the ceiling, under the cabinets, over the island, over the desk, outside the back door. It's a twinkling, Christmas tree of a room now! And outlets, oh my God the outlets. It's sort of ridiculous, really, how many there are. The plumbers were there today, which may mean I'll have heat and a stove tonight. Haaaaa Haahhhahahha HEEeee haa haa haaaaaaaaaa (shrieking maniacal laughter). Countertops arrive tomorrow, perhaps to be installed the same day? That seems preposterous, but you never know. Ooo, then a sink. (hehehheh ohmy woo-ahoh) I feel a little dizzy. Good times!