Saturday, July 21, 2007

All in a Week's Time...

This is how it started:

There were patches like this all over, and though we had wanted to just patch them with sheetrock, there was no end to the crumbling plaster.


SO, next step. Tony, who teaches with Adam, brought over a friend. Their help was an answer to my prayers, and it's amazing what they got done in a little over two hours.




We were left with the clean-up, the extent of which I don't even know how to describe. It's still happening.


As I said before, however, thank God for new days and fresh starts. I created a couple of havens for us while we finish our living space, and they have made all the difference in helping me feel calm. Monty likes them, too.


Here's part of our upstairs/attic, which for the most part is buried in boxes of books. I really love it and can't wait to clear it out.


And here's the porch. Since we had that big dumpster, I finally ripped out the disgusting carpet. I plan to paint the concrete a terra cotta color, and down the line we'll put in storm windows and maybe slate tile. Obviously there are other priorities at the moment... :)

I'm leaving tomorrow for a week-long conference in Wisconsin. I'm bringing a laptop, so I'm hoping for wireless connection so I can keep up with everyone and do a little planning for my language arts classes in the fall. We'll see.

Happy weekend. -

Oh. One more very cool thing. When we were tearing out the wall, one of the guys found something in between the beams. It's a folded-up newspaper, it looks like, with some papers inside. On the front is another piece of paper (which wraps around the rest) with "47 J.W. Smith" and the name of our city typed neatly.

I feel like a kid with a mystery. A treasure map, maybe, or stock in McDonalds :), or a savings bond worth BILLIONS. It's fun to hope. But no matter what it is, someone took special care to wrap it and preserve it in a wall. Whatever it is, I want to frame it. There's a school here named after J.W. Smith, so.... That's pretty cool. I don't know who he was, and maybe it's another guy altogether, but this is still so much fun. I think we're going to try steaming it tonight (it's so brittle) and find out what it is.

I was a kid who buried several time capsules in my backyard with my brother; in fact, my dad just uncovered one last month. I LOVE this kind of thing... So it's something else I feel grateful for in the midst of demolition!

5 comments:

Suzie Ridler said...

What an adventure you are having in your new home Laura, I'm so glad you can see the good through all the dust and chaos.

Wallestads said...

What a job! We've done our share of demolition and rebuilding in our various homes, and it's never a "fun" process. There is ALWAYS learning involved, though, and we've usually been happy with the finished results. Your mystery find is quite interesting. I can't wait to hear more about it! Enjoy your time away from the remodel job. :)

Jessie said...

good luck with the renovation project laura! dang, you have a good attitude. i'm impressed. anyway, just think of how nice it will feel once you're all done. your house looks fabulous (minus the crumbling plaster)...i just love all the nooks and crannies and wonderful little hangouts that you have. the porch and attic look great. and the mysterious papers in the wall...oooh, i love that kind of thing! :)

good luck good luck good luck!

nrlaumei said...

Wow. You guys definitely deserve some time in Florida. Btw, I saw some pictures of that wedding in EGF on facebook (Julie Bratvold's) -- you guys looked great and veeerrry happy . :D

daisies said...

wow ~ it looks like it is going so well :) yay for treasure finds and can i say how very much i love your porch and upstairs attic nook room ~ i could hang in either of those places for hours ;-)