|
Life in Egypt
It's finally time to start packing
By Jessica Rogers
This summer we finally reached the stage where every project on the house made an immediate difference. After going so long with many jobs that didn't really show progress on a daily basis, it was a big encouragement to see the changes with every step.
The house took a major leap toward looking ready when Brendan laid the hardwood flooring and tile downstairs. Shiny new floors made the biggest difference to the feel of things. Suddenly what still looked like a construction zone, albeit a painted one, became a place I wanted to keep swept and neat.
Of course that still wasn't quite possible. Especially after Steve and I rented a sander and started reclaiming the floors upstairs. Fine dust coated everything then, spinning off the many round, blue sanding pads we stuck on the bottom of the machine we walked behind for four straight days. The worst was our bedroom, the one with the painted floor. But countless hours later it turned out the best. The green paint in the knot holes just adds character.
Still, I organized cleaning sessions, and our families pitched in to get dirty, each time shining the place up nicely so we could work some more. It's amazing how much clutter and disarray is created by the simplest job. When I can't work for the disorganized chaos, it's time to call the mothers and my sister. Somehow they always get the cruddy jobs.
Half my family showed up one day to reboard the upstairs porch, and later Brendan and I built the other one. Later still, the back deck came together. One board at a time, we've been nearing the end. Though the porches still lack their railings, the house looks like it's wearing clothes again, stairs included.
The appliances arrived, instantly creating the kitchen I'd planned. Though still left partially to the imagination until cabinets and counters arrive, it's functional, and I'm thrilled to say hunters will be eating breakfast hot off the new stove top.
When the downstairs trim went up and all the rough edges disappeared, I knew we were almost there. Mom, Mandy and the kids came over and helped me clean again. It was finally time to take the liner out of the bathtub, finally made sense to clean some windows.
Mom brought me a plant to sit on the kitchen sink which, though in a temporary cabinet, actually works! And what a luxury it was to put the leftover lunch fixings in an on-site fridge.
The plumbing fixtures are hooked up and functional. I am so excited to have a working toilet in the house, and I'm sure all the visitors will be, too. The lack of a toilet has kept some visits short, I think.
The outdoor wood furnace arrived this week and now sits on its pristine concrete pad, awaiting just a few more tweaks before we can start a fire. Soon the interior aspect of the heating will be finished too, just in time for the cool weather I know is sure to be just around the corner. I can't wait for that pungent woodsmoke smell to fill crisp mornings.
Only a few more things stand in the way of moving in. Though it seems impossible after all these months, it's time to start packing.
| 
