renovation time

Weekly Therapy: just a little further…

- Mel

the week:
Guys. The contractors have promised me that the master bathroom, bedroom wall, hallway, and master closet will be DONE before Thanksgiving. Praise, baby turkey Jesus, I need to clean my house.

AIRPLANE EARS!
AIRPLANE EARS!

weekend:
Woof. Another mid-point statistics exam today. Send me some wisdom, Math Gods! There’s also Light Up Night (and its usual hijinks). Since taking on a full-time role at work, I will regularly work over the weekends — though I’ll still get out in time to enjoy Friendsgiving dinner Saturday night. The contractors are planning to work Saturday too so that our home is in working order by Thanksgiving (that will certainly be something in which to give thanks!). Homework and a long run planned for Sunday, and I fully intend to move into my NEW WALK-IN CLOSET.

If you’re in Pittsburgh and into social media and blogging and podcasting (and not working, like me), you should go to PodCamp!

seven things, seven days:
1. The East Nash Dash I ran in Nashville sent me such a wonderful letter about the benefitting charity Progress, Inc. ALL proceeds from the race go towards the organization — how amazing is that?! I wish more organizations stayed in touch this way.
2. Happiness Conspiracy this week left me feeling… well, less happy. I don’t know if I can really explain it, but I feel as though I am lacking in self-awareness, identity, and confidence. I need to work on my authenticity and living an authentic life.
3. Current status: sleeping in the guest room because of the work (and dust) in the master. Everyone should sleep in their guest room to ensure it’s comfortable and cozy. Mine is probably the coldest room in the house besides the kitchen, so I hope you’re into that! Or, you get an air mattress in the attic.
4. Anticipating the end of this project, I have been on something of a spending spree. Probably has something to do with winter hibernation, right?
5. 9 Quotes About Life from the Movie “Garden State” – wisdom from one of my favorite movies. {via PsychCentral}
6. Some call it “ghosting,” some call it “pancaking.”
7. I’m (still) fascinated by (and want to study) motivation — this research is in reference to the motivation behind selfies {via The Red & Black}

Weekly Therapy: getting ready for hibernation… or something.

- Mel

the week:
For real, the most exciting thing to happen this week was this enchilada casserole for dinner that we ate THREE DAYS IN A ROW. Pathetic, but my days are so much more relaxed when I work out in the mornings. I can almost say that waking up at 5am for 7 weeks of CrossFit has made me a morning person. Almost.

weekend:
Oh em gee, I have a weekend off work (and then an extra two days). The boyfriend and I get to do fun things, like, discuss our 2014 home renovation projects, budget and furniture wants. And then I’m drinking rum-and-cider for the rest of my free minutes because we will probably definitely be arguing by the end of that.

Kidding. Mostly.

But on Monday, I get to take boyfriend for his pre-birthday surprise.

seven things, seven days:
1. Did I really just buy three separate items for holiday decorating? I did.
2. Oh, and then my boyfriend told me that he special ordered the live Christmas tree, so I guess we’re both feeling the spirit? We also figured out where we’re putting the tree this year. Note: not in the dining room.
3. My boyfriend commented that the new dining room layout looked “like a grownups dining room.” *swoon*
4. WHAT IS HAPPENING? I HATE CHRISTMAS!
5. I used my chalk paint AGAIN — HATE the blue tape for edging. Each project the tape peels up big chunks of paint from the surface, resulting in multiple touch ups. So #dumb.
6. I unpacked boxes from our move two years ago… We have so much freaking glassware in storage, but I think I have a new idea for our collection.
7. And I must be in some kind of nesting phase because I just reorganized all the stuff in my kitchen cupboards (BUT IT’S SO MUCH BETTER!)

Don’t freak out…

- Mel

You know how this conversation starts — or ends, rather. With a FREAK OUT.

That was the boyfriend’s conversation to me after work on Sunday: Don’t. Freak. Out.

These are the kind of talks one never wants to have in a relationship. Don’t Freak Out. Don’t Get Mad. We Need to Talk. It’s Not You…

Said Freak Out has to do with our home renovations, thankfully (weird that’s a positive in this stage of life), and nothing to do with our partnership (thank the Ceiling Cat). We already discussed what we intended to do with the “fun money” this year as far as the house was concerned, but not-so-much about timeline.

Sadly, the house money did not include doing anything about this:

There’s always next year…

In conversation with others, we laugh it off as our “swingers” tub. If only our 1800s house had such a history, and not just that it hasn’t been renovated in 30 years. Also: yes, this is where our cats prefer their water reservoir.

We *are* decorating around that bathroom, however (with a helluva lot of paint and cheap-ish fixes). We’re also painting the entire first floor and entry. And painting the second floor and hallway. And breaking open the tiled-in fireplace to see what’s behind it, and what choices we have to renovate it…

Starting on Friday.

FRIDAY.

This Friday, if I wasn’t specific.

So, by this time next week, I’ll be waking up to beautiful grays and blues and bright white trim… instead of Stuck-in-the-80s-shopping-at-the-County-Seat colors (tell me I’m not the only 30-something who remembers that mall store!). The direction of the fireplace and firebox replacement will have to do with… well, what’s behind all that ugly tile.

In addition to the projects still-yet-unplanned, we have new tile in the entryway in the budget, some new furniture, updated light fixtures and a new deck. But that magenta platform tub will remain when all the dust clears. Oh boy, is it a conversation piece, but based on our home budget, it will remain for another year.