Wednesday, April 2, 2008

I need a vacation

What no one tells you about renovations, is that half the work is planning. Maybe two-thirds. If I have to describe the projects anymore I think I am just going to make a tape recording. I have actually made a speech. It goes like this: "Oh, hello, nice to meet you too, come in. Let's start with the first thing, the front door. Yup, the one you just walked through. Yes, that one. Uh, huh, right next to you. We want to change the door. Into what? Well, another door. Yup, just not that one. Why? I don't like it. Yes, I think it is ugly. Uh, huh, ugly. . . blah blah blah". It just so happens that 5 out of 7 contractors do not speak English as a first language. Most of the conversation is me using large hand gestures and them repeating "OK" and us smiling at each other. Then, they ask me to draw them a picture. You've seen my skills. It's not pretty.

One more person is coming by tonight and I will be done for a while. Well, done for about 5 minutes, until I have to start schlepping all my stuff from upstairs, downstairs. Not fun. Somehow in all this I have to leave room for the wood to be delivered. Hmm... This will be a challenge and will remind me of moving from my NYC apartment that looked like this when we were packed:
Since my folks are coming down next weekend (yes, I picked the worst time to get the floors done) they need to shake a leg on the floors. So, they are starting on Saturday. This will be the first time someone has come into the house to do work, and hopefully it will be exciting and I won't be biting off all my fingernails. I also hope we all have a place to at least sit. That may be wishful thinking.

In the meantime, I have scheduled times for the phone jacks to be installed, and am getting ready to book the backyard renovation and the interior carpentry work. Oh, and the painting. After this, break time. At least I won't be doing the manual labor - just the supervising. This eliminates the chances for me to get hurt. It's a win-win.

No comments:

Injuries Obtained

  • Sprained Toe/Foot: 1
  • Blood Blisters: 2
  • Splinters under fingernail: 1
  • Bird Shit on me: 1
  • Eye Injuries: 3
  • Burns: 0
  • Falls off ladder: 0 (this is because we don't have a ladder yet)
  • Headaches: too many to itemize
  • Broken Bones: 0
  • Bandages Needed: 5
  • Electric Shocks: 2
  • Stiches: 0
  • Bruises: way too many