So long, farewell....

Tomorrow is the big day!  Our ugly, small, inefficient master bath goes the way of the dumpster.  I CAN'T WAIT.  This room needs a bomb dropped in it.  Good riddens!

Here's the before shots which will allow you to understand WHY we're saying so long to this hideous space:

                                               This space will become part of the new bathroom.

                                 Excuse the messy closet, it's going to be getting a makeover too!

                          Honestly, there's not even enough space to change your mind in this SMALL space.

                                                   I'm soooo going to miss this puppy.  NOT.

                                   A HUGE closet in the hallway will become our new shower.

                                  It's about time this closet was included in the bathroom space.

There was a big learning curve with the basement bathroom.  It won't go unused in the master bath.  Now that I know what to expect I'm aiming to be on top of things.  While we're excited to begin this process, there's the down side of dust, dust and more dust,  as well as workmen coming and going all day long.  Our plan is to camp out in the guest digs until it's done, seeing as our bed will be covered in what else?  Dust.  We'll get to ensure the guest bath is par excellence this way too.

Wish us luck- I'm hopeful they'll be stories to relay here- of the good kind.

Thing 26

At the store today, I just couldn't resist.  My eyes caught it, then my fingers grabbed it, and before I knew it, my hands tossed it into the cart.

The latest issue of "New Jersey Monthly" folks, it's a must have.  Their February issue is the "Italian Food Issue" and is thing 26 I love about my move.

Thank goodness reading it is calorie free!

Good question

The other night, Nelson and I were watching "Extreme Home Makeover".  They were in Joplin, MO to makeover seven homes for the tornado victims.  A lofty goal, for sure.  They typically do one home in seven days time, but this was the mother of all projects for them.

Nelson turns to me and asks " How is it, that our bathroom takes three weeks to build, but they can construct SEVEN HOMES IN SEVEN DAYS?"  Good question.

Suffice it to say, our bathroom has come along very nicely.  The plumber spent the morning here installing the toilet, the cabinet and faucets.  The painter has been here for the past two days giving the walls a bit of love.

Here's the proof:

                                       Counter to the right will be added for a hair/makeup area.

                                 The new hallway; guest room to the left, bathroom on the right.

I'm a uniter not a divider

There's one food that is loved by many, hated by few.  Every good cook has one star recipe in his or her arsenal, and it warms the soul when eaten.

It comes spicy, or sweet.
It can be full of meat, or vegetarian.
It can have lots of beans, or none at all.
It can simmer for hours, or be thrown together in minutes.
It can be found canned on a shelf, or homemade.

Chili- the great unifier of foods.  It disregards age, color, political view, religion, and any other issue that keeps people apart. Coming together around a pot of chili makes people forget their differences for awhile.

There were many neighbors we'd had yet to meet.  I wanted to change that.  One's neighborhood is a microcosm of the larger world.  If we can't know each other here, how can we expect to know what's taking place out there?  My kids play and run around the block.  It's up to me as a mother to know who is surrounding my children, especially if anything should happen to them.  Plus, it allows me to put my finger on the pulse of the neighborhood and see who might be in need of help, friendship or grace.

Twenty two people showed up.  Only a few gave their regrets, and there were a handful that never responded at all.  The biggest surprise?  To hear some folks talk about how they'd never met neighbors that were present- and they themselves have lived here for over 14 years!   My heart was saddened to hear that we can get so preoccupied with living in our bubble that we don't even reach out to our immediate neighbors- for years.  I get that some people keep to themselves, I really do.  But that's no excuse for not introducing yourself to the folks on the street.  We have a duty to know who lives besides us, and around us.  My expectation is not that we become the best of friends, but that we would greet each other, and know enough about what's going on that we can offer a hand when the time comes.

There's something very personal about letting people into your home.  We're comfortable doing it.  In fact, we love doing it.  Sharing our home, and food with others is central to expressing love for us.  The seller of this house had lived here for over thirty years.  Yet many of my immediate neighbors had never set foot in this house.  WHAT?  Am I the only one that finds that strange?

The chili cook-off was designed to bring us all together to socialize and enjoy the good food.  We had seven chilis and each one was completely different- just like us humans.  It was an easy going evening and all agreed that it was a wonderful idea.  Some even wondered why this hadn't taken place before (the gathering of neighbors).

I have to share with you my favorite part of the evening.  If you could see me writing this you'd see me getting choked up recalling the memory.  Our next door neighbors are an elderly couple with a live- in nurse.  The Mrs. has alzheimers and her husband has dementia.  Their son, who was raised in their house, lives close by and checks on them daily.  He brought his parent to the party,  along with the nurse, saying it would be good for them to get out.  Can I tell you how pleased everyone was to see them?  My heart leapt for joy, knowing this outing was monumental for them.  THAT is exactly why I did this, to make a difference in this place.

"Love your neighbor as yourself"  Matthew 22:39  Let us go forth in love...

The way the cookie crumbles

Am I the only wife that has "adventures" when the hubby travels?
Lay it on me.  I can't be the only one.  In fact, I KNOW I'm not the only one because when it happens I talk to my friends, and they chime in with their "adventures" too.  One just commented that she's dealt with everything short of delivering a child while her hubby traveled.  Yikes.

Tonight I'm in for a furnace repair.  Mild compared to snowstorms, and broken permanent teeth when playing single mom.

Luckily it's not too stressful.

There's never a dull moment, is there?

Rome wasn't built in a day

You're likely familiar with the saying  " Rome wasn't built in a day".  When you live through a renovation, you find that out in spades.  Sheesh.

Day 8 of this project and we're seeing visible results, which makes this homeowner happy.

Want to see what's visible?

                                                         We have a hallway!

                                                    An extra roomy shower in the bathroom.

There's still a long way to go on this project.  Everything hinges on inspections, and each man doing his work in a timely fashion so the next one in line isn't held up.  Can I tell you how impressed I am with the men that have been here thus far?  Every one of them has been courteous, friendly, and trustworthy.  Blessed- so blessed by this.

On a side note, my routine is rocking.  I'm up early every morning, getting my priorities straight before the kids head off to school.  I'm a better mom, wife and friend as a result.

"For God is not the author of confusion but of peace"  1 Cor 14:33.  Amen to that!

We really ARE the house on the rock!

After a full day of digging a hole in our basement, the guys called it quits.

"I hit a boulder" the one man said.  "And it's not a small boulder, it's huge.  There's no way we're getting this finished today."

Nelson could only laugh and say "we really ARE the house on the rock!"

I love God's sense of humor.   He just wanted to show that my blog name was perfect, in more ways than one.  What a God!