It really is darkest before the dawn…

Day 8, Wednesday, contained an unexpected mini-pause in the schedule. The plumbers couldn’t come as the crew had hoped (they’re coming Friday), but the windows arrived earlier than the original order had predicted (score!). That meant some construction (fixed the hole-y subfloor in the kitchen and finished framing the ceiling in the area where the tiny pitch change will be) but mainly more planning for the guys, and more electrical work for Brad (previously identified as The Electrician). With the carpentry crew off on tasks unknown to me (I had to leave earlier than they arrived, and returned after they left), Brad had the opportunity to continue rescuing the house from its 1920’s past, eradicating more knob and tube from the belly of the basement. He pulled wires from here to there, snaked things through hidden pockets of space, transforming the workings of the previously convoluted wiring schematic in the laundry room. Most of what he did was completely un-photographable (but believe me, NOT unnoticed).

And, with the crew off on important planning business (I’m guessing they were hunting down reclaimed flooring, or putting together lumber orders – something wood-y) Brad had the space to hang just about every recessed light in the kitchen. I could photograph the cans, but Brad mentioned energizing them, so I thought I’d rather wait to try to get the full picture (very punny). We also discussed the placement of the remaining lights in reference to the existing ceiling frame (lights will be centered as best as possible, without having to re-frame the ceiling, an important area for flexibility in real world lighting design), and talked over the areas of the basement where he needs to make rather large access points in order to continue updating the wiring. We currently have a finished basement – drywalled and ceiling-ed – and making holes all over it isn’t ideal. It’s an unavoidable task, however, but placing the holes in patchable spots is crucial for us. And Brad totally gets it.

In other household news, we washed dishes. This task, previously not the most favorite for either of us, has become the most loathsome task in all of the household duties. There ought to be a formula for figuring out the level of discomfort and impatience a homeowner will have for doing dishes during a renovation.  Take the height of the faucet to the bottom of your washing area of choice (in our case I think it’s about 6″ to the bottom of the vanity sink), add the diameter of your largest dish (plate, frying pan, what have you – for us it’s about 12″) and then divide that total by half (6 + 12 = 18 / 2 = 9): this will give you the percentage of patience you will have for doing dishes. The number will also tell you how many bicker-y arguments you will have while washing said dishes. It’s highly unpleasant. When the contractors, or friends, or other people who have gone through this type of process tell you that you’ll be eating a lot of take-out? Believe them. For they know the formula, too.

Day 9 promises to be jam-packed with activity. I will be bringing the doggie to the vet for some surgery (we hope minor, though she does have to be put under) and a tooth cleaning, and the crew expects/hopes to install the windows. Exciting! I will do my best to stalk them, paparazzi-style, and get some in progress shots. Until then, enjoy your kitchen sinks!

xoxo