Week 14 ended today, day 70, like the soft closing of a napping baby’s bedroom door. It’s hard to say that we even had a week 14 as the days are so concentrated now, so task oriented. Once something is completed, it’s done. There are no more weeks of work anticipated, only lists of things to finish, lists which (much to our chagrin) keep getting longer as we keep noticing (minor, but plentiful) things that are undone.

But, Dave was able to complete a big last step this week: putting the final top coat of poly on the kitchen floors. Up until now they’ve only had two coats of finish poly on them, the last coat to be applied after the bulk of the most (potentially) destructive work was done. Other than some plumbing work (heat installation), the messiest and potential scratch-the-floor-iest work is behind us. So, while I battled my cold (fortified with anti-biotics), Dave and J.J. (as Dave’s helper this time) worked on painting things like windows, doors, baseboards, and light rails, and also finished up work on the door hardware, some more light carpentry, and a coat of oil on the butcher block counter in the pantry nook. The list ebbed and flowed – things getting crossed off only to add something small that we noticed in another room – but all in all, the house is starting to come back together. It’s hard to believe, but in a few short weeks, we’ll have full use of the kitchen, be able to actually unpack our pots, pans and pantry items, and get cooking. I just hope I can remember how.

We were also able to set up our living room this week, unearthing our sofa, TV, area rug, coffee table, chairs, lamps and plants (sadly, they’re a little neglected) turning our main floor back into a home, at least partly. Jeff and I are still not used to being anywhere other than on our bed – in part due to our cold/flu/malaise, and in part due to our month-long exile to the second floor after the floors were tackled – so it’s been an adjustment to remember to actually go down there to hang out. We also had brief access to our cooktop, albeit with only one pot, but we were able to reheat soup, make some oatmeal, and wash dishes in the kitchen instead of the bathroom. That was weird, and so luxurious. Who knew washing dishes would ever be a delight? So, our so happy home is turning back into just that, one cough-free minute at a time.

I took a few pictures, peeking as I was over the plastic door put in place to protect the still drying kitchen floors. Just thought I owed you guys an update, even if it’s only a baby-sized one. Enjoy!