Basment Update - Done!

So, the basement if FINALLY finito and paid fo. We will no longer have men bang-a-langing around it's 22 crooked walls all the live long day. Woo hooo! I can't even believe it's true.  It's like the best news ever.  That and the fact that we love every inch of it.  Even the inch that already has chipped paint on it. Ack!  But don't get me wrong, I am SOOOO happy this reno is over. I used to think people who hated renovating were cray cray because hellooo, it's so worth it in the end, but now I see the light. The cold hard 'grass is greener' truth. Reno's are hard. Even without children and a month away from it all. They're hard, they just are.

So here we are...in a place between renovating and decorating.  And even though we can't really use it properly, it is super fun to hang out in. Who wouldn't want to hang out in the best insulated floor of the house?!  

Oh, and by the way Jeff's TV is 50 inches. I just felt that I should clarify that fact since he was worried these pictures might make it look small due to it not being mounted correctly. HA. 

Remy looooves the new basement.  You can tell from his hesitation in going down the steps.

The bah.

Bar into loungey area...couch being delivered Thursday! Woooooo!

Washer and Dryer or as I like to call 'em, old googly eyes

This room would be better with a bigger TV. I kid, I kid.

There is a window back there, not pictured.

From haunted to HALLELUJAH!!!!

Basement Reno - It is coming together!!!

From the beginning to now...here is a small idea of how far we've come...

And we thought clearing out the space was hard!

This basement renovation has really been an interesting learning experience for me. And don't get me wrong.  When I say interesting...I don't mean awe-inspiring, I mean equal parts AWFUL and INSPIRING.  There is something so incredibly inspirational in having a vision and then getting to watch it grow into something day by day.  And actually seeing the progress is really necessary and makes it all the more special to me.  I mean, when you hand over a 100 year old crappy basement, it is beyond impressive to see what can be done with a boat load of elbow grease and patience.

I guess that is why when I have a really hard reno day like today, and I am forced to stand witness to our contractor plow down a small portion of my neighbors' fence, I have to remind myself that this is all worth it.  It takes WORK and lots of it.  It is not going to just appear finished one day. There will be hiccups and blemishes in the process but I know it is a process.  It will be completed soon, though and I am confident that the finished product will be all 'us'.  

xoxo
L

FASHION RULE #2

ALWAYS match your sweatshirt to your voting booth curtain...

AND, when possible...look as homeless as possible.

Yay for voting!

Sandy Things...

Hurricane Sandy means:

Making mac and cheese...while the oven still works.

 Cozy socks from South Dakota (purchased especially for times like these)...

A dog who stands guard at his storm watching post...

A transformer that blew up in flames on the street in front of our house the moment that night fell...

Power that is lost.

And days that are ALL about the essentials...such as morning toast made on the gas stove top...

Generator-sharing with a neighbor to save some of the perishable foods...

Fresh firewood cut from the fallen trees...

Gas lines...

And walking around town only to discover that YES losing power for over a week is FREEZING and plain terrible...but it is not the end of the world.  We are surrounded with multiple examples of how blessed our home actually is!

Like, the fact that we have a fireplace to keep our feet warm every morning!

This is NOT our front yard...

This did not fall on my head...

 And this tree did NOT land on our house...

Now, before I sign off I just want to give my Grandma a birthday shout out! 83 years young today! And for a birthday gift, her power came back on yesterday. THANK THE LORD!

xoxo
L

EDITED TO ADD: Our power came on after 8 days!!! We can no longer see our breath indoors and it is a beautiful thing!  Now just praying that everyone else can get up and running before this Nor-eastern hits...