6.12.2007

Yes, We Actually Live Here

So, I know I've posted this picture before, but it's relevant.



Back when I was patching that first hole in the hardwood, I had the fridge and the TV on. I went to activate the shop vac, and shorted out half of the outlets upstairs. Ummm...yeah. This house is wired for 1927.

We've gotten a couple of quotes in the past few days for replacing the fuse box. We knew we were going to do it eventually, we just didn't know how immediate the need was. Now, every project depends on it. Electricians are ridiculously expensive.

At any rate, I found it highly amusing when Bren called me after the first electrician viewed the job, and said "I think he was surprised that we're actually LIVING here."

Yes, many renovations of this magnitude take place while the renovators have respite elsewhere. Not so for us. But we do have something of an escape. The converted garage/bonus room. Before, it looked like this...



...fake brick and all. We kept it as is, so that we could live in it while restoring the rest of the house. Now it looks like this:



The curtain, painstakingly basted this evening and hung on electrical conduit, hides all of our earthly possessions, and Miles' too. What you don't see amounts to about 6 feet more of room, and three more windows which we are glad to sacrifice due to their torturous easterly morning brightness.

The path to/from the bonus room was (surprise!) poorly hewn by the previous owner.



Again with the drywall cornering. As carpet edging? COME ON! The stairs are pretty unlevel, and Bren has to take a good 9 inches off his stature to move through this opening. Oh, well. It's nice to retire to a room that isn't a construction site. Yet.

I also made a curtain for the unsightly water heater/furnace room tonight:



A decent day's work.

Regarding my wonderful sister Cory's comment:



The hanger. Mr. Rivera, previous owner, managed to take every outlet cover in the house, along with every other fixture that may or may not have been worth something, but he left his one hanger. Perfect for hanging Bren's coveralls, since he won't wear them after initially trying them on...



Chest: 48"
Length: Tall

...and a few beers too small in the middle.

2 comments:

corymarie said...

I think he looks dashing! The built in belt seals the deal.

Anne said...

Oh, it sealed the deal alright. :) look behind him; 80 years of smoke = no guesswork in hanging family portraits!