Gonna dust myself off, start all over again


If you're wondering why I haven't responded to the email you sent me, or the text message, here's why. The entire house is under a layer of dust, or dust sheets, while the new floor is laid in the kitchen and the hall. Most of the time, my computer is under a layer of dust, or dust sheets, and so is my mobile, and the land line.
During the next few days, life will become even more complicated because a self-levelling screed is going down tomorrow, which needs 24 hours to set. I haven't quite worked out how I am going to negotiate this, since the screeded bit will be between my bedroom (where I sleep, obviously) and the living room (where all my stuff is). It's all very well having the contents of the kitchen in the living room if I can't actually access the microwave and the fridge.
The cats will be OK, because I'll shut them in the living room with a litter tray and their food. Come to think of it, I might even get myself a litter tray.


The living room, which currently has all the living room furniture, plus the dining room table and chairs, all the coats from the hall, the contents of the kitchen cupboards, the microwave, the toaster and a mini fridge. And the cats, of course.


The kitchen. It's going to get a self-levelling screed tomorrow, then a new stone floor and new units.


Another view of the kitchen. Please give it up on a global scale for my brother-in-law, who took out all the old units, plus the downstairs loo and utility room; took up all the parquet flooring in the kitchen and spent today jack-hammering off about 10 square yards of quarry tiles to give the tilers a reasonably level surface to screed. He is a hero.
It was a really tough job - and the tiles were so difficult to drill out that he ended up having to fill a couple of holes with concrete. He put down boards, which you can see in some of the pictures, so that the cats wouldn't walk on the concrete.
However, the cats managed to avoid the boards and leave little footprints in the concrete after all. Aren't  they clever?


The hall, minus the banisters,  and plus the kitchen doors,  which have been temporarily relocated. Somtimes, I would quite like to be temporarily relocated too.


Another view of the hall. That's some of my gardening gear on the stairs. Well, a girl can dream, can't she?


The study. Under some of the dust sheets are my piano, my desk and my computer. There are lots of other things in here too, but they've been under dust sheets so long, I've forgotten what they are.


Dust! That white patch is where I put the cat food for five minutes. I keep telling myself it will all be worth it in the end. I have to go wash my hands now - they're filthy from using this keyboard.

Comments

Karen said…
You poor thing, I went through all this stuff about a year ago. It's dreadful and the dust. I wished I'd had somewhere else to go while it was all going on.
Rock rose said…
You are so brave to live in the house while all this is going on. It will be wonderful, I am sure. Can't wait to see it.
Unknown said…
I can truly sympathise, every hopeful our house would be complete when we moved in. it wasn't. The builders were still making bathroom units - in the kitchen when we arrived. All our furniture had to be stacked in the sitting room. Never again!
Maudie
VP said…
You can escape - come here!
Mark and Gaz said…
A test of patience but it's all going to be worth it!

Cats do seems to love leaving their impressions (paw prints). They've managed to do so in virtually every concrete job we've done so far...
Karen: well, I might take VP up on her offer. The trouble is, every time I think I might sneak off, someone wants to ask me a question - can they take the door off/move my car/dump 50 tons of stone in the front garden etc etc. Never mind. When it's all over, I'm going to come and visit and recuperate!

Jenny: I'd love you to come and see it! Just let me know if you're visiting the UK.

Susan: You and Dave must come over when it's all civilised. On second thoughts, I might come to you instead!

VP: Yes, let's go snowdropping!

Mark and Gaz: In my old house, in my daughter's bedroom, there are paw prints in the gloss paintwork on the windowsill. I swear I shut the door while I was painting, and the minute I left the room afterwards. Goodness knows how they got there.
Diana Studer said…
one day, we'll be be doing this ... paw prints and all!
Anonymous said…
There comes a point, just after you have ripped everything out where you think. was it all worth this mess? couldn't I have lived with the previous tiles/decor? But as has been said already, it will be worth it in the end. And it's better to get it all done in the first year.
Good to see the piano is well covered ;)
petoskystone said…
Well, that was quite an insult. Putting boards down on the floor they expected to walk on! Good & swift luck on the remodeling. All hail to your brother-in-law as well :)
go and book into the local B&B for the night - or visit some friends, it will be so much less stress
I wanted to come snowdropping with you both :( but have to work tomorrow :(
Amy said…
I lived through a kitchen re-do two years ago; load-bearing walls and a masonry chimney were removed. I sympathize with your dust woes. I must say, though, that the stress was short-lived (four months) and the renovation has completely changed the way my family lives in our house. I would do it again in an instant. Good luck, and I look forward to seeing how things progress via your blog. You are living my dream!
Those footprints - if ever they are uncovered in the future - won't they be a fun find? (In the past would be even more dramatic!)

If it had been summer, you could have lived in a tent in the garden. . . or a shepherd's caravan (aren't they wonderful?) but . . if you're looking for a challenge, January/February is a very wise choice.
Ack, I've been through a remodel so I know how bad it can get. Still, it'll be worth it in the end. I'm surprised your cats are tolerating all the hammering. When we had our kitchen tile floor jackhammered out, one of our cats simply freaked out. By month 3 he was used to the remodelers. :-)
Gail said…
Can't wait to see it and hope you and the cats are doing well/gail

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