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Everything is fraught!
But today is different. The kitchen renovation is completed. I’ve survived two major hurdles in life. Moving from my beloved Sechelt and friends to be closer to family was the right move at the right time.
The kitchen was another matter entirely. I’d almost managed to convince myself that cooking in a room that was like a dark box wasn’t really that bad. You just get used to it. Quite amazing really. That was quite a life lesson.
A touch of bright!
The first two husky guys known as “demolishers” came by bright and early, at 7.30 am.
Just before that a dazed looking Bob had tottered through to the living room. Obviously something was very wrong. The two young men helped him back into the bed and stayed with him while I called the paramedics.
Anyway, long story, and he was in emergency, then in a hospital ward for a week.
At times like this you realize how important organization is. The project manager proved to be amazing. He presented us with a program detailing what would happen each day, until the end of the project. He estimated the new and improved kitchen would take just over a month to completion. (...polite small snorts of derision from friends about my trusting belief that this would happen on time...) But, it did.
Cam, our delightful, conscientious manager, visited about every day to inspect or work on each stage as it completed. He seemed to have an endless list of folks who knew exactly what to do, and when they were to do it.
They removed debris each day too. They made sure to keep the toilet clean!
Journeymen excellence and peace of mind
While all this was going on we had family support in any way they could think of. That move was definitely a good thing, in spite of the fact that I was now a fully fledged caregiver. More about that soon. But it is definitely fraught!
After at first anxiously looking through each day’s progress, I suddenly became calm. There was no feeling of complete chaos, as I’d.been warned. It was a joy to watch the competent skill sets that each small team of journeymen applied to their particular part of the project.
I’m proud of our journeymen. No wonder these days kids want to qualify and be one. They are spurning university studies in favour of trade schools. Makes sense if you think about it. So much new housing is needed. Journeymen can get good employment anywhere.
This was no easy fix. All necessary old materials needed to be carefully removed, bagged if necessary, and packed in a big truck for disposal.
Now there was a naked ceiling. It was packed with huge depths of pink insulation. On the surface were special acoustic bars that prevent noise transfer between the top and bottom condos. Amazing, the difference between building 40 years ago and now.
Below, a temporary small sink is going in. It was so good to have, rather than using the bathroom sink!
Making due
A microwave turned out to be the only means of cooking, although in summer it would be easy to cook out on the balcony. By the end of the month though, reno-fatigue has set in, no matter how kind everyone is.
The finale
Moving to a new community and new home is not easy. Putting your own stamp on the new place requires an energy that is often hard to find as you age.
The kindest, nicest people around you make the best seasoning for your daily work in home and kitchen. When you’re able to look on the renovation with delight, and use it just the way you hoped you could, it definitely seems worthwhile!
A creek-side stroll
Mama goose, sitting on her eggs. Papa goose, not far away, was hissing at passersby, but he quieted with some gentle acknowledgement.
Thank you!
VickiW