Some people see spring cleaning as the time to dust, vacuum and wash everything in a room. We ended up just redoing the room. Actually, we have two major projects going on and although I tried to space them out, as construction projects go, all scheduled plans went Ker-Flooey and everyone descended at the same time! Roofers, cabinet makers, granite installers...that's what was buzzing at our house.
Project 1: A new roof. Last summer our neighborhood was hit with a violent hail storm that left much of us with damage to cars, roofs, and siding. For us, it was just roof damage since, thankfully, our cars were safely tucked away in the garage.
Now that the weather is warmer, roofers are busy in the neighborhood.
Project 2: A Kitchen Upgrade
Since we've lived in the house one of my biggest complaints was about the kitchen layout. The design plan was awkward and chopped up. When one of my neighbors told me about the great deal she got for a granite upgrade I started thinking seriously about making some changes. After some discussion Larry and I agreed to remove the kitchen desk, add some cabinets and much needed counter space, and convert to granite.
Now some wise man, (or perhaps comedian) once said "If you want to see God laugh, tell Him your plans". The same could be said of contractors and construction workers. I carefully scheduled the cabinet makers, the granite installers, the plumber, and the roofers. Each one had their own day, and the kitchen would be out of service for only one night. Easy peasy! I was ready.
Well, I may have been ready, but everyone else? Not so much. The Cabinets due Monday, came on Tuesday. The granite due Wednesday didn't show. Somehow they had the wrong date on their calendar. Would it be ok if they came on Saturday? (Well....sure...why not). Call the plumber! (He was due Thursday.) The plumber couldn't reschedule until the next Tuesday. (So much for having the kitchen out of commission only one night!) Friday was roofing day. We were up early, and we waited. And waited. The shingles arrived mid-morning, but no roofers. We waited some more. 3:00 pm we got the phone call. They were running behind. They would be there on Saturday.
Saturday dawned bright and sunny, with the birds singing outside the bedroom window. By 9am we wouldn't have heard a tornado with the all the racket up on the roof. Inside, the kitchen was being dismantled. Outside, the lawn was buried under tarps, shingles, and....well you get the picture. People driving by on the road had to dodge work trucks where the granite guys had set up shop. Maggie tried to find a quiet hole for her nap and the rest of us just tried to hunker down wherever we could.
Today it is all done. The roofers are gone and the new roof looks great. The plumber finally made it so we once again have running water and a functioning dishwasher. The kitchen is complete. And Wow! What a difference! I love it. We have never been the kind of people to remodel or even do periodic upgrades on our homes. But this time we were right. Not only does this kitchen really fit the house, it enhances the house.
Of course, as in all good planning, there were a few snags. When the cabinets were put in, I realized the one thing I had missed (believe me...I spent weeks trying to make sure I had everything covered) was that one electrical outlet was too low and would be covered up by the backsplash. Then when the granite was delayed I was annoyed....until I realized the bright side. Thanks to that scheduling snafu, I had time to have the outlet moved.
Sometimes life just works out right, even when it doesn't follow your schedule. (I'm pretty sure there is a Biblical truth somewhere in there.)
