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This year, we didn’t buy each other gifts but there have been a lot of hugs and a few tears this morning. There may not be much in the way of toys and stuff but there is an overabundance of love. Always love.
Merry Christmas, dear ones.
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This Year
This year, I’m enjoying the holiday season in a totally different way. I don’t know if it’s the perspective of The Advent Conspiracy or making a decision each day to trust we are provided for. I’ve made conscious choices to do things more simply this year. I’ve actually sewn things on my mom’s machine.. multiple things! It feels really good to create something with my hands, to take the time to make a gift for people I love.
Giving of myself through spending time creating for family and friends is rewarding, and not in a I have to be Martha Stewart kind of way. I’ve chosen easy to complete projects for everyone and so far, everything has turned out well. I like this Christmas.
Limbo
The Kitchen Nightmare really has no update to speak of since our last installment. Everything went on hiatus during the holiday last week and after demo of the cabinet, we’ve been waiting on our plumber. The waiting is frustrating. READ MORE »
Kitchen Nightmares, Part 1
On Saturday night, after a lovely evening meal, Rob helped me wash the dishes. As we stood there, the water in the sink drained slower and slower. Not thrilled with the prospect of having the drain snaked (mostly because of the miniscule digits staring back at me in our bank account), I did what we almost always do: called my dad.
Sunday afternoon, my parents came over to lend a hand. My dad asked Rob to run some water and came back in to the kitchen. “Well, it’s not good.” Gulp. Ok, so we call Roto Rooter? “No, call homeowner’s insurance.” WHAT? See, there’s this pipe that runs down the wall, through the floor and meets up with the main sewer line. And ours is broken. Water is flowing back into the house via that broken pipe.
This morning, I called our homeowner’s agency and within 3 hours, the water mitigation service was here. They checked moisture content in the floor and wall. Sub-floor? Soaked. Wall behind the sink? Soaked. All of these things are complicated by a few things, namely living in old house.
1) Asbestos! Woot! We don’t know yet if there’s asbestos in the wall. They come back tomorrow to test it. If there is, removal is a bit more complicated. We can still stay here but the kitchen will be locked up in the biohazard containment unit (last seen in ET, the Extra-Terrestrial when we all thought ET was dead and Elliot brought him back to life).
2. Original Tile on the floor! See above: Asbestos. Under the laminate floor lies the original tile installed in 1940 when our house was built. Cutting into this tile will release asbestos fibers into the air, requiring the ET biohazard unit again.
So here’s what we know. If the tile has to be cut to get at the water-logged subfloor, they will take out the entire floor. The good news for that is OMG I have wanted to rip out that laminate since I bought this house and never had the money or time or know-how to do it. The bad news.. we will be without our kitchen during this entire process. We may have cabinets ripped out to get the wet lath/plaster out and since they are original to the house, they are solid. The counter top tile will probably be ripped out as well and again, it’s original. I wish there was a way to keep it because I love it. If the floor comes out, the fridge and stove will have to be relocated, as will our chef’s table.
Can anyone come over and help us pack food and dishes and maybe feed us? We won’t be able to cook and I’m really not looking forward to washing dishes in the bathroom sink.
And for your viewing pleasure:
If you don’t cry, you have no soul.