And we have walls!!!

This was a LOVELY sight to come home to!!!  LOVELY!

First of all, I came home in the LIGHT!!!  It was before 6 pm- which was AWESOME!  I haven't seen my house in the light hardly at all!  Second, I had been to the gym to do cardio, so I was feeling wonderful!  People just don't understand how much I have to go there and let the cares of the day go....

Anyway, FIRST of all, I am totally impressed with how well this has been cleaned up for the weekend- new plastic on the floor and everything.  I have to find myself a card table so I can have a spot to have lunch and dinner.....

There is just one spot on the walls with out rock on it, except for the little bits at the top, because of COURSE the walls are a tad taller than the drywall. We KNEW that was going to happen.  So, next Monday, I am guessing the rock will  be finished and then there will be some taping and mudding, and I imagine then is the priming, which means I have to figure out a color pronto!!   AGH.  One would think that I would go forward into that with confidence, but one would be wrong.  The front room that was redone about 15 or more years ago is still off-white and it took me a while and a few paint stores to find the right warm grey for the bathroom.  Theoretically, I do not want beige, but I do not want to shut off any possibilities.  I am actually considering a greyish gold color- nice and warm, but not just off-white, a little deeper than that.....  and now I am thinking about a color for my front room, too, since that hasn't been painted for a long long time.  The thing is (no laughing now), I HATE to paint walls.  I might have discussed this with you before, like at Christmas when I finally painted the old wall around the couch- you know the one that is no longer there???  Oh the irony of that!  Not that I am afraid of color, it is just that if I don't like it I will have to paint it again.......  and that would be unfortunate!

Front room angle

kitchen angle, left

kitchen angle, right

Hallway angle

Window view

window view

This is a soothing sight, let me tell you!

And quite the joy!  Until next time, be a joy giver!!

Happier Mad-Art Teacher

This is just a quick post to make it clear I am not losing my grip!  :)

This HAS been a tough week, and I know others have had tougher ones, but I did not enjoy my days.  There are so many aspects to this, and I won't get into it.  Let's just say I came out a stronger person on the other side.  I am still in the middle of the downhill crazyride, but at least I can see the bottom coming.

Other than undoubtedly more lines on my forehead from frowning, I think I came through relatively unscathed.  I HAVE to thank my buddy MARK HARTER for helping me get that scenery painted, because without him this year, I would be still there this morning, in my Thursday clothes.

I hope you are still with me everyone!  These kinds of weeks are why I continue on my quest for hopeless optimism- it is SO much easier to be positive when you have seen the negative.  Negative in my job, negatives in my personal and professional interactions, negatives in self esteem, but sprinkled throughout I have people (like Mark and so many many others) who came through for me when I genuinely needed the boost.

Interesting how life can change and evolve and people come and go in your life at just the right time.

I feel really bad that, other than my texting loseit friends, I have sadly neglected the site that has been instrumental in my personal transformation, but I know this is temporary.  I'll be back at it soon!

Have a lovely FRIDAY people!!!  MUAH!!!

Be a joy giver!!!!!

And we have some drywall....

There is definite movement in the reconstruction front!!  We have ceiling drywall and life appears to be good!  there has been a lot done in the past week, and I am assuming that it will continue to be so.  Again, not a super dramatic day, but very, very encouraging!

THANK GOD its Friday!!  

The first 2 shots are of my ceiling that I never really had!  Somehow this does not bother me either..... 

NOW, this is what I came home to- a nice, clean, white, all but taped and mudded, finished ceiling!  COOOOOL!  I will be assuming, since I forgot to text the Builder when I got home, that some drywall action will continue.

 THANK HEAVEN ITS FRIDAY!!!!

Front room angle (look at all that lovely drywall leaning up against the wall!!)

From the kitchen

**DOING THE ITS FRIDAY DANCE**

Good ceiling shot from the kitchen to the right (drywall!!!)

ceiling shot from the kitchen, with flash

 IT IS FRIDAY PEOPLE!!

From the hall angle

From the window angle

From the window- to the other direction

This is so cool!!  I think I said that before!  :)

I really can't wait to get home tonight, but I GET TO GO TO THE GYM FIRST!!!!  WOOOOO HOOOOOOO!  CARDIO baby and then weights tomorrow!!!

I'M SO GLAD ITS FRIDAY!!!!!

Anyway, this is an amazing transformation- I can't wait to see what the final day of the week brings- I am guessing some white walls, don't know which ones, tho.  I would imagine my builder finds it exasperating that in this little room there are 3 doors, a window and a chimney to drywall around.  There is one spot where he can put up 2 full sheets and that is IT, the rest will involve cutting.  Rock on my builder friend!!

Until next time- FIND YOUR JOYS IN FRIDAY!!!  I am totally hoping that "someone" has enough energy left tonight to go somewhere- anywhere- to eat because I need a massive drink AND I have no idea where we will be eating our meals!  The table is a little out of commission!!  I will take a few pix of our crowded living conditions this weekend maybe.  Just so I can look back and appreciate it!  :)

Quick hits

Some quick thoughts this morning-

I seriously need some time to myself, because I am starting to scare the children.  Not my own children, and not the elementary children, but the HS kids have seen me yell twice (heard?) in as many days!!  I do not yell at the kiddos, so this is not cool.  Of course the yellees totally deserved it....... but still.  I'm on edge.

I am actually very pleased with the scenery progress, because we are actually going to finish it tonight.  I still have 4 portraits to paint (on the piano hider) but the rest will be done this evening.  I am going to try to make my way back to the sewing machine and whip up a pair of witches legs for the play, yet this weekend............. because I am an idiot and find the need to do that.....................  but you know.

But that is good (the progress) as I NEED to have a day to myself SOON.  And that will have to be Sunday, as I am going to go in and paint the stage with the kiddos on Saturday afternoon.  I WILL BE GOING TO WEIGHTLIFT ON SATURDAY MORNING!!!!!! (whew, I feel better just saying that) And then the stage, and I have no idea when I will grocery shop. I am hoping for lunch at the Pal with the MA, as I just don't think I can muster the ambition to make it.  I am thinking "out loud" here.  Anywho, that will effectively take up a lot of my Saturday - and I will need to do some laundry and things like that.  Who knows, maybe I can get a walk or snow shoe in as well.

A couple of things that are not cool about house renovations - totally  beyond anyones' control:

~ there is a film of dust all over my feet from walking on the floors (UGH)

~there is a film of dust all over EVERYthing

~I have NO place to relax and there is that whole no tv thing.  :(

~I somewhat obsessively try to clean up a little of the dust every night instead of parking myself somewhere and eating something healthy.......  and then there is that picture taking obsession.

~I am going to miss freaking Project Runway tonight - the one with all the good looking men and all--- :*(

~ weirdest of all, this has triggered some really disturbing dreams.  I don't know if it is from the disruptions, or from the stress factor of this time of year and this particular year, or what, but I wake up feeling a sense of dread the last few days.  It is creepy!!!  I don't remember the dreams at all, I know this morning I woke up after dreaming about trying to accomplish something- some sort of travel and it involved a school bus, and I just couldn't do what I needed to. One of those frustrating dreams, you know?

Don't  tell me or think that I am ungrateful, or that I brought this on myself or that this is only temporary or anything else- I understand that. I chose to have more piled on me this week and next- but you know this is my blog and I'll cry if I want to!  Or at least whine, because I need to do that sometimes.  I know that I have to look at the positive side of things as I always do, and I am trying to not talk myself into having a bad day.  I think I feel somewhat more upbeat than yesterday, so I am going to attempt to get in the car in a little while with a good attitude and hopefully a good day will follow.

But I better get working on it, because I am not feeling it yet......

So dig around and find that joy!  It has to be under there somewhere.  ( Probably under the film of dust)

Ka- POW! Look at this, would you?!!

You know those little angels that sing in the background when you see something amazing?  Well, at least on TV? (Is this the time to reveal I really hear that?? No?)  Well those alleged angels sang when I saw my living room last night. 

 My archway is so COOL! 

"Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa............" (angels singing) 

It is really difficult for you to realize how different this looks unless you had been in my claustrophobic little kitchen.  Now, mind you, this kitchen doesn't really bother me all that much.  I grew up in a house with a MASSIVE kitchen, yet this is pretty efficient and easy to use.  Only occasionally do I find my counter space is inadequate (I do bemoan the fact that I have no dishwasher, and really no place for one), but generally I am fine with it.  (Unlike the paneling and carpet in the livingroom, which I hated with every fibre of my being)  But WOWZA, the way that this made both room feel so much bigger is absolutely amazing.  Which of course is what I had wanted so SCORE for me, even if it is a different idea, the result is the same.  I effectively eliminated a bit of storage space though, so I have to rethink a few other areas of the house- but I think I have that worked out already.  Just have to have the time (insert hysterical laughter) to reorganize.

Let there be light (soon)

In other news, there is now a spot for a ceiling fan and light!!!! AND there are a badillion electrical outlets that are sprinkled all over the place!!! WOOO HOOOO!  And there is progress on the ceiling fan and light situation in our bedroom as well, so that is fabulous.  Seriously, who would think that such a thing would be so exciting?  I am going to have a garage sale for all the extension cords I no longer need!  

Front room angle- isn't this construction site amazingly tidy??  I'm so impressed.

from the kitchen- to the left

from the kitchen to the right (where is the flash??)

From the window-flash now engaged (you have to remember I am seriously impaired at night)

LOOK KIDS- ELECTRICITY IN THE CEILING!!

from the hall, to the right

From the hall to the left

Arch from the kitchen

 I am really thrilled with this progress!!

So on the agenda today is apparently some ceiling drywall!!  THAT is going to be pretty cool- and I should actually take a pic or two of the ceiling again- just for comparison.  (which I just did- with no flash- hehehe)

So until next time- be a joy giver!!!

Living room reno- deconstruct and rebuild

There is progress in a subtle way today- lots of things that are not super noticeable, but take up a lot of time!  

My artistic contribution

Here are the pictoral viewpoints again, and this time I did get them all in.  :) The drywall around the window is gone and that wall is insulated.  The rest of the walls have 2 x 4's in them that weren't there yesterday!  I am assuming that is a good thing!  :)

Today the electrician comes to make sense out of the wiring and put in some new outlets and the center ceiling fan and light!  It occurred to me yesterday that I am going to need a place to do some quick painting and staining/finishing and I have gotten the go ahead from my friend the woods teacher at school to use the spray booth!  PERFECT!  So I have a place to paint the metal for the furnace thingies and also finish the trim boards- it is always easier to do that before they are cut and put in place!

So there isn't a real lot to report today- other than I do long for the tv and listening to Justin on the channel 9 morning show, and of course I am going to miss Project Runway tomorrow night, which is just about killing me......  boooooooo.  Oh well.  I'm barely home anyway.

view from the front room door

View from the kitchen door

view from the window

 I simply can NOT wait for the arch to be revealed!!!  It is going to wreak a little havoc in the kitchen, though.

Another angle from the front room

View from the hallway door

Another angle from the hall door

When I get home tonight, I am expecting I will be seeing a bunch of new electrical wires and such- and a box for the new fan and lights and some outlets at least roughed into the walls.  This is will be cool, because then things like DRYWALL can go in!  I really do need to consider what color paint I am going to put on, because I imagine I will be painting here in a week or so---  because I don't have enough to do.  Lol.

Did I mention I have a play that I am involved in?

Until next time- hang on tight, the ride is heading down the first hill even faster!  Let the screaming commence....  and find your joy in the rush of it all!

IN other news....

I just wanted to separate my whining post from the JOY of my reno post.....

I am tired, y'all!  I am tired from the play activities, from not sleeping well, from having the children at school lose their FREAKING minds from the thing called 3rd quarter insanity.

I am tired from a few people in my life disappointing me to the nth degree- and I am tired from having my adrenaline going all the time.  I understand that some people are under more stress than me (like accountants who are gone from the morning until 9 or 9:30 at night) and have much more physical jobs than I do (like builders who are renovating livingrooms during snowstorms and things like that), but I am feeling the effects of putting in 12 hour days at school.  Not only do I have to do my regular job, but then continue teaching art after school while trying to paint and not do it ALL for them.  I understand that I chose to have these renovations done during my absolute busiest time of the year, and maybe that is the best time I could have done it.  But I am thinking that if I could have arranged a tropical vacation and had all of it done during that time, that would have been even better!!!  HA!  yes, I am delusional this morning and God helpme, it's only Wednesday.

I am totally over not being able to go to the gym after my day, but I just plain run out of time and energy..... and they close at 8!  I miss my weight-lifting, I am sure it is good to skip a week, but the focus and energy I get from that activity is something that I can't describe, and it is something I need to get back to asap.  I am also tired of my knees being achy and my wrist and arm being numb EVERY DAMN MORNING.

I am missing my photography so much, I am about to become one of those clocktower snipers.....

And seriously, I just get tired of myself sometimes.

So in my extremely positive way- some might find it disturbingly, persistently, positive way- I need to refocus my thoughts and see the bigger picture.  So here goes
1.  Only 2 weeks from now I will be in the middle of spring break.  I better be enjoying myself!  And during that time I will be having a pedi and a massage, and not all on the same day!  WIN WIN!

2.  I only have one huge thing left to paint for scenery and a few days to do it, and so it will get done!  I have a long night I can put in tonight and tomorrow night and Friday I will drag students in from art classes if I have to!

3. I am letting my muscles rest and recover and my carpal tunnel is getting slightly better from not lifting.  So this is a good thing, and I also have a plan for this coming week.  Yay!

4.  The third quarter is almost finished and on to the final 9 weeks of the school year.

5.  It is daylight savings time and it is lightish when I get home now- this is helpful.  I am hoping to make it home in the daylight at some point.

6. There is enough snow to snowshoe this weekend!  (I know this is almost too positive for even me, but it is true!)  Did you know that last year at this time the snow was GONE!!  I can't even.....  *positive thoughts, girl, positive*

7. I have so many good friends that I can hardly believe my good luck.  I wish I could have them all in a room for a fabulous party!  Wouldn't that be cool?  From all over the state AND from all over the US!  It'd be a blast.  Tequila would be consumed!  :) Speaking of which, I am hoping to be imbibing in a tequila flavored refreshment Friday night.......

8. It is almost spring.

9. I am going to have a new livingroom soon!!!!

10. I am going to also have visiting kiddos and grandpuppies here in a couple weeks- yay!

11. I am going to have a granddaughter soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So there is your dose of Debi whining and Debi disturbingly optimistic for the day.....

Hope you all can find your own joy!