And So It Begins Again

Well, it's about that time again. Our lives have been entirely too neat and orderly. So it's time to break some things. As we wait for an upcoming long weekend, we're starting the pre-demo work on the first floor.

That means dismantling lights and outlets. Look at this super sketchy wiring we found! Yes, that's brown speaker wire and knob and tube running the ceiling fan we used for seven years.

We're also taking down the pretty Victorian casing and woodwork that is patterned so that we can strip and refinish it. This time, we'll pay someone else to strip the paint. I've had enough with that.

While Mike does the finesse work on the casing, I play with the five-pound sledgehammer in the kitchen. Those cabinets didn't stand a chance.

We've made some discoveries, too. Like our fireplace. There was no bag of gold inside. Instead, we discovered that the chimney is actually only 2/3 the size it appeared. Note the hollow section on the right. It's brick behind plaster on the left. So we're going to have to figure out what to do with that.

Next Thursday, we're having a dumpster delivered. And then the ceilings will come down, the walls will come out, and if we have time, the floors will come up. Onward!