Holiday Crunch Time
I am so damn exhausted.
It's been several weeks since I posted. It's been 5-6 weeks since I pulled everything out of the music room and started this renovation. I have ten days before 20-some odd people show up to my house for Xmas.
And it's not done.
Most of the first floor of my house is covered in… everything? Furniture and instruments from the music room. Materials and tools I've been using in the process. Miscellaneous supplies ordered for the shindig. Gifts I've ordered for people. Decorations waiting for the time and space to be put up. And boxes.
OH SWEET LEAPIN’ LORD THE BOXES.
I had been doing a good job of maintaining some project/life balance up until about Thanksgiving. Was able to do other things, go to workouts, let my mind move on once in awhile. Then Hollywood's little rugrat decided to give everyone a cold at Thanksgiving and I lost a week feeling like crap. Now I'm looking at the remaining days and the remaining task list and… there's just not enough time. Every day this week I've woken up, made breakfast, sat down to work, and immediately jumped on the renovations after until the risk of PM noise violations becomes too high. That's it. Rinse repeat. I'm even getting a few extra pieces of floor installed on my lunch break.
Ughhhhh I just want to be doooooone.
The good news is that it's getting close. What's been done? Well I'm glad you asked, fictional reader:
Old concrete steps blown out (contractor)
New stairs built, painted, treads stained.
Door replaced (contractor)
Walls painted a new color
New plywood subfloor installed
Learned air compressor/didn't explode
2/3 hardwood flooring installed
And what still needs to be done?
Finish flooring install
Install floor transitions
Fill floor nail holes and voids with wood putty
Reinstall trim, caulk, paint
Paint new door
Touch up paint around stairs
Build, stain, install railing.
Move everything back into room
It's mostly smaller detail things, but it needs to be done. If I don't caulk and paint the trim before everything gets moved in, for example, I'll never move it all out again to finish it. Everything is looking really good so far, it's just sucking up every minute I can give to it and still needs more.
I've done most of my shopping. I bought folding chairs to make sure I have enough seating. I doubled my counts on glassware, flatware, and dinnerware so we have enough for everyone. I bought a tree stand and lights for the front of the house. And I'm getting quotes on cleaning services in the area to come deep clean the house. I just need to get everything else done first. And what else is left, you ask?
Haul away all the boxes, old door, flooring
Go buy a (real!) tree, put up, decorate.
Put up Christmas lights outside
Yard work, leaves, pruning, wrangling raspberries
Get last gifts and wrap
Buy beer/wine
Buy condiments and extras I may be missing
Program smarthome for Shorty's visit
Caulk/paint upstairs trim
Tack down popped floorboard in guest room
Bathe
Breathe
… I don't stand a chance do I?
With any luck, I'll have the floor down and trim done by this weekend. Then I'll be free to move things back into place. I think that's a major part of this stress right now - feeling unsettled. I have to tiptoe around things getting from the stairs to the fridge. There's no way to walk through the living room. Hell, there's not a comfortable seat on the first floor available because couches are all stacked on top of each other. It's a mess, and getting that situated after 5 weeks will go a long way. Home stretch.
What else is up? Briefly
Thanksgiving was relaxed, but fun. Hollywood wanted me to get there a day early to head out on the town. I was a little skeptical of motivations and, she enough, she let slip that she was thinking we could go to Miss Whatever's bar. It was a set up and I could feel it. But I couldn't make it down with work, so apart from Nephew Plaquebringer it was a pleasant little visit.
Bruddah picked up tickets to a Breaking Benjamin acoustic show as my Xmas present. Went Sunday night. Was fantastic, if a little weird being shoulder to shoulder with a bunch of strangers. I stayed masked. Got my booster the week before specifically for it. Hopefully I can get away with that risk. It was a good break from the reno.
Some potential showing up on the girl front. Was lurking on a subreddit I occasionally scroll through, saw a personal that seemed interesting, and, in a moment of spontaneity, fired off a message. Struck up a conversation. Been chatting a bit. More promising than expected. No chickens counted here, but time will tell if anything comes of it.
Alluded to earlier, but Shorty is coming up for the family gathering and staying a few nights while visiting friends in the area. Should be fun having family floating around for the holiday season. Will be a break from the silence, anyway.
Ok that's plenty I'm seriously gonna crash. Back to some semblance of balance in life soon. Right after I get through this last leg of the race.
Looking forward to putting my feet up again. Finally. In a much improved music room.
-M
