My
Yucca 'Bright Star' signifying how I feel these days:
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| The largest of my 3 plants once again has its leaves stuck overhead, covering its core |
Our home remodel continues. Progress often seems very slow, partly because much of what's been done doesn't have significant visual impact, like the installation of a new electrical panel and the rewiring that involved. Or the installation of the new HVAC system, now 80% done. But yesterday we finally got drywall installed in the new kitchen.
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| This is what the kitchen looked like back in early July during demolition |
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| This is yesterday's view after the drywall finally went up |
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| The new windows were installed in early August |
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| The indoor BBQ to the right of the chimney was removed in July but fixing the holes in the roof created as a result of downsizing the chimney took time. The interior wood roof got sandblasted last week. We still have to work out the details for recladding the fireplace. |
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| This is the outside view. There's a whole new (and shockingly expensive) roof, as well as siding for the kitchen, still in the offing. |
The cabinets could be here next week, which will mark a major turning point. I'm still not betting on being done until late December but at least I can relax a bit.
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| The Yucca required some help to loosen up. Loosening myself up requires drilling a little deeper into my own psyche seeking patience. |
For more Wednesday Vignettes,
visit Anna at Flutter & Hum.
All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
OMG - that's a HUGE milestone! Congratulations - it looks great, Kris! I love how the Yuccas sometimes do that. I've only seen it in other people's gardens, and didn't realize it needed help to accomplish liberty. Anyway, it's a lovely Yucca. Tried it once, and it was covered in black spots after an unusually wet and cold winter. Might have to try again...
ReplyDeleteMostly I'm glad that the space under construction is finally fully enclosed. I kept expecting to walk in there early one morning to find a family of raccoons or skunks having a party.
DeleteEvery step brings you closer to the finished product. Hang in there. I have two little Yucca 'Colour Guard" that amazingly continue to survive and are even replicating themselves. Not the gorgeous specimens like yours but pretty novel and pretty none-the-less.
ReplyDeleteI keep expecting the 'Bright Stars' to bloom, Elaine. I planted them 5.5 years ago and still haven't had a single bloom stalk - but maybe that's because they're prone to hiding under the cover of their leaves every summer ;)
DeleteLOL at the Yucca illustrating stuckness. A rake handle is the perfect implement for unsticking them, I find. Your project's coming along!
ReplyDeleteLast year all 3 Yuccas pulled that stunt, Nell. I left them alone for a long time expecting that they'd free themselves but now I realize they want help...
DeleteSuch a slow, agonizing process, eh? Reminds me of giving birth! :D
ReplyDeleteIt's funny, Eliza. I take the whole process in stride for weeks at a time and then all of a sudden find myself getting testy for no particular reason. Could remodeling spur hormonal changes? ;)
DeleteStress does all sorts of things to the body. More retail therapy recommended! ;)
DeleteCoincidentally, I'm going to an orchid show and sale with a friend tomorrow...
DeleteMy Yucca leaves do that, too. A bit of fun knocking them loose.
ReplyDeleteExpensive roof, but don't you already like a higher ceiling in your future new kitchen? It will feel much more spacious. The fireplace looks great--still perfectly vintage but now more space, visual openness to the garden, and light.
Happy you are seeing progress!
My husband wants to insulate the entire roof, which apparently roughly doubles the usual cost of the job. And then the new sections of roof also have to be covered from scratch. But the cost, significantly higher even than the cabinets, was eye-popping nonetheless. We're still waiting for the second bid.
DeleteI am pleased for you to have this progress. What a lovely view you’re going to have from your kitchen windows.
ReplyDeleteIs it weird to say I look forward to washing dishes while staring out our new windows, Jane? Actually, I also look forward to having a dishwasher and a disposal until again too.
DeleteWow it looks like real progress being made on your remodel. It must be heartening to see something concrete. Your Yuccas appear to be praying for progress.
ReplyDeleteNow that's a much more positive view on the behavior of the Yucca, Lisa! I assumed it was cowering in fear.
DeleteWell it's coming along but that first picture was shocking. Since we are suddenly 1/3 of the way through September, maybe cooler fall weather (if it ever comes - not happening yet in Alabama) will help ease the final transition.
ReplyDeleteConsistently cooler weather doesn't seem to be happening here either, Barbara. We had possibly our hottest week of summer 2019 last week, although it was admittedly nowhere near as unpleasant as the last few summers have been. We had several days of very pleasant weather this week but temperatures this weekend are expected to soar again. Octobers here have the reputation that April has elsewhere as a cruel month of dramatic ups and downs.
DeleteOh yes, getting the drywall in is a big step toward the completion of the project! Your chimney is incredibly beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI'd have liked to have kept the stone for the remaining fireplace but my husband absolutely hates it - and, if keeping it was the plan, we should have patched it with the stone removed from the BBQ before portions of it were filled in with cement. (The stone's currently targeted got reuse in my garden.) For the fireplace, we're looking at a combination of Venetian plaster, stone tile and hearth materials, and a wood mantle.
DeleteFunny I’ve seen a few yuccas stuck like that recently, I can’t help but “unstick” them whenever I see it. Congrats on the drywall! Hopefully this progress (windows, HVAC, etc) means you’ve been able to use YOUR A/C?
ReplyDeleteWe can now use the AC in the back section of the house. Of course, as soon as they had it hooked up, the temperatures came down. But they're slated to come back up again starting today so I'm sure we'll get a chance to use it!
DeleteIt's looking like great progress to me. There's always a time when things seem stuck and the behind the scenes work is never exciting. But cabinets arriving should make it all start to feel real. And you have so much more space! Hang in there, it really will be worth it.
ReplyDeleteIt looks as though the cabinets will be delivered Monday afternoon and installation will happen Tuesday-Wednesday, Jessica. I've received no details on the timeframe to install the countertops or backsplash but it is feeling as though the schedule has suddenly sped up. There's still a lot left on the agenda - roof, fireplace, flooring, painting - but maybe I'll be able to celebrate Christmas here after all.
DeleteI would feel especially good about seeing the sheetrock go up.Always nice not to see exposed 2x4's !
ReplyDeleteMy office wall, which adjoins the kitchen, was finally restored with new drywall today too, Kathy. I'm thrilled just to get the 20 square feet I'd lost there back.
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