Punch list making me punchy

David comes home tomorrow after two weeks away. Thank god! I can't wait to give him back all the day to day stuff with the final renovation details. The fireplace is still not in - electric, gas, sheetrock, channels, all ready now and the masons have just about finished the chimney. But the fireplace installer keeps coming - pointing out something that is not right - and going away again. He's supposedly coming at 11am tomorrow now. That's his last chance as far as I'm concerned. I already called Amanda's to complain about the delay. The good news is that the downstairs bathroom is done now and the hardware for all the closet doors came in. So tomorrow we'll be just about done with everything (she says cautiously!) besides the rest of the unpacking as you can see from the library shot. But I know you are all dying for some more pictures so here you go! The killer sunset this evening from my beautiful living room reminded me how grateful I am for all of this despite unfinished punch lists :-)

PODs and Fireplaces

The PODs are gone!! Loretta and Paul helped me clear them out yesterday and they have been returned as of about an hour ago. When David gets back we have lots of moving up to the attic to do but at least everything is now in the house. It's quite the process watching them load the empty containers back on the truck. It's such a pleasant way to move ... all on our own time on both ends (packing and unloading). I may never do a traditional move again. Actually, I hope never to move again period!!! The fireplace saga continues. Apparently the unit we got which is most efficient and puts out a lot of heat has a different spec for installing than others and the wall is too deep ... with not enough clearance or something. They're ordering a ceramic part and a template for the stone to go around the curve of the front to accomodate stone. Poor TJ now has to sit in the nook there and fix it all on a 27 degree day. All should be finished up next week.

House warming Octovah fest!

Well we did it! What a difference a week makes! We got most of everything moved in and put away - lots up in the attic - in time to have 11 people over for a housewarming/"Octovah" Birthday fest. Christine Kane entertained us all and Tovah and Alan brought an amazing feast ... including a vegetarian delight of quinoa and squashes and a birthday cake for all the October birthday babies. We are an little October corner of the world here with an unbelievable 7 of 11 of us (including neighbors Tovah, David, Peggy, Alex, Eric and my friends Steve and Xiomara) celebrating. We had wonderful fellowship, laughter, sharing and feasting - it was a spectacular way to warm our home. So there's still a punch list going - but we're in and loving it. Unpacking will be happening for months. The PODS are supposed to be picked up Friday, second chimney work has started, front and side doors are getting finished, guest suite bathroom is still to be hooked up ..... we are still recovering from the long days and nights to get this far but we are thrilled to be back in and enjoying our dream home. Come visit!

Moving in....almost

We're exhausted! We moved in all weekend...... well most of our stuff anyway. We kicked the contactors outside and emptied the PODs. Sorry, no photos - too busy unpacking!! It is like Christmas seeing what's in those old boxes, finding Tupperware lids we thought we lost forever, etc. There will be a large yard sale in our future. I have to head out to NYC then Chicago this week and hopefully when I get back COO will be signed and our bed will have been moved in. Sunday Loretta and Paul came over to share a beer with us and we stayed to finish our first loads of laundry in the new house and enjoy the spectacular sunset.

Hand Railings to the guest suite

Railings to the guest suite are up and look beautiful. I got my first peek at the guest suite carpet too - needs to be vacuumed but the color works nicely. They've put finishing touches on - more trim around the doors, the range hood cover, and toe kicks in the kitchen. Tomorrow they'll cover the post in the living room and hang the track lighting there. Hopefully they'll also put up the screens since all the remaining living wasps in Columbia County came in today to get warm. My contribution today was to put my shoes in the shoe boxes - the wasps and ladybugs thankfully were not interested in the closet! We'll move furniture in tomorrow (maybe!) and over the weekend so our move in is truly within days. The COO is coming Tuesday but he said we could move in before that. Not sure I can do that until the bugs are gone and Barbara comes to clean on Tuesday but we'll see :-) Still need to get the guest suite bathroom installed but hot water is all hooked up. There is a spa bath in my very near future!!! And the laundry is piled up to capacity. How do you like my little laundry nook?

Closets!

Huge progress today! David finished up the closets and I moved most of my clothes in. And what's even more unbelievable is that there's plenty of room left!! David has become an expert Elfa Shelving installer after doing them for us in Dobbs Ferry and here. We moved in the red love seat so we could get at the bar stools and the drawer in the dresser that had the key to the other POD. I was able to open both PODs - especially that one that's been in storage for 2 years -and look inside today reminding me of what's actually in there! I wiped down the walls in the living room and hallway too and cleaned the dust out from all the drawers and cabinets. But best of all, I cleaned up our bedroom - threw all the construction mess out the door - and that will be our first place to make our own. They've got some more finishing work to do but they'll have to do it somewhere other than in our bedroom. Paul Trapanese will finish grouting the tile in the master bath and we think the shower doors should be coming this week too. So with any luck, when I get back from NYC on Wednesday I can sleep at the new house!!

Front stoop, bathrooms and more

Wow wow wow!! Front stoop is delicious - using our own fieldstone and featuring the large stone from the underground railroad that the previous owner had in the old one. Water is hooked up as well as most of the appliances. The washer/dryer room is an extremely tight fit but I take after my mother and fold the clothes on the couch anyway so in this case, size really doesn't matter. I am just happy they fit in the nook!! The tile backsplash in the master bath is also beautiful as is the finished shower complete with goose neck arm and rain shower head. The french doors and glass side lights are nice in the library. And I love the lily pendant lights and sconces. The toilets, sink and lights in the powder room are now in but the mirror from Tim's that I had hoped to go in there is just too big. David's been working on the closets and pictures of those will be subject of the next post. We still have workman's dust everywhere but as you can see....also workmen! Hope to be living there soon.......