Thanksgiving Kitchen Update

I feel good.  It's almost Thanksgiving, I have no kitchen and

it's all okay.  When I started the kitchen renovation, everyone

wanted to know if it would be done for Thanksgiving.  I had a

good idea that it wouldn't be, and I prepared everyone that

usually comes for Thanksgiving dinner that it just wasn't going

to happen this year.  We made dinner reservations months ago.

So instead of planning what would go in this year's stuffing, when

I'd get my shopping done, how long the turkey would take and what

time dinner would be ready, I'm able just to sit back and enjoy it.

No complaining here.

Things continue to move along.  The door between my dining room

and the new kitchen has been sealed up to keep the dust out of the house.

I couldn't wait to get that door open to see the new space from my usual

perspective.  Adding the pantry and old bathroom into the space added

only four feet to the kitchen but it feels much more than that.  

The new pine plank ceiling is installed.

...the walls are all closed up and the window and door casings are in.

Next comes the floor.

A new window has been installed in the dining room that overlooks the porch...

...and a window that has been covered up for at least 70 years has been restored.

When I first saw the house, it seemed odd to me there was only one

upstairs window on the driveway side of the house.  So without any plan

for what I would do if and when I found evidence of an old window, I

started ripping out closets and walls before I even moved in to the house.

Not only did I find a window, I found evidence of an old, very steep

staircase that went up to the back bedroom.  It seemed odd for such a

small house to have a second staircase.  It wouldn't have been a house

for a family with the means to afford a maid.  I later found in various

census records the family occupying the house had a tenant, probably

to help pay the mortgage.

Note the little bits of old wallpaper on the walls and a board that was

up inside the ceiling.  I would guess it's from the late 1800s.

  

The area where this old staircase was, along with a few feet of the 

dining room, became the new bathroom.

And finally, just outside the new bathroom door, the window has been

restored and brings light to what was a black hole in the house.

This view is from standing in the new bathroom looking toward the

basement door.  I believe the basement door is one of only a few that

are original to the house.  It's 5 feet, 9 inches high.   Adorable.

Work will stop for a little bit waiting for the floor people to

come in and while the kitchen cabinet plans are being finalized.

So I had a little bit of time to set up a little Thanksgiving

vignette.  I don't usually decorate for Thanksgiving but no

dinner planning or cooking to do, I had a little time to play.

With all the mess in the house, I probably won't be doing any

Christmas decorating in the house but I added a beautiful metallic

linen pillow that my friend Carol from 6Wilson made and monogrammed

for me.  It's kind of a mushroom toned metallic that will add a 

subtle bit of bling for the holidays.  You can check them out here.

I have a great deal to be thankful for this year.  My family and

friends are all healthy and happy, I'm getting the kitchen of my 

dreams and I have you that eagerly check in and leave your

thoughtful comments that keep me going.  You're all the best!

To all my American friends, I wish you a happy Thanksgiving.

To the rest of you, I wish you the happiest of holidays.

See you on the other side.