Time Capsule

In the process of this move from our first house, I'm saddened by the changes the new owners are planning to make upon closing.  The house will be for the buyer's 80-something-year-old mother so some renovations were talked about for the flooring and particularly for the bathroom to make it accessible for an elderly woman and her walker.

The thought that the new owners will come in and rip out our bathroom breaks my heart.  The bathroom is the one room we've done the most work to.  We completely gutted it 5 years ago, rebuilt it by hand from the studs, and I love it.  I even laid my first ceramic tile floor in that bathroom.

Thankyouverymuch!

It's the first project we tackled together and it's 100% OURS.

We took a hideous 1950s Italian bathroom (with gold fixtures, yellow walls, flamingos painted on the shower doors and gold marbled shell shaped sink) from this:

To this:

Dave mentioned something the other night that I had almost forgotten.  When we remodeled the bathroom in 2005 we put a time capsule in the wall behind the new drywall for someone to find in generations to come.  In a small container we placed coins from 2005, photos, a note with our story, and some other trinkets of the time.

Together with a newspaper from March 19th of that year, we lovingly boarded it up behind the drywall of our new bathroom with visions of someone in a far away time uncovering our history.   Little did we know at the time that it might be discovered just a few years later.

The thought seriously pains me.  All that hard work, all the investment, all that time, and effort, and love.  Gone.  They'll rip out our new bathtub that we picked out specifically big enough for two (much smaller, pre-kids people) to bathe in.  They'll get rid of our beautiful cherry vanity and mirror that we (literally!) bought before we were even planning to remodel and built the entire design of the bathroom around.  All the little things we loved about this house the new owners may throw aside without a second thought.

I have flashbacks of this when it comes to having to say goodbye to this house.  For all the good reasons why we're leaving, it sure won't be easy.  I'm just sayin'....

Wordless Wednesday....Before and After

Before

May 4, 2010

After

May 23, 2010

:)

Simple Woman's Daybook...May 11, 2010

FOR TODAY...May 11, 2010

Outside my window...the sun is shining, albeit temporarily.  They (the weathermen, that is) are calling for rain later today.  I guess we’re finally getting the April weather we skipped by…so does that make it “MAY showers bring JUNE flowers”?  

I am thinking...about this house hunting process we’re in currently.  We got our house on the market last week and are looking at a few houses that have some land to offer.  To find any options in our price range we tend to have to sacrifice the quality of the house or the length of the commute to get what we want.  It’s frustrating but necessary.

I am thankful for...my family.  There are a lot of people I know who have strains somewhere in their family - mother-daughter rifts, siblings they don’t speak to, etc.  I am blessed with a family I truly adore and a brother, sister, Mom and Dad who have been there through thick and thin.  I see them often, talk to them frequently, even have fun with them when we’re together.  Go figure!  I am truly lucky to have such a great support system.  

From the kitchen...Avery is wimpering to come out here and pester me for attention.  My mint tea is soothing my tired body and achey soul.

I am wearing...a sweater.  In May.  Yesterday I had TWO sweaters on and had my heater running in my office all day.  In MAY.  Gotta love Rochester weather!

I am remembering...very little these days.  I swear I feel like an 80-year-old woman some days.  I have a hard time remembering things I say, things I've heard, phone calls I have to make, things I've promised people, who I've lent movies to, who I've had conversations with.  It's ridiculous!  I need some Gingko Biloba or something!

I am going...to Dee's house for a Meeting of the Minds.  She and a few of my friends from City Hall get together once a month or so and hang out over dinner and a glass (or two) of wine.  Dee always hosts it (unless we decide to go OUT somewhere) and when Dave is working that allows me to bring the kids so they can play with Dee's son, Evan, and daughter, Shannon.  Nathaniel LOVES them and Shannon is fabulous with Alex so it works out great!  Nathaniel calls Evan his "sister"...ha!

I am hoping...we sell our house fast.  I hate the roller coaster ride that selling a house can cause.  The ups and downs, the back and forth, the indecision, having to ready at the drop of a hat to clean up and get out.  It's exhausting and confusing for the little ones.  I just want to sell the house so we can focus on looking for a new one.  I'd love to say "so we can build at Mom and Dad's" but truth be told, we have a very tight deadline and while I'd LOVE for that to work out, I don't see it happening.  I guess we'll just see how things work out.  If it's meant to be it will work out, right?

I am hearing...Avery wimpering, the clock ticking, the rain I mentioned earlier falling...

Pondering these words..."Hey you, I'll read your face like a BOOK!" - Nathaniel's latest "insult". It's bugging the crap out of me!  He's been so mouthy lately that I actually threatened to wash his mouth out with soap this morning!  He has gotten in trouble quite a bit lately for calling people a "pig" or saying "you smell like a goat" so now when's he angry he'll call you a "mean book" and when he wants to be scary or threatening he'll say the above phrase.  It's frustrating.  I'm not sure how to curb it...

Around the house...Nathaniel is doing a pretty good job of keeping his stuff picked up.  It's a constant effort to keep on top of it!  I'm very proud of him for being such a big boy and a great helper!

On my mind...a house we went to see yesterday.  It's out in Holley, near Noah and Wendy.  It is a great price and has HUGE potential!!  It sits on 5 acres and I loved the yard!  The house needs some improvements but is liveable as is and we could update it as time went by...there's huge possibilities there.  The biggest downfall....the commute.  40 minutes to work, on a good day.  In the winter I'd probably be looking at an hour or more.  Not sure if that balances out.  We're just going to have to weigh our options, I guess...

Noticing that...the house gets VERY quiet after the boys are asleep.  I can hear every little noise and I LOVE it!

One of my favorite things...my new nightly mint tea routine.  It's so warm and relaxing...not to mention yummy!  Plus, it keeps me from munching aimlessly on food I don't need anyway!

A few plans for the rest of the week:  Play-date with Tiff & Brie, hoping to meet up with Rebecca and Simone, WALK ‘N TALK (finally!) with Heidi, Darien Lake with Tiff & Brie this weekend, whatever else the mood strikes in us!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Nice weather brings more and more of this.  My big boy, scootering down the sidewalk...*sigh*

Be sure to stop over to the Simple Woman's Daybook to read more entries!