Roof is done..

Finally, after two years the roof is done! I can honestly say it was worth the wait. The guy did a great job. He used top quality material and his workmanship is not easily found nowadays. I am pleased and I feel pretty confident that we are not going to have any problems. He did a couple of extras for me that I really appreciate. He added a chimney cap which I had been wanting for a long time. He also cleaned out a vent which I had not used in 14 years because of the bird nest. I now have an exhaust fan running straight out the roof through that vent. I know that haveing that fan will help to cool down the whole house since heat travels up.

Now on Friday the last of the big projects will get started. Dave's room, the computer room and the upstairs hallway are getting a new laminate floor installed. I can't wait till that is done. The color is cherry. It is long-lasting and easy to keep clean. There is a lot of traffic up there when Dave's friends come over, so I won't have to worry about the wear and tear as much.

The small stuff which I need to do is nothing, or at least it feels like nothing, after all this major work for the last month and a half.

Well got most of it out of the way...

Yeah, most of the work on the house is almost over. The floors took the longest. They took forever to dry. Finally the furniture is back in it's place. Only one of my recliners is still in the garage since the roofing material was delivered today and it takes up most of the garage. If the weather cooperates the roof will be done tomorrow. Then I need to go shopping for the laminate floor for the upstairs. That should not be too bad. The month of May is almost over. Hope the summer is good.

This floor...

This floor has been a real pain in the ass. Two weeks and still not done. The smell of the polyurethane is overwhelming. I don't blame the floor guy, since he got a bad batch of minwax. It would not dry in the normal time. It took over 20 hours to dry. Max time should be 12 hours. This material he used now is fast drying but very strong. I just want to get it over and done with. I can't wait to have my furniture back where it belongs.

Still not done yet, once this is done he is going to install flooring upstairs, however, this time the flooring will be prefinished and ready to walk on immediately after installation. It is all worth it though since the house will look great and it should be easier to keep clean. We shall see...

Are 24 hours always 24 hours?...

I don't know. When you don't want something to happen it seems as if time flys and when you are eager for something to come or happen, then time drags on almost at a snails pace. So I guess it is all a matter of how one views time.

I have been counting the moments until the floor guy comes and repairs the floor. I have been waiting for 3 weeks now to get my house back in order. My stuff is all over and even though I try to keep it organized it is almost impossible with so many people always around. I bought a couple of recliners for myself and they are still in the box in the garage. I figured they were safer out there. Hopefully the guy shows up tomorrow and takes care of the floor so that I can get started putting everything back. The roof is going to get replaced this coming weekend, however that is outside work so it should not disrupt my life too much. Well, I long for the day day I can sit back and relax and enjoy all the new stuff...

So where is the warm weather...

It is mid May and it is cold. April had warmer days than May has. I sure hope that this is not what summer is going to be like. I was really looking forward to a long hot summer. I really want to enjoy my house now that the remodeling is about complete, but I much rather spend time outdoors. I love Chicago but I could not live here if the summers did not bring warmth. I am older now and I seem to feel the cold more than before. My flowers have come up beautifully. I have some clematis plants that are in their fifth year, so they should bloom like never before. I can't see them but when people tell me how beautiful they look, that is enough for me. I could almost picture them in my mind. So summer please come back and bring all your splendor with you...

As long as I have a say in the matter...

It does notmatter what the situation might be, as long as it depends on me I will keep the peace. I was not always of this mind. I would be the first to blow-up and I always demanded to be heard. I have not been that way for a few years now. I am much happier with myself now. Not that things or things people say and do don't upset me, they still do, but my way of handling it is so different. I now look for a peaceful solution. I am happiest when a situation can be solved to everyone's benefit. And believe me that with a little give and take it can be done.

I have actually come to believe that if I need to give more than I recieve, that is ok by me if all are happy. So, as long as it depends upon me, I will seek peace. I feel better and God only knows, I may live longer. When I look back at how much of a hot-head I was, I actually would call many of my reactions as stupid ones. I am trying to improve myself and to become a better person for myself and for those around me.

I much rather be viewed as a level-headed person than a hot-head. I will keep working on self-improvement and I know I will be happier and a much more pleasant person to be around....

Very busy...

Yes, I have been very busy for the last 3 weeks now. All the main level doors have been replaced and all the woodwork around them was also replaced. Then we decided to refinish the oak floor in the front room and front bedroom. That has been a real drag. first of all the guy took 8 days to do it, and then we waited 3 more days for it to dry, and it did not dry well. Some spots will have to be redone since the finish did not grab properly. Now I can't put my furniture back until after Monday. The guy is coming on Monday to repair the sections. I know I should be happy with all the new stuff, but all these little set-backs are very dissapointing. Hope he gets here and takes the proper steps to correct the matter. I know how to fix it but he got paid big bucks to do a good job, and I am going to make him live up to it. Hopefully by this time next week I will be sitting in my new recliner enjoying the breeze as it comes in through my window and maybe then I will be able to appreciate all the changes that have taken place. Oh wait, I just remembered, the roof is going to be replaced on that weekend. Hope to God that goes smoothly!