4 days. Big changes.

Sunday night we stopped by the house to check out the progress, last night we dropped by again. Only expecting to see a bit of brick work, we were so excited with everything else we saw inside.

Sunday night. Garage door on. Brick lined up beside the house, teasing us. We left with our fingers crossed that the week would be rain free.



Thursday night. Tons of brickwork AND stonework completed to the outside! We snuck a small broken piece of brick and keep it sitting on our bedroom dresser as a fun reminder of Bromley each morning.





Working hard on the front porch.



View looking out the front door! I'm glad I don't have to clean up that mess!



Sunday night. The Kitchen. The sheetrock had been completed and walls textured.



Thursday. The kitchen. Big surprise... our cabinets are in!! The cabinets were the one thing that i was a bit apprehensive about, but seeing them in person - I'm in love, they are beautiful! Granted they were covered because the ceilings were being painted, but we found a small slit in the covering and took turns peeking in and checking out the cabinets.



Sunday night. The bathroom. The bathtub is in, I'll start collecting bath bubbles and salts now!



Thursday night. The bathroom. The bathroom cabinets are in!



Family picture time! Kirby, look at the camera!

Looking like a house now.

The last time we pulled up to check out Bromley, it was a sweltering hot afternoon and the house was booming with the sound of Spanish music. I salsa'd through the kitchen to the living room and found the source:


The music was pounding through the house as we continued to explore and see the huge changes that had been made since our last visit. The sheet rock has been put up, we have actual walls!


The kitchen!

We wandered into the bedroom to find one of the workers very hard at work... anyone wonder how they work on top half of the walls?



We were beyond excited that the house is actually starting to look like a house, walls and all!

My favorite thing.

Roy always asks me, "What are you the most excited about?".

My response, "The fireplace!!".

Roy doesn't understand my overwhelming excitement, but the idea of relaxing around the house on a cold day with the fire roaring seems so homey. I'm doubly excited that we're moving in November... prime fireplace weather! It also will make for a great late night s'more maker. I have so many memories of my brother and I sitting in my parent's living room, in front of the fire, roasting marshmallows... on kabob skewers!


Fireplace installed!

Every new day we visit the house, things change faster and faster! Framing finished, roof on, and now the insulation is being installed. Our next step is dry wall.


Roof on!


View of upstairs gameroom.


Installed insulation, the whole house looks like its filled with cotton candy!


Our construction manager leaves messages for the workers on the floor... and highlights with spray paint!


Coming along great! The outside of the house almost looks finished... now we just need to work on the inside!

Windows and Hidden Talents

When we last went to scope out Bromley's progress we saw that the windows were put in! I joyfully danced around the living room while my pessimistic counterpart (*ahem* Roy) stood scratching his chin over how hard it will be to clean all the windows. I've been blissfully ignoring any future thoughts of us needing to clean, and I see no shame in cleaning windows by occasionally spraying the hose at the second floor windows.



On to more important findings! It seems that among our construction workers, we have a hidden artist.

Exhibit 1. "The Doodle"



I found this happy face drawn on our soon-to-be island. Very original and I give bonus points for thinking to add ears. I wonder when and why this face was drawn... was it too hot to work? Was someone taking a well needed break? Is this a young man dying to go to art school but must work building houses to support his family? Either way, it takes a happy person to draw a happy face and I'm thrilled with the good karma going into our house.

Exhibit 2. "The Scooter"



No, I'm not joking. We found a homemade scooter in the garage.. what a find! I'm so impressed with the clever person that built a working scooter (of course I tried to ride it) out of house scraps! On to my next set of questions: Did the scooter builder make it for himself? Make it for his kids? Whatever the reason, I appreciate someone bringing a childlike sense of humor to their job. (This coming from the nurse who dances, yes dances a fool out of herself, everyday at work to make people laugh).

Now, I also wondered how this person (or multiple artists/scooter designers) have the energy to create such masterpieces all the while also trying to build a home. I have finally discovered their secret weapon:

limes.

I don't know what it is or why so yummy, but there are limes everywhere around my semi-built house! Discarded limes, fresh limes, limes from weeks ago that now appear dark brown and mushy. Are they eating these limes alone? Just sucking on them as they work? Putting them in their water? Squeezing them on their lunches? Throwing them at each other as they shingle the roof?

Questions unanswered... I know that the happy face, lime essence, and the fun of a scooter long gone will remain in our home long after our creative construction workers are finished.