Catching up to do

OK, OK, so we haven't been as diligent lately about updates. That's partially because there's been so much going on, and not all of it is incredibly visual.

First and foremost, there is a mulberry tree right on the edge of our lot, near the wooded lot owned by Kathy and Sharon next door. That means lots of delicious fruit, but in a place where it doesn't become a nuisance underfoot. And that meant time to harvest a big ol' batch...



...and make a mulberry clafouti.



This is about as bucolic as it gets -- at least inside the city limits.

After bucolic, though, came flood. Not to get into the gnarly details, but we had a flash flood. The window well filled up, and we took on a LOT of water in the basement.



Crisis. 'Tis OK -- we have a plan to re-landscape part of the back to make sure this won't happen again. Plus, part of the problem was that the window well had no bubble cover on it. That's taken care of now too.

Eventually, we'll block this window up and put a new one in the north side of the basement. It was really a very, very stupid place to put one in the first place, though the original owner planned to expand the house to the north -- leaving the east the only "logical" place for the window. Being a relative term, of course.

Jeff took the next day off to raise everything up off the floor, just in case this happens again. Unlikely, but he has us safeguarded.



After this view on the night of...



...it's nice to get to this one.



That's right. Hardwoods are in the process of going down upstairs!

Because of the layout of the hallway, it was necessary to start outside the bathroom door and at the back wall of the bedroom simultaneously. Difficult. Advanced, in fact. So that required a careful dry-fitting of the boards before installation began.



We actually got it wrong the first time, so a readjustment was necessary. The second try was absolutely perfect -- not even a millimeter off. We couldn't possibly be happier with how it ended up working out.

And once the floors are in, it's possible to install the doors. First time I've done this in many years, so it took a bit of trial and error. After a major bout with semi-obstructive perfectionism (Jeff didn't think it was really needed), I am just about as happy with the result as I could possibly be.

Both bedroom doorways are now done.



We love the closet doors.



Next, the bathroom gets its door. Then the bifolds on the laundry room (which we may investigate hiring out).

Then the trim goes in, and everything gets painted. Then knobs.

What next, we haven't quite decided. But we bought a bed from Crate and Barrel, which will be delivered this coming Saturday. And we got nightstands from Pier One.

Then it'll be time to load in all the furniture and go to sleep in our actual bedroom for the first time.

That'll be quite something, right?