New Lighting

James finished the wiring in the kitchen. Below are the two fixtures he installed. One is for over the sink (love the movable ability!) and one is the light in the center of the ceiling. It has a wood trim that is the same wood as the rest of the kitchen.

Big Weekend Push

Ok, so living without a kitchen is really not like camping. When camping, you don't have to worry about what you drop on the floor and how you will mop it up. When you are camping, you can wash dishes anywhere and not worry about the water that spills all over the place. When you are camping, the food and the cooking are a few paces away, not on the other side of the house.
Having no kitchen is beginning to take it's toll on us all. Even the smallest tasks require planning, and more time. Meals need much planning. Not being able to get water from a kitchen sink to rinse a dish, make coffee, wet a face cloth..ugh.
This weekend we are going to make a major leap in getting the kitchen going. James has contacted the electrical inspector, and he can come by any morning we want him to. James is going to complete the wiring in the kitchen, including the fixtures. I will help by keeping the kids out of the house and out of the way.
Tomorrow morning the kids and I are going to a yard sale that is raising funds for a group working to preserve a local lake http://www.friendsoftullylake.org/ This is the lake in the photos in a blog entry below. Later that day we are going to the Athol SummerFest. Hopefully James will be mostly done by then so can join us.

The Gaping Hole that is the Kitchen

That's what James lovingly refers to it as...
As you can see, it's pretty well stripped. The plumber was in last Saturday, and he removed the kitchen sink and installed new shut off valves. The sink will be under the double windows. We have applied for an electrical permit, and after the inspector comes and tells James what a great professional quality job he did, we can then put up the drywall and finish the walls. I'm going to finish the tiles on the floor this weekend.
After the walls go up, the wall with the double window will be painted a dark blue. The sink will go under the window, to the right of it in the corner will be the gas stovetop, and to the left of the sink will be the dishwasher. The far wall, where the wire rack full of food resides, will be painted a matching light blue.
Below are photos of the IKEA kitchen we are installing.

Why We Moved Here

So, I found the camera, and I found the cable to attach it to the computer to download. I know it's been a while since we updated, but we have been busy!
There is a lot to do around here. The kids and I have been to a few playgrounds and parks. Today, we went to our favorite place so Far, TullyLake. It is an absolutely stunning lake, make by a dam built by the Army Corps of Engineers. http://www.newenglandforestry.org/nqw/searchdetail.asp?id=256
It has a playground, hiking, and a very nice boat launch perfect for kayaks. The kids loved playing at the water's edge. They were visited by 2 families of Canadian geese.
After leaving Tully Lake, Zack decided he wanted ice cream. We traveled into the town of Orange, home of the locally famous Anne's Roadside Ice Cream. As we got closer, what did we happen to see in a field on the side of the road but Big Foot the Monster Truck!! A place called Pete's Tire Barn was having an open house, with free hot dogs and soda, a show and shine, and Big Foot. Zack got the driver's autograph on a Frisbee.

Getting a groove

We have spent three nights here. Little by little, it is getting easier. 99% of our 'stuff' is still in the garage or in the POD, so it has been hard to do even the smallest tasks. I have been doing dishes in bath tub, and getting water from the bathroom sink. We have been using the microwave and the grill to cook, and the last few dishes from the old house that were packed last to eat off of. I got a box of plastic utensils, I have no clue where the good ones are. I just keep telling myself it is like camping, only we have a toilet and shower of our own.
Hardwood floor guy just left, he put in the two thresholds he had not gotten to. But they are still not done!! Will we ever be rid of this guy!!! They only have two coats of finish and need a few more. He wanted to stop by a few more times and do that, I told him no way. Give me the putty and leave me the finish and James and I will do it ourselves. He will come back Sunday with that stuff, and I hope to not see him at all unless I run into him in town. He is a nice guy and all, but this part of the redo has put our plans askew.
After floor guy left, our realtor Stephanie stopped by. It was so nice to see her! She left James and I a card and gift. Stephanie was one of the best parts of us having to move, she was amazing. We could not have gotten anyone better, she was a perfect fit for us. I showed her the kitchen/living/dining area, she had not seen the house since the home inspection.
The kids are adjusting. They have been acting wild and whiney at times, and are not eating as well as usual. Plus it has been raining here and they have not been able to spend much time in the new backyard. Zack keeps asking for a swingset and a pool. I took them to a playground yesterday, and we all had a good time. The cats are doing well, Guy has taken the move better than I expected, with her being 16 years old.
I'll post more photos as soon as I find the camera....LOL