Dump This.

Perhaps the highlight of the week came today when we bid adieu to our ever faithful dumpster. Actually, correction. This was our 3rd (maybe 4th?) dumpster that has come and gone...but the difference is, this was our last. I can not even begin to tell you what a relief it is having that leaking eye sore gone from our peripheral vision. It seemed everytime we stepped back to take in the sights of our erecting beauty, our sails were deflated by the sight of a gigantic steel crib filled to the brim with trash. Here are a few old shots featuring the dumpster:


And now, the 'afters':

(Above you can see Jeff in his work clothes, grading the yard where the deck will be built)
The other reason I'm happy to say farewell to the dumpster? Dumpster Divers. Yes, the obnoxious people who like to troll the alleys for dumpsters, hop out of their vehicles, JUMP into the dumpsters and dig for whatever it is they are looking for. Nothing surprises me anymore what people will take.

Now that our driveway is free and clear (our neighbor Kathy even came out for a celebratory pow wow), we are actually able to park a vehicle in our driveway.

And by the end of the week, we should be able to get a car in our garage! The exterior crew has taken the majority of their large ladders and hauled them away in an effort to give us back a little space. The next thing we need to do is return the leftover siding and shingles we have to free up the remaining space in the garage. This weekend is our neighborhood garage sales. Think I can throw together a garage sale amidst this remodel? We'll see!

On the interior, the painters were hard at work again putting in a full day on the woodwork. I was at the house around noon today and back again at 6. From what I can tell, it appears two coats of enamel went on the wood work. They were spraying when I got their at noon...and the paint was wet when I got there at 6...so I would assume they left and came back after the first coat dried. If this is the case, there's a good chance they'll be able to get going on ceilings tomorrow. It's not just as simple as opening a can of paint and getting going however. They will need to undo all the prep they did to expose all the crown moulding to be sprayed and then retape the crown next to the ceiling in order to get started. Many professional painters don't bother taping because they are experienced enough to get a pretty darn straight line. However, a pretty straight line doesn't quite do it for me and I SOOOOOOOOOOOO appreciate that these painters tape every line they paint. I like them as crisp as they come and these guys really know how to get it done right!

Believe it or not, the exterior painters were getting started as I left the house at 6:30. They figured they could get at least 2 1/2 hours in on the house yet today before returning tomorrow morning to put in a full day. They ended up delayed at the other project they were at today, so no eye candy for you:-( But, tomorrow is sure to be a big day as they assured me the exterior contractors could get started on the deck by Thursday (which means the back of the house will be finished!) Here's to hoping they aren't stringing me along. They should know I'm in no condition to be strung at this point;-)

Lots of other little details today that I won't bore you with but we are really working to nail down how next week is going to play out. There are a lot of people that need to get into the house and a lot that needs to get done: appliances delivered, counters installed, outlets/switches/light fixtures installed, sink/toilet/faucets installed, wallpaper hung, security system installed, floors buffed and final coated...and let's not forget a party for 50 by Friday! LOTS more pictures to come tomorrow!