My contractor is a wizard and I am immensely blessed. Everyday, I watch my dream unfold in front of me.  Somehow my contractor is able to see what I see and makes my vision happen.  It is so satisfying to be able to say "I knew that would work" or "Wow...that is even better than I imagined!"

So, at this point, the entire upstairs has been framed out and the walls have been extended to accommodate the spray foam insulation. Upstairs, not only do I have 3 bedrooms, 2 bath, but I have closets, sitting area and a wider hallway.
Downstairs, I have 1.5 bath, HUGE kitchen, grand open living room and dining room and I have a bedroom en suite as well.  I am thrilled at all of the updated electric and plumbing going in.  I am so happy to see things cleaned up and streamlined the way I know they were originally designed.  And I am thrilled the behind the scenes events are all falling into place...oh, and we have one more big surprise in the works!

For two more full Saturdays, we have pulled sheetrock off walls, ceilings, out of closets and stairs and we have found layers upon layers- behind the paneling lay sheetrock- behind that- plaster and behind that-lathe. The floors were even worse- layers and layers of glued linoleum.  We are getting there.  The only frustrating part is every time we move forward, we find more to tear down and the clean up begins again...and again...and again!  

This coming Saturday is our LAST day at the house before the contractor starts working full-time...whew!  Just in time before the holidays.  Major kudos to the Sisson boys, Palmatier girls and crew and Carol...anyone who feels our youth are lazy don't know the kids I know!  And Carol is an amazing neighbor... she has been our biggest cheerleader, support and worker since day 1.  I can not wait for our Sunday morning coffee chats by the fire!

Another work day down and seriously, every fingernail, joint and even our skin hurts.  We moved more wood, plaster, sheet rock, gypsum, nails and ceiling panels than I ever thought possible...and it was so worth it.  

When you say "If only these walls could talk",  well...our walls are truly talking.  We unraveled major history today, beautiful pieces of wood and nails and the story of the house became clear today.  I am so in love with this house.  The house was built in 1900...and we found some history going back over 100 years...the NYC Siegal and Cooper catalog page...dresses were .79 cents and $1.65.  So cool.  We also found a petrified mouse, knives, a ring in the walls...again...if these walls could talk.  We also found clear evidence of a house fire and areas of rebuild...looks like the fire was in the kitchen area.
I stated "We will work until we can not see anymore" and apparently, Bryan thought I was serious so he ripped out one of the lights while taking down a wall, shutting off  all of the lights upstairs.  Well, that's all folks!

BTW..absolutely gem of the day...the entire upstairs has hardwood floors...there goes my plan to tile the bathroom floors...instead, every floor upstairs will be sanded, stained and poly.  I can not wait to see it!

Whenever you do a renovation, inevitable you will find hidden treasures.  2 days ago, while taking down the suspended ceiling, Bryan found a pink BB gun and skate board...huh?  Today, the Sunday newspaper from 1965 and the funniest one so far- a  pink flying toilet seat as he ripped down the ceiling in the old mudroom.  Now that is a new one!  ​Bet you wish had one!!!
Day 3 and I am pretty sure we are all happy it is Sunday.  We need a break.  Our dumpster is almost full and our muscles are tired.

AnToday's mission was simple...Hit the Restore store and then rip out a half bath, kitchen and do some major clean up when the dumpster arrived as now we had piles in every room we demo'd so far.  

I went to Restore to find doors and windows- I really should be supervised when I go there because I walked with 2 toilets, 2 shower drains, kohler hand shower kit,  3 50lb bags of tile mortar and a new kitchen window instead of the 2 exterior doors I went into the store to find.  So, I missed out on the doors but instead, scored on the other items- which would have cost me $1000 retail- I spend only $360.  For all brand  new items!  See, things can ALWAYS be found on a budget.  

And Harry Powder room, did you say?  Under the stairs is space enough for a small powder room...how many brownies will I need to bake for my contractor to get him to agree to add an additional powder room? 

So today was the day we have waited 4 months to begin...demolition of the Margaretville house.  It literally takes MONTHS to purchase, clean out, inspect, develop a plan for, find a contractor, obtain estimates, hire an engineer and finally..start demo but today was SOOO worth it.
Currently, the house has no heat and no water and yesterday was the coldest Thanksgiving in history so isn't that a perfect time to rip down walls?  Trust me, when you are working like this, you don't get cold.
The only plan was to see how far we got and I am SO thrilled with what we accomplished.  We took down a wall in the dining room, opened up the old laundry room and found our new hallway, uncovered the hidden chimney in the half bath and we punched through into the kitchen. 
Bryan didn't want to finish the day out without taking down the drop ceiling in the kitchen which we have all hated and this proved to be some laughs.  Hidden in the ceiling was a BB gun, skateboard and mysteries we will never solve...like "why would someone custom hang 2x4 using eye hooks and wire? hmmm".
At the end of day one...I can confirm what my gut has told me all along that this house indeed has beautiful hidden gems...hardwood floors, hand hewn beams, gorgeous natural light.  Blessed!

"Call me"  This was the only message I sent to Sydney one mid- November afternoon.  We had an impending snowstorm coming that was predicted to drop 8-12" of our famous and beautiful Catskill white snow.  While it still seems too early in the season, it is a welcomed break from the normal hustle and bustle.
"How are you, ma?" asked Sydney when she called.
" I have good news...our business is official and we are now business partners."  
Sydney, my daughter and quite literally, my partner in crime and while she lives in Utah and I am in NY, it does not change our love for what we do.  

​So now the adventure begins