Remodeling Started

Early this morning we were sitting out on the front porch discussing ideas for making the entrance to the house more appealing.  We talked about prioritizing—outside versus inside projects next fall.  I said, “the new cabinets may have to wait, I would like to make the outdoor areas more appealing.”  Michael said, “we could take out that little wall in the kitchen.”  I said, “ now or next year.”  Well, I must have encouraged the cowboy a lot as the wall in the kitchen came down today!!!

A mess and a chore!!  If one nail would do the trick in a board, the guy who built this house used ten nails!!!  When the upper part of the cabinet came down we discovered the builder had less than good skills when he scabbed boards in to support the sheetrock—causing the ceiling sheetrock to fall out—something we hadn’t planned on!  Off to Wickenburg for me to purchase some sheetrock—with a hole in the ceiling the hot air just poured into the house and we were worried about critters. 

Before photos: this wall and eat in bar just made the kitchen feel small and crowded.  These photos were taken with the previous owner’s furniture in place.

And after photos:

Our intent is to remove the carpet and install ceramic tiles—but that will have to wait.  The house is odd—it was built in 2001 but some of the flooring is outdated—stick on linoleum tiles in the kitchen and bathrooms!  The carpet is in good shape.  The appliances are kind of outdated too.  We are both very pleased with the way the kitchen flows into the living area now.  But we are also both exhausted!

It was a warm day at North Ranch, too warm—which seems to bring out the critters!  I rounded the front of the motorhome to find this guy hanging out on our patio rug.

And we have our first Easter cactus blossom--