Week 3 Belle Renovation Update
I guess I would describe my feelings right now as overwhelmed.
Not overwhelmed bad... overwhelmed good... but overwhelmed none the less.
This weekend Jeff and I visited Belle for the first time since the renovation started. The reality is that even though we text with Jay every evening and he sends us pictures... you really don't 'get it' until you are there in person.
This weekend, Jay declared he is the Batman in the Super Hero duo ... so maybe we will call him Batman going forward. As Super Heroes do, they are always ahead of us mortals. And this weekend was no exception. Jay, I mean Batman, wanted to talk about what comes next, when Jeff and I were processing what has already happened.
Monday they framed in my master closet and master bathroom. I am beyond excited about this since Jeff and I have been talking about it longer then most people are in college. They took some liberties and applied their super powers and made it even better then I was imagining.
On Monday they also began to build the foundation forms for the new foundation we were having poured that week.
Tuesday I got the first peak of my new master bathroom ... and I think I squeaked in excitement when I saw the photo.
Wednesday was foundation day and some of the photos that Jay shared with us made me shake my head in disgust for how bad the foundation condition was.... other photos were encouraging to know that the new foundation wold be solid for decades to come.
The stone in this photo is the ORIGINAL 1868 stone that was laid below the frost line. It was in good shape, so they removed the brick above it (that was trashed) and placed re barb forms to get ready for the cement!
And boy did we have cement!
8 yards of concrete to be exact.
Check out the poured cement.... beautiful!
Thursday they went back upstairs to my master bathroom and realized that they had to remove the original hardwood floors from 1868 (we saved them and will put them back down) so that they could 'true" up the floor. What that means is that the floors were so slanted they could not install a bathroom. (lovely)
And on Friday the last floating chimney was finally removed..... see ya.
I am fine going the rest of my life never owning a floating chimney again. (oh yea!)
Check this out.... all the newspapers from 1942 found in Belle.... frigging amazing!!
As this weekend came to an end, Jeff and I reflected how lucky we are to have Batman and Robin.... because without them we wouldn't have the opportunity to finish our sweet Belle.
Yes, we are overwhelmed... but this is an overwhelmed we have wished for for years.... so we are thankful, humbled, and excited where we are and were we are going.
Week 4....bring it on.