Off with the Roof

It is amazing what can happen in a few days on a house under construction! I was in the US over the weekend and got to see the renovations, previous post, and it still looked like a house but just with no inside sheetrock and all of the usual fittings.

Today, my dad went to our house and found this:

This shows that the original second story is now officially gone. We now have a tiny ranch (for the time being).

The back of the house now with the the 2nd story off.

A new support beam going in the house in case we decide to put the addition off the back in time. Do you like our new skylights?? We decided to go with lots of them!

A view from our old office through to the living room. You can see the front door on the right.

A view from the kitchen

Now for some other items. While I was home I did some tile shopping and found the flooring for the kitchen and bathrooms!

The pictures below are going to be the new kitchen floors. It is travertine and I loved the look of it with our new Cherry Cabinets! The black squares you see in the first picture are black granite which are our countertops so we were just looking at how they would go with it. The only difference is that our countertops are not enhanced (shiny) like the ones below. They will be unshined granite and therefore I think will go better with the floor since there is no shine on it. We will also use this floor in the powder room downstairs since there will be enough extra and it will save us a little money!

Up next is the bathroom floors. This will be the floor is both of the upstairs bathrooms as well as the oversized shower in the master bath.

In the main bath we will use a blut tile below for the shower walls which goes really well with the slate tile above.

The Stress of Renovations

The following pictures are the reason why we are getting work done to our house while we are not living in the same country.

This is a view from our old front door into the house.

The room in the distance is the office....well was the office at one point in time.

The old dining room

The old kitchen and the stairs to go upstairs.

Wouldn't you look forward to moving in right now???

We are truly looking forward to seeing the finished product in about 2 months and seeing the true transformation.

Demolition Completed

Well the breaking down of walls, ripping out of cabinets, tearing up of floors is all completed and one dumpster is full.

The new windows are ordered, the framers are coming next week on Wed. for a week and a half/two weeks, then the plumber comes, then the electrician and then the HVAC guys. It is all exciting!!!!!

We should be home in time to see the HVAC guys there so the roof by then will be on and the fun then begins of buying a new master bedroom set, bath vanities, flooring and wall colors!

Stay tuned for pictures next week of framing!

Work is under way

Let's wave goodbye with the old house and in with a new one in about 2 months!

After talking to the contractor last night I think I am happy not to be there during construction since (1) it will slow up the process I am sure with repeated questions and comments (2) I am sure it would cost more money since I would say something like, "I think this one would look better" and being it would most likely be more expensive (3) it is just easier to see the house once the framing, roof and windows are in and we can then see it as it is.

I will periodically post pictures as I get them from my parents, our neighbors or the contractor!

Wish us luck for the next 2 months!

I Think We Have Been Robbed

With 42 days left to go today, the movers came and packed up 95% of our belongings. This starts the move home process physically for us. We have been there mentally for quite awhile knowing we were moving home but when you watch your personal belongings disappear right before your eyes it is a true feeling of leaving. Scott said "I think we have been robbed" right after the movers left since that is what it feels like.

Here are a few "before pictures". We tried to move everything into our 2nd bedroom that needed packing in order to ensure nothing was left behind.






And this is the now....feeling a little empty but looking forward to the next 42 days in London and the 43rd back in the US!



Bailey is wondering where everything went.



Here is the next mover herself. If you look closely you will see a roll of moving tape carefully being watched. Bailey is a fond lover of tape rolls. She was all over the 3 movers and watching those tape rolls every second. They gave her one to play with and now it will not leave her side.

Over the next few weeks our 1,847 lbs. and 38 boxes/parcels of stuff will make its way over to the US and eventually to NJ. Where we got 1,847 pounds of stuff I don't know but I guess it all adds up.

Chargers vs. Saints

Scott and I went to the NFL game that was played in London yesterday at Wembley Stadium. Kickoff was at 5pm so to coincide with the 1pm kickoffs back in the States. After a few mishaps in the beginning, before the game started, it all seemed to go off without a flaw.


Since the Saints were the "home" team, they left on everyone's seat a Saints flag so that you could cheer them on. I do have to say though there were quite a few Chargers fans in the stadium that made lots of noise. It was nice actually getting to see a live game rather than watching it on TV. Here are some pictures from last night:

Row Row Row your boat....

quickly down the Charles. Faster, Faster, Faster, Faster to beat the other teams.

This past weekend Scott and I flew to Boston to watch my brother in-law Ryan and my cousin Kayla row in the Head of the Charles for Iona College. Scott and I both rowed in the HOTC throughout school and it is a thrilling row down the river for many reasons. Of the 3 miles you row, you go under 7 bridges that are packed with people cheering, the excitement/fear of potentially colliding under the bridge with another crew, seeing the beauty that Boston on one side and Cambridge on the other has to offer, the gorgeous trees all changing color and the pure adrenaline rush you just get from a race.

Saturday morning started the day of races and the first race for us was my brother in laws race in which was the Men's Open 4+ (you ask what the plus means? It means with a coxswain...the person who is stereotyped as the person screaming at the crew). Of the 43 boats that were in the race they finished 21st which was great since that guarantees them a bid into the race again next year. Following that race was the Women's open 4+ in which my cousin was rowing. They just missed the cut-off for getting a guaranteed bid for next year but she loved the race and was glad to experience it.

Ryan is sitting in seat 2, the 2nd from the back of the boat.

After the races we headed back to the hotel to rest a little before going out for dinner. We went to John Harvard's in Cambridge for dinner and seeing that the HOTC and the Red Sox game were on, the place was PACKED.

Sunday is was up for breakfast, a good bye to the parents and then off to Harvard. We walked around the campus that morning with Ryan, Kayla and Jules and then headed off to Bean Town.

Some pictures of Harvard!

Now time for Boston:

After walking through Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall we went into Cheers for a beer and some NFL games. It was now approaching 3:30 in the afternoon and Ryan, Kayla and Jules made their way to South Street Station to take the bus back to NYC and Scott and I headed back to Harvard Square to watch the 4pm NFL games at John Harvard's. We ended our trip with a wonderful dinner which was Buffalo Chicken style Macaroni and Cheese!