Plans have changed from our original scheme of leaving now and coming back in January. Our trip to the granite store on Tuesday was very eye-opening. We met with Mille, the owner's daughter, who showed us several slabs of granite that she thought might work in the kitchen. She had chosen one in particular called Ivory Fantasy that she thought would work with both the cabinets and with the terrazzo floor. The granite has veins of grey intermixed with areas of cream and tan that will coordinate with the cabinets. When we brought the sample home, we knew that Millie was correct. The granite pulls the room all together rather than fighting both the cabinets and especially the floor. I even think that the blue walls work with it; however, the decision of whether to change the paint will have to wait until the new granite is installed.
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| The new granite: Ivory Fantasy |
The granite company was willing to hold our new sink and the granite replacement until January, but Rick had a different idea. He decided to come back October 27 and have them come in on October 29 to take out the old granite and to put in the new. He can buy and install some of the baseboard that we did not have time to complete, and giving the granite people access to the house will allow them to finish this job before the end of the year. They can get us off their books, and we can have a completed kitchen before we return for the new year.
We started today in a most enjoyable way. Rick pumped up the tires in our bikes, and we actually took a ride before the heat and humidity became too much to bear. We had fun; I cannot wait until we can go out each morning in January and ride the Pinellas Trail. After all, that was one of the reasons we chose to buy a home in this town. (Thanks for the Trail discovery, Steve and Chris.)
One of the most relaxing things we have found to do in the evening is to go down to the waterfront, watch the boats come in, and watch the sunset over the bay. Tonight was our final night of being able to do that. We went to the Marina; unfortunately, there was not much of a breeze tonight and the sun was very intense. However, that did not stop us from watching a "sunset cruise" full of people leave the Marina (playing the theme song of Gilligan's Island as it went out for its own three-hour tour!) We both will miss this part of Florida.
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| The guest bedroom ready for me when Rick snores me out of our bedroom! |
Gladys has once again undergone a transformation. The bedroom had new furniture and a new coat of paint. The master bath has undergone a complete face-lift with new "bling" in the faucet and lighting. The guest bedroom has the old furniture and dressers from the master bedroom, and a totally new color along with blinds in the windows (no more left-over crummy curtains). The living room sports new front doors and a new, Anderson-built cherry TV stand. The Florida room has all new windows -- as does the rest of the house -- and light blue paint. Finally, the kitchen has cabinets, a new microwave, and will soon have new countertops, too.
We still have to put in a fence, paint the house on the outside, add shutters and a little landscaping, replace the tree, finish a new porch in the front and do something with the uneven sidewalk, enclose the laundry room, remodel the main bathroom, and (dreaming here now, folks) put down a concrete slab and enclose it to make a lanai. We certainly do not have the budget to do everything we would like to do to complete the house, so we have been discussing options. Interest rates are good right now, so we may just refinance at a low rate and get enough to finish the house before we are too old to enjoy it.
Gladys has gone from a sagging, dilapidated, dirty-faced old hag into a clean, tight, light-filled home. She looks pretty good in her variety of prom dresses, and as we return in January, we will continue to dress her up even more. I leave Gladys somewhat sadly for now. She truly has become my second home.
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