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About 5 years ago we got the bright idea to upgrade our home. Initially our kitchen was a counter in our living room with the stove and refrigerator sunk into the wall. Behind this was a room the seller excitedly advertised as a 'pantry'. It was approximately 4' x 8' and had 2 shelves in it. By taking out these walls and altering a linen closet to sink the refrigerator in that wall, we were able to design a custom built oak kitchen. The floor we used was a Colorado Granite pattern Formica floating floor. Now we're undecided what treatment to put on the walls behind the counter. It seems in our searching that tile is out, I don't care for painted walls and am undecided about wallpaper.

Next came the decision to put in new living room carpet. We ripped out the old carpet from the living room, hallway and stairway to the basement. The subflooring was inadaquate and squeaky. We put a new layer of flooring on top of this, but that meant that the mouldings would have to be moved. Appreciating woodwork as we do, we went with new oak baseboard and moulding. Now we needed new 6 panel oak doors as the ones currently up were some cheap imitation cardboard. All the woodwork and doors were unfinished. That was my job to finish them. Tim wants to open the staircase walls up with newels and oak handrailing to try and give the appearance of more room so the carpet is on hold until this alteration can take place. We have walked on plywood floors for so many years they are actually feeling 'soft and plush' to me.

Although we have electric baseboard heaters in the rooms, we have never used them. There was an old woodburner - Better than Bens - in the basement. We replaced this with a very nice woodburner with a window. It's better than watching TV. If I could get one of those new washing machines with the window, we'd have a first-rate home entertainment system!

Next came the bedroom. It was quickly completed, but I learned I'm not as handy as the women we see on the fix-it yourself shows. While I can read a tape measure I have a problem with the fact that my woodwork is square but my walls wave like the ocean in a typhoon. Must be a talent the carpenters have after years of experience of making these moulding fit like a glove.

By far the room that needs upgrading the most will have to wait until last. It is our only bathroom. Not only are the colors a delightful 70's aqua, but the one piece fiberglass tub unit was built into the wall under the drywall! Four years ago I was cleaning the matching aqua colored toilet and discovered that when you pour warm into a porcelain water tank it shatters. I called Tim at work and cried that I had broken the toilet. I can't imagine the image he conjured up of the episode.

All in all remodeling was an issue of fitting time into 2 working schedules. Tim's job has closed the location where he worked so now he has the time but our funds are cut in half. Adjustments are being made for this particular hurdle, even up to last week when the roof began leaking in two separate areas. One of which is the newly finished bedroom. I draw the line at roofs and hired a contractor to put the new roof on, even though I was hoping to do the whole roof at the time we put on the new dining room/arboretum.

Everything is a learning experience for me and if I'm ever disappointed about the progress I just look at the bathroom and laugh.

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