Day 53- PAINT.

We're getting close. Sooooo close. We were close last week before we left for Paso Robles and the contractor taunted us with promises of completion while we were away. It did not happen. Shocker. And it basically took another week to get a small list of nit-picky things done (replace the sink flange with the new one to match the faucet, baseboards in the utility closets, fix a weird gap in the new window sill, and fix the laundry closet light that wasn't working). Chris knocked all of them out yesterday, but it was a week of "I'll be there tomorrow"'s and then not showing up before he finally did and took care of business.

So the VERY last things still on the list before we can stick a fork in this sucker:

• Robert the cabinet guy returns tomorrow to finish the filler pieces on three cabinets (between cabinet and wall), and the toe kick on the pantry. This is a weird IKEA thing- they sell 6" legs for the cabinets if you want your counters higher or need to boost up a cabinet to sit in line with an upper cabinet (as in our pantry case) but they don't sell 6" plinth for the toe kicks, only 4". So you need to MacGuyver it. Dumb Swedes.
• PAINT EVERYTHING. The guys arrived early this morning and covered everything in plastic and I *think* will be painting everything today. They are supposed to come back tomorrow when Robert is here to do touch-ups, but I think that means everything will get at least two coats today. I WAY underestimated the paint we'd need, because I guessed based on what Jeff and I used rolling the other rooms. These guys are using sprayers though which I think uses more paint. Ah well. Add it to the contingency budget I guess.
• Transitions from cork to wood floors. We were hoping to get the floors entirely flush throughout the house but it just didn't work out. Barely. So we needed to buy some matching reducer pieces in the same cork which Don will come back to install when they arrive sometime next week. At the same time, he's going to rip up the crappy tile job in our main bathroom and replace it with the leftover cork we have. That tile job is a whole 'nuther post. Don convinced us we got screwed from the flooring company that did it and we should file a complaint with the contractor's licensing board to get a full refund. So we did, and we're waiting to see where that goes, if anywhere. 

And then of course styling!! I can't wait to hang new curtains, put up the art, set up my desk, put everything away in the new wardrobe cabinet Lynne and I are going to build tonight (did I forget to mention that in my dinner invite Lynne? I'll still make you the fried egg risotto. Jodi dodged another IKEA building bullet.) and bring in some plants. I want to trick Jeff into thinking all that stuff is fun and his Father's Day present but haven't figured out how exactly to do that. 

So a lot of words, and no pictures because we are SO close to pretty and complete pictures that I would SO much rather show you. Please stay tuned.