Two Steps Forward Require One Step Back

Destruction Begins! On Friday, August 1 at 11:30 we received a call from our real estate agent letting us know that we passed escrow and could move in. However, before we transfer all our "stuff" over to 2738 Danube Avenue, we've been tearing out cabinets, painting, gardening, de-ceiling-ing, retexturing, ... with a LOT of help from our families. Here is some of our progress:

The bathroom:

Since the bathroom won't need the ceiling redone, we've been able to get started on its makeover. As much as we love stenciled pansies, pink trim, and mismatched wood...

Here Mom Sorbello gives the walls a nice etching coat of TSP to degrease and degrime. Good hard work.

Dad Sorbello was the painting master. He spent a good chunk of the past two days stuck in this little fume-infested room, beautifying. Notice his cool new overalls. He was jealous of Sam's. She's been wearing hers for about a week straight to rub in how wonderful they are.

Shiloh came over right after work and helped Dad reassemble to toilet which was removed for proper cleaning and painting behind.

In the next few days we'll add the finishing touches.

The kitchen:

The kitchen was our very favorite part of the house with a vast array of wallpapers, dusty pink and blue trim, pinkish cabinets, bluish counters, crooked blinds, rustic floor (which I actually really like) ...

Our only planned changes were to remove paper, but on Shiloh's insisting, we went to town on the cabinets that blocked the living room as well. Thanks for helping, Justin & Nat.

Mmm.

No more paper!

And so it begins.

Putting our heads together.

Happy workers.

Documenting. In the aforementioned overalls.

Bye-bye range hood.

Where'd they go?

The living room:

Peach sponge paint and more stenciled walls.

The previous owner put a LOT of work into the wall of seriously-built-in cabinets, but as they were intended to house a TV that we don't (and won't) have, we decided to get rid of them and make room for our piano and recliner.

Dad Nicholson, Dad Sorbello, Shiloh and Uncle Richard put their brains together to get those beastly things apart.

Boy, were they secure! Shiloh needs uses a crow bar to remove blue tile.

Dad Nicholson tries to unhook the shelves from the side wall.

When in doubt, use crowbar.

The yard:

Was getting overgrown! Mom Nicholson whipped out her green thumb and spruced things up.

Removed the arisarum

And the coreopsis (huh?)

And lots of ivy and jasmine.


And Shiloh and Justin put their manly strength to get rid of a crab apple tree. (only the stump remains)

We had a lot of fun working last weekend (and during the week) and are looking foward to getting more done soon. But first, we're off to a wedding in Aptos, CA. Yay for Ben and Katie Reece!