Prologue

We're getting ready to remodel our kitchen and add a laundry room to our house. I have actually started it, but just recently had surgery on both hands to fix my Carpal Tunnel problem. Yes, it is a legitimate problem and no, I did not do it just to get out of working on the kitchen.

I have already busted up part of the patio in the back yard so we can dig the trench for the laundry room plumbing, but I still have to get all of the concrete pulled up and into a dumpster. Over the years a lot of concrete had been poured in the back yard. I busted up the patio to find another patio underneath. Therefore there is a lot more to pull out than I originally thought. I just had one dumpster pulled today, and an empty one dropped off. Won't take long to fill that either, once I get these stitches out of my hand.

I get frustrated by the fact that I now have all of this free time, but not the hands to do the work. I am calmed, however, by the soothing patterns of light reflecting onto my ceiling from the recently formed Lake Eduard. The hole where the patio once was has filled with water from the recent rains, and the reflections show on the ceiling inside the house. I had to build a gangplank so the dog didn't have to swim to the other side whenever I let her out of the house. I may have to get a pump in there if it doesn't drain.

We've picked out our cabinets and have found a cabinet place that gave us a really great price on installing the cabinets, the granite and the sink. No complaints here. One of the conditions when we bought the house was that we'd re-do the kitchen soon. I could install the cabinets myself, but figured that in the interest of saving my marriage and sanity the price was perfect to have the kitchen finished quickly. All I need to do is demo the old kitchen, run the new plumbing and electrical, install blocking for the cabinets, and install the drywall. After that, I can hand it over. I'm still on the hook for the laundry room, though.

Can't wait to have it all done.