Mis-steps

Now, I'm sure you know that renovations can be agonizing, challenging, gut-wrenching -- fill in your own description. I have been VERY lucky in this big project to only run across a few challenges, and they have been mostly small. The biggest one has been that the kitchen island is just TOO BIG. It cuts off the access from the kitchen and the new back entry, so it will have to be cut down and re-engineered. I have no idea how long that will take, but at least it is on the project list.

The one I'm going to describe now is just FUNNY. I think it illustrates some of the difference in the way men and women think.

When I bought the house, thermostat and the doorbell were smack in the middle of the wall in the hall. I suppose from the old, circular design of the thermostat and the old-style doorbell that they were original to the construction of the house. My complaint was that I would be unable to hang any artwork there -- unless I cut through some painting to allow for those things to poke through -- NOT!  So, Contractor Extraordinaire Jerry Snow and I made arrangements to move both of them over about a foot, closer to the door jamb so that the wall would be free of obstacles for any size artwork.

At some point, the HVAC fellows came and now I have a new, digital thermostat, placed in the right location, and the doorbell is over there, too! The holes were patched and the wall was painted and it looks really nice! And there is a nice long wall where I can hang art.  Thank you.

Okay -- now fast forward a bit. The attic space is being improved. Access to the attic is via pull down stairs in the hall. Shelves for storage, rods to hang out of season clothing, more space to walk around and, later, more insulation will be put up there. I am also happy to report that the old, creaky (probably original) wooden pull down stairs have been replaced with nice, sturdy metal ones.

Now, of course, all this requires that I be able to SEE when I am up there, right? So, nice lighting was put up there to illuminate the shelves and rods. (Do you see where this is going --??)

Went into the house yesterday (Saturday) and yes, right there, in the center of the wall near the pull-down attic stairs, is a LIGHT SWITCH!  Almost dead on to where the thermostat was just a week or so ago!  I just laughed and laughed. I'm sure that Eric the Electrician (I assume he is the culprit here) thought that would be the most convenient place for the lights for the attic. And, yes it is. But it just cannot be there.

Now, as far as I know, there was no communication to him about this, but I just think it is funny. Guys see a big ol' wall and put a light switch RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. Gals see a place to hang art and why the placement of the thermostat and the doorbell (and now, the light switch) will be in the way.

Maybe I need to commission some kind of art that will incorporate a 3D light switch into the subject of the painting, and then just cut out around it.

More later -- thanks for following along with me.

Love, Carolyn