Presto Chango

Kevin and I moved into this house on October 31, 2007. And like a lot of folks, we do things as we can afford to and as time allows. A family member once asked me if I wished that I had a magic wand so that I could just have it all done in one swift swoosh.

Sort of like this…

(Move your cursor back and forth over the photos to see the photos change from “before” to “after”)

(A couple years after we moved in, we decided to change up the kitchen again, so now it looks like this…)

Reading room:

Guest bedroom:

Sure, “presto chango” is fun here on the blog, but the truth is- I live for the thrill of the hunt.

Collecting and creating unique bits and pieces for this old place has forged a happy and sentimental bond between us. It’s a connection that grows stronger every day.

And just when I think I know all our houses secrets, my electrician nonchalantly informs me that there are original, tongue-and-groove, planked wood ceilings above the sheetrock in most of the house.

WHAT? Is he SERIOUS?

I don’t know if it was the fact that what he said actually had the power to pull my gaze away from my computer monitor in hyperspeed, or if it was the sound of my jaw hitting the top of my desk, but I guess he could tell I was having a hard time believing what he had just said because he quickly invited me to crawl up his ladder and have a looksie for myself.

By golly, he was right!
There it was!
Perfectly protected by a layer of textured drywall.
An original, planked wood ceiling!
I almost fell off the ladder I was so excited to get down and go tell Kevin!

Oh poo.
Kevin went to the store.
Hmmm……Ooh! I got it! I’ll call his cell phone!
(555-4994……..ring…….ring)
Wait a minute…why is the ringing coming from the living room?
Double poo! He left his phone here!
(excitedly pacing, trying to figure out if there’s any possible way I can reach him telepathically)
Maybe it’ll help if I go stand in the driveway.
I can practically see the grocery store from there and, at the very least, I’ll be able to mouth the words, “PLANKED WOOD CEILINGS” at him through the windshield when I see him driving up the street.

Needless to say, Kevin did not get my mental messages and had no idea what I was mouthing to him when he finally came motoring up the hill.
However, he was extremely happy to learn that I wasn’t calling him a “PLAIN WU-SSY” in front of the whole neighborhood. Oh, and he was ecstatic about the PLANKED WOOD CEILINGS too.