When the wolf came knocking this week, we were ready! We could close the door in his face and send him to the chimney. That’s because we now have doors and windows! We still have to work on our custom fireplaces, but until they arrive we can boil a pot of hot water in the hearth to keep further canines at bay.
The folding doors look excellent, we have four of them. The whole house is beautifully bright and airy with sunshine streaming through the northern facade. The double-volume entrance looks fantastic with nine huge glass panes. We have opted for safety glass doors on all of our entrances, for added insulation. Not all is complete, however – there are sizing issues on two of the bedroom windows, as well as threshold strips under the doors, which need to be completed. I was also a bit alarmed to see that the main bathroom has clear glass instead of frosted glass so that will have to be changed as well, but on the whole, the new feel that has been given to our “shell” has been wonderful.
The other addition this week was the installation of the majority of the ceilings. I was rather surprised when my husband arrived home with a cornicing catalogue and announced we needed to choose a design. I thought cornicing involved a semi-circular, concave structure inserted to abut wall and ceiling, but clearly I am outdated. The array of designs and sizes made choosing almost impossible so I suggested choosing a different pattern in each room. That was met with a dirty look. My next suggestion was to go for a very elaborate, droopy pattern and find a modern Michaelangelo to try artistic impressions for us. The dirty look became something close to a death stare, so I hastily chose a conservative, linear design that describes our personalities much better.
Despite the exciting progess, we are still stuck with a few hassles. The first is the great moat around the house that is still patiently waiting for a municipal inspector. The second is the hole in our patio roof, which reminds us of the outstanding roofing sheets every time it rains. The plumber and electrician are still busily finishing off odds and ends, but also biding their time for a certain inspector. Then there are the last items on the glass-man’s list.
It is really good to see a vibrant working site again after the Christmas break, and the prospect of moving in soon has spurred me to pack four boxes this week. I just hope I don’t need the map book in the near future…
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