That didn't take long ..., all heck is officially loose

What a difference a week makes! Last weekend we were basking in the sun and lazing in the pool on our mini vacation. This weekend we are slogging through home renovations on our new home (pictured above), dealing with HOA battles from undisclosed issues created by the former owner of our new home (and of course they are silly, petty disputes that would make even a tantrum-throwing- two-year-old look grown up by comparison), and prepping for our move from our current house, which we are leasing back for another few weeks, down the street and around the corner to the new casa de Calvert. Why we are moving down the street and around the corner is a story for another post.

The good news is that I am really liking how the renovations are coming along, especially in the kitchen. I will post several before and after photos when I have them later. Once we get through the tough sledding over the next few weeks, I am sure that we will look back and be glad for the change. But, oh my, getting there is something else!

Just to share a bit of the "fun" from week one of remodeling:

(1) I ruined my iPhone jumping in the pool at the new house to grab my child (I bet you will never guess which one) who thought it would be real neat to do a cannon ball in the deeper part of the water fully clothed while I discussed driveway gate options with one of the contractors. Since a cool front had blown in the night before, the water was a little chilly, and the cold water combined with the inability to touch the bottom made him panic a bit, though he knows how to swim pretty well. So out of instinct, I jumped in fully clothed with my iPhone in my pocket to grab him. Thankfully, I was able to trade my broken phone in for an upgraded one the next day for only $50 instead of paying full price for a new phone, but someone lost Wii privileges for a while as a result of his antics.

(2) Then there were the previously mentioned HOA issues, which came to light at the end of this week when a process server showed up at the new house with papers to be served on the former owner. It is times like these when I am glad I have a lawyer for a husband. The issues appear to be really nothing more than petty disputes. For instance, the HOA, among other things, is apparently complaining about our installation of the driveway gate pictured below because, though it is perfectly within the deed restrictions, the proper requests weren't filed beforehand and because it connects to a fence installed by the previous owner and the fence didn't receive proper blessing either. There are other similarly petty issues the HOA apparently has against the former owners, none of which was ever disclosed to us until the end of this week. A.g.g.r.a.v.a.t.i.n.g.

(3) Hidden repair issues that have come to light during the remodel, like a drain line that has to be cut out and replaced. There is a mound of dirt on the driveway and a big hole next to the slab of the new house as I type. Hopefully it will be resolved by Monday.

(4) Last minute changes and redos (mostly because of our inability to make up our mind or be satisfied) that have added costs to the bottom line, like switching from the first kitchen light we bought to the second one pictured below.

I can't wait to see what next week brings!!