Summer is simmering in Seattle. The temperature has climbed past 90F on occasion, and the rains have receded (to weekly showers, instead of daily). Seems like it would be the perfect opportunity to take a week off and enjoy the outdoors.

Except...the chaotic construction process continues. Or, in other words, I still haven't unpacked after 7 months in this home. Why does that matter? Well, when I left VA, it was fall and my suitcases were filled with winter wear. Over half a year later, I'm still wearing wool. :(

I'm becoming very tired of essentially living in one room, and cooking in a toaster oven is not very realistic for extended time periods. Especially when the entire house is covered with a fine and continuous layer of drywall dust and construction dirt. Any vestigal domestic instincts that I may have possessed have been burned out, and I have abandoned efforts to clean the constant dust (as Legolas would say, I have given in to despair).

Enough complaints, here are some pictures of the interior's current state:

Can you tell this is my kitchen? While the exposed studs would seem a little offputting to some, I view them as the foundation of something (anything!) better. And, on the up-side, the large window has been shortened, so it is now possible to install standard size cabinets on that wall. You may notice that the smaller window remains lower. I'm wondering if I should raise that one, also, to keep the back of the house more visually consistent.

This is my new office, and the one bright spot in the chaos. I sub-divided the bowling room of a master bedroom to create an office space that is accessible from just inside the home's entry. Before the division, the master bedroom was about 26 feet long. Now, it is about 16' by 19' deep, and I have an office that is about 9' by 7'. For me, this is a much better use of space. And, I think that it may (technically) count as a 4th bedroom. I had a wood floor added (to allow my office chair to roll freely - whee!) and painted the walls a rather "muddy" yellow. It looked different in the can, but I'm too fatigued to repaint. Plus, I get office furniture in 2 days - yipee! No more sitting on the bed or floor to work. :)

The guest bathroom with the floor tiles laid out. The bright red color on the shower enclosure (partially shown on the left) is waterproofing material. Special thanks to M for the guidance on how to prevent water penetration. I'm hoping that in 30 years or so, when the house is next refurbished, there will not be a spec of mold in the studs, when everything is pulled out.

My plan is for this bath to be a little zen/craftsman. I'm going to paint some shade of green, all the fixtures are white, and I have a warm, almost Santa Fe colored oak vanity with a black marble top for the sink. It could look good or perhaps it will be another trip down "what was she thinking" lane.

However, I did find a couple items in the clearance aisle (oil rubbed bronze) that will result in an electic mix of metal finishes within the room...

Why was I raised to be so attracted to the beckoning red tags of discount? The only thing more compelling is the frenzy of the blue light special - thank goodness that Kmart is now too ritzy for those aggressive struggles toward the markdown table.

Think good luck thoughts, I may well need them when it all comes together. :)

PS - For the record, I've never revelled in cleaning, so I'm actually relishing my newfound "despair" over the dust. It takes so much pressure off...