Welcome to Home Ownership

So we closed.  After a loooooong closing process we closed Friday, ripped out carpet until 12 at night, discovered some beautiful wood-like-looking linoleum on top of the wood floor, and then moved into the garage and basement on Saturday so that the hardwood floors could be refinished.  Holy gaucamole.  The weekend was topped off by finding some puddles in the basement and a wet floor in the garage on Sunday night after we had some big storms.  Since there was nothing I could do, I dropped some choice words, closed the garage door, said a little prayer, and pretended like it didn't happen until this weekend when we could move in. I just slapped this grin on my face and called it a day.

Too bad this light fixture doesn't work.

We got the all clear from floor guy Andy to move in on Friday. (If anyone needs someone to refinish their hardwood floors in the Chicagoland area, I would highly recommend Andy. He is out of Norridge and has awesome prices and he's funny to boot.)  So Friday we were incredibly blessed to have a friend from church head over to see the place, and he said, "let's just start moving some stuff in while I'm here."  Jon and I are opportunistic and don't pass on opportunities like this, especially when I am trying to hold back and not move the couch and the dresser myself even though I really wanted to.  Well Marty and Jon moved in all the furniture in just a couple hours.  Awesome!!  Here are some during and after shots of the floors

This was the room covered in linoleum tar crap.  Andy is awesome.

Bad night pictures but awesome floors!

During this time, I'm whining.  I know the house smells because of the floor fumes, but my prego nose is picking up more than that.  So since no one else smells the gas, we trek on and I get over it.  Until my mom smells it, and then Jon smells it.  Then Nicor comes over and shuts off the gas when they discover 4 leaks.  Yup, there went the heat and my sanity.  I blame the hormones.

Luckily my dad rocks the party and I called him in my panicky state and he headed on over.  I might have pulled the "I'm about to cry," and let's just say that my dad can't handle tears and I was legitimately about to sob my face off. Three hours later (and with plumbing skills I didn't know he had), we had replaced parts of the gas lines and taken out the ultramatic six burner stove.  It's so unique and ancient there aren't even pictures in google images for me to provide you with so that you can see it in all it's carbon monoxide and gas emitting glory. Luckily we took a before and after picture for your viewing pleasure.

So for now we are stoveless, on the upper level that is.  We are trying to make a plan before just buying an appliance, because at some point (maybe in the not as distant future as we had hoped) we are going to have to invest money in the kitchen.  We were hoping to get a year or two out of that beast.  No such luck.  In the mean time, my dad and his blow torch figured out that the stove in the basement functions.  Be careful to not put your hand in the middle of the burners where the single pilot it.  Let's just say it isn't cost effective when you can burn your hand off. It looks like this:

And while you are down there, you can enjoy the ambiance of the basement.

Yep, Saloon doors ahead.  Into my second "kitchen"

So Jon and I might have to give up our frozen pizza addiction because you have to light the pilot in that beast every time you use it.  Maybe it's a good time to go on an all fresh food diet?  Either way, we are stoked to be in our house, our home... meeting all of our neighbors and already going for lunches with neighbor Maria is pretty awesome.  We are excited to invest in our community and in this silly home.  Even if it keeps throwing some curve balls.  I could do with a few less curve balls in the first week, but, what are you going to do?  Welcome to home ownership!