Wanna new kitchen ceiling or five?

After 235 days, or 64% of a year, we have significant progress—and constant frustration, confusion, and worry. We can start with the current version of our kitchen ceiling:

In case you missed it, we rinsed the tiled walls of the new master bathroom—which is not quite complete—and the bathroom leaked through the kitchen pendant lights. Our contractors removed the ceiling sections Monday morning to find the source of the leak. The found it—the tile under the bathtub. Good news! Then they left.

And stayed away. Without any information.

But let’s look at how much progress we have seen since we began April 7:

— We have a fully functioning 3/4 bath where we once had a tiny powder room. The new shower is bigger and more functional than any we had in the house.

—We have a mudroom with custom furniture that isn’t squeegeed into the space. It’s clean and functional!

—We have a functional, much larger kitchen! (With holes in the ceilings and little ability to move everything in with frequent changes, including three times replacing counters).

—We can actually use the toilet in the master bathroom, if little else. And it is a beautiful room—even if we can’t much use it.

—We have a back stoop that covers up the mud pit caused by excavation.

— We have a new front porch that isn’t quite finished.

We are thrilled with the progress our contractors have made. And we are frustrated that between two snowy seasons, we have no information or progress or peace.

We can’t even really clean beyond the surface because most every day creates another mess.

We had hoped that we would have a whole, renovated house by Thanksgiving.

Now we just hope.