OMG the chaos!

You would not believe the chaos in this household!

My pantry has been emptied -- onto the porch, mostly.  I've tried to maintain as much order as I can so that we can still access the supplies that we might need throughout this exercise.

But oh dear, what a royal mess!

The boys expect to be breaking through the pantry wall by Wednesday of next week.

We're going to be left with about one-third the size of pantry when we're done.  It's going to be quite the challenge to put everything back so we're making changes to how we're using some of the kitchen cabinets (the changes just never stop!).

John and I have have also started moving stuff in the office -- the domino effect of this project is unbelievable!  This file cabinet will go to John; that one will come to me; he'll move all these cabinets from one wall to the other; oh, let's move this one over there ... and the juggling just keeps on happening.

The cleaning lady would normally have been coming in next Wednesday too, but I called her last evening and cancelled that visit.  Makes no sense for her to be here while the wall is being brought down and they are creating a mess all over the place.  She said she'd be prepared for extra duty on her next visit -- that's an understatement!  I assured her that I'd try to stay on top of it as much as I can (I can see me running behind the boys with a broom in my hand ... should be quite the sight!).

We've decided that I'll start packing up my files (assuming we can acquire enough boxes) and pile them up in the living room.  That way, once my sanctuary is completed, we'll be ready for the move (at least I won't have to "start packing" at that point).

We've also realized that even once the room is completed, I won't be able to actually use it for probably the first week -- we're going to have to close the door, open the windows, and let it "air."

Why? you might ask.

Because I'm allergic to all the chemicals that will be emitted from the fresh paint and the floor boards.  You should have seen me when we brought those suckers home -- the response has lessened now but John assures me that the smell is still present (wonder if that's why my voice has not yet come back?)  He expects that once the packages are opened and the boards installed, they will again cause me serious breathing problems.

And he's probably right.

Of course, I can't be here while the painting is being done either.

So I guess I'll be banned from the premises for several days as my sanctuary approaches completion.

Gonna have to leave very explicit instructions as to how I want it painted because nobody seems to understand what I want.  Perhaps I'll draw them a picture!

It's simple really.  I chose the colours on day one of the planning for this room.  I knew precisely what I wanted right from the get go.  In fact, I've already been to the paint shop and selected the colour choices:  the ceiling will be distant gray; the walls will be bunny gray and the trim (crown moulding and all doors) will be old navy.  The windows will be covered with navy blinds (which will be mostly in the open position but when they're closed, it's important that they be navy).  Baseboards and window frames will be natural wood, to match the ones in the existing house.

And how has my body been holding up through this chaos, you might be wondering?

Remarkably well really, all things considered.

In fact, until this morning, I was having very few problems, physically -- and I've been coping emotionally really well too!

But I think I may have overdone it yesterday so today I'm paying the piper.

I got a little over-zealous with the moving of paraphernalia yesterday and hence woke with leg cramps this morning.  The muscle relaxant I've been taking for the past three weeks had been working wonderfully well ... until now.  Like everything else with my body, once I get "used to it," it loses its efficacy.  Of course, if I do nothing, it'll work just fine.  But the point is, I need to be able to do stuff.

So I'll see how things go for the next little while and if the leg cramps continue, or get worse, I'll have to take that up with my medic when I see him later this month.

Oh dear, does it never end?  Can we not find a happy medium, somewhere?