Every day at the Cateechee mill village church has been a busy one. Box after box has been unpacked. We work at finding new places for everything (and spend lots of time trying to remember where these places are!) It is an exercise in "thinking outside the box". What do I mean by that? Well ... just because we kept rolls of tape above the back sink doesn't mean we even have a back sink with overhead cabinets! Finding a hammer, the broom and dustpan, and ... of course ... where we last put down our phones is a constant. Little by little, however, everything is coming together. (Now ... if the ever-so-behind-schedule contractor would finish the punch list ... well ... that would be nice!
Blogging is something that I know will return with regularity when we are finally and fully MOVED IN. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Thank goodness. Now, since my last blog post, lots has happened ... including hanging mirrors in the upstairs bathroom. We really tried to sell most of the custom framed, beveled mirrors before we moved (at ridiculously low prices) but there were just too many. So ... why not cover the upstairs bathroom in the remaining ones?
The contractor's subs didn't manage to center the light fixture over the vanity ... but ... who really cares? With the arrangement of mirrors, it just didn't matter to us.
The downstairs bathroom had its share of problems too. The shower door wasn't the correct size. Three weeks after moving in, we got the door ... and on the same day, the free-standing tub was finally installed too.
Obviously, it was worth the wait!
Had we understood that the "walk in closet" on the architectural renderings was simply an empty space, we might not have had to wait so long for it. We didn't contract with ClosetPro until we'd been here for a week. Then, it was two weeks before all these beautiful shelves and racks came. The guy who put them in was fantastic. Definitely, this was worth the wait!
Just last Friday, the 10' ceiling fan was installed. (The contractor ordered the wrong down rod THREE TIMES! Thank goodness the architect ordered the right one! LOL!) The sanctuary lights were rewired yesterday and today! They weren't part of the original renovation, but we were able to independently hire the electrician who did all the other work. We've also "bit the bullet" can have contracted with Lowe's to replace all eight sanctuary windows. Believe it or not, the original ones are spray-painted (sky blues) Plexiglas mounted on wood in various states of disrepair. We are hoping the new windows come in a couple weeks.
We haven't found a bed frame yet ... but this will be the guest bedroom. Our old futon mattress and feather topper are actually quite comfortable.
We met several of our new neighbors. One man was particularly helpful. He loaned us his cat trap. Why? Well, we closed off the one broken vent in the crawl space. We thought we'd scared all the stray cats out but apparently there was one mother with two kittens still under the church. It took three days before we could say we were "feral cat free". Ernie and Mr. Minnie seem to be the only cats with collars. After the first three weeks, we started letting them outside ... with supervision! Mostly, however, they are staying indoors. The sanctuary seems large enough for them to have space to roam! The neighbor's son was then introduced ... and we hired him to cut the nearly one-acre lot and trim the low branches of the magnolia tree. Now ... the yard looks wonderful!
The only way I am keeping sane during this transition is by having something on which to stitch. Two, small pieces were finished (but not mounted, framed, photographed and ready to blog) when I got a commission from a dear friend. The blue-and-white quilt had been her childhood blanket. It was way beyond repair but absolutely perfect for this Found Object Mandala. Just yesterday, Steve built the first frame in the church! It was for this piece! Plus, I've started cutting up crochet, lace, and other vintage linens in order to continue working on my Cascade/Lace Forest Installation!
Steve and I also drove into Greenville for First Friday. We got to three different venues and had a great time. Yet, we were much more impressed by Rescue: Waste and Redemption at the Lyndon House Art Center in Athens, Georgia ... and not just because I stitched one of the twenty-two pieces accepted into the exhibit.
This show was expertly curated by Lizzie Zucker Saltz. There was a printed catalog (which also can be accessed digitally through the link above). Ms. Zucker Saltz's approach was scholarly and well researched. She even wrote the individual exhibition labels. Every piece was tied to the problems facing our planet ... from hard to recycle materials, the hazards of hard plastics, climate change, the dangers in run off polluted water, fast fashion, to ordinary litter.
Although every piece was brilliant, undoubtedly Steve and I had a favorite artwork. It was Nell Ruby's 5.25.1910. (The numbers refer to the date found on the chair indicating when it was made.) The catalog reads: When Breaking down a chair for disposal ... [Nell Ruby] soon gained an appreciation of each tour-of-the-century part, most of which could be reused or recycled. This is in contract to most of today's 'fast furniture' whose components often include off-gassing foam and un-recyclable fiber board held together by a formaldehyde glue." The next paragraph includes: When you shop, look for wood furniture made from reclaimed wood and from wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.
I think Steve and I like this "exploded" chair best because we have always been drawn to the high quality and generally low auction prices of vintage and antique furniture (and everything else!) Perhaps this is why we knew we wanted to safe the Cateechee mill village church! Plus ... we love nature. We've taken a few afternoons to visit waterfalls in the area. Here are some of our selfies!
(Above: Selfie at Ramsey Falls.)
3 comments:
I have enjoyed your up-date posts. Thank you for sharing. The waterfalls are beautiful and your selfies are cute!
You could wear a fanny pack to put your phone in. That way it is always with you.
I have tried to be more aware of recycling things as I get older. Thanks for sharing your story with us.
Your new "home" is looking great ! Happy working there, Susan !
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