The amazing house we were allowed to use for basically a year is back in the hands of the real tenants, though with a few of our possessions still on site there. We left the boat table in the garage, the dinghy on the lift, and the kayaks on a trailer in the driveway.

We’ll be back.

For now, we’re really dialing in on the house projects.

When we first moved in, 19 years ago, there was fresh carpet in the whole upstairs. Fresh WHITE carpet. The stairs still had the grimy brown industrial covering (carpet might be too generous) that was likely the original builder’s choice for innocuous.

We talked about replacing that stair carpet for 19 years.

After years of children and pets, art projects and Virginia clay-clad feet, the white carpet is no longer white.

The brown stair carpet looks about the same.

All must go. (good thing we had a lot of practice this summer.)

For anyone contemplating home projects, let me tell you that a plus for carpet people is they actually (gasp) return phone calls. They actually (gasp) show up when expected. They also (gasp) provide a quote without a nudge or two.

This is not normal behavior for contractors. If you find one who does, shout their name from the rooftops. The bar for customer service is ridiculously low. (Would-be contractors, take note. Does not take much to make you stand out from the rest.)

Carpet is INSANELY expensive.

After keeling over in shock at the quotes (for basic, not fancy, carpet), we started to look hard at hardwood floors. We did the kitchen ourselves, with bamboo flooring. It looks pretty good, even ten years later.

So rather than pay someone else a ton of money to put in carpet, which means moving all the furniture out of the upstairs all at once, we’re tackling the project ourselves - and using bamboo hardwood.

The whole house is a workshop. Dining room? Paint shed for wood strips for the hull.

The office, already the guest room when we have guests, is also the “extra boat gear” that got moved out of the river house. Mainsail, jib, cushions. Yep, it’s in there.

We’ve ripped out half of the carpet in our room and out of the entire hallway upstairs. The lovely brown stair carpet is in the trash.

I figure we just got homesick for the chaos that is the boat right now, so we needed to re-create it at home.

Happy holidays to you and yours. May the skies be clear and the water beautiful.

We’ll see you out there!