"Every house where love abides
And friendship is a guest,
Is surely home, and home sweet home
For there the heart can rest."
~ Henry Van Dyke

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

The last stretch.....

Tomorrow is moving day so we are on the last stretch. The movers will arrive very early to start loading our larger pieces of furniture in the van. We have pretty much moved all the smaller stuff over to the new house.


We have been taking car loads over each day and this sweet little man in my life keeps wondering why he is not going along yet. He seems to think if he just sits on the boxes, we will take him along. *grins*

Not yet Dagi...but soon...

Chocolates from my dear friend Enny helped us through the waiting to hear about finding a new floor in time. Well, when do a good box of chocolates not help actually? *wink*

After calling 17 floor companies, the man doing our floors found this 20cm wide solid oak flooring in stock. It was delivered on Wednesday morning that week and finished by Friday afternoon. Unfortunately, the laminate floor in my studio was scratched when some oak planks were slid over it. The man who laid the studio floor said he would come replace the scratched area but it would be very costly. It will stay as it is for the time being. Why is it that the first scratches and dents are the most painful?

We had to wait a week for the carpenter to come and put the baseboards in the living room, hall and bedroom. We still have the flat trim to go around the doors yet to be installed which the man who laid the floors will do hopefully next week.

We choose an antique dark oak hard wax finish...

...and this is the result.

But last Sunday, I had a sleepless night after we discovered the floor was bowing up by the windows and garden door. We sent a text message to the man to let him know thinking he would call us on Monday but he called right away on Sunday. He came the next morning to fix it. The old floor was not solid beech as we had been told by the previous owners but a thin layer of beech laid over MDF panels. It was a cheap floor that could not have even been repaired when the boards started coming up from having been damp. This section was not attached to the cement under floor so he had to glue it down and re-nail the oak floor to it. But then we came back the next day to find this...

The trim around the floor heater is bent up and he will be coming back to repair it as soon as he can. It has been a journey to get the floor straightened out but here is what the old floor looked like. The wood was so damaged that something had to be done. Now looking back, we are glad we had to choose the new floor as we both love oak floors and this floor even stained and varnished would never had come up as nice as what we have now. We just won't even talk about our budget..... *wink*

Things are slowly starting to come together. Sonja helped me to put my bookshelves together. I thought I would feel like it was my home once I saw my books in the room but I need time to adjust from all the mess and problems we encountered. I am however really looking forward to having the rest of my furniture moved over tomorrow.

Time to see what last minute packing needs to be done here in the old house. Fingers crossed that our internet connection goes smoothly when it is set up on Friday. It will be nice to have life get back to normal again. I will be visiting you all again very soon to catch up on your lives when it does. Thank you for all the encouraging comments and emails!

27 comments:

Nancy said...

Oh my gosh, it is so good that you found out about that floor and put in the new one, BEFORE spending money on doing that one over. The new one is so pretty and I will see it in person on Sat. Hope the movers are good and everything goes as planned there.
Dagi, I hope you will like your new home. Remember, I am going to be sleeping on your favorite bed, but maybe we can share it during the day when you like to be on it. Soon you will be back to normal in a beautiful new home.
Love you all,
Mom

Elizabethd said...

I'm so glad that things have moved forward so positively. You have certainly had more than your fair share of trouble, and it will take time to feel that the house is your own.

Anonymous said...

I'm looking forward to seeing your new "nest."

onlymehere said...

I am constantly amazed at the problems you've encountered. The shining light though is that this is all taken care of now and you won't have to live with repairs and mess once you're all moved in. It's amazing how one little problem leads to more and sometimes bigger ones. I hope you're starting to feel at home with the books. Every box you open and put away will make it feel a little more like home. We built our home from scratch and it still really didn't feel like home until a week or so after we were in it. I saw on your mom's blog that she's coming to visit. What a wonderful time you'll have. I hope things now are settling down and that you can just enjoy your time with her. Big smiles coming your way!

Linda said...

Heidi...everything is coming together and your new home is going to all you hoped for....I'm so looking forward to pictures when you are settled. Have a wonderful time with your mom...can't think of a more pefect person to enjoy and celebrate this happy occasion with..hugs, Linda

Amy Marie said...

What a great feeling to get moved...and that your mom will be there to help! Enjoy the visit!

Deborah said...

I love that you have kept a posititve attitude with some of the problems that you have encountered. Just know that your new home will be lovely and it will be everything that you want it to be. Hope all goes well with the move.

Joni said...

I'm so sorry about the flooring issues but I know you must be pleaed with the final outcome. Dagi looks positively regal on top of those boxes. He'll be singing his way to the new house soon though. I can't wait to see the pics and I hope you get settled and are able to relax and enjoy soon. Love to you both!!

angelasweby said...

Well Heidi, your endurance and resilience has been tested to the limit. The good news is that everything is finally coming together and the *little* issue of extra cost can be dealt with later when you and Jos have built your energy reserves up again (on chocolate, of course) :>)
The floors do look lovely now and the glass wall makes the whole area light up. It will be such a wonderful Christmas in your new home and what nicer person to have as your first visitor than Nancy.
I love the picture of Dagi. Cats always like to be in the middle of the action :>)
Warm wishes Angela xx

DonnaTN said...

I'm so glad that the light at the end of the tunnel is coming ever closer! At least you got your flooring issues dealt with before you moved in the furniture. And the dark oak floor is beautiful. I'll be sending good thoughts your way on moving day!

hazel c UK said...

Glad things are on the up now for you and Jos, your home is going to look lovely Heidi especially those beautiful floors. Your Mum is going to have a great time with you, give her hug from me. Love the book shelf and I can remember all those books in your old home.
Take care,
Love Hazel

Jackie's Stitches said...

I'm so happy that you're moving in. The sooner you're in and living your normal life the further all the "bad stuff" out of your thoughts. The color you picked for the flooring is wonderful. Very warm and comforting. It has character.

Roberta said...

So glad that this moving adventure is nearing the end. Love the new floor - sometimes there are reasons for things happening.

The chocolates will definitely help.

Poor Dagi, he will be in his new home soon.

Take care and fingers crossed for a smooth move for you all.

Margaret said...

Thanks for your update Heidi. Thank goodness things are looking better & better every day. Soon you and Jos will be enjoying life in your new home.

How wonderful that your mom is coming to share in the joy of your wonderful home. I think Dagi is being so patient not only by the prospects of the upcoming new home but knowing grandma will be visiting very soon. Enjoy!!

Anonymous said...

I'm sooo happy that your moving in day is moving closer and closer. And I'm sorry for all of the mishaps that you've had to suffer during this time! Poor Dagi - he looks so lost and confused. He is probably afraid he will be left behind!

Linda in VA

Sonja said...

Oh, wat heerlijk dat je vandaag alle spullen verhuist. Dan slapen jullie vanavond dus voor het eerst in jullie nieuwe huis! Spannend! Want het zal wennen zijn, alleen al de nieuwe geluiden als de herfstwind om het huis waait.
Welterusten en veel geluk in jullie nieuwe huis!!

Jenny said...

Oh Heidi,
What an adventure you have had. The floor is beautiful and soon you will have all your things unpacked and it will feel more like home. I know when we moved into our house it took awhile to feel at home, in fact my son was 4 at the time and he refused to sleep in his new room because it was not his bedroom, he was going back to the old one...grins... ah the memories....soon your moving day will be a memory too. Happy thoughts are sent your way, and so glad your mom can be there to help. Dagi will feel at home in no time, especially with his mommy spending more time with him. Hugs from CA.

Brigitte said...

I hope that by now your move is done and that no more problems were discovered - I think you've had your share with the floors and the leak and all. I wish you a very happy new start in the new house.

Saskia said...

Almost is it over! I hope the move went like you planned, and the first night you have sweet dreams and no more nightmare's..!
I wish I had found the time to help you guys more though.
But if you want to, I can come over the next couple of day's. Finally I have some day's vacation again. Just as I wright this down there's a lot of noise and Demolition going on downstairs. Yeah!! two weeks, and I will have my new kitchen.
Knuffels and give a big big KNUFFEL to your mother.
Saskia

Barb said...

Oh my golly gosh Heidi I thought I had lost you but you have been hiding away at new place.
Wow you have made a difference to it all,and I hope moving day goes well and Dagi approves when he moves in.
Hopefully in a few weeks we may see it all decorated and some stitching as I have missed that.
Take care sweetie

Elly said...

De laatste loodjes wegen het zwaarst, hou nog even vol. Het komt allemaal goed! Groetjes, Elly

Anonymous said...

Eindelijk is het dan zover, jullie wonen op het nieuwe adres.
Hopelijk voelen jullie je daar al een beetje thuis, en zal de feestvreugde extra groot zijn nu Nancy bij jullie is.Heel jammer dat ik er de laatste weken niet meer zoveel kon zijn, maar er zijn andere verplichtingen waar ik niet onderuit kan.
Nu nog even de overdracht van de Mezekouw, hopelijk kan dan het GROTE genieten beginnen.
Liefs en hugs voor 3.
Bep.

Susan in SC said...

Yikes on the floor woes! Once your mom gets there, maybe things will settle down and you can enjoy her visit! Love the oak floors!!

onlymehere said...

I hope you're having a great time with your mom there! I just wanted you to know that I think Murphy has left your home and moved into my house....sigh...........I wish he'd go away. Maybe soon.
Me

Marsha said...

I hope you are all moved in now with Dagi along too. What an adventure in flooring!! So sorry to hear of it and hope it is all level and lovely now. Can't wait to see pictures of your new home, especially the studio.

Tracy said...

Hello, Heidi! Just catching up with you. I'm sorry not to have been around. I've had some health issues of late, but hopefully soon on the path to wellness again. :o) Goodness what a time you've have making your new place ready. That oak floor looks lovely though. Hope the move went well and that you will have many happy years in your new home. Cuddles to Dagi from me & Charlie ;o) Happy Days ((HUGS))

DebbieSFL said...

I hope things are going better at the house and that Dagi is happy in his new home!! Cannot wait to see pictures of your garden this spring. I have always loved your garden.