The amount of cleaning that needs to be done is astronomical and I really don’t know what to do first. I’m more frustrated than I’ve been in a long time. Guess I’ll start in the kitchen since that will allow me to move all the stuff back that’s currently sitting on the dining room table.

The kitchen window is done (except for painting the trim) and additional stucco work on the outside–which the contractor will do on Monday. Garage window is also done except for new trim to be installed on the outside–also the contractor’s responsibility.

Next week should be unbelievably crazy when they start in on the back windows and door. I’ll be soooo glad when that part is over…and I’m not at all looking forward to the bay window installation in my bedroom.

My new neighbor across the street came over to look at the new windows and then took me to his house to see all the work they’ve done. I wasn’t that impressed. They redid the floors (which look great), but they are tiling the main bath (all the walls!) using a different tile than what’s around the tub…and it just doesn’t match! They stripped the paint from the fireplace bricks and from the mantle but didn’t do a good job. I think they sanded it rather than using paint stripper and it’s just not attractive. He is ripping out all the flowers and plants and putting in lots of annuals, telling me he wants everything to be in straight lines. Good luck! Everything I plant starts out in a straight line, but never stays that way for long. They’ve still got all the old kitchen cabinets (like the ones I have hanging on the garage walls) and put a new countertop on them and painted them. It really looks crummy, but he says they love the old cabinets. Can you believe they only have cabinets on one side of the kitchen? The stove is just sitting out in the open with nothing around it–really weird looking!

This guy said something really strange, too. He talked about how big the house is! Somehow I never thought of these houses as being big. I guess if you came from a small apartment, this would seem big. I was surprised at how much smaller their backyard is compared to ours. He wants to put in a pool, but they don’t have enough room to put in anything as large as ours. Also, they don’t have the family room like ours–just a covered patio that’s about half the size of our family room. And this place sold for $565,000! Amazing! Someday I expect my house will be worth over $1 million!!! Thank God we decided to buy a house in Upper Hastings Ranch!

Well, I’ve wasted enough time and now need to get busy or I’ll get nothing accomplished tonight. Kitchen here I come…