No cajas por los bebe. . .

These enigmatic words were scrawled in child's handwriting in the master bathroom vanity. Creepy.

And in the category of disgusting: the vanity also housed a half-used tube of jock itch cream stuck to the top of one of the drawers.

And the oven - oh the oven. It's relatively new, and I just don't understand how it got so dirty in what must have been a relatively short amount of time. Not to mention the fact that there was grease everywhere - including parts of the oven that shouldn't have grease on them - like the oven's ceiling. Thank goodness the former occupants apparently never used the broiler.

Pictures, as promised.

The living room. Still unpacking!



Chad cooks our first meal at the house, delicious Cuban black beans. Mmmmm... Cuban black beans...



The east wall of the kitchen. We just recently got the cabinet drawers and doors. Our first pick clashed with the floor. And, because Ikea likes to watch us squirm, these were, of course, special order. We're still waiting on spacer pieces for the wall cabinets. Once those arrive (also special order), we'll be able to install the over-the-range microwave.



Here is the industrial sink and faucet. Like the gutters, they have also been declared ginormous by rooster haus visitors. In reality, the sink is fairly small compared to most. I think the single basin gives it the illusion of large-ness. The faucet really is a monster.

Rooster says: "4:31 in the morning, and all is well. . ."

"4:51 in the morning, and all is well..."
"5:32 in the morning, and all is well..."
"5:45 in the morning, and all is well... and why isn't anyone waking up?"

Chad and I spent our first night in the house this Saturday. The rooster was up to his tricks Sunday night, too, but it didn't disturb us as much as the screaming noise the master bedroom toilet makes when being flushed. We're hoping that we'll get used to the crowing. Because it does happen all night. And we'll have the home warranty folks out to check on the toilet and the sudden (Monday morning) lack of hot water.

We've been working hard moving in and will upload pictures soon.

The termites are on to us.

While caulking last night, we encountered three swarmers. When termites are on the run, they sprout wings and fly. These three guys were pretty sick - they'd take off and fall out of the air, slide down the wall, fly into your face and fall out of the air, etc. - but trying mightily to find some new wood to eat. Industrious. We hope their trouble flying means the termite treatment is working. But who knows, maybe these little guys are just perfecting their act for Vaudville.

No pictures today - puttying nail holes and caulking are difficult to capture on film and not all that interesting to look at when you do!

Closing in on completion.

We're close, but still not ready to move in. While we were in Kansas City visiting family and friends this weekend, Drew installed our appliances, sink, countertops, and trim. We also got a new door. This one does not feature holes, like the one that came with the house. (We're slowly closing in on holes... first the ones in the floor... then the doors... next the gaps between window panes and window frames...) When we got back, Chad worked on the hot water heater shed, and I put a second coat of polyurathane on the trim and doors. Drew is going to finish lining up the trim, and then we caulk. After caulking, we can move in!

Some things really make a house look like a house again... like walls... and appliances... and trim. Our house has all of these, so it's really looking like a house. Finally.

Here's the kitchen:





And the trim in the office:



And the trim in the guest bedroom: