The heart of our home…

Just hours after we signed the papers making this house officially our forever home we began pouring our hearts, souls, and backs into it.  Nate and I couldn’t wait to start swinging hammers at the wall that closed off the kitchen from the rest of the house.  We both love to cook and Charlie is already showing an interest as well.  Whenever we are in the kitchen he pushes, pulls, or drags a chair to the counter and says “me, me” until he gets to try mixing or measuring. 

So, we didn’t waste any time and with my dad’s help, the three of us had the old cabinets down and the drywall off both sides of the wall.  Even with the studs still there the change is incredible.  The kitchen will be open to the dining room and living room making a sort of L-shaped great room.  I actually think the house is standing a little straighter and taller now that it has received some love.  It’s like it can tell that we are going to stay and take care of it.

We did get some bad news when a friend of ours checked the furnace and told us that it would need to be replaced.  Luckily, there is also a very nice Woodchuck wood burning stove that is hooked up to the forced air ductwork.  We are still trying to figure out just how much wood the woodchuck needs, you would think that since fire was harnessed in pre-historic times that we in 2011 would have it mastered – that is not the case.  Two stops and a couple of phone calls to a local stove dealer has us on the right track.  Harvey, the Woodchuck master, basically told us we need to give it time and keep trying to find the sweet spot – that perfect burn.  Then we will have a house that we don’t see our breath in.

We have also made a lot of progress with the “stuff” for the kitchen.  The cabinets are ordered, our appliances were delivered today, and my sink has arrived from New Hampshire.  (more posts on those to follow)

Warm thoughts to you as the weatherman predicts -22 for tomorrow morning, oh yeah, that’s without the wind chill.  I think I’m going to be looking for a groundhog pretty soon.