The Money Pit

NYE looms large in the legend of The Money Pit. Rush signed papers at the closing

Kitchen 2010

to buy the house on the eve of 2010. Later that night a small handful of close friends, clad in parkas, gloves and scarves, bravely gathered for a brief toast, our breath hanging visible in the den’s frigid air as we looked forward to a future party in the soon-to-be-restored home.

On the eve of 2011, although still unfinished, The Money Pit had come a long way. Scores of friends filled the otherwise empty spaces. Heat

Kitchen 2011 with make-do appliances and yet another cabinet color that we hated

and air, electricity, appliances, plumbing, new tile, refinished hardwood, repaired plaster, fresh paint and too many other projects to list had been completed in that year, and the lack of furniture did nothing to dampen our New Year’s spirits.

And just last weekend we ushered in 2012 with friends and neighbors in what finally felt more like a home than a project. An almost completed kitchen, half bath and dining room, furniture in every room, a fully decorated Christmas tree and stockings hung under a new mirror on the mantel, all made the event far cozier this year. And only once in the preparations for the party did I scream, “It’s at the other house!” in reference to a large baking dish. Otherwise, everything we needed was right at hand. Progress indeed.

Kitchen 2012 with tile countertops, cabinet color we actually like, and new tulip light fixtures

So New Year’s Eve remains an important date in the life of The Money Pit. Without such markers, it is easy to feel like nothing is getting accomplished. During such a big project with so many details to juggle, the successes somehow manage to get lost in the shuffle.

For Rush and me, 2012 holds the promise of completion. We hope to finish all the almost-but-not-quite-done projects—handles on cabinets, caulk on countertops, siding on the magic shed, paint and caulk on interior trim and doors, sealer on the sanded dining room walls, glass and the last bit of tile in the master shower, and mud, paint and shelves for the closets upstairs. The only interior project left to begin from scratch is an entertainment center for the den, but that may not make it to the top of the to-do list this year. If not, we’ll just be wonderfully content to spend 2012 checking off all the projects begun in 2010 and ’11.

To all our DIY friends out there—may all your 2012 projects come in under budget and ahead of schedule. Happy New Year everybody!!

Arch between kitchen and laundry in progress

Finished archway

Rush designed and built a new cabinet for a blank wall in the kitchen

Finished built-in with lead-glass doors, tile counter and tin backsplash