This week was a busy one, I worked a ton, had a lot going on with my sports and got to squeeze in some time with my friends.

He said

This week the focus as we mentioned last week was to really double down the work on Emelia’s basement suite  renovation. The next step was the one we were dreading the most: mudding and sanding. The initial plan was to have Emelia’s bestie Carter who will be going to school in the fall at Fanshawe to become an electrician, and had taken a construction course at Lucas this year do that job to gain experience and practice. (Of course, we were going to pay him) But, as life got in the way and time moved too fast with Carter’s summer job at Bon Echo Provincial Park, six hours away from London, that ship sailed. And mudding and sanding suddenly became a job for Danielle and I.

Sunday evening we began that job in earnest. The first stabs at covering up seams, drywall screws and corner beads with mud began with a first coat. Now, everyone who has done this job knows just how much it sucks—mostly the sanding part. It is definitely an art and takes years of practice to be skilful and efficient at it. I am neither of those, and would happily pay someone that is to do this job. The problem is this job is too small for most people who are skilled to consider. Danielle and I took our first run at coat number one Sunday. Monday and Tuesday after work we moved onto coat number two and then the light sanding started. By Thursday this week, we had made considerable progress and I was actually happy with how the door frame was looking! We’ve since taken a couple more passes at it on Friday and again this evening and we are finally ready to paint!

Once the painting is done, it will be final finish trim, putting the sliding barn door back up, and then the finishing touches on the decorating she wants to truly make it her space. I know for certain she will be happy to have her door back on and this project finally done. It took a lot longer than we anticipated which is what I tried to convince her to understand way back last December when the “can we start it now?” conversations started. As someone who has never been through renovation like Danielle & I have it was hard for her to wrap her head around all that would need to happen. And how none of it would be quick and easy—especially if you wanted to do it right. But here we are a lot closer to the finish line and ready to finally be done, just ahead of university starting which is actually what I initially told her and she thought I was joking.

Thursday evening Emelia had another softball game that my work schedule afforded me the ability to go watch which was great cause we haven’t had the chance to see a lot of her games this season with all that has been going on. But, half way through the first inning the lights on the diamond turned off. The game start was at 8:30pm and that meant sooner than later that was going to be a problem. Apparently the same thing happened the week prior and the game got called too. So, at the end of the second with Emelia’s team winning, the game got called and because they only made it that far, it didn’t count and will need to be rescheduled. They’re having a really good season this year and Emelia is actually getting quite into it—and not just because they’re first in their division.

Lastly with a Saturday open shift at the store and Sunday off, Danielle and I decided to head straight from work up to Auburn to spend the evening and today at the trailer. From wrapping up work at five, we were sitting at the fire pit with dinner by eight. We spent an amazing evening relaxing by the fire pit enjoying the rainstorm that was forecasted to happened at nine, that eventually pushed off and happened long after we went to bed and were sleeping. It was great to be back up there after deciding to stay back in London last weekend in lieu of renovations. Got up when our bodies were ready to today – without alarm clocks – and got in a bike ride on the G2G before feasting on a big greasy breakfast, enjoying the work a cottage pace before coming back to London to patch and sand some more!

She said

This week was another busy one, mainly because John, Emelia and I are just about done with working on the basement. It seems that this project has been going on for months. Well… that is because it has. What started out as a conversation 2 years ago that if Emelia got into Western or Kings and wanted to stay at home we would renovate the basement and make it a mini apartment for her. Well as soon as we planted that seed in her head she wanted it done yesterday. We told her that we wouldn’t start until she was closer to going to university. Well once she had her offer from King’s and knew she wanted to stay home vs living in residence she has been on us to get a start on it. As John stated, Emelia has not been through a renovation in her memory (last major renovation we did she was a baby) she honestly has no idea what it takes to renovate. There is the cost, the planning and with our tiny house it is all done in reasonable stages.

So after months of shift things around, dealing with mess we are seeing the first stage of the light at the end of the tunnel. John and I spent every free night this week working on the mudding and sanding. It is not a fun job and it is far from perfect but considering we have zero experience on all of this it didn’t turn out half bad. So with this stage done Emelia and her besties can finalize the colour choices, we can go pick up supplies and she and her friends get to take on the task of painting the bedroom and bathroom. This week to push a bit of excitement to push ourselves though this last stage Emelia and I have been planning some of the fun stuff, the decorations, the finishing choices and accessories. This is the fun stuff she has been waiting for. We picked up a few things this weekend and are hoping that in the next few weeks we can finally say this project is done and Emelia can enjoy the last few weeks before university getting ready for the next big stage of her life.

Aside from the renovation the rest of the week for Emelia was lots of working, lots of sports and spending some hang out times with her besties. It has been a quieter summer than I think she hoped for but she is balancing it all out. I am hoping that with the room almost done she and the girls can plan some fun beach trips and make the most of the summer before everyone is back at school. Emelia is getting more and more excited about university. She and Bri are already planning and getting excited for O-week. She cannot wait, she is finding more and more of her friends are going to King’s and even has friends in almost all her classes. It is going to the best year for her!