One last photo, and it's time to say goodbye to California and it's spectacular October weather.
There is one floor of the church that is finished and functioning.
It has a definite urban vibe. It was built out as a completely separate unit, and is a pretty vast space at just over 5,000 square feet, so we kept it simple. Clean lines, minimal fuss.
Here it is on the day of our first walk-through. This floor just exuded charm. How could we resist?
The dropped panel ceilings with florescent lighting was particularly compelling. As was the lovely paneling.
Finally, some clean lines and minimal fuss. But, I need to know who on earth picks out that precise color of green paint. I see it everywhere in buildings of a "certain age", and I feel queasy every time. However, I love the pinky-peach folding chair, sitting there all alone...
I couldn't ever figure out the floor plan in this space. I was forever getting turned around. I suppose in over ninety years of the building's history, there were plenty of opportunities to rearrange and put up random walls. Places to hide the clutter.
Pay particularly close attention to the linoleum floor tiles. They will be important later.
This area was used for the actual church services, at the end. The congregation had dwindled down to a mere handful, and using the sanctuary for services seemed inappropriate. So they moved downstairs to a more intimate setting.
I will note at this point that there is another church of this denomination less than two miles from here. So, these parishioners were not left without a church home, they merely transitioned to the new one.
Here is the original kitchen, probably added in the sixties, where I imagine many a church supper was prepared. It cracked me up that the wastebasket was still here, with a clean bag in it. And the dishcloth casually drying on the sink, like someone would be right back to finish cleaning up.
In actuality, the building had been vacant for many years before they unloaded it on us we bought it.
So here we are after a little over a year of demolition and reconfiguring. All the dropped ceilings were removed and recessed lights were added. Superfluous walls were taken down, which added to the "loft" feeling.
If you have been astute enough to notice that progress is grinding to a halt awfully slow on our massive restoration project...
Well, um, er.....*cough*. (Yeah, I've got nothin'.)
It's been painfully slow. Painfully. We're WAY behind schedule. Everyone is beyond ready to be finished. Please send help.
And yet, beauty is still forthcoming. The original pieces that were removed from the church altar have been restored and are being re-purposed as part of the kitchen. Stripping and sanding off ninety-some-odd years of paint was no easy feat, and luckily that job fell to someone who took it on with much enthusiasm. And then he quit.
Needless to say, that person was not me. But it could have been.
Some pieces were cut short to fit on the sides of the island.
On this side, a spot was left open for an ice machine. Hey, it gets H.O.T. in Texas!
Other pieces were left longer to trim out the front of the counter that runs along the perimeter of the kitchen.
This counter will allow for seating on the main floor, and it steps up to serving height from the kitchen side.
The design runs in a graceful arc that replicates the original curve of the altar.
As luck would have it, we have exactly one piece left over. Divine provenance?
This gives a birds-eye view of what is happening in the space. Notice my workshop that is visible through the opening above the kitchen. I'm taking this photo from the loft completely on the other side of the building, about as far away from being hard at work as possible.
Did I mention that we are behind schedule?
And yes, the "living room" still looks like this.
Thanks for asking.
There was a June wedding in our family.
A bride and her bridesmaids.
Mothers and friends, aunts, nieces, female cousins.
The fairer sex was everywhere.
But other than the bride, which girl is the most excited at a wedding in that "deep-down, twirl-around-the-room" kind of way??
I'm pretty sure it's the flower girl.
So much joy in the celebration. Getting your hair done with the bride and her attendants. A beautiful new dress and slippers, a crown of flowers, and your name right there in the program! All-in-all, a dream come true for a young girl.
But, oh wait...the very best thing? A dance or two (or three) with dad.
Yes, this dad. This dad who doesn't dance. I have known this particular brother for forty-@#*%& years now, and he just doesn't dance. Sigh. I will never be able to figure out how men who are so athletically gifted just decide at a young age that they won't can't dance. They will publicly get knocked out, thrown down, battered, bruised and bloodied in the name of sport, but ask them to go "once around the dance floor"....Noooooooooo!
But dance he did on this stormy June night in Florida, as his youngest became the newest flower girl in the family. Bless him, he danced and danced. And she never stopped beaming. She probably hasn't stopped yet.
I picture bedtime at their house the past two weeks has gone something like this:
"Hey dad, remember when we danced at the wedding?"
"Yes, honey, I do."
"Dad?"
"Yes?"
"That was really fun."
I wish men "got" this about dancing. It really does make them the total package. This particular man is kind and smart, funny and hardworking. A great father. A great brother. But when he dances with a woman who loves him, well, we (the females in his family) all stand back with our hands folded ever so lightly on our chests, holding our collective breath. We are moved. We are girls.
And this is how happy a little dancing made one lucky flower girl. And her dad.
(Let's pause here for a moment and try to determine where this beautiful child got her giant smile.)
Just because I love this photo so much, I'm adding in the color version. And now let's ponder where she got those eyes. Wait, actually I'm pretty sure those are from her mother. Sorry, bro.
And just for the record, yes, other males in my family danced that night, too. In public. And I have proof.
Just sayin'.
Happy 4th, everyone!
In case you were wondering what feverish work schedule was being implemented to finish up "the project", well, here you have it...
It goes a little something like this:
"Church, what church?"
Yes, that's right, any excuse for a getaway...and lo and behold, my amazing nephew got married last weekend. In Florida. And we were SO.THERE.
Also there from various locations around the country were my four brothers and my sister. An all-too-rare occurrence, sadly enough. Spouses, children and grandchildren were also in attendance. Sister-in-law's entire family, and friends of the family, some of whom I haven't seen in more than twenty years. Heaven.
And by heaven I mean getting to hang out at my brother's house on Tampa Bay with most of my favorite people in the world. I love it there. I seriously and unashamedly love it. Nothing but big skies and big water views, and a house that wraps you in it's arms and lets you breathe a little deeper. And a lot slower.
And though most of us were staying in nice hotels, we still came here day after day, to be together, to play and to take in the views and the comfort of this place. When given a chance, we all flock to this house, and each other, like swallows coming home to Capistrano.
And here I would like to offer Exhibit A. The Boy had absolutely no trouble relaxing. I'm pretty sure he's placed a drink order and has a volleyball game scheduled at 5. His binoculars are close by, just in case anything warrants closer inspection.
*He's also hoping no one will notice that they actually belong to Aunt Jane and that they are missing from that "child-friendly" shelf in the house.
The house. Sometimes I actually think I shouldn't be allowed to travel. I get easily smitten when in a fantastic place. Sometimes it's a great house that causes me to fall so hard, and sometimes it's the city/country itself. Although I know it comes from a childhood spent moving around, I can almost always imagine a wonderful new life and an exciting adventure in my new locale. And let me tell you right now that A LOT of time can be spent "mentally" moving your entire life. And there's a genuine melancholy when you remind yourself that it is just not destined to be. Of course, smitten doesn't always happen. I mean, I have been to Newark, for example. ahem.
But it does happen when I go here. Always.
As Exhibit B, I would just like to mention that all of these photos were taken from the back yard and dock of said house.
Daughter has a pretty great time hanging with the family, as well. But she is annoyingly levelheaded when it comes to relocating to every single "Florida-Hawaii-or-Paris" that comes along. Although she does make serious noise about living in Rome someday. I guess the gypsy apple doesn't fall far from the tree, after all.
But, oh, the skies. I really think it's these skies that I fall so in love with. The same tropical fascination that lures me to Hawaii. Vast, dramatic, volatile sky-scapes that change by the second, daring you to blink lest you miss another spectacular display. Let's just call this Exhibit C.
Breathtaking beauty in all directions, and at every hour of the day.
Mesmerizing. A cleansing of the soul with each sunset. And all of this happens each day as you do the dishes, or play catch with a nephew, or sit on the deck with a sibling or five. *sigh*
So brother, friend, father-of-the-groom, thank you for letting me hang out in your amazing world once again. I am still feeling the emotional tug.
And about that now empty guest suite with the private deck? (Shhh...I'll be back. Soon. And try not to be alarmed by all the suitcases.) Love you!
And congratulations Dave and Heather! The wedding was beautiful.
(Could the two of you possibly BE any cuter?? Sheesh.)
Today ~ It was the best of days. It was the worst of days.
A truly joyous beginning. At last, at long last, more windows being installed into their frames. Ready to be put back in place. One step closer to the finish line. Hallelujah!
I have thirty-seven windows ready to be installed. This is in addition to the twenty that are already back in their places, hiding behind a plywood shield, waiting...waiting for the day of the ultimate window reveal. That day I am sure that the angels will be singing. Bluebirds of happiness will fly out of places only spoken of in whispered tones. All of heaven will be smiling down, I'm just sure of it.
But the journey to that ultimate goal continues to be long. Did I mention that some of these "new" windows are indeed new for the second time? No? Darn, that must have slipped my mind.
Deep breath...okay, so there was the day in November when a stray pit bull pit bull got into the church, came up to the third floor studio, and managed to get tangled up in a group of windows leaning against the end of a work table, crashing six of them to the ground right-in-front-of-my-face. Nice Doggy.
I had to take a moment, people. Maybe I had to take a week. I don't remember.
I also probably didn't mention the time this Spring that I came back from a trip to find two more windows badly broken and four completely missing. I guess I figured since no one had any information on what happened, there really wasn't much of a story to tell. My bad.
The bottom line on all of this pillage and plunder is that I have spent the past ten weeks repairing and replacing that which had already been done. Now I am at a total of sixty-nine windows with only fifty-seven to show for it. Man, I hate "fuzzy" math.
So the good part of today? New guys with 20+ years of experience coming to handle these windows...professionals who have contracted with some of the largest and most beautiful churches in town. Are the angels singing yet?
Not yet. First we had to have a discussion on how the glazing would be handled, because "Thanks, but we won't be using silicone to hold these in place. Even if you do it all the time. No, really. But thanks". If The Boy would someday need to have one of them removed for a repair, I would hate to think that he would need to have it pretty much smashed around the edges to get it out. But hey, that's just me...I'm funny like that.
So, no problem, glazing compound it is. Old school. Time-honored. Whew.
They got two windows put in the frames today, in a little over an hour. Impressive. The glazing around the edges looks beautiful. It's obvious they've done this many, many times. I'm feeling really relieved.
Until I walk up close, while they are leaning in the light, and see that one is broken at the top. I'm sure from one of the metal glazing "points" that are used under the putty, to hold the glass firmly against the wood. One of two windows. Broken. Again. It's only one piece, but the whole thing is going to have to be removed (again) from the frame to be carefully replaced. It's one of the long curved green pieces at the top above the "shield", so it won't be easy to get out. Or put back in, for that matter. The fact that I remained calm when faced with this discovery should have in all fairness caused my head to explode. Instead I left to take another moment. Or maybe it was an hour. I don't remember.
When I returned, the professionals were gone.
What happens next? I'm not sure, but I won't be the least bit surprised if I never see these guys again. Meanwhile, I'll just keep building, and someday "they" will come. I hope they hurry.
Amen.
Hey, thanks for coming to my pity-party. You are all such good friends. Be sure to pick up your party favors on the way out. :)
Someone started preschool today. A couple of "someone-elses" were wistful, yet felt strangely free.
He hit the playground with a vengeance, and virtually never looked back. Either he was perfectly prepared, with his sense of self-confidence firmly intact, or he was desperate for the company of others.
Hmmm... I'm going with prepared.
The Boy......Oh, the places he'll go!
(Photo by Gillian Crane Photography. Thanks, Gillian!)
Design of any kind usually begins with a sketch. Or, most likely, a series of sketches. It is the way designers and clients communicate ideas and refine their visions.
These are the sketches that Kevin began the kitchen with. Well, he began with these, and ended with them as well. They were that good.
This is the "big picture". From the back wall, moving forward to the island where the drawers are visible from this elevation, and forward again to the curved eating counter that separates the kitchen from the rest of the sanctuary. A very nice beginning. The carved pieces on the front of the counter were salvaged from the back of the altar during demo and will be also be used on the sides of the island.
Never able to resist making a complicated endeavor positively monumental, we added a "Juliet" balcony to the space above the kitchen, offering easy communication between the second and third floors. It is a vast space up there on that wall, in need of a point of interest, and it offers the added benefit of more natural light to both areas.
And at this point in the festivities, I would just like to ask..."Wherefore in-the-heck art thou, Romeo??"... Oh, sorry, where was I again?...
This is a detail sketch of one of the cabinets that flank the back wall. These bad boys are 10-and-a-half feet tall. I have no idea how I will ever know what is in the top cabinets, but they really needed to be tall to fit the scale of the space. Maybe we could run a sliding "library ladder" around the perimeter?
The door on the bottom left, (with the handle on the top), is an old-fashioned potato/onion bin, that will pivot forward when pulled. Kevin loves to add these unexpected features. I don't really eat potatoes all that often, but I'm all about the onions. Although it will probably take about forty pounds of them to fill this up!
Here, on the opposite side of the room, is the cabinet that will house the double ovens and the warming drawer. Love, love, love having double ovens, and this will be my first time having a warming drawer. These bad boys are 36" wide, commercial size, so I am envisioning quite a bit of cooking going on in here when it is all said and done. Mostly because there will be no money left for eating in restaurants. I'd better start visiting here every day, and not just for the pretty pictures.
Thanksgiving at the church, anyone?
So here is where we are. Sigh. A million miles from where we began, yet still a few hundred miles from where we need to be.
This week the templates are being taken for the stone countertops. The appliances will be installed in about two weeks, as will all the doors and drawers. Painting/staining the whole thing will take place somewhere in the middle of all that. There is electrical that still needs to be finished. The copper sink is being manufactured as we speak.
The final design of the forged iron railings for the balcony is still "up in the air". See, I have managed to maintain my sense of humor through this process. (But don't tell my family I said that, cause they would probably beg to differ.)
I am dreaming of creating a fantastic glass mosaic for the backsplash above the sink. Because I am a glutton for punishment like that. Pray for me.
Amen.
I've spent some time today looking through recent photographs, caught up in my feelings about Mothers Day.
This one, of Daughter and The Boy, struck me as a poignant moment in the life of a young mother.
How often does a small child call out "Mommy, mommy, chase me!" So we do.
And in that joy, in that innocence and visceral delight, the bonds of love grow stronger.
"Mommy, chase me!"
"Please help me chase my hopes, my dreams, my self-confidence, my comfort, my spiritual center, my place in the world." And oh, yes, we do. With all our hearts, we do.
And in the doing, WE grow stronger. Then oh-so suddenly, as they develop strength and confidence, they begin to turn around and chase us with the same fervor. And the joy is still palpable every time.
So maybe we should celebrate today by "chasing" our babies, big and small, for a moment longer. Whether they ask for it or not. And go ahead and feel free to BE chased a little, as well!
It's the circle of life.
Happy Mother's Day, everyone!
