A Season For Change

That's what is commonly said, right? Spring is all about renewal and change? Well, for me there is something about spring that incites BIG change. Nope, no simple spring cleaning in this house. In the past couple weeks, we've started some big projects around here.

The biggest project is the new fireplace. Here is what it looked like before:
Ethan is "helping" break up the cement that was under the tile hearth. You can see what the brick was like. Last week they ripped the old brick face off the fireplace and cleaned it all out. Now we're waiting for a new gas insert to to be delivered, which should happen early next week. Once the new fireplace is installed, a new low-profile oak mantle will be built around it. This is what it looks like now:


Along with a minor remodeling project (fortunately, I don't have to do the hardest parts of the project), I've been doing some drywall repair in the entry way. Tom, a contractor friend of the family, fixed the southeast corner of my house where the foundation has some issues. You can walk across my dining room without feeling like you'll fall through the floor now.

Speaking of dining room, I've decided to turn the dining room into our schoolroom. I bought some great maps for the walls and I'm going to build a small bookcase to house all the school books and supplies. There is a TV for the occasional educational video/documentary and lots of table space to spread out for projects.

Why yes, that is my knitting on the table... I've discovered if I knit while Ethan is doing schoolwork I don't nag and hover quite as much so he's not so rushed, but I'm still available for questions and to review his work. The project in the basket is Ethan's Tunic, a great kids pattern (#232) by Knitting Pure and Simple.

I've also been purging stuff. I know I have way too much stuff. A lot of it I just ended up with when I moved here and didn't even really like, so I'm getting rid of it. Next weekend we're having a garage sale. (If you live nearby, the sale will be listed in the clamdigger but I won't be sharing my address here.) These boxes are only a small part of what I'm attempting to get rid of:
I have many more boxes in the garage too. No, there is no yarn in any of these boxes. Whatever is left on Sunday goes to the thrift shop, freecycle, or dumpster... in that order. I hope having all that stuff out of here will leave me feeling a bit less burdened, literally and figuratively.

So, what kind of spring projects do you take on?