We have been so lucky to find a decent contractor. It wasn’t easy – a lot of calls went unanswered, we got one guy out who told us he couldn’t provide a price for at least two weeks. It turned into about three but by then we had John and Bobby tearing stuff out.

I am pleased to announce our stinky kitchen is no more! The rotten carpet and subfloor are gone and so are the old, old cabinets. That smell of musty wood is a thing of the past.

In its place is a brand new subfloor, new drywall, new ceiling and a wonderful smell of new wood and possibilities. I mean, we can’t afford cabinets, a new stove, dishwasher etc but at least we are getting there.