Con-Graduations, Chef Mark! °o°

Today is the day that Mark proudly walks across the Orpheum stage to receive his diploma from the Art Institute for Culinary Arts!  We have both been on this journey, but Mark did all of the work required to earn his degree.  I'm so proud that he has faced his fears, and climbed this uphill battle-stumbling on occassion, but never giving up so that he and I can both have a better future. 

You did it, Mark!

 

Congratulations on your graduation, Chef Mark!

Before and After, a photo blog! Part 1 °o°



This is one of three bedrooms. I had started the wood floor installation several months ago, and pulled a muscle in my back so badly that I had to stop. When Phil arrived, he finished the last 4 feet of glueing, while I did the wood cuts.  Later, I painted and installed the baseboards.

 

 

Before

After

Another section of the room, just under the window:

Before 

After

DONE!  (ready for staging)

The tiny hallway was incomplete for 2 years (!), and had one tile missing from the bathroom.

Before

After

Now it has a nice bridge piece from the wood floor to the tile, and it just needs a baseboard to be installed.

Next up, the tiny spare bedroom. That can be done in just a couple of days as it only needs one wall painted, and the baseboards installed. Both quick jobs.

Mouseketeer Ken

Book Two, Chapter One... °o°

We've come to the "fast-forward" point of the story, because everything seems to be moving at the speed of light, and here is where we no longer have as much control over the plot as we used to!

Two weeks ago (which was coincidentally the last blog posting I did), I had taken a day off of work to work on the house renovation.  Half way through the day, I received a call from a co-worker/friend.  Instead of checking the voicemail like I should have, I texted her...  and she wrote back telling me I really needed to listen to the message.

Her message told me that at 1 o'clock that Friday afternoon the big bosses pulled all of the employees to one section of the room, and told everyone that beginning immediately, the company would officially cease operations; they had been unsuccessful in securing the funding required to stay open.  100 employees were asked to return to their desks and pack up their belongings... don't even bother touching your computers or answer the ringing phones.

I missed the collective gasp and the tears because I was knee deep in wood planks for the bedroom floor, but I heard all about it over the following weekend. Last week, I was able to go back to work to collect my own belongings and sign a waiver so that I could receive a severance package, but as they say "that's all she wrote!"

In my mind, this is just a different version of how I had expected that chapter to end.  The original plan was that Mark would graduate on September 19, he would go ahead to Florida, I would get the house listed, giving my 2-week notice as soon as the house sold, which we'd hoped would be early November. All of that was flexible, of course depending on Mark finding a job, and how quickly the house sold.  Instead, all of my time will be focused on the move and the home sale... it's just happening a few weeks early, that's all.  It also means that Mark and I can move to Orlando TOGETHER, instead of separately.

Now, the book is going to start writing itself, and I'm sure it will be a cliffhanger with each chaper.  I'll keep you updated as things occur!

Comments are welcome. Positive feedback encouraged!

Mouseketeer Ken and Mouseketeer Mark