File Under: Well, That Was Surprisingly Easy

When we bought our house two years ago (almost exactly - Hurricane Sandy blew in as the moving truck drove away) we knew there were changes we wanted to make. A slightly bigger family room and kitchen, for example, were - and are - top of the list. We've had plans drawn up, talked to builders, and...nothing. We just can't seem to pull the trigger. We'll get there.

While all the reno hemming and hawing has been going on I'd become increasingly irritated by the rug in the family room. We've known that the entire house had originally been outfitted with wall-to-wall carpet befitting it's mid-60s construction. Most of it had been removed by the prior owner (the daughter of the couple who built the place) before listing, with the exception of three rooms including the family room, which she actually replaced. We took care of two of the remaining rooms - I absolutely did not want sea-foam green shag in my bedroom - but didn't bother with the family room, believing that we'd be rebuilding the whole thing soon enough anyway. Both the agents involved in the transaction as well as the owner told us that underneath the ivory Sell Me Berber installed in the family room was nothing but plywood. So we'd decided to live with it until we could make the major changes we imagined we'd be making fairly soon.

Look what we found!

But the rug was becoming increasingly...unpleasant and really had to go. Two dogs, two kids, and a door leading directly outside will do that. The notion of putting something else in its place distressed me because I just am not a huge carpet fan plus there's the whole asthma and allergy thing we have going on, but what could I do? Plywood is plywood and has to be covered with something.

When my husband stuck the utility knife to begin the first cut I idly commented how lovely it would be if everyone had been wrong and we found wood. He looked up at me, exasperated to be having this conversation again, and then pulled back against the cut to reveal...wood. I may have squealed.  (Excitement isn't one of my more attractive emotions, but I'll never apologize.)

So instead of a several-hour episode of removal-and-replacement we executed a removal-and-go-to-lunch. Falafel and Sauvignon Blanc are waaaaaay better than whatever we would have put into a room we're hoping (planning?) to blow out sometime soon anyway.

I love it when a plan comes together.