Since I last posted a progress report (Oct. 03), not much had happened except the demolition. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of the demo and the water-sealing phase, but such is the life of a busy mom and writer.
As of today we have made a significant amount of progress. Duane has finished framing out the walls with metal studs. The insulation is in and we're ready for the finished walls.
We've decided to use a beaded birch wood paneling. It's definitely more updated than the 'lovely' seventies paneling (see office before). Because this area is going to double as a guest area we want it to have a homey feeling and the beaded paneling lends itself well to creating that effect. Several sheets of the paneling are in place and we've decided to paint them. So, the easy part is hanging the paneling, the hard part will be agreeing on paint color. So stay tuned for the walls before and after the paint.
The blue wall. This will house the new entertainment center. Completed 4/9/04.
The back wall. This neutral color is called Harry's Tent. Lowe's brand. Completed 4/9/04.
Another of the back wall. This is where the guest bed will go. Completed 4/9/04.
Paneling completed. Back wall March 28 completion.
Back wall and entryway. March 28 completion.
Finished paneling. March 28 completion.
Entry from stairwell. March 28 completion.
Entry wall from stairs. Water sealant, studs and insulation completed.
View from entry.
View from entry wall. This wall will house the entertainment center.
Unfinished beaded birch paneling.
Many in the south and Northeast suffered much worse than my family when hurricane Isabel made her path through my neighborhood with her angry winds and driving rain, we felt her wrath none the less. She felled a tree, which from the pictures shows a beautiful wild cherry tree resting her branches on my roof. It could have been much worse and we are thankful it wasn’t.
Most of our damage wasn’t from the winds but from the rain and the power outages. Our basement flooded when our sump pump system stopped working. No electricity, no pumps. It’s amazing that it never occurred to us that our sumps stopped working, perhaps it was because we were in awe of the wind and the way the wind sent the rain driving sideways cutting objects like a knife.
While the initial shock of seeing my basement office under water made me want to curl up and cry, I’ve had a few weeks now to digest the fact that things happen for a reason. Though I’ve yet to figure out that reason other than the fact that I’m a writer who lately has had nothing much to write and now I can’t stop. I’ve made lists, written essays and made outlines for a series of articles on the demolition and refinishing of my basement.
Instead of feeling overwhelmed with what to do next the plan is to make this a family project. One of my passions besides writing is my house and making it a home, so instead of feeling defeated this is my chance to take the blank page Isabel created and turn it into something special. There are still many unanswered questions such as, “What to do with this area of my house” however; I can tell you one thing for sure it will not be my office.
Many in the south and Northeast suffered much worse than my family when hurricane
Isabel made her path through my neighborhood with her angry winds and driving rain, we felt her wrath none the less. She felled a tree, which from the pictures shows a beautiful wild cherry tree resting her branches on my roof. It could have been much worse and we are thankful it 
wasn’t. 
While the initial shock of seeing my basement office under water made me want to curl up and cry, I’ve had a few weeks now to digest the fact that things happen for a reason. Though I’ve yet to figure out that reason other than the fact that I’m a writer who lately has had nothing much to write and now I can’t stop. I’ve made lists, written essays
and made outlines for a 
series of articles on the demolition and refinishing of my basement. 
take the blank page Isabel created and turn it into something sp
ecial. There are still many unanswered questions such as, “What to do with this area of my house” however; I can tell you one thing for sure it will not be my office. 
