OK.  The kitchen rehab enters the beginning of the “we’ve taken it all away – now we put it back” phase.

As I reported on FaceBook, those remaining walls and ceiling bits had to go.  The previous homeowner, in a typical fit of doing things in the cheapest, and most stupid way, used a low grade of plain old wallboard underneath the skim coat plaster when he ripped out the original lath and plaster during his redo of the room in the early ‘80s.  That means that they were not salvageable.  We had not planned on taking down the parts that were not going to be modded, but we were forced to because the walls were crumbling.  Oh well… There’s no such thing as a renovation of a vintage house that does not involve an Unexpected Surprise.

What’s there right now looks more or less like it did when this picture was taken on Friday.

All the way back to the studs that used to support the lath and plaster, everywhere (with the previous stage picture provided for comparison.

Monday the crews came back, and removed the last bit of flooring underneath the radiant heater where the sink used to be, the room radiator and washing machine/dryer – disconnecting the water lines to do so.

They also roughed in the main plumbing lines.  We are moving the sink from underneath the window to the other side of the room.  While it’s nice to have the window view, moving the sink gives us a large span of prep counter adjacent to the rangetop, and allows us to put the dishwasher on the right hand side – much more convenient for us right-handed folk.  But to do this, they had to relocate the main water and waste lines, and remove the unused components from the old location.

So progress towards reconstruction has officially started.  From now on in, things should start to appear, rather than disappear.

Aside from the continuing drama of living in a construction zone, I did get to peel off this weekend and have some fun.  I went to an SCA event – the Hrim Schola held in Barony Beyond the Mountain, on Saturday.  For my non SCAdian friends, the day was a roster of classes in technique and history, focused on needlework, weaving, knotting, knitting, and allied techniques and tools.  It was held in southern Connecticut.

First of all, I have to thank Needlework Pal Mistress Kathryn Goodwyn (she of “too many centuries, too little time”) for providing me with a suitable dress.  I have been an SCA recluse for many years, and really and truly had nothing to wear.  Since the day is done in historical dress, I could not have gone without her assistance.  Sad to say, although I promised to take a photo of her Anne of Brittany dress and hood, I forgot…  Still, many people admired it and gave me compliments on it, and were delighted to find out that it came from her hand, so many years ago.

Second I want to thank Lady Eadgyth for prodding me to attend, and to Aaradyn, Lady Ysane, and the rest of the Occasional Weekend Sewing Circle for helping me mend the gown and dress me in it (it takes a committee to do this).

I had a ton of fun, learning how to do Elizabethan-era plaited braid stitch in metal thread, seven or eight variants of lucet cord (I lost track of how many we covered), and swinging a hammer to dish out a small copper thimble from a disc of copper.  While I can’t swear to the efficiency of metalworking while wearing a corset, I did produce a result.  The teachers of these classes also deserve copious thanks for making the day worthwhile – respectively, the talented Elaine Howys, Lady Eadgyth, and the very patient Anton Leflamme.  (Apologies if honors or names are mangled).

And one thing made the day even more special.  I finally met my Stealth Apprentice.  This green belt, when finished, will be for her:

Yes, it’s  more conventional to give an actual green belt rather than a representation of one, but I’ve always been unconventional.  And this way she can choose the style of her belt herself, to match whatever period garb she prefers.

Her name?  Well, she is a Stealth Apprentice, after all.  I’ll let her chime in if she so desires. 🙂