Posted by jsexton – November 10, 2006 9:10 AM

We moved out of the house again. This week the new stairs were installed; we're going from carpeted stairs to hardwood. The old stairs were against a wall, and now that wall is gone. So the stairs are wide open.

The new hardwood stairs are glued and then nailed down. The glue needs to dry for three days before you walk on it. So we moved in with my parents again. And with more sanding and plaster work taking place, we're actually staying with them for a week.

Thanks, Mom and Dad -- you guys are life savers. It has been many years since I spent a week at my parents' house. This is the house I grew up in, and some of the sounds and smells take me back to my childhood: my dad playing the piano, a train whistling in the distance and beef stew with dumplings cooking in the kitchen. All of these things make me feel like the world is in a good place.

That said, living out of a suitcase is no cup of tea. I think it is actually harder on Gretchen and the kids. Some school assignments are getting lost in the shuffle, and tears seem to be closer to the surface.

Below is a series of photos showing you how the stairs
are progressing. This is the "before" shot.

This is during the demolition stage.

These are the new stairs! The railings will be coming soon.

And here are the guys who made it happen. Lee (left) and Mark are finish
carpenters. They are very skilled and impressive. They also installed the cabinets.