Everything and the Kitchen Sink

We finally got the counter tops installed, which allowed the sink and cooktop to go in as well.  Now the kitchen looks like a kitchen!  We might even start cooking again...

We've been adopted by a gray tabby kitten who comes into the garage to scrounge for food.  She is getting bolder by the day, and she has ventured into the kitchen doorway a few times.

After two weeks of skiddishness, Kitty is now letting us pet her...

...and play fetch with a tennis ball.

For Cinco de Mayo, Russell and I enjoyed margaritas on the porch

The kitchen with the trim, toe-kicks, and drawer pulls

The living room enjoys a breeze from the porch and deck

Russell finishes the railing from a precarious perch

The sunny deck!

The master bedroom

We're In

Now that we are living in the construction zone, we can work on the floors and outlets and lights at any time of day or night!  It's a blessing and a curse, but it's making these final stages move along quite quickly.

Russell shows off his plumber's pose in the master shower

the master shower with pink waterproofing

the laundry room floor with Durarock board

next came the tile...

...and the hardwood floor in the master bedroom

I tried my hand at some basic electrical work: installing outlets

Fauna

We have a variety of wildlife living near the house:

> red-tailed hawks, who have a nest in the large coast live oak

> songbirds of indeterminate species, who like to sit on the deck railing and poop

> hummingbirds, who snack on the bougainvillea

> false jays, who appear to be entirely real

> lizards, all of whom we refer to as "Sal" or "Sally" (as in "salamander")

"Lefty" the Lizard, who lost his right hand in the junk pile

> several neighborhood dogs, who trot up and down the street and make detours into the yard

> a peacock, who lives somewhere across the street; never seen him, but he's loud

> an ornery neighbor across the street, who likes to swear indiscriminately at passing cars; he is surely kind and wonderful, but he doesn't show it.

one of many gophers who likes to sunbathe and eat greens

Tim-ber!

We were sad to say goodbye to the dying date palm at the top of the driveway.  Or at least I was, since the rows of palms lining the street are becoming few and far between.  Russell was not quite so sentimental.  We allowed the power company to cut down the tree, which apparently they had wanted to do for years, but Helena would never let them.  She used to chase them away, according to one SDG&E contractor.  I hope to convince Russell to carve the remaining 8' of palm tree trunk into a giant tiki head to ward off evil spirits.

The drywall crew continued with the taping and mudding after we passed the inspection on Tuesday.  As soon as the finish coat is on, we will start with the flooring and, hopefully, the tiling of the bathrooms.