Water, Water, Everywhere, 2018

A continuation of this post.

Collection of crying water drops with various gestures.

At some point, we acquired a second POD

We must have brought bad luck to the Residence Inn. At least, this was in a different part of our building:

We couldn’t help but notice that their flood remediation was much faster than our home was.

The following are adapted from updates I shared with my piano studio:

On Tuesday January 2, 2018, they finally finished the demolition of our bedrooms, Tom’s office, the bathrooms and the halls.  There have been many delays – 2 weeks at Thanksgiving(!), Christmas, New Years…

The inspections have all been passed and the areas are certified mold and mildew-free.

We have chosen flooring which still needs to be approved by the insurance company.  After they accept it, it could be 7-10 days before that is delivered and can be installed.

In addition to flooring, we need the baseboards rebuilt and painted, bathrooms reinstalled.  After all that, the furniture will be returned from the PODS in the driveway.

All that being said, I would like to start teaching students in the studio again starting this afternoon.  If I hear from any of the construction folks that I can’t do this, I will post here and let you know by email, phone call and/or text message.

Please excuse the mess!  There are still boxes everywhere and no available bathrooms but the piano is fine and all my books are available as needed.  Please let me know if you prefer to meet elsewhere.

Thanks for your patience during this whole ordeal!

~~~

And here we are, January 24, 2018.  

We just signed a contract for reconstruction work to begin.  When it starts, it will be 7-21 days before it’s finished and we can move back home. 

Hopefully, it starts soon and their estimate is closer to 7 days… 

Meanwhile, we’re back to the past schedule:  Some lessons are at student’s homes, some are at Pender, some are at the studio, depending on who is doing what work on that day.

Students coming to the studio will notice an array of cases of flooring, vanities and other non-musical items.

As always, thank you for your patience!

~~~

It’s hard to believe but workers actually began work in our house on January 29 around noon.  My husband, Tom, said that they’ve finished the drywall in the rooms and started work on the bathrooms.

I believe that late afternoon lessons, beginning around 4:00 or so, can take place at the Studio.

We hope to be living in our home again in a couple weeks.

~~~

February 8, 2018

In an update of a different nature…

My Mom (Mary Kelly) fell Tuesday afternoon and broke her pelvis in 2 places. 

Early Wednesday morning, they found bleeding in her abdomen and took her from Fair Oaks to Fairfax Hospital for possible emergency surgery.  They did a new scan at Fairfax and found that the bleeding had stopped or slowed considerably so they decided to hold off on surgery until the morning.  

Later Wednesday morning, it was confirmed that the bleeding was stopped so no surgery would be required at this time.

There will be extensive rehab, possibly at Mount Vernon Hospital.

Her condition keeps changing and I’m not sure how that will affect my teaching on any given day.  I will try to give as much notice as possible when I need to cancel.

Thank you for all the prayers and good wishes.  


On the home front, it looks like our house will be finished today, with painting to come – possibly tomorrow.

Then, will be the reassembly of the rooms, taking stuff out of the PODs and figuring what to take and what to toss.

Depending on my mom, most future teaching should be at home.

What a year this has been!

~~~

February 9, 2018

 As of last night, my mom is doing really well. 

They had her sitting in a chair and walking a bit with a walker and a strap at her waist for the therapist to hold onto. 

They’re talking moving her Saturday (tomorrow) to a short-term nursing facility (I’m rooting for Manor Care across from Pender) for rehab. 

The bleeding has stopped or slowed considerably. She had another blood transfusion Wednesday night. 

Of course, everything is subject to change but there’s so much improvement since Tuesday.

Today’s lessons will be at the house unless something has drastically changed when I get to the hospital about 9 today.

~~~

February 19, 2018

First off – My Mom is doing really well, considering.  

She’s at Manor Care, doing daily rehab and napping a bit.  She’s eating a bit more, so this is all good news!

She’s had several visitors, thoughtful Valentine’s cards and gifts, a FaceTime with her grandson, a prayer blanket from her Pender knitting group and really nice flowers from a Studio Family.

All the prayers and good wishes are really helping.

THANK YOU!


 Meanwhile, we got our stuff moved out of the Residence Inn Saturday but some of it is still in my car (due to the snow/sleet yesterday).  That, along with ringing bells at the early church service Sunday – I’m really tired.  

We don’t start getting stuff out of the PODS until Thursday (if they’re on time!) and there is still so much to move and buy.  We have to buy a new bed for our son’s room and a new mattress set for ours – and we don’t know where the frame even is.

They will be installing flooring in the kitchen and laundry room sometime this week but that shouldn’t affect students in any way.

At some point, we may need to install handrails or other help for my mom but time will tell on that.

Of course, there’s still stuff around the piano that needs to be elsewhere.

But, it’s getting done, slowly but surely.

~~~

February 26, 2018

My mom had a bit of a setback last week.  She was due to come home from rehab on Saturday, February 24.  

On Thursday, she’d told me she was still having abdominal pain and some other symptoms, so I requested more medical care.  Friday, an outside doctor who works at the nursing home referred her back to Fair Oaks Emergency Room to be readmitted there.

We got to the ER and had the same room as we did when this all started, February 6.  Hopefully, it won’t be another Groundhog Day!

She was admitted about 9:00 pm.

Since then, she has had a variety of tests, IVs, poking and prodding.

They’ve found a large bleeding ulcer on her small intestine.

The current plan is to let her come home tomorrow (2/27/18).

Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, understanding, flowers and patience.


Meanwhile, the house/studio goes on.  

We have been living at home since 2/24/18, although we don’t have any beds yet.  New ones are due to be delivered today.

Furniture has been unloaded from the PODS but nothing else has.

Stuff is being cleared out of the studio and returned to where it belongs. 

I am teaching at the studio unless there’s something at the hospital I need to be there for.  I will call or text you if that happens.

My mom’s room isn’t ready if she really comes home tomorrow.

February 28, 2018

My mom actually came home from the hospital on Monday night (2/26/18), even though her room – and the rest of the house – isn’t ready yet.

She has a bunch of outside doctor appointments but those are spread over several days.

She’s very strong and is getting around the house pretty well using a walker.

Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, understanding, flowers and patience.


Meanwhile, the house/studio goes on.  

Furniture has been unloaded from the PODS but nothing else has.

Stuff is being cleared out of the studio and returned to where it belongs. 

I am teaching at the studio unless something new and unusual happens.  I will call or text you if that becomes necessary.

~~~

May 22, 2018

Meanwhile, the house/studio/life goes on.  

Stuff is being cleared out of the studio (and living room) and returned to where it belongs.  This is taking way longer than I thought it would.  Most of the boxes left in the studio are books that have to go in Tom’s office.  They have to be sorted and put in the correct places.

~~~

And, today – Stuff is being cleared out of the studio (and living room) and returned to where it belongs.  This is taking way longer than I thought it would.  

Most of the boxes left in the studio are books that have to go in Tom’s office.  They have to be sorted and put in the correct places, so those are nothing that I can do.

Clothing is still in boxes, some blocking the closet doors so I can’t put them away.

Who knew that water would affect our life for so long.

As always…