Basement vs. Weekend Warriors

I know what you're thinking: "This is isn't a very interesting blog if no one ever updates it!!"  I know, I know.  It's been far too long, so here ya go...

If there was a contest for "worst basement," we would win.  Avocado green carpet, gold-flecked countertops and outdated fixtures?  Nope, that was all upstairs.  Down in this dungeon, no one would dare install carpet, for fear it would get wet.  This basement sweats worse than Tiger Woods at a custody hearing.  Plus, the current occupants (my husband and I; guilty as charged) have done nothing to clean up the cobwebs or even swept the concrete floors since we moved in. 

Yes, this basement does serve a purpose and have a history.  It was poured and built from cinder blocks 50+ years ago when this 70+ year old farmhouse was moved to this yard.  It also houses the laundry facilities, deep freeze, furnace and corn stove, tons of storage, and even a shower that was used years ago for the dirt-covered men after a long day of farming.  But it was filthy, and it was time to do something...quick, before the baby comes!  I made it my New Year's Resolution to get it in better shape before the first weekend of 2010 was over. 

First, here's what my New Year's Eve looked like...

I drank sparkling grape juice out of a sorority formal glass.  I almost let loose and had a Diet Coke, but I had already gone all-out that morning when I had a caffeinated cup of coffee.  J and I had the most low-key, relaxing New Year's that I can recall.  I made a ham, we watched the USA vs. Canada hockey game, and watched the ball drop at 11pm our time.  Then again at midnight.  Then we went to bed.

Then, New Year's Day, the production began.  We started from the top and worked our way down.  First, every cobweb was swept out of every floor joist- by far the grossest job I have ever had.  The kind of job that leaves a person sneezing all day, and when you blow your nose, black dust comes out.  Gross.  I'd rather be shopping.  I could tell J was having as much fun as I was when he said periodically, "I thought you're not supposed to work on New Years?"  But we kept on, until every shelf was cleaned off, every surface dusted, and the floors were swept.  Every item was sorted into "keep" piles, "burn" piles, "recycle" piles, and "stash-this-under-the-crawlspace-so-we-never-have-to-look-at-it-again" piles.  Every time J would poke or nudge me, I told him that I felt like my body was covered in spiders, so he had to quit that immediately.  But we got through it together, and J made the experience much more enjoyable than it would have been alone. 

He was so excited when he found this old, metal jug and requested to use it for his morning coffee from now on.  Here's a photo comparing the size of this jug, a standard coffee carafe, and a thermos.  How practical....

We also found a bottle opener that said "Hamm's Beer, the refreshingest."  Hey, no one ever said drinking beer made you better at grammar!

After being married to him for two years, I have learned that sometimes J says things just to get a rise out of me.  Mid-basement-cleaning, he looked around and said, "I think I'm going to set up my drums in this corner and this can be my office!"  He wants to spend more time than necessary down here?!  He wants this to be his man cave?!  I'm thinking, "Go ahead and do the laundry while your down here, too, buddy!"  I will never understand him.

So the basement is DONE!  What a sense of accomplishment!