All over but the shouting

Well. It's finally just about done. We failed final inspection, but Brent pretty much expected that, and once we take care of a minor permit issue and put the smoke detectors in the bedrooms (boo! I hate the things and really don't want green glowy light in my eyes), they will sign off, and Brent has a few more small things to do, but nothing earth shattering. The appliances are all moved back in, I can cook on the stove, and use the sink and the disposal and the dishwasher, and now I'm trying to move stuff back in and figure out where to put it. It's surprisingly baffling. I'm afraid a lot of my pics are very blurry, and I apologize. I can't seem to hold the camera steady enough when the flash is off, but the flash washes everything out.

( Here be way too many pictures )

A young couple came over today who are getting a kitchen remodel from my contractor. They wanted to see the soapstone counters. It was fun chatting with them. And the other night, the woman who did all my window treatments a few years ago came by to help me find some new ones for the kitchen, and as soon as I opened the door, her jaw dropped and she shouted "Oh my god!!!!" She couldn't get over it. In a way, it isn't just that there's the addition, and a sparkly new space. It's that the old space looks so amazing and different, too -- the floors, the missing walls, the paint colors, all that stuff comes together to make it seem like someone waved a wand over my house and actually made it kind of nice.