Downstairs Demolition

It's the end of an era.



Yesterday, Rod moved out.



Rod is Jason's brother-in-law (Ang's brother) and had been living in the downstairs basement suite since Jason and Angie bought their house in 2002. Although Rod helped out with the mortgage, I know that is not the main reason he was there. Jason not-so-secretly enjoyed being able to help out his new family member and welcomed the chance to get to know his new 'bro a little bit more.



Throughout Jason and Angie's marriage, there was an understanding that if Angie were to get pregnant, that Rod would move out to make room for baby. But Ang never got pregnant, and so Rod stayed. After Ang died, Rod stayed. And when Jason asked me to move in, he stayed. In fact, that was something I always worried about - that he would not be comfortable with me in the house instead of his sister. But Rod is a stand-up guy and was totally okay with the whole situation, and so we all lived together in the house - dogs and kitties abound. BBQs were shared, beers were had, his new girlfriend was welcomed into the fray...



His being there has also helped Jason see Faye & David and Larry & Mary, Ang's parents, more than he would have otherwise since they come to visit Rod every so often. I like to think that if Jason were to invite Larry or Faye over for a visit now that Rod is gone, that they would still feel comfortable enough to stay the night at with us at Chez Camp, or stop by for tea. When Baby Camp comes along, I hope that they treat our little bundle like they would have a child of Ang's. I'm certainly going to encourage the spoiling that I know all grandparents are proud of!



But I guess I won't know how things will be on that front for a while yet.



In the meantime, the downstairs renovations have started at Chez Camp for Project Baby Number One. We started small, by knocking a hole in the wall to see if there was room under the front stairs for a wine cellar... okay, maybe not exclusively baby-related, but interesting nonetheless! To follow will be tearing out the carpets to be replaced by laminate flooring, and ripping down the ceilings to reinsulate & soundproof. The bathroom also needs a complete reno, thankfully my dad and brother are both plumbers! Then the standard painting and whatnot...



There is a lot of work to do, and a 7-month window to do it in, with work and school juggled in the middle. Yikes.



In pregnancy news, my first ultrasound is next week! Ultra-cool!



The nausea is beginning to abate, FINALLY, unless I don't eat something. Like RIGHT AWAY. Sometimes I feel like I need to go barf for a bit, or at least hang out in the can and heave a bit and feel like barfing, but then never actually barf, and just study the tiles on the floor and the toilet seat. Last week, on my walk to work from the bus stop, I had to stop at BCIT to puke (I don't even go to school there) and then again at my own workplace. I even shoved our receptionist out of my way while running up the stairs to make it to the bathroom. Suffice it to say that most people at work are aware of the little alien in my belly.



That's all for now...