Sandy, You Inconsiderate Bitch.

Way back in 2009, I house crashed the sweet little shore house my parents rented from my Great Aunt Ola.  It is a duplex, with my parents on the lower floor and my great aunt, her daughter, and her daughter's kids and grandkids coming and going through out the summer.  It wasn't much, just a two bedroom apartment that my parents spent their retirement enjoying during the summer.

And then Superstorm Sandy hit the New Jersey coast.  

Working in the broadcasting business, I saw homes completely washed away from their foundations.  I feared for the fate of our cozy shore cottage when I heard that Long Beach Island was one of the hardest hit areas.  When my Aunt Becky was finally allowed on the island to assess the damage, they discovered the whole first floor had flooded and the water line was about three feet high.  

Although I know we are very lucky to have sustained minimal damage, I was still upset the entire first floor had to be gutted- the only things that were saved was the refrigerator, stove, and living room furniture.  All the other furniture, cabinets, walls, flooring, appliances, linens and special keepsakes had to be thrown out. 

The once cozy living room went from this 

to this:

Both bedrooms were gutted

...as well as the kitchen and bathroom.

standing in the kitchen and looking into the living room/ front of the house.

As I mentioned before, the entire kitchen and the original cabinets had to be ripped out

before circa 2009

after June 2013

For a couple of months we weren't sure if we would be able to use the house at all this summer, but then my cousin teased us with pictures on Facebook of drywall

and floors..

..and the greatest tease of all, a brand new kitchen

ERMERGERD, I love this kitchen layout.  Look at all that storage!

Now that most of the work is done, my mom can start scouring yard sales and Craigslist for furniture to replace all that was lost.  Or as I like to call it "the fun part!"

Fingers crossed I'll be able to house crash before the summer is over!

Always & Forever,

  ME