A little sparkle lights the way!

I was going to title this post "the end is near" but upon writing that, I thought of all I have yet to do... and I figured it was too likely that I'd jinx myself.  The end of the work would never come.

I know you've heard me speak of "Lady-Do" weekends... well, today was Daddy-Do Day! Thankfully m'Pa had some time in his weekend to come out here and help me move a light switch.  You've seen the one... it sits in one of the panels of the wall - kind of randomly?  Not anymore!

The switch actually operates the light in the stairwell that we use every night, so weren't going to get rid of it entirely.  Instead, I wanted to move it to just inside the stairwell.  That was today's chore #1.

Where the old switch was...

where it is now!

While doing it, Dad and I ran into a few fun snags, but nothing too tricky.  Working through lathe and plaster isn't that much different from drywall... except that you have to be sure your first cut is your only cut, as you can't just put the lathe back in.  We did okay though, see?!

I was also very blessed to be the recipient of a loved, but unused, mini chandelier.  My Mum had gotten it years ago but never found a place for it.  She was gracious enough to let me borrow it until she has a place to put it up.  Until then, it's adding a little class to our hidden staircase.

Just like every other project around here, there was a lesson to learn from today's chore;  Only do one update at a time.  For example, when you move a switch, don't also change the light fixture and the bulb.  By only changing one thing at a time, you'll know which one you have to fix when it doesn't work.  In case you didn't catch that, we changed all three, and then had to go back to figure out where the problem was when the light didn't work.  Luckily we figured out that the socket needed a bit of an adjustment so the chandelier would work... Et voila!

Part way done the
wood filler

Jerry-riggin!

I somehow managed to keep moving and did the patch for the old light switch, the putty for where the panelled wall meets the side walls, the wood filler where the old door handle came out, and retrofitted a door pull.  That was another adventure.

I wanted to use a glass door knob that I had, but wanted it as a pull only, not to go through the door.  Although the threads couldn't be matched, I was able to jerry-rig something at Home Hardware and will attach it tomorrow... maybe :)

I have a feeling I'm only a few days away from being ready to show you the whole wall.  The baseboard and crown moulding will take a bit longer... but those will just be finishing touches really.