Renovating a kitchen is hard work. It's hard mentally and physically. Like eating hotdog flavoured ice cream.
This has been going on for months now and I finally decided to sub-contract out some of my demolition. To my (nearly) 80 year old mother.
Best decision I ever made.
Brick wall Betty
Ripping out drywall with my nearly 80 year old mother, BETTY!
After I sent measurements of my kitchen to my kitchen designer Carol Reed, she mentioned that the wall between my kitchen and my dining room seemed to be an old exterior wall, based on how thick it was. I, being the kind of person I am, HAD to know. So at about 1 o'clock in the morning when I was feeling especially exuberant I attached a holesaw to my drill and started working at it. About 3.4 seconds later I was through the drywall and peeking into it with a flashlight.
BRICK. I saw BRICK. It was pretty much the best Peep Show I've ever been to. Only sexier. Because brick walls, the lingerie of the design world, are sexy. Rip that clothing off and reveal the lingerie!
The drywall was coming down to expose the sexy brick wall for all to see. In a few days I'll show you the results of that ripping, tugging and peeping.
Brick porn. Hotter than a pot full of steaming hotdog water.
jainegayer
Betty is so cool! "Can you edit this?" I was laughing so hard I had coffee dripping out of my nose.
Thank you Karen, for sharing your mom.
PS- Will betty be on board for more of the great kitchen renovation?
Susan M.
I might have wet myself a wee bit when "Mom" asked about the editing... for sure I snorted coffee. Absolutely the Best.Post.EVER.!
Anxious for the reveal!
NikiDee
I was grinning from ear to ear as I watched Betty rip into that wall. I was thinking I want to be her when I grow up. Then.... I laughed so loud I bet my neighbor (a half mile away) could hear me.... Betty's camera technique was priceless!! What a marvelous lady!! Can't wait to see more (kitchen AND Betty).
Emily
Great video. I love older homes.. so much charm and suprises! Its not a weigh bearing wall.... is it? Are you taking it down or just exposing the brick?
Maryanne
Love Betty's flip flops, polished nails and cute hairdo. We must work in style!
I have a Betty but her name is Camille and she is 87.
Years from now you will be Betty
and I will be Camille... God willing!
marilyn
oh betty!! so friggin cute..and funny! love the little taps she gives the wall..she is a trooper and wow on her 79 looks AMAZING!!
Debbie
She is not old. She is not frail. She is awesome! I want to be Betty when I am nearly eighty. She is an inspiration and you are very fortunate. I love reading your posts in the morning. They start my day off right.
A fun look that you could pull off for Betty - stylish goggles for over her glasses, designer work gloves and hand-decorated steel-toe boots for those heavy demolition projects. It is worth protecting every inch of her!
Love the editing comment and so glad you included her video artistry!
Suzanne @ Le Farm
Your mom has mojo!
(Ask her if she'd join me for Thanksgiving. I'm demolishing my concrete steps.)
Monique U. (A Half-Baked Notion)
Is Betty for hire? Or better yet, for sale outright? If my Mum were living she would be almost 89... probably tearing out gyprock and videotaping upside-down!
Betty, you are one hot chick!
Erika
This is so funny, I had to watch it twice.
2 years ago my mom told me, very prouldly: "now I also learned how to skate!"
It turned out she meant "how to skype"...
Julie
LOVED this post - this reminds me when my husband came home from work and said - ok this is it! This afternoon the kitchen wall is coming down NOW. So 5 mins later before anything could be covered - both kids had safety glasses and large hammers and they proceeded to hammer at the Dry wall that divides the kitchen from the living room - what a sight. It was down in 2 hours and carted out to the Garden!
I took pictures - it was fun. Id been asking for that wall to come down for at least 2 years!
How long it took to get the floor up and the new Kitchen installed is another story!
Wendy @HerBallistic Garden
I think your mom is as playful as you are...or is that you are as playful as your mom is? You come by it righteously anyway! I'm excited to see the finished result too....wendy
Judith
Woohoo! Go Betty and Upside-down Karen!!
Izzy
Reminds me of my Mum - 88 and can't stop 'doing stuff'. Her next 'project' is reorganizing my basement! There's no stopping her!
Tigersmom
Love. It. So much to love, too.
Is Betty available for hire? I'm thinking I could use her for a few projects around the house and to liven up a few upcoming family functions, as well. I would really love to have the two of you, but I'm not sure I can afford you both. Although the mother daughter interaction you have is priceless.
The music choice is spot-on, as always. Demo in your sassy red jeans because there's no reason to not look cute during demo. And my favorite, "Can you edit this?" Hah!
Congratulations on your brick discovery and on the gain of a good inch of square footage by removing it. Sometimes that extra inch makes all the difference.
Karen
That's hilarious that you picked up on that, because I was truly excited about the extra 2 inches, LOL! As most women are. ~ karen!
Tigersmom
There's your proof that I have done a renovation and had sex once or twice.
Also, I thought I was imagining this for years, but I wasn't. If you are ever dealing with a man regarding an important measurement in inches, ALWAYS use a measuring tape. The poor unfortunate creatures really do have a skewed perception as to the actual size of an inch.
Beckie
GO BETTY!!!
beth
I come from the same kind of stock... you are so lucky! Thats was a great wake up video! More please cant wait to see the next phase!
Sue Ann
I have projects, would Betty like to spend the winter in beautiful South Carolina, USA??? :)
Susan Preston
Betty trumps the fella!
Marti
Lovely! Sorta surprised that there's no swearing going on. Did you edit that out?
Your mother has a lovely figure and style for her age. You've got that to look forward to... hahahaha!
Thanks! There's got to be a web award out there for you somewhere....