As you will soon see when viewing the various phases, Project 6910 is as much about restoration architecture, art and design as it is about the coming of age of baby boomer's parents. As a baby boomer myself with parents of America's greatest generation (father was a WWII veteran and mother was of the second generation of hard-working Irish/American children to graduate from College). In March 2009 when father (who had always taken care of the entire family let alone my mother in their later years) suddenly died it hit me like a freight train that my mother could not possibly continue to live in her beloved but readily deteriorating home of 50 years. Not only were there acceptability issues (no full bath on the first floor and 20+ steps to the 2nd floor) there were many needed repairs which my ageing(and proud) father had always put off until he could get to them himself.

Long story short: Our equally proud Irish Mother insisted she'd be fine in her home, but there was no way in which her home was safe for her to live alone. Realities of a stubborn irish woman aside, her three children just watched our mother lose her husband and we were not about to watch her lose her home. The problem? We three children had long ago grown up, moved out and had established lives of their own, yet it was not safe for mom to remain in her home alone and I (the youngest) had long ago promised my mother I'd never let her be moved to a nursing home. Baby Boomer's parents will soon be or already are at the age where they can no longer live alone. The vast and varied set of possible circumstances a family can find themselves' in at such a time is far larger and more complicated than the rather small set of practical, feasible yet compassionate solutions which may seem acceptable to all concerned. Of all the possibilities -- given the various realities and circumstances of our family -- the children (in agreement with mother) decided the best possible answer-for-us was to do whatever it took to allow mom to remain in her home which meant making sure the entire house was safe and the first floor completely accusable.

As you will soon see at Phase 1, what once seemed utterly impossible has now been accomplished, if only in a similar way in which the painting of the Golden Gate Bridge is ever accomplished. Still, this project marks a milestone in one Irish-America Family's lineage. A grand old family home of over 50 years desperately in need of repair is readily shaping up to be nothing less than a functional work of art. The period between Phase 6 and Phase 7 (the job at completion) seemed to take the longest but I think you'll agree it was worth every minute! The process of Project 6910 will be kept open right here for all to view/review. And don't forget to visit our Before & After Gallery. Enjoy!

For a fun, typically ridiculous Irish/American story see: "the great kitten feud".

Special thanks to Julie (1st cousin), Tori and Jim (siblings) for lending some much needed psychological support throughout the past year and e endless thanks to Jan partner/(husband) for making it possible to keep my promise to mom. To mom, thanks for putting up with me through all of this; I think dad would have been proud of how everyone (including the designers) insisted on keeping-to and even restoring the original period/integrity of our home.

Polly