Hitting Rock Bottom (sheetrock bottom, that is)

Is it weird that the more I tear up my kitchen, the better it seems to look?

I don't know if it's just the fact that I'm removing so much of the foul funk or if I'm going caddywompus from all the chemicals and dust, but we've pretty much arrived at ground zero of the demolition and renewal cycle, and my kitchen seems to look better all the time. I say we're at the very bottom of demolition, but actually the tail end of demolition and the very early signs of new life overlap some. The floor is fixed, and even as I type there are electricians at the house removing the old cobbled together (and very dangerous) wiring and installing new electrical service and lighting. I'm doing most of this work myself, but ya know, sparks scare me. I work in a building, at the top of which is a larger-than-life figure with lightning bolts shooting out of its head. I don't want to be that guy.

I talked to the electricians this morning, and things were really scary in there. We're talking way below code. I mean, code is barely visible off in the distance. Code is an existential abstract concept with no written being, incapable of knowing or being known, kind of scary. Upgrading to comply with the electrical code will require a host of new circuits--who knew you couldn't run a microwave, lights, toaster, and clothes washing machine all off the same branch circuit? (I'm actually not making that up.) And that's to say nothing of how the old 220v service was, ahem, "connected." I'll spare you the gory details. Turns out we're going to need a new breaker panel, too, because there just isn't enough room in the old box for all the new wires we're going to need.

Over the last two nights, I've removed about 90% of the drywall in the kitchen and the original millwork around the doors (intact!). The rest is coming down probably tonight.
Part of what we want to do is to preserve small original details of the house. So, the old solid back door and all the millwork will all be taken down, stripped thoroughly, repainted, and reinstalled.

One last interesting find as I've completed the demo process is what appears to be an old gas pipe inside the wall that wasn't plugged off. I'm not smelling anything untoward, so surely it's not connected to anything. I'm sure we would have gotten blown up years ago if it were. But just to be sure, I'm going to run by Lowe's on the way home tonight and pick up a plug to stick in there.