It's always darkest before the dawn

Somehow I hadn't quite envisioned how the renovation would go. I imagined tidy re-pointing of brick, followed rapidly by new framing. Instead, I've been witnessing thorough stabilization of the structure before consolidation of the brickwork, and dismantling of some old surface walls, made of cement brick. It's a process and, I am hoping, it's always darkest before the dawn.