Home is a relative word

I don't think there is anyone on this earth that hates home renovations more than I do, nor any daughter that is more different than her mother.
My mother, my beautiful kind mother loves her home, and is constantly trying to improve it, nurture it.
Me? I can't wait to buy a plane ticket and escape it.
Unfortunately, the home I live in needed new kitchen counter tops. The old ones were not exactly falling apart but esthetically they were not the most pleasing thing. A few tiles had began to break.
Me: "So what? Who cares? How much is this going to cost me? HEY, that's three or four tickets to Europe!
(I measure everything in tickets to Europe. I used to measure value by how many shoes I could buy but I grew up.)
A realtor-friend: "Whether you want to sell the place or rent it, the new counter tops will increase the value of your apartment."
My mother-in-law: "You should do it sooner rather than later so you can enjoy it."
(Question. How do you "enjoy" granite kitchen counter tops? Anyone?)
Hmmm, I'm not sure what I enjoy more. The dust, the splinters, scattered paint on my curtains, wine rack or hardwood floors, or the fact that I haven't been able to even have water from my kitchen in three days, let alone food. Or the fact that I have to clean since I have cats and they can't wait until the housekeeper comes, which is Friday afternoon. (It's Wednesday.) Nor can I live and breathe among white dust.
(Disclaimer: I hate to clean almost as much as home improvements.)
Also, the fact that everything in my living room and kitchen is covered in white dust, is not helping with my neuroses. The fact that I have to spend any amount of time in the room makes we worry how toxic the dust really is. Am I inhaling it? Is it in my lungs? I think my throat is scratchy, yes, there is definitely something in my throat. (Ran to the bathroom. Brushed my teeth five times, then mouth washed it another three until I almost threw up. Damn, I still have something in my throat!)
p.s. If you see me on the street, keep going, I might bite your head off.