Well, Mom got tired of waiting for Dad to tear out the wall so she went and hired it done. It is amazing what a little bit of income tax return can do for a person. So here it is for all to see. This first picture is at the end of the first night of demolition (actually taken the next afternoon) and some framing. I should have taken some pictures as the work progressed, but you know how the mind goes when you pass 50. Well, maybe you don't! This is from the dining room looking into the kitchen. The door on the left leads to the utility room and the one on the right is the pantry.
This is after the drywall has been added and mud applied. The next step was the texturing which you see here. There are also five new tiles on the floor to fill in where the old wall used to be. This view is from the kitchen looking into the dining room. 
Wallauh!!!! The texture has been painted and the job is complete except for a second coat of red paint and replacing the baseboards. We really like the new look. There are more things in the works. Stand by for updates as they occur.