Act One:
Porch conversion begins, after years of planning and waiting.Much tearing out and piling up of old materials into unsightly masses of non-recyclable Stuff. Thousands spent on carefully-sourced materials.
Much enthusiasm all around! Trepidation about impending Winter only increases determination to forge ahead!
Act Two:
Phone conversation with builder reveals diagnosis of carpal tunnel and doctor's orders to Not Use Arm.Director's Note: after reading your lovely comments this evening, I must clarify; it's the builder who is having terrible trouble with his arm...not me! Very sorry for the ambiguity. I appreciate all the kind thoughts, though! And I will redirect them to the builder, in hopes they will speed his recovery!
Act Three:
I do the chores.Because Act Two was earlier this morning, and I don't know what will happen next.
(Clearly I could have said that last thing yesterday, as well.)
A search for that rare creature - a carpenter willing and available to take on a project midway - has begun.
Note:
I have nothing but sympathy for the builder. Empathy, even, since the reason I hired him is that my construction abilities are now limited to the point of non-existence by my own pain issues.Of course, as you know, I also have a lot of time, money, and hope - oh, the hope! - invested in a project that needs to be done as quickly as possible, working around the weather.
Tell me something: did you think things were getting too dull and predictable around here? Because I can't say I had noticed that. I thought Winter sitting on my shoulder while I searched out a window caulk that can be applied at 20 degrees F was Drama Enough.
Nope! Drama Level is definitely cranked up a few notches now. No panic, but frequent moments of deep meditative breathing.
And now I'm going to go fetch some hay. Which always makes me feel productive and successful and accomplished. (I am easy.)
Wheeeeeee!
~~~
One more edit, added this evening...when I picked up the hay, I got another piece of unwelcome news:
the farmer I buy my hay from won't have enough to get any of his customers through the Winter. It's been a tough year for hay; the second in a row, actually. Everyone who buys their hay (as I do) will be scrambling soon if they are not already.
Still. Refusing. To. Panic.
Just stubborn, I guess.
~~~~~
The fact that I didn't get all my leaves raked before it snowed kind of pales in comparison to your worries. Hang in there, and it will all work out in the end. You'll be sitting snug & cozy in that room with winter locked outside before you know it! I hope your arm feels better real soon. Wendy x
ReplyDeleteOh, how frustrating! Really hope you find someone to sort out your porch very soon.
ReplyDeleteKeep that thought, please! :)
Deleteoh wait, I misread this ... it's your builder with the carpal tunnel ... oh dear, now I understand your drama even better. I'm sure there's a carpenter out there with a willingness to take over this job and get it done! (now I really need to put my reading glasses on!)
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about the reading glasses...I recently started wearing them, after discovering that I was totally unable to read the labels at the grocery store. SO frustrating!
DeleteOn the other hand, there are times when reading the news is much more entertaining without the glasses, as my brain just helpfully throws in words that "might" fit!
Oh, Quinn, I feel for you. There's NOTHING worse than trying to find a tradesman who is willing to complete someone else's work / project.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
You ain't kidding! And thanks for the good luck :)
DeleteSorry to hear about the builder and your woes. I have family in the area that might know somebody. I'll throw a hope link out via email to your blog so if there's is someobody they can contact you that way.
ReplyDeleteVery kind! Thanks so much! :)
DeleteOh, man...see what happens when I fall behind on reading because of issues around here. I HOPE you find a replacement builder without Carpal Tunnel, FAST!!!! XOXOXO
ReplyDeleteTanya, I really enjoyed your string of comments, which I saw in chronological (post) order. Sorry for the abrupt bump in the road here at the end! And thanks very much for your good wishes :)
DeleteWell, Quinn, your first mistake was going to the doctor...snort, chuckle, LOL! I find life is better when I stay away from them, they tend to find all matter of things that are wrong and need meds, attention, surgery...ugh!
ReplyDeleteSeriously, dear Quinn...this is all too common a tale at my farm...an attempt to find someone who can help me do XXXXX and, invariably, finding folks who never show or want the earth to do a simple job. It's frustrating and I. Want. To. Move. Earlier today, talking to my brother and he told me the story of Daddy's garage door. Seems like brother had most of the parts, someone else had the door and all Daddy has to pay for is labor...woohoo! OH to be near family.
You're in my thoughts and prayers for a complete and quick healing. Take care of yourself, treat yourself gently and well; be kind to you.
Well, it's not me with the pain and diagnosis this time, but I sort of agree about the "risk" of going to the doctor ;)
DeleteAnd yes, getting good help with a building project has been a VERY difficult thing here, but this fellow has been really reliable and pleasant to have around, and he now feels very badly about the situation. And I feel badly for him!
And meanwhile, the cold wind howls...
(just a little more drama there)
I bet that this fellow feels terrible. I had carpal tunnel two years ago, and it was awful. As a last resort before surgery, I had cortisone injections, and they were like a miracle. They've never worked on my spine but they were like magic for my wrists!
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed with your refusal to panic. I think I would have lost the elusive calm by now. As a side note, I know nothing about hay, but I do know that we had a decent year out hear. Does it get shipped very far or is it all locally sold?
Hang in there, my friend.
That's good to know about the cortisone - I'll pass it along! Those injections never worked for my spine, either, but a one-time injection for plantar fasciitis was, as you say, magic.
DeleteHay is indeed shipped long distances in massive quantities, and I know two New England goat breeders (in ME and MA) who buy tractor-trailer loads of hay from Canada. Last year, though, I talked to one farmer in central MA who had a Canadian outfit offer to buy his entire year's hay to take back north. I wonder if they were planning to sell it back down here again?
I feel for you and hope you get a replacement soon. Best wishes for the carpenter too. It must be hard not to panic but hang in there. Things will hopefully improve soon. Speaking of dramas, I have an ongoing on too. It has a lot of thrilling albeit negative elements to it, including narcissism, family dysfunction, scapegoat, caregiving and never being good enough.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, oh dear! I am so sorry you are having such stressful drama in your life right now, and I hope things smooth out soon. (Much, much worse than just "losing" a builder!) Good thoughts coming your way, and I hope you can find even a few minutes every day for knitting...that precious quiet therapy of sticks and string :)
DeleteEEK, I thought having a new porch begun in the summer and not done till November was bad enough. The builders dug a moat like trench around the front of the house but only provided a single plank to walk across. To be fair, ours was a little more than a porch, more of an entrance hall and cloakroom but any disruption at the front of your house is bad. I hope your builder gets better soon or can find a 'slave' he can stand over and supervise! Sending good thoughts for finding additional hay supplies too
ReplyDeleteThank you for your good thoughts, Katherine! Fingers crossed.
DeleteI'm glad you got your project done - it sounds like the kind of design change that - once finished - makes you feel happy every time you enter or leave the house. But oh my gosh, a single plank over a trench! That would be considered High Entertainment for the sure-footed goats, but would need safety rails for me! Although I expect the sight of me tumbling into a trench would amuse Piper no end, so I guess it would be entertaining for her, too. That just leaves me...such a spoilsport! ;)
Aie, this is the kind of thing you hope to look back on in a few years and smile gently at all the angst, while you sit happily on your glassed in porch, with well fed goats trotting about outside. Let's hope that day comes soon. Meanwhile, if vibes can help, I'm sending truckloads of them.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I like that vision very much, and you can back that truck right up to the porch, please!
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ReplyDeleteThanks, Annie - my fingers are crossed, too. Except when knitting ;)
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