As I type, there are contractors above my head. I'm having work done to floor my attic and repair part of the garage ceiling (which is also below the attic space) where the recent low temperatures here in Green Country froze a drain pipe from my furnace. Since a significant section of ceiling has to be cut out and replaced anyway, I'm having a lift put in that space - why not improve upon something that needs fixing already and turn a problem into a positive, right? It's a very "Johnna" thing to do, really. I'm also having two rooms built onto the great room, as the contractor noticed the potential for such when he constructed my sunroom over a year ago. There's a lot happening; and many things were involved in preparation and execution.
If you've never had work done on your abode,
let me tell you there are a few nuanced things that come with the package.
You have to clear the space and create access for the process. In this case, that has meant moving everything out of the attic and into the upstairs bedroom, which is connected by a closet. It's also required moving things away from walls where doors are to be cut, and covering up furnishings and furniture. Drop cloths drape my belongings and the carpet upstairs; and a floor-to-ceiling curtain of plastic with a zipper graces the apex of my staircase.
It's beautiful, really. Well, no, but it shall be! That is another bit of information - when you deconstruct and demolish an area to facilitate construction, you must see beyond the mess and mayhem to the marvelous potential. I am a huge fan of HGTV and Pinterest; but they have the means to preview the changes they're making...and I don't. It's sort of a faith thing, seeing that which is not yet as though it was (Hebrews 11). I have expectancy of a welcoming and functional space, even though I perceive with my senses a wreck that may never be recovered. Why? Because of the faithfulness and favor of God and because of my fortuitous experiences with this builder.
Not all of my construction contracting experiences have been fortuitous. Many of them have included some frustrating and disappointing encounters - and that's another thing that comes with the territory. I've had to call for corrections, which is uncomfortable (that's a huge understatement) for me; but it's a learning process that has made me grow as a person. I despise conflict and don't ever want to be demanding or complain; but I've had to learn to assert what is right. I'm a widow, and there are those who don't understand that I am also a warrior (War Veteran) whose savvy includes my own hands-on experience and growing up on the job with my father (tree business, repairing/maintaining equipment, managing books and hours, making estimates, delivering firewood, and myriad other activities) and with my mother (bakery/deli management, attention to detail and task alignment, dealing with all manner of bosses and clients and coworkers, etc.). They don't see someone who understands more of their duties than most - it's hard to see past the mascara, maybe. At any rate, I've had to learn to communicate expectations and to communicate properly when those expectations have not been met in order to negotiate and navigate the future of any project.
It's actually humbling for me to have hired professionals working in my home. I come from a family of doers. We are folks who tinker and build for ourselves; but I've learned that just because I can doesn't mean I should. I'm retired from the military because of a spinal injury I incurred in the line of duty eighteen years ago yesterday (years before my two tours in Iraq). As such, there are things I am capable of doing...but I know what it would cost me. Still, it's hard to ask for help - even at premium prices; and I've had to learn to be available and present while simultaneously not being an unsolicited assistant. My duties in the military and on the job with my parents included some of these things I'm having to un-learn now; but my career as a cosmetologist (ten years full time before I enlisted in the Air Force) reminds me that I certainly didn't want anyone attempting to help me cut his/her hair - relatable.
Movement of all the things in my garage meant one of the cars cannot park inside for a month or two. This too has been a familiar theme as the garage becomes a stage for sawhorses and supplies - and in this case, it is a site under construction as the ceiling gets repaired and part of it replaced with the lift.
The main entrance of my home is going to be the garage and that entry door for the foreseeable future, as it is the nearest access point between the garage/outdoors and the stairs and beyond. This also means more activity and disruption for my mother, whose suite is at the foot of the stairs. Fortunately, she loves having people around - she's quite extroverted - and this hasn't been troublesome for her. The sunroom is essentially an enclosed porch from my bedroom (necessitated by some water issues around the exposed door on its north side); and it was a vastly different experience for me as an introvert.
Making a thing of beauty is messy business. Yes, the packed-wall-to-wall upstairs bedroom and the rendered-unusable garage are part of that; but just because the construction is happening upstairs doesn't mean the remains of the house are unaffected. On the contrary, there have been ducts to reroute and vents to remove and reinstall, noise of feet and tools and such overhead, and not a little bit of insulation and other dusty things upon my staircase and down my hallway. Maintenance of such has my broom handling muscles quite firm indeed; but when all is complete and the contractors have moved on to other pursuits elsewhere, the real cleaning must commence.
New spaces mean new surfaces and new options - what shall we put on this wall or that shelf? And now I get to tell you that sometimes when you need a door you get a dream come true: I've always fantasized about a bookshelf door (yes, like in the movies). There's a door being cut at the top of my staircase, and it shall be a bookcase - yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and he wears a tool belt!
The moral of the story (which is lengthy indeed) is that improvement is sometimes arduous and unpredictable, and often things will be required of you that make you anxious; but when you are brave and adventurous, sometimes good things become even better.
Jotting with Johnna:
- What have you hesitated to tackle or embark upon because the tasks involved seem overwhelming?
- What about those overwhelming things presents an opportunity to learn new things and grow?
- Where might you find wise counsel in getting past the inertia of fear and doubt?
- What stops you from doing that first thing; and what might happen if you refused to allow that obstacle to defeat you?
- What step will you take today - an exercise of faith - toward your goal?
You are so very worthy of the work and discomfort involved to build a better situation in your surroundings, your relationships, your spirit, your finances, your physical and mental health. It will get messy, but it will be marvelous!
Stay tuned. Stay focused. Stay well.
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