Even the dogs have had enough!
I just came to the realization that our home remodel and addition project has been a lot like the aging process: The longer both go on the more things that I used to be able to do that I no longer can do, everything is more of a challenge, costs soar, it’s harder to get around, and everything takes longer than expected.
Seventeen months and counting. 20% over budget and 42% past deadline.
All of that said, I’m grateful to still be able to age and to improve our home. I’m well aware that many can do neither. We’re blessed.
After living with my clothes in boxes that have been moved many times since the project started, today for the first time I was able to put something away that is likely to stay where it is. I put a whole drawerful of clothes in a bureau. It was only one drawer and the bureau is still going to be moved multiple additional times before the project is done, but the clothes in that drawer won’t need to be transferred again. It felt like a major milestone had been reached. I heard choirs of angels singing and triumphant trumpets blaring as I celebrated the moment. Sometimes the small things in life can feel huge.
With Love,
Russ
Russ Towne's A Grateful Man 
Relatable! First time getting to put toilet paper in the new bathroom part of the remodel was pretty incredible.
LOL! Yes, we reached that milestone last week and it felt pretty incredible indeed! I might even add facial tissues this week. A missing single pane of glass is keeping us from using our new shower, but we have high hopes (and relatively low expectations.)
HA! 🙂 I laugh because I demanded my expectations leave me alone from the very start. I have lowered my standard of cleaning (because I just can’t erase all of the dust) and am patiently looking forward to the full clean and set up when all is done!
Smart woman! I was a slower learner. The good news is that we plan to have the final inspection by the end of this month!
Fingers crossed for you Russ.
I can’t say I ‘like’ this process. But I like the direction it is taking me. And of course the very end result.
Self-improvement during home improvement. I believe I’ve become a better person for having gone through the process and my home is becoming much better.
It’s a win/win Russ 🙂
But think of all the character development you’ve been able to experience…I’m sure that somehow, somewhere…that might come in handy in one of your books/ stories. 😁
Excellent points, Mrs. P! It’s a wonderful exercise in practicing patience, flexibility, and living with minimal expectations.
one small step for a man…….
…one giant leap for Dogkind. The poor dogs have been shuffled from room to room and inside and outside as the work proceeds. They’ll likely be very happy when the work is done. I believe the Final Inspection is likely to happen within two weeks. Getting close…
By the time all is finished you won’t need the space as you have learnt to live in a small space…. 🙂 You are getting close, your dogs will be jumping for joy…. with you probably!
LOL! You’re probably right, Ute. We’re so close that we decided to have the final inspection by the end of this month.