Monday, June 27, 2011

Aaarrrgghh.

So, I didn't tell you earlier because I wanted to surprise you today with photos of all of our homebuilding supplies all piled up next to the slab....house seeds, as my little husband calls them.
But, it seems the surprise is on me...no delivery today. 
I am so not good with this sort of thing.  I get my mind all ready for what is going to happen at a certain time and then when it doesn't....aarrrgghhh.
I'm thinking this homebuilding is going to teach me patience and flexibility and appreciation for small successes.  Hmmmm.  Sort of like teaching kindergarten!
Tomorrow!  Photos of house seeds!  And much appreciation....
:-)

13 comments:

Karyn said...

I'm sorry. That must have been quite frustrating. It's so hard when you have been waiting for something for so long and it comes later than you expected. That extra day can feel like a lifetime.

Sometimes it's hard to savor the housebuilding phase. There is so much to do, so many decisions to be made, and, unfortunately, many frustrations. Before you know it, though, it'll be over. You'll be sitting in your favorite spot reading or crafting and wondering how you got there. :)

Donna said...

Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

no spring chicken said...

It sounds just like my spring garden. Except the seeds were here, I just couldn't seem to get them in the ground for the weather! Grrrr...

Blessings, Debbie

Donna said...

Debbie, I decided I couldn't grow a garden and a home this year, so the garden is only 18"x40" in the front yard of the house we live in now...a salad garden only. This year we had farmers who had to make hay before the corn was up...wet spring here, too.

K said...

Okay now, darlin'. I'm going to give you the truth about housebuilding. What happened (or didn't happen) today is only a taste of what's to come. Contractors very commonly don't show when they say they will. When we built this house, we got the grading done (probably a week after it was supposed to be done) and the forms up - then waited TWO WEEKS for a plumber to show up. The first one never did show. The second one, an Australian with an accent to die for, finally showed up and laid down the piping. And that's the way it went, in fits and starts.

It's like dominos, too - you can't go long before they all fall down. You have to schedule the plumber before the cement, and then the framer and - and - if you schedule an after guy, the before guy will be sure not to show up - or that materials won't - and that throws off your whole schedule and it's all just a strange chess game. But somehow, it all finally comes together, and you are walking through the skeleton of a house, then a cave of a house, then a HOUSE - then paint and drywall and carpet and bathtubs (get a good BIG one, far from all toilets and with good light - for reading and soaking in luxury - I don't have that) and it's suddenly HOME. And you can drape it in amazing wooly things and hanging things and Petunia can hide in the nooks and crannies - and it will be WONDERFUL.

Donna said...

Well, ummmm, so. This is going to stretch my nice and calm abilities, isn't it? There is a bit of good news, perhaps...My little husband and I (and whatever friends we can gather) are really doing the building, so we won't have to wait on someone for every single part of the process. BUT we do NEED stuff! Oh, sorry...calming down now....ahhhh. Deep breath.
This whole process is going to be an important lesson for me in being a follower instead of a leader. Possibly a lesson I need to learn.
I do have an old claw foot tub that has been in storage for years just waiting for a place to live so that I can read and soak in bubbles to my heart's content.
Thanks for the honesty and the promise of WONDERFUL to come!

haybales said...

I already know before you write your next installment of argggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh...what will be in store for your "regular" followers. Stay tuned you loyal people!!!!

haybales said...

Hey, where is my cow picture?

haybales said...

Oh. There it is.

K said...

They say that building a house is the hardest strain ever on a marriage. We built ours BEFORE we were married. We threw in each of our life savings and a friend of ours was the contractor. We were two single (again I say, quite chaste) "friends" speculating by building a house we thought maybe we'd sell. And the experience of building did NOT put a strain on our relationship. Actually, we got married just about the time the slab was actually poured. So you'd think the strain WOULD have shown. I used to walk around with a plaid shirt and a tool belt in those days, nails in my teeth. Maybe having a contractor/architect saved us cause neither one of us was boss.

If you and Billy can work together and nobody's pride or bossiness makes mountains out of molehills - you know you have one heck of a great marriage. But your nice will groan a bit - when he says, "Can't you life that any higher?" When you're on your toes, sweat in your eyes in the sun, pushing as hard as you can. I want to hear you practice now: "Yep, Honey!! Lifting as high as my little self can go!!" SMILE

Donna said...

Hey, you will get to see pictures of me in my tool belt. It was a Christmas present one year. I shoulda seen this coming!
Don, the little husband, is seriously the most patient and kind man on the planet. He doesn't care if I'm bossy...really...most of the time.
My main goal in all of this is to not tarnish his dream in any way. Yesterday after the delivery, he said, with an irresistable boyish grin, "I didn't know I would be this excited."
I'm going to be the best carpenter's apprentice in the world...well, in our little 2 person world anyway.
That's the plan.
So glad you and G went against conventional wisdom, too.

K said...

Yes. That tool belt - I KNEW there was panache in that shot of you!! WoopEE. I don't have one of my own. Hmm. If we ever build anything again, I'm gettin' one. I think you guys are going to have the most fun in the world. And your husband sounds like a man I'd be honored to know - not many of them can be described in this way. Only the ones who take their spiritual side seriously and have less pride than love and joy.

Donna said...

Yes, you must get your own tool belt. I feel so official when I belt up! teehee
That is who my husband is...he gentles me and makes me a better person than I was before us...and I thank God for him.
So far it has been fun and time to spend with my little husband doing something important...kind of reminds me of mission work I have done in Nicaraqua and Mexico....