|
I don’t know whose idea it was to remodel
our home right smack dab in the middle of the coldest, snowiest
winter in recent memory.
OK, that’s a lie. I DO know whose idea it
was. But if 30 years of marriage have taught me anything, it is
that this is probably one of those times that I should leave her
name out of this.
So anyway, when Anita decided (OK, so
maybe I haven’t learned anything in 30 years of marriage after all)
to get this remodeling started RIGHT NOW, there were good and
compelling reasons to do so. For one, her nephew is getting married
in April, and his family will need a place to stay while they are
here. I’m not exactly sure why a wedding in her brother’s family
should end up costing us thousands of dollars, but if I’ve learned
anything in 30 years of marriage . . . well, you get the idea.
The other reason we decided to do it in
winter is the fact that . . . well, it’s winter, and since nobody in
their right mind would intentionally gut their house while there is
more than a foot of snow on the ground, the remodeling crews are
unequivocally available. My response to this is the guys who host
river running expeditions in the nearby – and currently snow-covered
– mountains are also available right now, but I don’t see us rushing
to take advantage of their services. To which Anita smiles, pats my
cheek and hands me another box to haul downstairs.
To be honest, the house we live in has
needed to have some work done on it ever since we bought it 14 years
ago. The plumbing was done on the cheap, and we think the
electrical wiring was probably installed by a pyromaniac. Then we
turned the dining room into an office and just sort of filled the
doorway with drywall and Silly Putty. Every time my father-in-law
comes over he asks when we’re going to get that fixed. I used to
reply that fixing the wall would also mean fixing the wallpaper in
the room, which would also mean new carpet, which would also mean
new furniture, which I couldn’t afford.
So there’s a bunch of stuff we’ve been
meaning to do for years. And I guess with the wedding and the
availability of work crews and the fact that Anita has been saving
for this for years . . . well, it just seems like the thing to do
right now.
So we’re doing it. Right now.
It’s been an adventure. We currently have
three rooms in the entire house that are more or less usable.
Thankfully, one of them is a bathroom. But one of them is NOT the
kitchen, although we do have access to the refrigerator and huge
piles of snow outside for cold storage. The workers broke our
stove, and the power is cut off to the microwave. So we’re pretty
much reliant on the good graces of the Colonel and a cute little
redhead named Wendy for food. When this is over I will swear off
fast food forever – or at least until they bring back the McRib.
It’s been a challenge, but we seem to be
making it. And if I understand the plans correctly – and there’s
always some question about that, believe me – within a few weeks
we’ll have a better place in which to live. So this is temporary,
and we can endure it.
But the other day we were talking about
those who live like this – or worse – without any relief in sight.
We have indoor plumbing, hot and cold running water, the opportunity
to shower every day, cable television, mattresses upon which to
sleep and the means to eat three meals – Happy and otherwise – each
day. For about 90 percent of the world’s population, that would be
considered lavish living. There is love in our home, and we are
warm and dry and safe. And if we start feeling too uncomfortable,
we can hop into our car and go somewhere else.
For most of us, life is pretty good when
you stop and think about it – the occasional temporary discomfort
notwithstanding. Sure, there are challenges and frustrations, and
once in a while a serious crisis rears its ugly head. But often,
the bad things that happen only serve to remind us of how good our
lives really are – most of the time. We just need to remember to
appreciate the good times when we’re living them – and especially
when we’re not.
No matter whose idea the “when we’re not”
part was.
# # #
Joseph Walker |
